In BD, There Are Scavengers of Seeds and There Are Cultivators of Crops
Almost everyone I talk to—CEOs, founders, practice leads—dislikes sales. Everyone knows it’s critical to the success of their company, but very few want to do it. And I get it. You got into your line of work and honed your craft because you love doing that thing. You just want to do the work, not occupy your days finding the work. I had a brief stint in my 20s when I ran a one-man photography business, but all I wanted to do was shoot photos. I had zero interest in networking, relationship building, creating partnerships or writing proposals either. No surprise to you, dear reader, but the business failed. I got a desk job in finance where I transitioned into a sales management role after 18 months, so in the end, I ended up being in sales anyway. But I also learned what habits promote growth—and why so many people try to avoid the whole thing.
Here’s the truth: everyone is in sales. Whether you’re convincing a client to try something new, persuading a colleague to take a different approach or positioning yourself for a promotion, you’re influencing decisions. That’s sales. So why does “sales” feel so intimidating?
From two decades in business development, I see six common reasons people resist:
It takes time you don’t have.
Success is rarely immediate.
No deadlines means it slips down the to-do list.
You need clients now, not six months from now.
It feels pushy.
You might get rejected.
The good news: every one of these hurdles can be overcome with the right approach.
Some Seek Scavengers
When I meet with companies and agencies about their growth challenges, a common question comes up:
“All of this sounds interesting, but can we just pay you commission on any leads you bring us that we close?”
The short answer is “No, that’s not my model.” There are people who work that way—scavenging for seeds of opportunities, dropping the same “opportunity” into multiple agencies, and collecting commission from whoever wins. That always felt like a disingenuous way to do it, but it happens a lot.
But Cultivators Create Crops
If you need to eat today, go scavenge and see what you can find. If you’ll need to eat tomorrow and the next day and the next day, start cultivating. Rather than hunting for shortcuts, invest in growth:
Hire a BD leader. In-house or outsourced, someone needs to own process and create efficiencies to gain new clients faster.
Identify quick wins. Start with people and clients that already know and trust you.
Create a process. Start small, find what works, and scale it.
Tier your relationships. Focus on your strongest ties and nurture the next layer.
Qualify inbound leads. Say no to poor fits so you can say yes to better ones later.
Maintain momentum. Paradoxically, the best times to prospect are when you’re already busy.
I help companies move from scavenging for scraps to cultivating long-term, predictable growth. This is the hard work that few people want to do, but this has become my craft. I wish I could talk with my younger photographer self and help him. He felt entitled to clients and projects because he was really good. But it’s not enough to be really good. In fact, it’s rarely the best agency or firm that wins a new client; it’s the one that the client feels most comfortable with. And that stems from relationships and trust.
The Bottom Line
Sales isn’t about scripts or shortcuts. Scavengers are inconsistent, unreliable and many times untrustworthy – and they are only dropping seeds. You already have seeds – and seedlings emerging you might not even see yet. To grow your crops, I can help water the roots around you. If you’re ready to build something sustainable, let’s talk. I’ll be in the field with my sleeves rolled up.