Business Development

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Anyone can become a successful business developer. Even a rainmaker.

I say this without reservation…knowing many will disagree.

Like Mindy did.

She was upfront, telling me the first time we sat down to discuss growing her practice that she just didn’t have the right personality.

“Networking events are worse than a root canal,” she told me. “And when it comes to talking someone into hiring me…I am not a salesperson.”

Mindy had bought into the idea that you’re either a born rainmaker, or you’re not.

Continue Reading If You Feel Like You Have To Become A Different Person To Succeed At Business Development, You’re Doing It Wrong

Do These Three Things To Rock Q-4 and Jumpstart 2025

Conventional wisdom for many professional service providers whispers that we’re fast approaching a moment when the story for this year will be written, and there’s not much that can be done to impact this year’s revenue picture.

Before you buy this idea, can we spend a moment rethinking?

Continue Reading Don’t Throw In The Towel On Your 2024 Goals


Don’t look now, but conversations are becoming increasingly rare.

The fact that there are plenty of attempts at messaging doesn’t mean any real conversations are taking place…

Just because there is measurable attention being paid to a given topic or hundreds of hours of talk devoted to a critical issue is no guarantee of progress.

Need a stark case-in-point?

Continue Reading Oh No! Not the same conversation…again!

Conventional wisdom for lawyers suggests that we’re fast approaching a moment when the die for this year will be cast, and there’s not much that can be done to impact this year’s revenue picture.

Before you buy the idea that there is nothing to be done that might increase revenue this year — not to mention, jumpstart 2024 — can we talk.

Continue Reading You Still Have Time To Grow Your Practice This Year. Do These Three Things.

Wherever business development initiatives aren’t delivering ROI in the form of increased revenue, the problem often boils down to missing the target more often than not.

It is easy to do.

An entire industry has a vested interest in convincing you that getting your name out there amounts to smart business development. Once you make this leap it is tempting to buy the ads, sign up for the sponsorships, get the copy points and colors just right on your website, catalogue every capability…and then wait for the market to beat a path to your door.

If neither time or budget is an issue, and assuming your visibility campaign in some way differentiates you from everyone else — this might work.

But odds are you’ll over spend, waste time and miss connecting with any real targets.

Continue Reading When BizDev Efforts Fail To Increase Revenue, You Have An Aim Problem
  1. Can you name the target(s) key to your success?
  2. Do you know and understand the core concerns of your target(s)?
  3. Do you have a clear solution/answer for these concerns?
  4. How will you create visibility, deliver value and build trust with your target?

Whether you are marketing a professional service, selling a product or seeking support for a cause, four questions provide the framework for increasing revenue.

Continue Reading Four Steps That Will Increase Revenue

Any discussion of business development should begin with this disclaimer:

There are no one-size-fits-all solutions or formulas. Silver bullets and cookie-cutters might work elsewhere; but not here.

With that stipulation, there are solid cornerstones that will ensure the resources invested in BizDev aren’t experimental in nature, leaving you to hope the market finds you.

In fact, a volatile market or a distaste for “selling” notwithstanding, it is possible to create an approach to business development that produces results — if you possess the will to build a plan on these four cornerstones.

Continue Reading Unlocking Business Development Success: Build a Solid Foundation with these Four Cornerstones


If business development efforts are consistently slow-going, there’s a good chance the issue is related to smart targeting. Specifically…the lack thereof.

Here’s a quick exercise. Pull out your business development plan and check for two things:

  • that name of an individual is connected to each action item in the plan — company names and industries don’t count;
  • each action item is relevant to getting you face-to-face with either individuals who will advance your pursuit OR with a hiring authorization.

If you’re light on the first, and/or there’s a lot of activity that doesn’t eventually map to a decision maker, we may have identified the problem: your plan isn’t target-driven…which means you’re stuck hoping your efforts connect.

Continue Reading If You Want To Jumpstart Business Development, Here’s Where To Start
A compass with text and icons – Principles


If your firm is puzzling over conversations about business development, inclusion, mental health in the work place, succession, stability or any aspect of how to grow, consider that this might be a sign that critical areas of your organization may not be aligned.

Not that these topics aren’t challenging. Indeed, each calls for the best a leader or leadership team can bring to the table.

But if you’re having trouble addressing these challenges, the elements essential to a highly functioning organization are either missing or out of alignment. As a result, the pressure on productivity, profitability and stability is likely to intensify.

An uncertain marketplace only adds to the pressure.

Continue Reading Why Leaders Should Focus On A Set Of Guiding Principles