Sales and marketing are both critical parts of a successful professional services firm. So why do so many firms lump them both together? Twice each month, Mark Wainwright and John Tyreman break down, beat up, and redefine “business development” for the professional services firms of tomorrow.
Most professional services firms are built on a foundation of technical expertise and relationships. But what happens when referrals stop coming in? You need to do ‘business development’ — a nebulous term that often conflates sales, marketing, operations, HR, and the kitchen sink.
On the Breaking BizDev podcast, John Tyreman and Mark Wainwright break down, beat up, and redefine ‘business development’ for the modern professional services firm. This co-hosted commentary-style show shares stories, perspectives, and actionable tips that you can put into practice today.
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Unlock the full potential of your firm's ability to *create* new business by mastering both inbound and outbound revenue generation activities.
In this episode, John and Mark explore the synergy between inbound and outbound business development activities and how they can work together to produce exceptional outcomes. They discuss the importance of both approaches, how firms can effectively harness these strategies, and the potential pitfalls when they're misaligned. In this conversation, we cover:
- The core differences between a magnetic, attraction-based inbound approach and a proactive, outreach-driven approach.
- How to balance and synchronize inbound and outbound activities for maximum business development impact.
- Real-life examples demonstrating the effective use of inbound content in outbound sales efforts.
- The signs and risks of misalignment between marketing and sales teams and how to avoid them.
- Practical tips for creating a seamless feedback loop between marketing and sales to optimize lead generation and nurturing initiatives.
Why are John and Mark Breaking BizDev?
“Business Development.”
Everyone loves to use that term to describe marketing, selling, and a bunch of other things. Unfortunately, few understand what it really is. This creates many problems, including poorly conceived and implemented marketing plans, unorganized and chaotic sales efforts, and confused marketing and “BD” team members.
Business development has become a catch-all for many things. And as a catch-all, the role has become more difficult and confusing. The Breaking BizDev podcast exists to break down, beat up, and redefine business development to help expert firms improve.
What to expect from the Breaking BizDev podcast
Twice monthly, the Breaking BizDev podcast explores business development in professional services firms to pull apart and highlight critical marketing and sales activities and strategies. We’ll work over the commonly seen yet ill-advised practices in all types of expert firms and provide clarity on how firms can think and act differently in their marketing and sales efforts.
The Marketing and Sales Continuum
In the Breaking BizDev podcast, John and Mark explore topics all along the Marketing and Sales Continuum. The image below illustrates the connection and relationship between marketing and sales:
All too often, Business Development finds itself in The Messy Middle, unable to differentiate between marketing and sales. As a result, myriad issues arise. John and Mark identify where the conversation falls along the continuum, and will stay out of The Messy Middle!
About John Tyreman, Founder & CEO, Red Cedar Marketing
John Tyreman is a seasoned professional services marketer who has helped hundreds of firms strengthen their brands and increase visibility in the marketplace. In 2022, John founded Red Cedar Marketing—a podcast agency for B2B and professional services firms. Connect with John on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Mark Wainwright, Principal Consultant and Founder, Wainwright Insight
Mark Wainwright is a sales and marketing professional with over 20 years of experience spent building and growing professional services firms. Wainwright Insight provides Fractional Sales Management to professional services firms who want to take control of their sales pipeline, build future sales leaders, and grow their practice.
If you enjoyed this podcast…
Please let John and Mark know! You are encouraged to rate and review Breaking BizDev on your favorite podcast platform. Visit www.BreakingBizDev.com for links to your platform of choice.
If you host a podcast and wish to have Mark join you as a guest, then please send an email. Mark focuses on sales in professional services firms and helps busy practitioners sell with confidence. And if you’re so inclined, your thoughts and feedback on these podcasts are always welcome.
Wainwright Insight provides fractional sales management and sales consulting to organizations who want to take control of their pipeline and build future sales leaders—but could use a little, part-time expertise. I work with professional services firms, and the experts in those firms, who need to get better at chasing and winning big deals when the stakes are high.
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