Too Busy for BD?

One of the most common reasons we hear from our coachees about why they can't spent time developing new business is that they're too busy. We get it! It's hard to squeeze one more thing onto an already full plate. But once your plate is cleared, it may already be too late. Here are some suggestions to make it more manageable:

• Take small steps. You don't need to schedule a lunch away from the office twice a week to connect. Make a phone call once or twice a week. It can be just a few minutes to say "hi, how are things?" or "what is keeping you up at night?" Be a listening ear, and when you hear something that you can assist with, take your cue.

• Delegate. Pull in associates who can handle some of the work for you. Think they can't handle it? Take a little extra time to train them. This benefits them and their careers, but - once they're trained - it also gives you a resource for help in the future.

• Pick the low hanging fruit. Not all business development needs to be directed at brand new clients. Take a look internally and see what existing clients may need additional services from your firm.