marketing & sales

ten-point checklist for your next business development appointment

young black businessman looking at his reflection

bonus: ten questions to check your comfort level.

by martin bissett
business development on a budget

i’ve been asking you to believe in yourself, to get your potential clients to open up to you, and to demonstrate to them the outcomes that working with you and your firm would create in their personal and professional lives.

more: what rich accountants do | attract clients, don’t sell to them | how to attract clients | four reasons accountants struggle with selling | think of it as service, not selling | eight questions for personal preparation | perception, even your own, is reality | eight questions that target personal accountability | how to prepare for partnership | stop waiting for business to come to you | are you projecting confidence? | five questions to help forecast your firm growth | four key questions about leadership | does client perception match your firm’s reality?
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now here’s a checklist for you to run through before you begin your next business development initiative, and before each new business appointment that you have.

you don’t need theory. you need the habit of implementation and practice. so i wish you every success in making both a reality.

  1. understand the difference between marketing and business development.
  2. firmly map out your plans for growth.
  3. assign yourself to become accountable to someone.
  4. have them evaluate you.
  5. decide what your value is relative to each individual new opportunity when you meet with them for the first time.
  6. decide whether you believe in yourself.
  7. decide whether you would buy from you.
  8. decide to have a walk-away price for every deal.
  9. decide why you and your firm are better than your competitors for each prospect you see, not just different.
  10. schedule specific, non-interruptible time in your diary to proactively work on business development initiatives.

before you present yourself to a potential client, are you honestly comfortable with:

  1. how you have treated your family members recently?
  2. how well you’ve been striving to hit any personal goals that you might have set yourself?
  3. how you’ve dealt with employees and clients recently?
  4. what you did when no one could see you?
  5. what you would think if it were to be made public?
  6. the way you present yourself visually?
  7. the way you present yourself verbally?
  8. the work you do for your clients?
  9. yourself, to the extent that if you met you, would you be impressed?
  10. how much preparation you’ve invested into this meeting?

you’re now ready to build the pipeline of opportunities for your firm.

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