My Reflection of 2022

It’s been over two years since I joined Willmott Dixon and as I head off on my Christmas Break, I have taken a few minutes to reflect on what has been a very unique year but also what good Business Development looks like.

Having overcome the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought throughout 2020 and 2021, this year marked a return to our new normality. Not only did we have this new normality but I started the year by getting married which then confused everyone with a change of surname. Face to face meetings and events were able to happen without any restrictions, I got the opportunity to properly get to know my Willmott Dixon colleagues face to face and get the chance to see some of the incredible projects we have been delivering across Wales and the West .

One of the biggest professional highlights for me in 2022 was to reach the final for the Women in Construction and Engineering Award - Best Business Development category. Even though I did not win in my category it was a truly inspiring and humbling experience and opened my eyes up to the support I have from the industry within the South West. In addition it was great to see a construction award acknowledging business development as a profession in the industry.

The awards gave me chance to reflect on what I had achieved in my 13 years in the industry, the role I play within Willmott Dixon and what good business development looked like.

As a business development professional you are inundated with challenges and obstacles on a daily basis, that are completely different every day. I am only too aware that the decisions I make can have long-lasting implications.??It’s incredibly important to me to make sure that I communicate in the right way (phone, email linked in) prioritise the right meetings, ask the right questions, research the right details before and follow up in the right way.

Avoiding the most common mistakes that business development professionals can sometimes make will not only help you to be recognised as ?a trusted advisor to your customers and wider relationships, ?but also help the business you work for to win work and help to solve issues that your customer may have.?This in turn provides more value and a longer lasting relationship.

Despite what many people think – or have been led to think – business development doesn’t have to be difficult, expensive or time consuming – and the return on investment can be substantial. Being a good Business Development professional for me is all about being a 'trusted advisor' so my top tips for any Business Development professional or someone looking to move into or recruit someone in this profession are as follows;?

1. Give time to all - every contact matters - ?Remember that every relationship is important … construction is a small world and you never know how people know each other or where they will end up. Your business strategy might also change and someone you couldn’t have worked with before you can now … prospecting relationships is so important … be in it for the long game!
2. Spend time on building up your knowledge - those of you who know me know I do not come from a construction background … yet being a business development professional we are expected to be an expert in everything and a problem solver. I personally not only read key articles that come in but listen to podcasts whilst walking Bruce my dog. Also don’t be afraid to ask for training from individuals within your business on topics. I regularly ring Jo Charles and Chris Wheeler for further understanding on sustainability and development solutions hot topics. Spending time building up your knowledge?of key topics will also enable you to form your own opinion which means people will come to you for advice / thoughts.
3. It's about quality not quantity when networking -?I’m sure a lot of business development professionals and businesses can relate to this, but just because you are going to tons of events and meeting new and existing contacts does not mean you are going to find success. Slow down and focus on a handful and think about why you are in the room and what is the return on the investment, not only for me being in the room but also the return on posting about this on social media. Don't feel the pressure to attend everything. There is so much more to the role than being a serial networker if you want to be a truly 'trusted advisor'
4. Work for a business you believe in - One of the reason I chose to work for Willmott Dixon is because I believed in them as a contractor and what they stood for. A superstar Business Development professional will not come from you if you are working for someone you don’t think is relevant or is sub-par to your competition. Whilst it does take more than a fantastic business to become great at what you do, starting with the belief that what you have to offer when you walk into a room with a customer is a good place to start.
5. Always be prepared - Customers want to work with people who understand their business and their current challenges they are facing. Be ready for a meeting - do your research, be aware of whether your business has worked with someone before (if it went well), who they work with, what their challenges might be and who they have strong relationships with already. My biggest thing is TAKE A NOTE BOOK (can be electronic)! There is nothing more annoying than someone not making notes which means you know they will not follow up and I also feel like it means people don’t think you are going to have something interesting to say.
6. Don't be afraid that you don’t have all the answers … There is nothing wrong in not having the answer to every question. It gives you the opportunity to have something to follow up on after a meeting or a call. Just make sure you do follow up on the response in a timely manner.
7. Listening can be more powerful than talking - After you ask a question, you have to listen actively. Active listening means devoting your full attention to the response without interruption. While it may seem challenging, and those that know me know this is definitely a challenge!!!! One of the traps some people fall into is treating a meeting like a verbal tennis match. After serving up a really great question, they immediately start positioning themselves for the next volley by thinking about what they’re going to say next. If you’re doing this, you are not fully listening to the response and ensuring you are feeding that priceless knowledge back into the business. When you listen with full attention, you are communicating respect.
8. Take time to build relationships - Business development is not the same as closing a sale …?it's a longer term relationship that takes longer to build. There is no fast-forward button.?If you're not willing to give a little, whether it's your time, your network, your service. You're probably not going to get much traction. I have always found that the more time you're willing to genuinely invest in a relationship the greater the rewards.?
9. Do not avoid difficult conversations and the elephant in the room - the ultimate aim for being a good Business Development professional is to be a trusted advisor to your contacts. Most people go silent when an issue needs to be addressed … or not prepared to pick up the phone to talk it out … lets put our head in the sand and maybe it will go away. This is absolutely the wrong thing to do … get on the phone, sit in front of the customer, don’t be afraid to bring a colleague or director with you. Get onto the issue swiftly, acknowledge the concern and explain how you are going to work towards solving it. Avoiding issues and challenges can destroy relationships and the trust in the company you work for.
10. Be there to help not to sell / pitch - It’s common for business development professionals to focus on merely selling to ensure they achieve their bonus or targets. This old way of selling doesn’t work anymore … at least with the prospects you truly want which is to be a 'trusted advisor'. Focus on helping and asking questions rather than pitching. People want to be heard and understood and the goal is to help a prospect reach their desired outcome, not make assumptions to get to your own predetermined outcome. To accomplish this, ask insightful open-ended questions. Don't be afraid to have these already prepared?and design them to help you connect. Touch on business issues, competitive challenges and plans for the future. The answers will help you discover synergies between both of your businesses. Focus on developing a relationship with the person first, being helpful, adding value, and let the selling come naturally over time.