Five Business Development Tips

While business development has come to mean different things to different companies, the core principles behind creating long-term value are universally applicable. Whether you’re a salesperson, relationship manager, marketing executive or an engineer, if you work in biz dev, you understand the importance of top-line growth. Getting there, however, can be more challenging.

With that in mind, I recently surveyed extremely successful executives at both large public companies and privately-held businesses to uncover practical, impactful tips for business development professionals.

Build Relationships Early In Your Career

“Looking back, I would have focused on developing relationships and expanding my personal networks, both within the organization and outside of it, much earlier in my career,” Beth Brooke-Marciniak, global vice chair of public policy at Ernst & Young, told me, “Women in business can often find themselves excluded from so many natural networks, so it’s important to make a conscious effort to build these relationships early, in addition to doing your job well.”

Take advantage of opportunities to network within your organization and proactively pursue avenues to meet people outside of your company. Attend events connected to your industry, interests, or alma mater, and do not hesitate to introduce yourself. People like working with those they like, and if the right people along the way take a liking to you, your career and business can benefit greatly. Not everyone you meet will be helpful to you, but the more people you know, the better positioned you will be.

Embrace The “Aha” Moment

Rhonda Vetere, CTO, global infrastructure services at Estée Lauder Companies, spoke about the “aha” moments and the importance of embracing them. After the economic crisis, Vetere was forced to relocate to the U.K., a hard hit personally but a blessing in disguise professionally. “… It pushed me to make me stronger … Read more