How to get professionals doing business development?

In professional services firms, getting professionals engaged in business development matters. The firms that grow consistently and sustainably are those where all professionals, not just a select few, are doing some form of business development. So why is it so difficult to get people involved? And what can firms do to change that? These were the questions explored in a recent PSMG session led by Claire Rason of Client Talk.

The Problem: It’s Not Just About BD Skills Training

One of the most common assumptions is that professionals don’t engage in business development because they lack the skills. The solution? Send them on a training course. But as Claire explained, this approach only scratches the surface.

Professionals often know what they’re supposed to do; write articles, attend events, build relationships, but they don’t do it. Why? Because the issue isn’t always about skills. It’s about confidence, motivation, mindset and culture. Without addressing these deeper factors, even the best training won’t lead to meaningful change.

The BD Blueprint: A Systemic Approach

The BD Blueprint is built on the idea that business development doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s part of a wider system that includes individuals, teams, clients, firm culture and external stakeholders. The Blueprint helps firms understand this system and identify where the real barriers – and opportunities – lie.

At its core, the Blueprint includes:

• The Stakeholder Square: A tool that encourages firms to consider BD from multiple perspectives; the client, strategic partners, the individual professional and the firm. This helps shift the focus from internal assumptions to external needs.

• Core and Super Skills: While core BD skills like pitching and presenting are important, “super skills” such as emotional intelligence, active listening and relational awareness are often what make the biggest difference in building trust and long-term relationships.

• Mindset and Behavioural Change: The Blueprint recognises that habits, beliefs and culture play a huge role in whether professionals engage in BD.

  
  

Motivation and Confidence: The Two Levers

A key insight from the session was the importance of two psychological levers: motivation and confidence. If professionals don’t see the value in BD (motivation) or don’t believe they can do it (confidence), they’re unlikely to engage.

Claire shared a simple but powerful model: for behavioural change to happen, people need to feel that something is important and that they are capable of doing it. This means firms need to do more than just tell people what to do – they need to help them understand why it matters and support them in building the confidence to act.

Culture Matters for Business Development

Culture is another critical piece of the puzzle. If BD is seen as optional, or if time spent on it isn’t recognised or rewarded, professionals are unlikely to prioritise it. Claire highlighted the importance of aligning recognition and reward systems with BD behaviours – whether that’s through formal incentives, time allowances, or simply celebrating success.

She also introduced a model of organisational culture that looks at three levels: visible practices (like having a CRM system), stated values (such as being client-centric), and underlying assumptions (such as fear of failure, or resistance to feedback). It’s often these hidden assumptions that hold people back and they need to be surfaced and addressed. That is where coaching is a powerful tool.

Practical Tools and Takeaways

The session was packed with practical tools and insights, including:

• The “13th Fairy” question: Who or what have we forgotten in our BD strategy? This encourages firms to think systemically and inclusively.

• The “What do you want to be different?” question: A simple but powerful way to focus BD efforts on outcomes rather than activities.

• The Confidence-Importance Matrix: A tool to help identify where individuals sit in terms of their readiness to engage in BD, and what support they need to move forward.

  
  

Claire also emphasised the importance of listening – not just to clients, but to employees and stakeholders. Understanding what people need, what they’re struggling with, and what motivates them is key to designing BD initiatives that actually work.

The Bottom Line? Getting professionals to do business development isn’t about pushing harder or offering more training. It’s about creating the right conditions, where people understand the value of BD, feel confident in their ability to contribute, and are supported by a culture that recognises and rewards their efforts.

The BD Blueprint offers a fresh, systemic approach that helps firms move beyond surface-level solutions and towards lasting change. It’s about shifting mindsets, building confidence, and making BD a natural part of professional life and not an added burden.

Want to learn more? We regularly run events, webinars and workshops to help firms build stronger BD cultures and unlock the potential of their people. Sign up to receive updates and be the first to hear about our upcoming sessions.