Why is Business Development Habit so important to your future career progression?
Winning business is not about big gestures. It's about regularly turning up and staying top of mind with your introducers, existing clients and potential clients. It's about doing a little bit of business development each day, regardless of how much work you have on at the moment.
One of the things your partners will be looking for from the people that they want to invest in to make partner is whether they make time for business development each day. It really is that simple.
When so much else is competing your time, it's easy to think you'll think about business development activities later. Or when it's quieter.
But the problem here is that then, days, weeks and months go by and you have done barely any business development activities.
It's time to think about working consistently on these activities by creating a new habit. It doesn't have to take hours of your time. You can start with just ten minutes a day.
Having successful business development habits that help you consistently grow your client portfolio is key if you’re wanting to be seen as someone who could make it to partner. Plugging away every week or month will eventually prove fruitful. But you need to be consistent.
To progress your career in practice, you need to move from being a great technician into someone who can be relied upon to win good quality work.
To do that, you need to consistently make time for Business Development.
Even if you think you are currently too junior to be spending time daily growing your profile and your network, think again.
In fact, the earlier you take action to build a network that, in time, will support you to win business, the easier it will be to win your own work when you get to a manager or senior associate position!
Where ever you are on the career ladder, let's get you started to develop a daily business development habit!
Do the partners in your firm see you are getting out there networking (effectively), and bringing interest and new business into the firm?
If not, you need to start! To get noticed as "one to watch" or as ready for partner track you need to show that you are capable of winning work for yourself and the firm.
Perhaps you're already worried about being left behind because you just don't have the confidence or knowledge to get started on business development activities?
Perhaps you're hoping that somehow, someone will see your potential and nominate you for business development training?
Worrying and hoping isn't a way to get ahead. But taking action and taking control of your own development works every time!
When you join Progress to Partner Academy, head straight to this section of the Progress to Partner Dashboard and read one of the guides, listen to a Quick Win recording or settle down and listen to a longer workshop.
WATCH: How to become a rainmaker when you're known as a great technician (35 minutes)
READ- GUIDE TO CONTENT PLANNING - how to create and use content effectively in your firm (to win work).
If you need something a bit shorter, start slowly and take a look at our shorter Quick Win videos, including
- How to use blogposts to generate reliable and good quality work
- How do I generate business when I can't meet people for coffee
Or get started on the self-paced short course How to Make Time for Business Development that will take about 2-3 hours to work through. Why not start working through it this weekend?
Remember any investment you make in growing and nurturing your network now will pay off hugely in the future.
Your future self will thank you for it!
