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OPINION
In the driver’s seat
I magine a car. The engine is the powerhouse, providing the energy and drive that propels the vehicle forward. Similarly, the marketing team is the engine of a business, generating momentum through branding, proposals, and content creation. By collaborating closely, marketing and business development can craft stories that will steer your firm toward success.
Meanwhile, the headlights light the way ahead, illuminating opportunities and guiding the journey. Business development plays a vital role in identifying trends, forging partnerships, and paving the road to growth and expansion. Just as a car needs a powerful engine and effective headlights to navigate the road ahead successfully, a business thrives when a strong marketing team works in tandem with a skilled business development team. Consider this: according to Zweig Group, 56 percent of Marketing Excellence Award winners were fast-growth firms – compared to 25 percent of other firms. Moreover, 71 percent of these winners were high-profit firms. The message is clear: in addition to business development, effective marketing can double your firm’s chances of achieving rapid growth and success.
As a marketer and content creator, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the synergy between marketing and business development transforms businesses. Here are three key strategies your firm can adopt to maximize this impactful partnership: 1. Selling through storytelling. Storytelling is a powerful sales tool, especially for business development. According to the National Storytelling Network, storytelling is “the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination.” It forges connections and makes your message memorable. Most importantly, it drives results. Research supports this: A 1969 Stanford study asked students to memorize a list of 12 words.
Sara Grayum
See SARA GRAYUM , page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER MARCH 17, 2025, ISSUE 1577
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