Secrets of Top New Business Developers
Secrets of Top New Business Developers
It is very apparent that first and foremost, marketing has to be a part of your daily routine if you sincerely want to become a rainmaker. It can't be something you do only when the pipeline of new business dries up. While maintaining enthusiasm for new business development is not always easy, for top rainmakers it's an activity that never stops.
Arthur Blackspure is a great example of this. At the age of 70 he's still one of the top rainmakers for his company. He's managed to successfully overcome an issue common with many older workers, building relationships with people considerably younger than himself. For example, most people in their 20s tend to forge relationships with others in their 20s, when they're in their 30s, their strongest bonds are with others in their 30s, and so on. Obviously if you limit your relationships to people the same age as yourself, as you approach retirement all of your contacts are also likely to be retiring. This is fine if you want to retire, but a potential career killer if you don't. Throughout his career Arthur made a concerted effort to develop relationships with younger people who were on the fast track at their companies. These relationships have enabled Arthur to be a top producer for over five decades.
What else made a difference between those who were successful at rainmaking and those that were not? Although it might sound obvious, one key differentiating factor is calling on the right person. Rainmakers have a remarkably accurate understanding about who has influence and who doesn't. We need to know who the real decision-maker is, and not be fooled by the person who says they're the decision-maker, when in fact they're not.
Not surprisingly, rainmakers have considerable knowledge about their own products and services. While that's important, it's also pretty basic. What distinguished the rainmakers was the depth of knowledge they had about their client's industry. They understood with great clarity what the issues were that keep their clients awake at night. They also were very well versed on what their clients' competition was up to. I'll discuss in more detail hhow rainmakers went about collecting this information and how they used this data to build successful relationships.
It is one thing to consider yourself as an expert, but quite another to be considered an expert by your prospects and customers. There's an old but true saying that you aren't an expert unless others know that you're one. How does one become an expert? Rainmakers used speaking and writing as the two primary vehicles to build their reputations. While less successful sales people understood that writing articles and giving speeches would help them be perceived as an expert, they never got around to actually doing anything. Rainmakers did more than just talk a good game. They actually wrote articles and made presentations.
What about the methods used to meet those of influence? Not surprisingly the most common method was through networking. One would think that with as much that has been written about networking, that we would be a society of wonderful networkers. Unfortunately, we're not. Very few people actually do a particularly good job of networking. There is a real methodology for successful networking that the top players understood and implemented.
Another important characteristic of our top business developers was that they never lost touch with someone who they felt could be helpful. Staying in contact requires both organization and creativity. This is particularly true if one's product or service doesn't change on a regular basis. It's not that difficult for me to determine what to say the first time I call you. But what's my excuse to call you the second time, or the time after that? How do I stay in frequent contact without becoming a pest?
The answer lies in a using a variety of creative excuses in order to stay in touch. These might include insights on a project, input on an article, recommending a top job candidate, passing along a piece of industry intelligence or offering some valuable insights on issues impacting your prospect's business. If you put your mind to it, you can come up with a lot of excuses like these to stay in touch. For example, in the process of writing my many articles, I've been in contact with dozens of my clients and prospects to get their thoughts and ideas. Not only do these conversations give me valuable insights but they also serve as excuses to stay in contact.
Secrets of Top New Business Developers - To learn more about this author, visit Mark Satterfield's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Rainmakers, top guns, power prospectors, business builders, call them what you will. If there is one challenge that consumes sales and marketing executives it's, "How do I turn more of my team into this type of business development professional?" Rainmakers know how to keep the pipeline filled with new customers, which is the lifeblood of any organization. Recruiting experienced top guns from outside the company is enormously expensive and seldom works out in the long term. This raises a number of challenges. How can I create more rainmakers on my team? How can I become one? What exactly do the top rainmakers do that makes them so successful?
It is very apparent that first and foremost, marketing has to be a part of your daily routine if you sincerely want to become a rainmaker. It can't be something you do only when the pipeline of new business dries up. While maintaining enthusiasm for new business development is not always easy, for top rainmakers it's an activity that never stops.
Arthur Blackspure is a great example of this. At the age of 70 he's still one of the top rainmakers for his company. He's managed to successfully overcome an issue common with many older workers, building relationships with people considerably younger than himself. For example, most people in their 20s tend to forge relationships with others in their 20s, when they're in their 30s, their strongest bonds are with others in their 30s, and so on. Obviously if you limit your relationships to people the same age as yourself, as you approach retirement all of your contacts are also likely to be retiring. This is fine if you want to retire, but a potential career killer if you don't. Throughout his career Arthur made a concerted effort to develop relationships with younger people who were on the fast track at their companies. These relationships have enabled Arthur to be a top producer for over five decades.
What else made a difference between those who were successful at rainmaking and those that were not? Although it might sound obvious, one key differentiating factor is calling on the right person. Rainmakers have a remarkably accurate understanding about who has influence and who doesn't. We need to know who the real decision-maker is, and not be fooled by the person who says they're the decision-maker, when in fact they're not.
Not surprisingly, rainmakers have considerable knowledge about their own products and services. While that's important, it's also pretty basic. What distinguished the rainmakers was the depth of knowledge they had about their client's industry. They understood with great clarity what the issues were that keep their clients awake at night. They also were very well versed on what their clients' competition was up to. I'll discuss in more detail hhow rainmakers went about collecting this information and how they used this data to build successful relationships.
It is one thing to consider yourself as an expert, but quite another to be considered an expert by your prospects and customers. There's an old but true saying that you aren't an expert unless others know that you're one. How does one become an expert? Rainmakers used speaking and writing as the two primary vehicles to build their reputations. While less successful sales people understood that writing articles and giving speeches would help them be perceived as an expert, they never got around to actually doing anything. Rainmakers did more than just talk a good game. They actually wrote articles and made presentations.
What about the methods used to meet those of influence? Not surprisingly the most common method was through networking. One would think that with as much that has been written about networking, that we would be a society of wonderful networkers. Unfortunately, we're not. Very few people actually do a particularly good job of networking. There is a real methodology for successful networking that the top players understood and implemented.
Another important characteristic of our top business developers was that they never lost touch with someone who they felt could be helpful. Staying in contact requires both organization and creativity. This is particularly true if one's product or service doesn't change on a regular basis. It's not that difficult for me to determine what to say the first time I call you. But what's my excuse to call you the second time, or the time after that? How do I stay in frequent contact without becoming a pest?
The answer lies in a using a variety of creative excuses in order to stay in touch. These might include insights on a project, input on an article, recommending a top job candidate, passing along a piece of industry intelligence or offering some valuable insights on issues impacting your prospect's business. If you put your mind to it, you can come up with a lot of excuses like these to stay in touch. For example, in the process of writing my many articles, I've been in contact with dozens of my clients and prospects to get their thoughts and ideas. Not only do these conversations give me valuable insights but they also serve as excuses to stay in contact.
Secrets of Top New Business Developers - To learn more about this author, visit Mark Satterfield's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
|||
Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Mark's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Relationships and Referrals Small Business Financing Strategic Alliance 7 Strategies to Take Action Increase Sales |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Niche Blogs 2009
Top 50 Niche Blogs 2009 | |
 |
Top 50 Raising Capital Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||