Metrics are powerful, knowing your average proposal duration, average time in opportunity, and other business development related measurements can improve your sales processes. At least document dates pertaining to original RFP presentation, proposal due date, and any meeting relating to changes in proposal. Making these, dates show prospects you are serious about doing work for them and reflect on your ability to be available when it comes time to perform.

6. Use an opportunity management system that correlates with your project management system.

By managing opportunities in one place you can more carefully follow up on your prospects individual needs, develop figures pertaining to cash flow, and can keep information organized until it is passed off to a program manager. This system could be as simple as a couple of file drawers, job folders, or as complex as a sales management package on your computer. Pick what will work best for in your business, then learn how to use it.

7. Track every phone conversation, verbal promise, and offer for information. The notes you take within your opportunity management system will help you review your understanding of prospects needs, capture facts related to deal, and go further in a dispute than anything else you could save. Each note should focus in on facts noting any promises, requirements, or individuals involved. Choose a method of tracking that is as clear as possible, since you might not be only one to read information stored.

Too many times I will bring qualified work to a client, after a week I will follow up to see how proposal is coming along. To my amazement, a company that needs more business is “too busy” to finish a proposal, yet alone contact prospect and let them know they are interested. No wonder so many companies depend on third party business development people for long term growth, not just usual priming of pump.

What makes these guidelines so special? Face value they do not seem very interesting, but I can tell you they are seven guidelines successful companies I know are using to close proposals. They should be your guidelines for improving your business development whether you have an internal team or you are hiring out. Now get out there and make business happen!

4. Re-educate The Mind There is an old saying, "you never stop learning" and it's true. If you are willing to make a personal commitment to perpetual re-education you'll reap rewards. Allocate an annual budget (maybe 1% of your turnover) for personal and staff re-education. Consider training courses, seminars, workshops, audiotape programs etc.

5. Become A Case Study Consider approaching a local college or polytechnic that runs business courses. Offer your business as a case study in return for feedback from students.

6. Become A Surfer There is a wealth of information on Internet and most of it is free. Search other areas of business rather than just your own as you might be able to adapt a totally unrelated idea. 7. Read And Subscribe You can often find ideas in most unlikely places. Business, fashion and trade magazines are all worth a browse. These days it's easy to subscribe to any number of overseas publications.

8. Travel Opens your eyes visit similar (or even unrelated) businesses overseas. You'll be surprised at how freely many of them share their knowledge; after all you are not a threat to them. In my travels I have made it a point to visit factories that make strangest things, huge shopping malls, numerous small businesses and international marketing companies. I must work, because each time I seem to come home buzzing with ideas.