Good Questions
Good Questions
Useful answers.
Business development isn't always straightforward. Even when you've got a successful business, a strong network or years of sales experience, there's usually something new to explore, improve or approach differently.
We've pulled together answers to some of the questions we hear regularly, from making more of existing relationships and improving sales follow-up to getting better results from networking and events.
You'll also find a bit more about how we work and where we might be able to help.
Hopefully, you'll come away with a few useful ideas.
Working with us
Working with us
1. What exactly does a business development partner do?
Think of us as someone in your corner, helping you create opportunities and keep them moving.
We bring ideas, commercial thinking and a practical approach to business development. That might mean researching new opportunities, organising your pipeline, nurturing relationships, coordinating follow-ups or helping you plan your next move.
It's a combination of strategy and getting stuck into the work.
2. How is your support different from hiring a virtual assistant or sales executive?
We're not here to manage your diary or complete general administrative tasks within your business. And we're not a traditional outsourced sales team making cold calls all day.
Our work is focused on business development and winning more deals. We between strategy and delivery to help you identify where the opportunities are, work out what needs to happen and take responsibility for much of the legwork involved in moving things forward.
3. Who do you typically work with?
We work with ambitious business owners, entrepreneurs, consultants, agencies and sales professionals who want to create more opportunities and make better use of the ones they already have. Some have established teams and sales processes. Others are founder-led businesses where business development still depends heavily on one person.
What they tend to have in common is ambition, good relationships and plenty of opportunities worth developing.
4. When does it make sense to bring in business development support?
Often when there's more opportunity than time to pursue it properly. Perhaps you're attending events, generating enquiries and meeting interesting people, but struggling to keep on top of everything afterwards. Or maybe you've got a strong sales team who would benefit from someone coordinating the research, follow-up and pipeline activity around them. If good opportunities are being overlooked because everyone is busy, it's probably worth exploring.
5. Will I still manage my own sales conversations and client relationships?
Yes, absolutely. We're not looking to replace the relationships you've worked hard to build.
Our job is to support you with the planning, organisation and follow-through, so you've got more time for the conversations and decisions that genuinely need you. We'll agree on responsibilities together so everyone knows who's doing what.
6. Do I have to commit to ongoing support?
No. It depends entirely on what you're looking to achieve. You might want a one-off strategy session to explore an idea, project support around an event or some improvements to your CRM and customer journey. Or you might benefit from an ongoing business development partner who can help keep things moving month after month. We offer different ways of working together because every business has different priorities.
Generating Sales Leads
Generating Sales Leads
1. How can I generate more leads for my business?
There are plenty of ways to generate new leads, but the best approach depends on who you're trying to reach and where they're most likely to find you. Networking, referrals, LinkedIn, industry events, partnerships, targeted outreach and digital marketing can all help bring new prospects into your business.
Start by getting clear on your ideal clients, the challenges you help them solve and where you can reach them. Then focus on a few activities you can do consistently, rather than trying to be everywhere at once.
And remember, generating interest is only half the job. Make sure you've got a good process for following up and turning those new connections into genuine opportunities.
2. We're generating plenty of leads, so why aren't we winning more business?
It's worth looking at what happens after someone shows an interest.
Are enquiries being followed up quickly? Does everyone know who's responsible? Are promising prospects getting the right attention? Do conversations keep moving, or do they gradually go quiet?
Sometimes the issue isn't the quality or quantity of leads. It's what happens to them afterwards.
Our Leaking Leads Checklist covers 12 common places where opportunities get lost, along with some practical ways to fix them.
3. How can I stop leads slipping through the cracks?
First, make sure you can actually see them all.
If enquiries are scattered across inboxes, LinkedIn messages, notebooks and people's memories, it's incredibly easy for something to get missed.
Get everything into one place, agree who's responsible for each opportunity and make sure there's a clear next action.
It doesn't need to be complicated. Our free Lead Tracker Template is a good place to start if you're not already using a CRM.
4. How often should I follow up with a potential client?
It depends on the conversation and where they are in their decision-making process.
If you've agreed to speak next Tuesday, follow up next Tuesday. If they're reviewing options over the next few months, there's no need to chase them every three days.
The important thing is to agree on next steps where possible and keep communication relevant. And remember, following up doesn't always mean asking for a decision. Sometimes it's sharing something useful, making an introduction or simply keeping the relationship warm.
5. How do I prioritise which sales opportunities to pursue?
Not every opportunity deserves the same amount of time and attention.
Think about the potential value, how well the prospect fits your business, how interested they are and whether there's a realistic opportunity to progress. It's also worth considering how much time and effort a deal might require. A straightforward opportunity with a good-fit client can sometimes be far more valuable than a huge prospect that's unlikely to make a decision anytime soon.
6. Do I really need a CRM?
Not necessarily. If you're managing a relatively small number of opportunities, a well-organised spreadsheet might do the job perfectly well.
But as your pipeline grows, or more people become involved, a CRM can make it much easier to manage contacts, track conversations and see what needs attention. The important thing isn't having the most sophisticated software. It's having a system that works for your business and that people actually use.
7. How can I improve our sales conversion rate?
Start by understanding where opportunities are being lost.
Are prospects going quiet after the first meeting? Are proposals taking too long to send? Are enquiries being passed between people without clear ownership?
Look at your sales process from the customer's perspective and identify where things become slow, confusing or difficult.
You might discover that a few relatively small changes could make a significant difference.
Networking, Events & Building Relationships
1. How can I get more leads from networking?
Go into events with a little more intention. Think about who you'd like to meet, what kinds of relationships would be valuable and how you might be able to help the people you speak to. You don't need to meet everyone in the room. A handful of meaningful conversations can be worth far more than 30 new LinkedIn connections.
And don't forget what happens afterwards. That's often where the real opportunities begin.
2. How can I make sure an expensive event is actually worth attending?
Before you book another ticket or exhibition stand, be clear about what you're hoping to achieve.
Are you looking for potential clients, partnerships, industry connections, market insight or greater visibility?
Then think about how you'll measure success. The value of an event isn't always immediate. Some relationships take months to develop, but you should still have a way of tracking what came from your investment.
3. What's the best way to follow up after a networking event?
Keep it personal and relevant. Remind someone where you met, mention something you discussed and follow through on anything you promised. If there's an obvious next step, suggest it. If not, there's nothing wrong with simply staying connected. And try not to leave it for three weeks. It's much easier to pick up a conversation while it's still fresh.
We've put together a free Post-Event Playbook with five steps to help you make more of your event connections.
4. How do I turn networking contacts into genuine business relationships?
By treating them like people, not entries in your sales pipeline. Take an interest in what they're doing, remember previous conversations and look for opportunities to be helpful. Sometimes that means introducing them to someone, sharing a useful resource or checking in when you know they've got something important happening. Good relationships take time, but they're worth investing in.
5. How can I get more value from speaking at conferences or industry events?
Think beyond the presentation itself. Who will be in the room? Who would you like to connect with? What conversations could your talk open up? Make it easy for people to continue the conversation afterwards, whether that's through LinkedIn, a useful resource or a follow-up meeting. You've already invested time in preparing and delivering your talk. A little planning around what happens next can help you get much more from it.
6. Can you help with business development before and after an event?
Yes, and it's one of the things we particularly enjoy. We can help identify people you'd like to connect with, plan your approach, organise new contacts and coordinate follow-up afterwards. You concentrate on making valuable connections. We'll help keep track of the details and make sure promising conversations don't get forgotten. Find out more about our Event & Visibility Project Support
Finding Opportunities and Growing Your Business
Finding Opportunities and Growing Your Business
1. How can I find more business opportunities without constantly chasing new leads?
Before investing more time and money in finding new leads, have a look at the opportunities already around you.
When did you last reconnect with a previous client, follow up on an old enquiry or speak to someone in your network about what they're working on? Some of your best opportunities could come from relationships you've already built. The trick is making time to develop them rather than always looking for the next new contact.
2. What's the difference between business development and sales?
They're closely connected, but they're not quite the same thing.
Business development is about spotting opportunities, building relationships, opening doors and creating the right conditions for new business. Sales is more focused on progressing those opportunities towards a decision and winning the work. In practice, there's plenty of overlap. And in smaller businesses, the same person is often doing both.
3. Where should I focus my business development efforts?
It's tempting to try a bit of everything. More networking, more LinkedIn activity, more outreach, more events.
But more activity doesn't necessarily mean more business. Start by looking at where your best clients and most valuable opportunities have come from. Which relationships are worth developing? Which activities are producing results? Where are you spending time without seeing much return? A little focus on just three channels can make a big difference.
4. How can I make business development more consistent?
The biggest challenge is often finding the time, particularly when you're busy delivering work and looking after clients.
Rather than waiting for a quieter week, make business development a regular part of your diary.
Set aside time to review opportunities, reconnect with contacts, follow up on conversations and explore new ideas.
It doesn't need to take over your week. A few focused hours, used well and consistently, can be far more valuable than occasional bursts of activity.
5. How do I know if my business development activity is actually working?
Look beyond how busy you've been. How many worthwhile conversations are you having? Are those conversations progressing? What's the value of your pipeline? Where are your best opportunities coming from?
And importantly, how much of that activity is turning into business?
You don't need to measure everything, but you do need enough information to understand what's working and where your time is best spent.
6. Can someone help me develop a business growth strategy without a lengthy consultancy project?
Absolutely. Sometimes you don't need months of consultancy, a complicated framework or a 50-page strategy document.
You just need someone experienced to challenge your thinking, explore the options and help you work out what to do next.
That's exactly what our Focused Business Development Consultation is designed for. It's a 90-minute working session, followed by a practical one-page action plan.
Fancy Working With Us?
Got ambitious plans, exciting opportunities or big ideas you'd love to bring to life?
We'd love to hear what you're working towards, explore the possibilities and see how we could help turn your ambitions into action and results.
Ready to make growth feel more doable?
