Let’s say you’re a business leader who’s worked hard to empower your team to fly your company’s flag with confidence and absolute clarity about your brand and what you stand for.
This means you have successfully created a culture where your vision, purpose, and core values are deeply rooted and understood, woven into every decision made and action taken. Employees are aware of your long-term business goals and feel informed about the type of clients and projects you are trying to attract.
As a result, your team is nailing this business development problem and helping position your company to better target the work you want to get. Real opportunities are coming your way…
And now?
How can you give yourself the best chance of converting that live opportunity, whether it’s a face-to-face introductory meeting with a new client or the chance to pitch or actively pitch your business for a dream project?
Let’s consider steps you can take today to help fill that job reserve for 2025.
The devil is in the details
First, is the brief clear? Have you really understood what the customer is asking for? If there are gray areas make sure you get clarification now and eliminate any ambiguity before the meeting or deadline. It’s also the perfect opportunity to demonstrate early on that you are enthusiastic, competent and trustworthy.
For example, if a customer tells you they are interested in a certain aspect of your organization, make sure you are the one to guide them. If you are pitching or preparing a presentation and the client has established specific criteria, respond accordingly. Don’t assume you know what a prospect needs better than they do at this stage. You may want to include other ideas, but focus on the main requirement first. Noncompliance will do you no favors when your responses are weighed in a competitive bidding process!
Do your homework!
You need to understand who your customer is, the work they do, their values, their culture, and what makes them tick… or the issues that give them sleepless nights. Ultimately, what interests them most and how can you demonstrate that you align with them and can add real value to their business or project.
If it’s a face-to-face meeting or presentation opportunity, find out who will be in the room so you can tailor your message to those making or influencing the decision. If, for example, the CFO is in the field, you should make sure to show good value for money and so on.
Consider the following:
- What are the main challenges and what solutions would you recommend?
- Can you demonstrate that you are best placed to provide such solutions? (the proof is in the pudding: case studies, testimonials, quantifiable facts and figures)
- Who are the right people to seize/involve in the opportunity on your side and why?
- Do you have the right resources?
- How would you approach the job and where would you start?
- Do as much background reading/online research/information/site visits as possible to demonstrate that you know what you are talking about and have taken the time to understand the scenario
- Examine the industry and market competitors, physical locations if relevant, and any existing/historical issues that may have implications
- Bonus points if you can spot a problem the customer hasn’t mentioned yet AND provide a logical way to solve it!
Less is more…
We’ve all seen giant pitches, and we’ve all seen presentations that put you in snooze mode faster than warm milk before bed. As Mark Twain (or presumably many others) said: “If I had had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” Frankly, it may take longer to cut down on side information, but getting to the point concisely is critical to not losing your audience.
Create a narrative that is aspirational, values-driven, and tells a demonstrable story of how you will meet and exceed all customer needs. Focus on the key points and represent them well:
- Capture attention with engaging, relevant and clear images. Blurred illegible tables are not allowed!
- Miss the novel – just the key points
- Proof Points: Where have you done this before and what were the results?
- If it is a written proposal, avoid technical jargon
- If it’s in person, practice, make eye contact, interact with your audience, and of course, aim to wow them with your amazing energy and expertise!
Practice, but be authentic
When you approach a new business opportunity, whether it’s a meeting, presentation or similar, it’s critical that your team fully understands the opportunity, the company’s strategy for converting it, and their specific roles in the process.
Many teams stumble at the finish line, even with their best members present, because they fail to adequately inform everyone. This often results in a senior leader who always talks or team members who say the wrong things due to a lack of preparation.
Anticipating potential tricky questions during meetings or presentations is essential. Being ready with well-thought-out answers helps you avoid stumbling before decision makers and eliminates any doubt about your abilities.
If you’re giving a presentation, be sure to set aside time for questions at the end and invite the audience to share any additional questions they may have.
After the meeting, follow up with a thank you note, send a digital copy of the presentation, and reiterate your enthusiasm and availability for the project or collaboration.
Final thoughts
Successfully identifying and converting work begins with ensuring that business development interactions lead to tangible results and, ultimately, paid work.
Building relationships takes time and it’s natural not to get perfect results right away. Remember, every experience contains valuable lessons. Welcome feedback, learn from it, and refine the process, content, or delivery for the future.
In the words of Winston Churchill: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”