What's your best way to communicate with stakeholders and partners using business development tools?

1 Choose tools that match your goals and needs

Before you invest in any business development tool, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what you need from it. Do you want to generate more leads, nurture existing contacts, close more deals, or manage your pipeline? Do you need a tool that integrates with your CRM, email, calendar, or other platforms? Do you prefer a tool that is cloud-based, mobile-friendly, or customizable? By defining your goals and needs, you can narrow down your options and find the tools that suit your business development strategy and budget.

2 Use tools that enhance your communication skills

Communication is the key to successful business development. You need to be able to convey your value proposition, listen to your stakeholders and partners, and handle objections and feedback. Therefore, you should use tools that can help you improve your communication skills and style. For example, you can use tools that can help you create and deliver engaging presentations, such as Prezi, Slidebean, or Canva. You can also use tools that can help you write clear and persuasive emails, such as Grammarly, Boomerang, or HubSpot Sales. Additionally, you can use tools that can help you practice and record your pitch, such as Pitcherific, Loom, or Vidyard.

3 Use tools that facilitate collaboration and feedback

Business development is not a solo activity. You need to work with your stakeholders and partners on various projects and tasks, such as proposals, contracts, reports, or surveys. Therefore, you should use tools that can help you collaborate and get feedback from them easily and efficiently. For example, you can use tools that can help you share and edit documents online, such as Google Docs, Dropbox, or Microsoft Office. You can also use tools that can help you create and manage workflows, such as Asana, Trello, or Airtable. Moreover, you can use tools that can help you collect and analyze feedback, such as SurveyMonkey, Typeform, or Qualtrics.

4 Use tools that track and measure your performance and results

Business development is also about achieving and demonstrating results. You need to be able to monitor and evaluate your activities and outcomes, such as leads, conversions, revenue, or satisfaction. Therefore, you should use tools that can help you track and measure your performance and results. For example, you can use tools that can help you manage and visualize your pipeline, such as Pipedrive, Salesforce, or Zoho CRM. You can also use tools that can help you generate and share reports and dashboards, such as Google Analytics, Tableau, or Power BI. Furthermore, you can use tools that can help you optimize and improve your processes, such as LeanKit, Optimizely, or Hotjar.

5 Use tools that support your learning and development

Business development is a dynamic and competitive field. You need to constantly learn and develop new skills and knowledge, such as market trends, customer needs, or best practices. Therefore, you should use tools that can help you support your learning and development. For example, you can use tools that can help you access and consume relevant content, such as Feedly, Pocket, or Medium. You can also use tools that can help you enroll and complete online courses, such as Coursera, Udemy, or Skillshare. Additionally, you can use tools that can help you network and connect with other professionals, such as LinkedIn, Meetup, or Eventbrite.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?