What Is A Business Development Specialist And Why Should A Crafter Follow Business Development Techniques?
A business development specialist is a person a company hires whose sole purpose is to grow the business. We wear many hats! We handle contract negotiations, marketing, networking, press and media relations, advertising, and analytics.
Most corporations and large companies staff a business development specialist(s) and so do a lot of small businesses. Some business also choose to consult and opt to pay consulting fees instead of keeping a specialist on their payroll.
Why?
Most people who start a business have a great service and a great product but that doesn’t mean the know how to maximize exposure to the public or target market (A target market is your desired client/customer. If you’re selling cars a person interested in a bicycle is not your target market, a person interested in buying a car is). Also, they lack time to appropriately market and grow their business so they delegate that task to someone who can devote 100% of their time to growing the business while they handle everyday operations.
When starting a business a lot of people have an awesome service or product but may struggle with getting the word about their business out there. If people don’t know you exist, how can they give you business?
You’ve decided you want to take your crafting to the next level and that is to start selling, great! But getting business is more than making a website, setting up and Etsy account, and telling your friends on Facebook! Once you make a business page people are not going to just come running and knocking on your door! They don’t even know you exist.
Why should you a hobbyist/crafter learn business development techniques for your small business?
How are you looking at your business? Are you wanting to make a dollar here or there? If so, this isn’t the place for you! Keep doing what you’re doing.
Are you looking to grow your business, make money, earn an income or extra money to help contribute to your household? Do you want to be well known in your community for your business an your abilities so people know to come to you or refer to you? Do you want business flowing in through word of mouth referrals so you don’t even have time to anything else but fill orders? Then stay here and we will help.
What are business development techniques? Before we really get into that let’s look at the personality traits of a professional:
They are sociable, very sociable. They are not afraid to talk to new people and strike up conversations.
They are knowledgeable! They do research to become someone others know they can depend on.
They are resourceful! They study resources and know how to get what they need or direct others to where they need to be.
They are driven! You must have a drive, you must be a self starter and self motivator. You must learn to not take rejection personally or become discouraged, but more determined!
They are creatures of habit! They have a routine, a daily routine and they stick to it! They start their mornings the same way everyday, and they end every day the same way. Because they have so much on their plate they know they must be consistent in every aspect of their life to stay on track with leads to…
They are organized! They have to be! Time management depends or organization. I don’t mean your craft room has to be in tip top shape, I mean your schedule and tasks need to be well thought out and planned so you can stay on task! Nothing kills business growth faster than someone who cannot stay on task!
They network, network, network! They know meeting new people in various job fields and from various walks brings them new business and business referrals. It also begins to establish them in the community! When I first married my husband he was shocked that anywhere we went in Houston, I knew people and they knew me. I could pick up the phone when I needed something from any genre of life and had a connection. Networking will also help you indoor personal life and open doors to the top dogs in your community who hold power and persuasion.
They think like a CEO. They treat every transaction and moment as if the company was theirs personally!
They like like the customer! They realize they themselves are consumers too and they place themselves in a customers shoes to reach the customer, to build the customers trust, and to keep the customer coming back! Too many business owners make the fatal mistake of thinking as a business owner instead of a consumer. It’s easy to fall into that tunnel vision trap and it could end up costing you!
The constantly work on self improvement!
We make a business plan and an action plan to carry out our business goals.
We review our plans at the end of each week for accountability. If we failed at carry out a task we journal why and how we will correct it next week. If a task was done but unsuccessful, we journal why and how we will correct it next time.
They offer superior customer service! Will write on this subject later. We know we are the face of the company and sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s bad. We feel the praises and we feel the heat. We use tact to make sure no matter what, when it’s done, the customer is happy or feels heard. Even if the company is not in the wrong, we smile and nod and allow the customer to vent and then we offer solutions!
What are business development techniques a cutter/crafter can use?
Learn to incorporate or develop the above personality traits. If you have social anxiety-join Toastmaster’s and learn to be more comfortable with public speaking! There are Toastmaster groups all over! Find one, join one!
Everyone you meet is your new friend, even if you hate them! You make them comfortable, you care about them, you make yourself likable, you keep your dislike to yourself! This is a possible consumer or someone who will send you consumers.
Begin getting the word out there about your business! Market, Market, Market! Network, Network, Network! Get a social life, get into social groups, get into networking groups, get into professional associations, become well known in your area and community!
Become a leader! Business developers are leaders we volunteer and interact in the community a lot! You need to be associated as good person, a good leader, a good member of your community and thus everyone will want know you, interact with you, and your business will reap the benefits!
Cold market! You need to get in the habit of telling 3-5 people about your business a day! This is people who wait on you, check you out at stores, strangers in line, etc…don’t be afraid to talk about your business. I will do a post soon on how to appropriately cold market and not come across as a sales person, but to casually strike up conversations and slip your products/business into these conversations.
Get out there and visit businesses where you can leave flyers, promo demos, see if you can get a space in a boutique. I will have a list soon of ideas on how to get your products seen in businesses!
Make a big goal and small goals/steps to obtain your big goals and grow your business!
GO TALK TO COMPANIES! Start reaching out to local businesses you are fully capable of making promo items! Let them know you are here and what you can do! I will also have a full post about this soon!
You must learn how to drive business in, start thinking of ways to do this! Remember, just because you buy all the equipment and inventory doesn’t make business fall in your lap! You have to get out of your craft rooms and go get it!
