We’ve discussed in a previous post the Catch-22 that lawyers and other service professionals who bill their time face when it comes to developing their books of business: We have to bill our time to make money, but we have to spend our time doing non-billable work (prospecting) to build a practice.
But what if that’s not the only conundrum standing in the way of an effective business development effort? What if, like many, you suffer from an aversion to the notion of “selling,” either out of ethical concerns or a simple distaste for the perception of peddling your wares? After all, you want to practice law, or accounting, or consult...you didn’t earn an advanced degree to be a sales person.
Understandable. But as our careers mature, business development becomes crucial to advancement opportunities. So, we might not like to “sell,” but we’d better be active relationship builders, if nothing else. You might not want to cold call a prospect, or send an unsolicited invitation to lunch, or attend a networking event. But you might not have to.
And this is where content comes in.
Serving Isn’t Selling
As Jay and I discussed on a recent episode of The Thought Leadership Project podcast, content is working its way down the sales funnel farther than ever before. While we have historically thought of content in terms of “content marketing”—which generally lives near the top of the sales funnel—we should now be thinking in terms of “content business development.” Meaning: How can we repurpose or specifically engineer a new piece of content in a way that is more direct and immediate in its application, so that it nurtures a personal relationship, rather than solely operating as a one-to-many awareness or branding vehicle?
First, it comes by way of a mindset adjustment. Rather than thinking of business development efforts as sales (if that’s your aversion), think in terms of serving others. Giving, rather than receiving. Invitations, not pitches. The offer, not the ask. That simple shift in viewpoint alone will remove a self-applied pressure of expecting every outreach you make to someone to result in a sales opportunity. For one, it doesn’t work that way. Two, you won’t look forward to the activity.
But if you’re serving your network and people you’d like to include in your network, by providing them with either things of intellectual value or by raising their profiles somehow, that’s not selling...it’s serving. And both you and the person you want to influence will be better for it, regardless of whether you ever work together professionally.
We shared some specific examples during the episode linked above, but here are a few others:
A personal email with a link to your latest post. You’ve written the content, it got published to your website, and your firm blasted it out to everyone on its mailing list. But what about a personal email to someone who you think might legitimately benefit from the thought leadership contained therein? “Hi, Bob. I remember you saying that you were frustrated with your research project. I put together some thoughts on overcoming the barriers to research initiatives that I thought you might find useful. Hope this helps.” Notice: no ask...all give. You didn’t have to “sell,” but you have likely further endeared yourself to the recipient. They’re apt to respond to that email, no?
An invitation to guest author. What sounds more flattering to the person on the receiving end? Can I buy you lunch?, or Would you be interested in guest authoring or co-authoring a piece on a topic that I know you have considerable expertise? One sounds like it has strings attached, the other is a bonafide compliment. Maybe such a post will live on your website, but maybe you and your subject matter expert cohort can co-pitch its publication to a broader audience, say, an industry magazine or blog. Now you’re working in harmony, rather than negotiating a sometimes awkward or adversarial buyer-seller dance.
A request for an appearance on your podcast. If you or your firm produce a podcast on a particular area of subject matter expertise (or even if you don’t), think of someone you’d like to meet or further a relationship with and ask him or her to be a guest on your podcast. While you might meet some resistance to that lunch invitation, I’m confident that your prospect will find the time to call into a radio-style interview that will amplify that expert’s platform. In the process, you will have a genuine conversation with that individual and, likely, create a much deeper connection that might blossom further over time.
An offer to opine. Other variations on this theme include:
asking subject matter experts if you can interview them for a book you’re working on, either for inclusion or on background
inviting professionals or whole firms to participate in a research study that you’ll later publish (which provides a great opportunity to follow back up with such a prospect once the report is out and insights can be gleaned and shared)
querying a subject matter expert for a quote or anecdote to support a piece you’re authoring for either your own blog or a third party
conspiring with a colleague to co-present at a speaking opportunity you’ve either already secured or are willing to pitch for an upcoming industry event
Ask Me, Don’t Sell Me
Notice, in every example cited above and on our podcast, the outreach is always an ask, and never a pitch. It’s an offer...an invitation...a service, of sorts. You are providing legitimate value or making a flattering commendation. Anyone can do that. And more of us should.
This is content business development—the crucial counterpart to content marketing.
So if your aversion to business development is the fear of “selling,” overcome that fear through great content, and a legitimate desire to help others. Do that consistently and effectively, and the sales will take care of themselves.