Beware of the Business Development Resolution

Welcome to the new year! After tracking yet another twelve months, our calendar has reset to January and we are filled with fresh hope. Many use the annual transition to turn over a new leaf and re-approach business development outcomes that have previously eluded them. “This is the year,” they tell themselves, “when I will really focus on growing my practice.”
If you are among those who have recently been bitten by the business development bug, make sure it isn’t the 24-hour variety. Like any resolution that requires a fundamental change in behavior, it will be almost impossible to sustain without meaningful support structures. Soon there will come a day when you simply won’t feel like visiting that client or nurturing that referral source. The enthusiasm you felt during the holidays will wane, and your momentum will retreat to the familiar position you experienced in 2016. No need to beat yourself up about it. You are, after all, human, and humans are creatures of habit. But if you wish to create new ones, remember Albert Einstein’s famous quote: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Assuming you are not insane and you want markedly better results in 2017, ask yourself what you will do differently.

• Will you call on new firm resources?
• Will you enroll a mentor or colleague to advise you and help with accountability?
• Will you integrate Practice Pipeline or some other business development software to keep key contacts top-of-mind?

History shows us that resolve alone is rarely an effective means to affect change. This year, support your good intentions with better support systems.

Authored by David Ackert