To remain competitive and secure in the new economy, it is imperative that companies communicate to their employees the critical importance of proactive branding, marketing and business development. It is essential that Managements outline corporate sales objectives and needs thus creating an innovative business development atmosphere amongst all team members. The new corporate culture builds the team for “exciting-times ahead” by communicating the key strengths, opportunities and competitive advantages of their company by first ensuring that all stakeholders are “on-message”.

An astute business leader will subsequently promote branding, marketing and business development activities as factors vital to establishing the “next growth level” of the company. A well-defined brand experience, the creation of a strategic plan, addressing areas of improvement, identifying competition, and segmenting internal and external target audiences are critical components for continued success. Ultimately, all team members are to externally “transfer this knowledge” to clients, suppliers, prospective customers, community, and, of course, to their families. The number of sales people working on business development must directly reflect the number of employees in the firm, e.g., a 100-person firm has 100 business development people. In the new economy, the act of “team selling” is no longer a “luxury” for a select few but a critical “necessity” for all. » Read more: Team Building For Business Development