Firm leaders have repeatedly expressed concern that new staff are slow to embrace business development.
Knowing that organic growth is vital to the sustained success of any firm, and recognizing that firms will soon be retiring many of their strongest and most consistent rainmakers, Upstream Academy has develeoped this eight-part series on Business Development.
Understand the Importance of Business Development
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Understand how business development impacts the firm and your career
- Learn the fundamental principles of good business development
- Develop a plan to get better at business development every year
- Commit to a course of action
Pursue Shadowing Opportunities
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Actively pursue opportunities to shadow others
- Be quick to observe the approaches and strengths of others
- Ask questions and learn how others are helping clients and prospects
- Commit to a course of action
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Developing Helping Skills
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Become a Trusted Advisor rather than a Historian
- Reach out for opportunities to learn how to be more helpful
- Actively read good books and articles
- Begin developing tools to help others
- Commit to a course of action
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Commit to Networking
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Follow best practices for building a strong business network
- Give up the right to remain silent
- Increase your presence in the community
- Serve on community boards
- Maximize your time spent at business development events
- Get more from networking groups
- Commit to a course of action
Pursue Opportunities to Refer Others
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Learn the solutions and solution providers within your firm
- Learn other great solution providers outside your firm
- Look for opportunities to help clients and prospects by referring others
- Commit to a course of action
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Prepare Properly for Meetings with Clients and Prospects
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Learn all you can before meeting with others
- Ask effective questions and actively listen
- Go on fact finding missions
- Position yourself to be helpful and successful
- Commit to a course of action
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Develop a Personal Business Development Plan
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Exhibit discipline in setting proper Business Development goals
- Work with clients, prospects, and referral sources consistently
- Accept responsibility and accountability for your goals
- Use the Personal Business Development Plan
- Spend the majority of your business development time with clients
- Commit to a course of action
Avoid the Common Business Development Mistakes
Personal Development - 1 hour
- Distinguish between great prospects and poor prospects
- Spend time helping the right clients
- Focus on helping not selling
- Avoid the path of least resistance
- Guard client confidentiality always
- Stay out of your comfort zone
- Commit to a course of action
Register