We have come up with 10 ways for staffing firm owners to help their Business Development Manager(s) (BDMs) flourish! These steps are integral for growing your staffing firm and making sure you have the right BDMs to help you further your business.
- You need to develop knowledge and appreciation for business development. This can be done by reading books about the industry, watching videos, and talking to fellow colleagues in the same industry. Ultimately, your goal is to understand the principles of business development.
- Do your research. What kind of BDM are you looking for? What experience should they already have? What are their background and skills? The better you know what you’re looking for, the better BDM you’ll find that meets the requirements and responsibilities of the role.
- Having a credible value proposition. Your products and services should be competitive in either price, quality, or service so that BDMs can work their game. But they aren’t miracle workers so you need to have a strong proposition so they can make the sales.
- Don’t stop managing. Once you have your BDMs on board, that doesn’t mean your job is done. You have to keep inspiring, monitoring, motivating, and holding your BDMs accountable. Help them succeed and work alongside them.
- Marketing is everything so invest in it. Your BDMs need to have useful and engaging content to send out. Think of it as a marketing tool – they’ll need to have one as they won’t have time to curate their own. This requires the support of your team!
- Give your BDM time to get their sales process down and don’t pull the plug too soon. If you have a CRM and fixed process in place, it should be relatively easy for them to follow, but everyone has their own style. Provide what you can in terms of templates and frameworks, but give them the space to incorporate and build their sales process. It can take up to 6 months for BDMs to fully flourish!
- All business development should be seen as a team effort. From the marketing content to industry research to reviewing sales pitches, you should be part of the whole process. You want your BDM to feel 360-degree support from the whole team.
- Your BDM needs to believe in what they are selling. This means you need to connect the business with the BDM and vice versa.
- Invest in your BDM. We’re not just talking salary, but providing them with opportunities to learn and build their skills, network, and knowledge. All this will help them become the best BDM they can be.
- Giving credit where it’s due! This is the most important. It takes patience, commitment, resourcefulness, and time to win clients and close deals. If your BDM is performing, show your appreciation and celebrate every win – even the small ones.
Good luck and we wish you the best with your BDM!
