The January 2021 BD round-up

And we’re off! The first BD round-up for this year.

2021 has begun and the experiences of everyday living and working are dramatically different from country to country. What is certain though, is that the need for effective BD, sales and marketing strategies has never been greater. If you haven’t already mapped out your year’s BD and marketing plans, then I’d urge you to invest some time now and get those plans in place.

To help your thought process and get you ready to take on the B2B business world, below is a quick summary of the best BD articles from January.

The Power of Mindful Selling in a Turbulent Time by Brian Sullivan, Chief Sales Strategist at System Soft Technologies

A very poignant and timely article that talks about the need to balance the stresses of winning work, and why it is vital to also be aware of your own mental wellness. It is, of course, also key to be aware of your client’s/prospect’s feelings. A couple of quotes that really make sense of a complex issue for those charged with winning work, “Pondering future negatives makes you less than your best” and, “paying purposeful attention in the present moment increases your chances of winning.” A must read if ever there was one.

Making The Best Of The Messy World Of Marketing Campaign Measurement by Paul Talbot, Marketing Strategist at Southport Harbor, LLC

Increasingly more B2B and professional services firms are using digital marketing campaigns and online advertising. At the same time, privacy laws have become more stringent, and the use of cookies has made tracking digital campaign effectiveness a lot harder. Paul Talbot’s conversation with Jane Ostler, global head of media effectiveness at Kantar, unpicks this and provides some advice on how you can effectively measure your ROI.

CMOs: Adapt Your Social Media Strategy for a Post-Pandemic World by Christine Moorman, T. Austin Finch, Sr. Professor of Business Administration, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University and Torren McCarthy, Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting

The results from the CMO Survey showed a 74% lift in Social Media spending since the pandemic hit. The survey shows that CMOs see social media as a key channel to achieve their desired results in 2021. To help with this the team from the Harvard Business Review have provided their top 10 tips to ensure you make the most out of your social media spend.

Say Goodbye to the Bid Chaos by Richard Haldenby, Chief Operating Officer at Salas

Anyone who has ever responded to an RFP of any significance will recognise the scenario Richard Haldenby lays out in this excellent article. It all starts off so smoothly, with a kick-off meeting, a clear bid response plan, and then in the last week of the response – chaos! Read this article to learn the tips and tricks to avoid that chaotic ending!

BD Round-up Conclusion

COVID-19 will have an impact on this year’s BD activities, whatever industry you are in, or whatever location you are based in. The pandemic has shifted people’s thinking, and economically some sectors have been really hit. The advice in the articles above are from some leading experts and should help you navigate through these choppy waters successfully.

The need to plan from fresh in 2021

What is clear that is to succeed in the world of Business Development in 2021, you’ll need a clear and coherent plan. This may well involve you starting your marketing and BD plans completely from scratch. After all last year, your plan was made in a world free from COVID-19.

If you’d like to learn how to get face to face time with your clients from 8 global experts, download our “How to get meetings with your clients and prospects” eBook