THE BD EDGE
If you knew a way to do BD better and grow your business, would you implement it?
bd101 guide
Tired of feeling frustrated and confused about business development? This guide will change your mind.
Is your business growing how you planned?
Australian construction and heavy industry contractors are up against it.
Rising supply and labour costs, burdensome red and green tape, low productivity, skilled labour shortages, inflation, AI disruption, pipelines of competing projects.
The growth pathway to next level performance, break into an identified growth geography, or bring a new service to market is confusing. Efforts are often haphazard, reactive, unproven.
Most contracting firm owners, uncertain of what BD system is required for growth, make reactive discrete investments that on their own don’t work. The BD challenge is real, but few contractors solve it.
The business growth you know is possible comes from implementing a robust, structured BD system, encompassing strategy to project close out and everything in between. It brings in the right leads, converts the opportunities you want to win, with the clients you want to work with.
The cycle keeping contractors stuck
We help construction and heavy industry contractors build a BD system that grows their business.
Operating without a BD system leads to chaos, not growth
Few activities can support sustainable business growth in the way strategic focused business development and marketing can, but business owners spend too much working in the business rather than on it.
BD is reactive, unplanned, and not budgeted because it’s not valued or understood
Cold calls, pricing anything, and a reliance on referrals are common tactics
There is no process for sourcing new clients beyond owner’s network or existing clients
BD is a tap on, tap off activity when delivery and business-as-usual take priority
Lack of BD know how and expecting a technical team to fulfil a BD function.
Despite being the engine room for driving opportunities, very few contractors adopt a structured approach to business development. When the pipeline looks empty and tenders drop off they default to predictable standard reactions.
The bottom line is, there are clients who have the exact problem you solve on the exact projects you specialise, and they are looking for reliable, trusted delivery partners. But how you build their trust requires a well designed business development ecosystem, not a handful of panic tactics.
About us
We’re on a mission to help construction and heavy industry contractors grow sustainably through great BD.
our ideal clients
Specialist consulting firms like project management firms and independent project advisors
Individual contractors and engineers who have specialist knowledge, skills, and experience
why clients call us
Construction and heavy industry contractors - both large and small - reach out to us because they appear successful on the outside - some have achieved multimillion dollar revenue - but they struggle to put in place a structured BD system that powers profitable growth sustainably.
When it comes to BD, they ‘wing it’.
Going by gut feel and instinct alone, they never invest the time or do the work required to design and implement a long term strategy. Instead, they remain stuck in the weeds of BD and marketing tactics implemented in panic and isolation.
Revenue is the only success metric and BD investment is ad hoc, leaving the business lurching from project to project rather than managing a pipeline. Client relationships are concentrated in one or two key people - usually the owners or directors - making it hard to scale.
In this environment, another BD rainmaker or expensive marketing platform won’t fix the problem. What will create the platform for long term change is the willingness to take a step back, review the BD landscape, and open up to a better way.
a smarter way forward
The opportunity to do BD your way, with a system that actually works.
That's where we come in.
Is your business stuck in a cycle where BD doesn’t work? Complete the Scorecard to find out.
This platform has completely transformed how we manage our marketing campaigns. The ease of use and powerful features have made a significant impact on our ROI.
The automation capabilities are incredible. We've saved countless hours and improved our customer engagement significantly.
The analytics and reporting features give us insights we never had before. Our conversion rates have improved by 40%.
Our BD improvement programs
BD Capability & Capacity Assessment
A structured four to six week assessment of a contractor’s BD capability and capacity to deliver BD. In the Think space, we analyse the suitability and effectiveness of the BD strategy, resources, and tools in place, as well as messaging, differentiators, quick wins, and long term service market opportunities.
Best for
Large specialist contractors ready to bed down an effective BD system to support the next stage of growth
Large trade subcontractors ready to professionalise their approach to market
BD Readiness Program
A 10 to 12 week intensive program designed to define, strengthen, and set up the contractor’s BD system. With a Build mindset, we work with you across the BD ecosystem from strategy and planning through to setting up the systems for sourcing leads, pursuit, and implementation.
Best for
Specialist contractors who have doing ad hoc BD and are ready to invest in BD as a core function
Trade contractors without a BD system who recognise this is needed for their next level of growth
Industry consultants who have relied on founders / directors for BD and want to build out the BD capability of the business and their team.
BD Starter Program
A comprehensive and cost effective one to one program that creates the foundation for new independent consultants operating in construction and heavy industry.
Best for
Independent consulting contractors going out on their own and have limited or no BD support
Contractors who have been in the market for some time but need additional support to refine their approach
Are you a good fit?
If you fit the ideal client profile and are ready to seek support for your BD, reach out directly.
The Latest Insights
Cold calling: Should cold calls be part of BD?
Your number one BD strategy should NOT be cold calls. Yet for most contractors, it is.
Most contractors understand business development (BD) is an external facing activity and that’s true.
But there’s a big difference between strategic, systematic BD, and BD that is reactive, unplanned, and hopeful.
Contracting is a tough game. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring the consistency of quality projects to price and deliver for clients you want to work with. That’s why when the pipeline starts to empty out, contractors frequently resort to cold calls and referrals.
That’s right, the trusty cold call. No one likes making them. Nobody likes taking them.
Now cold calling has a place in BD. It always will. It shouldn’t, however, be your number one BD strategy. Nor should referrals, although referrals have a place too.
The bottom line is that rarely does a cold call result in immediate work. Key decision makers at your ideal client are not waiting around for you to call, so they can finally give you that ideal project you want to work on.
When is the best time to make a cold call?
In short, the best time to make a cold call is when you don’t need to. Ironically, it is also the time when you are least likely to make a cold call.
When the pipeline is fully loaded and value is up there, it’s human nature to take the foot off the accelerator. This is the Point of Comfort. The three month trajectory looks good. Maybe you even have work booked into the next financial year. Everyone relaxes.
Actually, this is the time to pick up your phone and start dialling. This is the time you get to be strategic. It’s when you can call with confidence, knowing you don’t need the work. You can try to fake this confidence, but the energy behind your call will come through. Confidence is attractive. And even if there is no interest from the potential client, it’s totally fine. You don’t need them.
By contrast, when pipeline value drops and estimators are scratching around for projects to price - at the Point of Desperation - the BD team gets focused back on the BD activities that move the dial back in the right direction. In this way cold calling is ‘last resort BD’. You only finally and reluctantly make calls to prospects with whom you have no connection, when you’ll do almost anything, including cold calling, to bring in some work.
In pure metaphysical terms, making cold calls in a state of neediness carries a negative frequency, one that repels potential clients and leads. Not convinced? Think of it this way: If someone you don’t know comes to you and they really, really want something from you, do you feel inclined to give it to them? No, I didn’t think so. And your prospective clients feel the same.
Why cold call when a BD system would be better?
Cold calling as last resort BD occurs because there’s no BD infrastructure in place and it creates a genuine bind for owners, who ultimately have the final say on how they want BD undertaken in their business. Yes, work is needed immediately, but there’s also a creeping recognition that something needs to change to break the feast/famine cycle.
Eventually, to move beyond a reliance on cold calls made when work is urgently needed, everything BD needs to change. But that change will only happen when the hamster cycle becomes so painful and you realise there’s nowhere else to go. When this happens, not only will you concede there is a better way, you will make a decision that your approach to BD will evolve. With awareness, education, and investment, cold calling can take its place among a range of BD tools and tactics to realise the business strategy. In many ways, it then becomes an easy decision to invest the time, effort, and financial and human resources to create the BD system you and your business deserves.
To summarise, cold calling can be part of your BD approach, but it should be just one activity in a larger arsenal of tactics undertaken consistently within a structured and strategic approach to business development that is fully aligned to the overarching business strategy.
How to make a cold call for BD
Struggling to make a cold call? Here are five tips for doing the deed
#1 - Pick your time
Never make a cold call when you’re feeling low. After a knock back or two, you’ll have to go searching for your confidence in the gutter. Instead, call when you’re feeling more confident and buoyant. Rejection is more easily absorbed
#2 - Make the hardest call first
It was Mark Twain who said: If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." The idea was later popularised by productivity guru Brian Tracy. How does this relate to BD cold calling? Always make the hardest call first. When you do this, two things happen. First, you make every other call after it much easier. You also add credits to the BD confidence bank, and confidence built of your own doing can never be taken away.
#3 - Work to words
I have made hundreds of cold calls, but I still take time to think through and write out what I plan to say. I don’t do this for every call, just the ones I know I might be more inclined to stumble over. That way, I can be sure I cover everything, there’s a plan to carry me through the first couple of minutes of a call, and I can speak with greater certainty.
#4 - Picture a human
Keep in mind you are talking to a real, live human. A person with fears, worries, and quirks just like you. I have found that most people respond positively, and while you’ll come across the odd difficult person, I’ve found it’s best not to take it personally. Seeing it from their perspective can take the sting out of receiving an earful from an unsuspecting potential client.
#5 - Pause before the call
It also pays to pause before you cold call, even momentarily. This small but effective technique creates the space for you to be intentional about the call. The clearer the intention, the greater the chance of yielding a positive result. A pause also helps ensure you bring your best to the interaction.
Looking for other BD tips. Why not subscribe to The BD Edge newsletter? The BD Edge is a Brisbane based business development consultancy working with construction and heavy industry contractors and consultants to plan, develop, and implement a BD strategy that supports their growth.
The BD Edge provides BD consulting services for specialist and trade contractors in the Australian construction and heavy industry sectors.
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