Comparing Business Development to a Great Meal: Part 2, Sauces – Your Foundation is Key

For those that follow cooking, there are what they call “Mother Sauces” - béchamel, velouté, brown or Espagnole, Hollandaise, and tomato. Dating back to the 18th century when these were used to cover up and give flavor to spoiled or not-so-perfect meat and game for a meal, they are collectively called in French “sayces meres” or “grandes sauces.” They are the basic foundations from which you can prepare other sauces and, as some say, prepare a great dining experience. They are not easy to make, and they take lots of practice. Much like business development.

The key to all of this is having the right foundation. Unlike the term sales, which can be a finite activity, when you do “business development” you are in for the long game. You are building the base where you create long-term value for your client and develop relationships that will last more than just one sale. You are helping your customers be successful.

In Part One we talked about the basics – having a plan.?So now that you have the list of clients and potential clients that you want to reach out to, you still must work on your foundational skills.?

The ingredients to a strong foundation in business development, in my opinion, are the following.

1.?????Have good communication skills.?If you are a poor writer, take a class. If you need help with presentations or one-on-one interactions, practice with someone who can give you advice or tape yourself and review.?Remember, in business development, you are engaging with potential clients.?Building your professional network is just like building your own personal network. Whether an email, a phone call, or a meeting, you need to develop your style to connect with the client.

2.?????Are willing to learn.?We all can get better at what we do.?Most of us have never done sales.?There are plenty of books, videos, YouTube videos, and websites that can help you understand the fundamentals.?Talk to colleagues who you feel are great rainmakers about how they do it.?Learn the basics. Don’t just wing it because you are credentialed and smart in your area of expertise. That may get you in the door, but it doesn’t necessarily get you the sale.

3.?????Do their homework. ?Research the companies and individuals on your list. Check to see if they already are a client of your business. Figure out through Linked-in if you have any connection with this person as well as their professional.?Know the basics of their business and industry and whether your solution could help them.

4.?????Make the effort.?The best business developers are the ones that aren’t afraid to reach out as well as ask for work.?Like anything else, business development is hard.?You will fail a lot. But you must be willing to put in the effort and practice.?Once you do that, you have gotten over one of the biggest hurdles.

5.?????Understand value – clients buy based on their needs, not just what you offer.?So make sure when you are getting ready to craft your value proposition that you consider how your solutions fit their needs and not why they should just buy your services.

Much like building a great sauce, which takes time, patience, and skill, if you build a strong foundation, your efforts will be rewarded.?

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