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New Business Development: Pipelines Wide and Deep

Written by: Catherine McQuaid

Article Overview: When conducting qualifying phone conversations with executives, there are objectives beyond getting a purchasing decision. These developmental objectives do not have a sales focus. The objective is not necessarily to identify a potential project, which would be a sales focus. The longer-term objective is to become a preferred provider enterprise-wide. Therefore, the information gathered during these phone conversations is different from a pure sales focus.

New Business Development: Pipelines Wide and Deep

3. Pipelines: Wide and Deep Improve Your Odds


When conducting qualifying phone conversations with executives, there are objectives beyond getting a purchasing decision. These developmental objectives do not have a sales focus. The objective is not necessarily to identify a potential project, which would be a sales focus.

The longer-term objective is to become a preferred provider enterprise-wide. Therefore, the information gathered during these phone conversations is different from a pure sales focus.

The business intelligence needed to secure preferred vendor status is more strategic than tactical. Tactical data with a sales focus (how many, when, where) is less valuable than organizational mapping. Wide and deep access along with a strategic understanding of an organization’s priorities is gathered and documented throughout these conversations.


Business intelligence gathering is accomplished person by person since:


You need access to and visibility with EVERYONE impacted by the decision to engage your company.

If an organization is like a chessboard, you need to know the range of moves any given player can make, now and in the future.

You must concurrently map each line of business in order to anticipate a player’s role in the decision. A centralized unit may deliver your service internally. Services such as governance, data management, organizational development and risk management are often centralized in multi-line businesses.

Informal and formal alliances between lines of business can be entry points for future engagements. This is easiest when you have gained access and won consensus for the value of your offering before a specific project is identified.



Big Game Hunters know that there is never one right person to talk to in order to close business. Influencers, champions, implementers and users have different needs and perceive the value of your offering differently.

Therefore, being able to tell your story differently for each player is a skill a Big Game Hunter must develop.



ASK US: “How many people do you need to talk to in a multi-line business before landing a project?”

cmassociates@sympatico.ca

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