Sales Development in the Age of AI: Why Structure Now Matters More Than Activity
For years, many organizations treated marketing activity and sales development as if they were roughly the same thing. If enough emails were sent, enough posts were published, enough campaigns were launched, and enough names were added to the CRM, it was easy to assume the top of the funnel was being “worked.” The activity looked […]
The New Job of Business Development: Reducing Buyer Risk Before the First Conversation
From my associate Janice Giannini. In many industries today, the most important sales work occurs before a buyer ever speaks to a salesperson. For decades, business development and sales were seen as persuasion disciplines. The assumption was straightforward: if a company communicated its value more effectively than competitors through stronger relationships, sharper messaging, or better […]
Business Development in the Age of A.I.: From Sticky Notes to Simulations
From my associate Grant Tate. A few years ago, one of my coaching clients called with an urgent question. “I’ve just been appointed Director of Business Development for our company. What does a Business Development Director do?” It was a fair question. He worked in a start-up with fewer than ten people. There was no […]