7
OPINION
Business development should be a collaborative effort in AEC firms, with all employees, even technical experts, playing a role in identifying opportunities. Business development is everyone’s job
B usiness development is an important component in any architecture, engineering, or construction business. It’s not a solo operation either. Everyone in the firm, regardless of their title, should have some level of involvement and responsibility for business development. As Mary Kay Ash (founder of Mary Kay) used to say, “Nothing happens until someone sells something.”
Lindsay Young, MBA, FSMPS, CPSM
Business development helps keep work coming in the door and provides a pulse on what clients and prospects are looking for in design and construction firms. They are the ear to the ground for your firm. They focus on developing and building those relationships for your firm. Everyone in the company needs to be aware of the business development plan, like who the firm is targeting or in what markets they want additional work. This gives everyone the ability to be on the lookout for those clients and plant the seeds for those relationships. Even if the business development person is the champion, the technical team should also be involved. What if you are a project manager, superintendent,
engineer, or technical expert? Well, you are actually the best business developer a firm could ask for. You are the technical expert and the ear to the ground. Clients and prospects appreciate the knowledge and expertise you bring, because you are going to be the person they will be working with on their project. You don’t necessarily have to be out beating the bushes for work. You can nurture the natural relationships you have already built during projects. It’s as simple as listening for those comments and challenges that might allude to a future project for your client/ prospect.
See LINDSAY YOUNG, page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 11, 2023, ISSUE 1516
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