A/E/Course: Business Development Best Practices for the A/E/C Professional

Have you ever wondered, “How are we going to make our new business numbers based on the stretch goals management has given us?” There is a lot to consider with business development—and it’s not just about going out there and finding new leads. Effective business development takes dedication, focus, and a strong commitment to sound processes, constructive planning, and best practices

During this A/E/Course, our presenters will share their techniques and best practices honed through over 30 years of hands-on experience. They will take you through the entire process of finding, developing, and growing new business, applying lessons learned and practical applications. This three-part program is ideal for anyone within the A/E/C industries tasked with growing business through new outreach and/or increased business with existing clients.

CEUs
Each 60-minute webinar in this course is approved for 1 continuing education unit (CEU) for the Certified Professional Services Marketer program.

About the Instructors

Lyle White
President
Sales Champions Consulting (SCC)

Lyle White has 36 years of business development experience covering the entire spectrum of sales and marketing. He has trained sales leaders, seller-doers, and subject matter experts in building new business from prospecting to closing. Lyle developed a sales training program titled Intensified Customer Engagement (ICE) that was adopted by a global engineering company to increase sales by 20%. The goal was achieved. Lyle now uses the foundation of this program to help other companies grow their business and be more effective in all aspects of sales and marketing.

Laurie Buckman, FSMPS, CPSM
Vice President of Business Development
The Plus Group

Laurie Buckman has over 30 years of business development experience with six of those years as a project geologist/project manager/seller-doer. Her recent experience includes a focus in the private sector, engineering, construction, automation, and environmental services for companies ranging from 10 to 1,100 employees. Laurie has a nationally recognized reputation for developing and implementing techniques and best practices that are covered in each of the sessions to attract, grow and retain clients.

Module 1: Outreach, Planning, and Getting Started

Hope is not a strategy. To become better than the rest, you must be prepared, organized, and focused. Greater success comes from understanding your client’s issues first and then offering a service or product that fits their needs. So, before you call on a customer or prospect, you need to understand their goals and objectives, how they see their market position, how they plan to grow, and who they compete with.

During this 60-minute module, participants will learn to:

The keys of preparation through proven techniques and processes
How to develop a marketing and sales tool kit
How to showcase your company’s value-based differentiation

Module 2: Customer Specific – Meaningful Engagement

Historically, sales professionals have gotten bad raps because they attempt to sell to a customer before they listen to the customer needs. Meaningful engagement is about techniques and practices that draw your customer to you, instead of pushing them away. Good business development practices start with knowledge of your customers goals and issues.

During this 60-minute module, participants will learn:

How to choose your best customers using the 20/80 rule of BD success
Ways to build relationships with your best clients in the short and long run with strategic customer engagement
The importance of teaming and being synchronized, whether it’s through leading or being a part of a sales team
How to build your sales process to a high level of effectiveness and achieve a level of strategic partner with your best and strategic customers

Module 3: Winning Pursuit Practices

Module 3 will focus on the practices that help increase your chances of winning work. It’s no longer reality to win work by proposing as “one of the pack” and then hoping you’ll win because you followed the RFP to the letter. You must work smarter than your competition, differentiate your value, and show benefits that meet and exceed your customer’s expectations.

During this 60-minute module, participants will learn: