Business development is often the most dreaded and disliked part of many sales / business professionals’ daily routine. The fear of rejection, getting blocked by gatekeepers & the constant fob offs from prospects is enough to get even the most confident person down.
There does come a point when it becomes enjoyable, if you learn to push through the discomfort. Rather than a tedious routine, it becomes an enjoyable connection with fellow business professionals.
Vanessa Jakubowski, our FMCG Specialist believes that there are many reasons to fall in love with business development. Here’s how you can see it from a different perspective:
1. A little every day goes a long way
“Make sure you are practicing BD every day. It enables to constantly attract, nurture, manage and develop new prospects.”
2. Connect with new people
“I see it as a daily chance to meet new, interesting people from different countries, cultures, industries and backgrounds. Whether I’m speaking to someone on the phone or face to face, I always learn something new as I am genuinely interested in that person, their role and their business. I enjoy listening to people’s stories and the challenges they face day to day.”
3. Market Knowledge
“Researching different companies in different locations provides a broad view of the key industries in place and a better understanding of the market. Also, while looking for opportunities to grow the business, you tend to learn more about the competition within the industry.”
4. Motivation to perform better
“With every successful phone call or meeting my confidence is heightened in my ability as a professional and the value I can add to an individual. Winning over the more challenging clients give me a real sense of personal achievement and accomplishment that builds my character and persona in and out of work.”
5. Building Long Term Relationships
I really enjoy creating something out of nothing and building relationships that wouldn’t otherwise have happened.
Business Development really boils down to building relationships and spotting opportunities to create a win-win situation. Getting out of your comfort zone will certainly expand your horizons in life and make you an unstoppable individual.
Go get em’!
