Business Development with Empathy: Focusing on Your Prospect's Needs

In my more than ten years of full-time business development, I've seen the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. If you've worked in sales or business development for any amount of time, you know the drill—KPIs, targets, and numbers drive the game. But too often, in the relentless pursuit of hitting those numbers, something critical gets lost: empathy.

I've been in those trenches. The pressure to meet quotas can push us toward transactional, impersonal, and, frankly, spammy tactics. The idea becomes to send out as many cold emails and calls as possible, hoping that sheer volume will convert a fraction of the prospects into sales. But let's be honest—this isn't sustainable. It's exhausting, disheartening, and, most importantly, ineffective in the long run. More than that, it often disrespects the people we're trying to connect with.

If there's one thing I want to drive home in this article, it's this: Effective business development is about more than selling. It's about understanding your prospect's needs, respecting their time, and fostering relationships built on mutual respect and trust. When we abandon empathy, we lose the privilege of being treated with civility.

And I say this with the benefit of experience. Over my career, I've licensed over 50 mobile games into the Asian markets, negotiated high-profile deals like the licensing of Bruce Lee and Gordon Ramsay's likeness for video games, and brought AI services into the Chinese market. I've also handled complex sales agency and payment gateway representative agreements across multiple regions. I've trained over thirty business development staff, guiding them through the nuances of high-level negotiation and the gritty reality of cold calling. Despite working on major deals, I still find myself in the trenches, making calls、emails and doing the hard work to close deals. So, when I say I can relate, I really do. How could I write this article about empathy in business development without practicing it myself when I'm still doing it daily?

The Reality of KPI-Driven Business Development

I know what it's like to be measured solely on KPIs. "Hit your targets!" they say. "Get your numbers up!" And suddenly, all that matters is making quota, no matter how many generic emails, cold calls, or follow-ups it takes. It's a numbers game, and that's how most of us are trained to think about it.

But here's the problem: When we treat business development purely as a numbers game, we lose sight of the person on the other end of the call or email. They become nothing more than a potential deal to be closed. And that's where the relationship breaks down.

We've all been on the receiving end of the spam. Endless emails, LinkedIn messages, and cold calls—often without considering whether the message even remotely applies to us. I get it. The people sending these messages are just doing their jobs. But could they maybe do it without spamming me into submission? I'm also trying to do my job—or live my life!

The Sniper Approach vs. The Shotgun Approach

In business development, I favor the "sniper approach." This means focusing on one prospect at a time, studying them in-depth, and tailoring your approach to them. You research their company, understand their business, and know what challenges they're facing. Then, you present a solution that actually meets their needs.

For me, the sniper approach starts with deep research. Before I reach out, I study the company's website, its latest news, and most importantly, the prospect's LinkedIn profile. I want to understand their role, what they care about, and what their business is trying to achieve. If I still don't fully understand their business after all that, then they're probably not my ideal prospect. And that's okay—I'll move on. It is better to walk away now than to burn a bridge by pushing a product or service that isn't a good fit.

Contrast this with the "shotgun approach," where you blast out a generic message to as many people as possible, hoping something sticks. This might fill your funnel with leads, but those leads are often unqualified and uninterested and likely to result in wasted time and ill will. Worse yet, it creates a negative perception of you and your company, leaving a bad taste in the mouths of people who might have been good prospects.

The deeper your industry insights, the less likely you are to rely on the shotgun approach. If you know your market, you'll understand who will most likely benefit from your offering and can target them specifically. And I often go a step further for important deals—I get a powerful introduction. I ask someone who knows the prospect to introduce me personally. When I come with an endorsement from someone they trust, it's much easier to start a productive conversation. That's a real connection, built on trust, not a random email in their inbox.

Understanding Your Prospect's Needs: Key Steps

Empathy in business development isn't just about being nice. It's about genuinely understanding your prospects' needs and helping them solve their problems. The best way to do this is through thorough preparation and deep listening.

• Research and Preparation: Before reaching out to a prospect, do your homework. Study their business inside and out. Learn about their industry, their pain points, and their goals. Too often, BD professionals make the mistake of reaching out without understanding who the prospect is or what they need. Don't treat them like just another name on a list—take the time to understand their business.
• Active Listening: When you finally connect with the prospect, it's not about you—it's about them. Ask open-ended questions that invite them to share their challenges, frustrations, and goals. And then listen. Really listen. Too many BD people spend their meetings or calls talking about their product instead of listening to the prospect's needs. If you're not listening, you're missing the point.
• Personalizing Solutions: Once you've heard what your prospect's challenges are, take the time to tailor your solution to address their specific needs. A one-size-fits-all pitch doesn't work because no two businesses are the same. When you provide a customized solution, you show that you understand their business and care about solving their problems—not just making a sale.

Matching Your Products/Services to the Prospect's Needs

When you understand your prospect's needs, you can assess whether your product or service is the right fit. This is critical because not every prospect will be an ideal match. And that's okay! If your offering doesn't solve their problem, it's better to walk away than try to force a sale. Forcing a solution that isn't right erodes trust, and trust is everything in business development.

A value proposition should align with your prospect's most pressing needs. It's not about pushing your product's flashiest features—it's about demonstrating how your offering can help them solve their problems or achieve their goals. When you shift your focus from selling to solving problems, you build relationships based on trust and respect.

Building Long-Term Relationships Through Empathy

Empathy doesn't end once the deal is closed. If anything, it becomes even more important after the sale. Don't disappear as soon as the contract is signed. Stay engaged. Check-in regularly to see how things are going. Ask if there are any new challenges they're facing. Be there when they need you.

Long-term relationships are built on continuous engagement and flexibility. Your client's needs will evolve, and so should your approach. Be willing to adapt your offerings as their business changes. When you consistently show up for your clients and demonstrate that you care about their success, you build trust and loyalty that will last for years.

The Dangers of Disrespectful Business Development

Here's the thing—when BD people ignore the human element and resort to spamming or aggressive tactics, they lose the privilege of being treated with civility. Your prospects are people with jobs, lives, and responsibilities. Treat them as such.

If you relentlessly pester someone without regard for their needs, you're not building relationships—you're burning bridges. You might meet your numbers in the short term, but in the long term, you're damaging your reputation and ability to form meaningful connections.

Business Etiquette: How to Maintain Professionalism

Business etiquette is an extension of empathy. It's about respecting other people's time, attention, and needs. In my years of experience, I've seen too many professionals fail on the basics. Here's what I expect from anyone I work with:

• Always Be on Time: Punctuality shows respect. Being late to a meeting—whether in person or virtual—tells the other person you don't value their time. If you're late, you're already starting the relationship on the wrong foot.
• Keep Your Commitments: If you schedule a phone call or meeting, keep it. If you make a promise, follow through. Nothing erodes trust faster than someone who says they'll do something and then doesn't.
• Always Follow Up: After every meeting or call, follow up. It's simple but powerful. A quick email or message to confirm what was discussed, provide any necessary information, or outline the next steps goes a long way in showing that you're professional and serious about the relationship. If we have a meeting and you never follow up, I'll block you from my network for being unprofessional. It shows that you don't value my time or the opportunity.
• Professionalism Matters: Ultimately, your behavior reflects your brand. When you act professionally, you build a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness—qualities that go a long way in business.

Overcoming Challenges

Balancing empathy with the relentless pressure of sales targets isn't easy—trust me, I get it. The pressure is real. But you need to understand that empathy and respect aren't just nice-to-haves; they're the foundation for long-term, sustainable success. When you approach prospects with genuine care and humility, you'll build relationships that lead to higher-quality leads, more successful deals, and lasting business success.

Remember, though: don't make your problems someone else's problems. Just because you're scrambling to hit your numbers doesn't mean your prospects should bear the brunt of that stress. And here's a critical point—don't assume the people you're contacting have problems you can solve. In fact, please don't assume they have problems at all or that they need your services in the first place. It's far more likely that your account will get blocked on LinkedIn before you ever get a foot in the door.

Another critical piece of advice: never lie or exaggerate in your pitch. We've all seen those overhyped messages claiming to be the next big thing. Guess what? It takes me two minutes to look up market data and see through that fluff. I have access to all the mobile apps and game market performances, so it's painfully obvious when someone tries to seem bigger or better than they are. And just so you know, liars don't last long in this industry. Honesty and transparency will get you much further than any embellished claim.

Finally, always keep this in mind: you are most likely wasting your prospect's time. That's the reality. So when you reach out, do it with respect and humility—feel apologetic about taking their time, and certainly don't feel entitled to it. When you acknowledge that someone's time is valuable, you're already ahead of the pack regarding respect and professionalism.