Anyone in business development or sales has probably had someone go cold on them. Everything seems to be going well than the person on the other side stops responding to your emails or calls. Why This Happens Each situation is unique, but I think it all comes back to the same underlying reason: people avoid [...]
Archive | June, 2012
Good BD At An Early Stage Startup
How do you if know a business development person is “good” at an early stage startup? I think one mark of a great BD person is that they’re able to get that initial deal with a meaningful party. Generally speaking, they’re able to convince someone worthwhile to take a chance on them. If I’m a [...]
Thinking About Self Improvement Over A Lifetime
Self-improvement emcompasses goals. Goals do not encompass self improvement. The distinction is that goals are finite. Self improvement never ends. There is no finish line. Whether I’m trying to have less body fat, get better at my job, or develop a greater tolerance for fear the same notion holds true – it will always be [...]
BD 101: What to Avoid While Getting that First Meeting
“Before we hop on a call, mind sending over a deck or one-pager my team can review” I get this all the time. Target partners and customers often want collateral on your offering prior to taking a meeting with you. It’s a filtering mechanism they use to spend their time efficiently. I avoid sending material [...]
BD 101: What Doctors Can Teach Us About Pitching
The first thing a Dr. says when you step into his office usually goes a little something like this: “So tell me what’s a matter?” Only after you answer this question can the Dr. treat you. But what if he didn’t ask this question? Say you injured your ankle playing hoops. After three days [...]
BD: Identifying and Partnering with Arms Dealers
In business development or sales, the biggest fish in your prospect pond are often what I like to call “arms dealers.” Arms dealers provide a related product or service to a group of fragmented targets. By selling to or partnering with an arms dealer, you can reach this group of targets in one fell swoop [...]
What 100 Posts Has Taught Me About Blogging: Part 3
This is the third and final post on things I’ve learned about blogging over the course of 100 posts. Parts one and two focus on continuity and the process. In this post, I want to highlight a few things I’ve learned about content and audiences. Creating a Destination is Tough The greatest challenge for anyone [...]
Dramatically Increase Your Email Productivity
Get Weeks More Time This Year
Want A Startup Job in Biz Dev?
Check Out My Book
