Interactions Between Businesses (Business To Business)

[krislogy]

Hiiii!!

wow, u already welcomed me even b4 my introduction..! highly impressed n happy too

Hello al.
my actual name is Krishnan. I am really new to this part of the world (BD). m just a fresh engg. graduate (in computer science). have actually no experience officially, either in BD or in my field of expertise (software, IT, coding) -- (although i have had a few hands-on experience with coding n website related things during the course of my graduation)..

i got into the present company as a Biz Development Executive. Been just a month. Want to explore more n get experience in this area. wel, i've had a good amount of luck til now (I did find this forum rite ) ? but the bad part is there is no one to guide me personally here. so have to rely 100% on internet and search.

Thus, i was hoping if u guys could help me get in the right track with proper study materials i can refer to or discussions i can follow.

Few more details to help u help me:
- my company baiscally provides web solutions to off-shore clients. so, most of the ppl here deal with .NET, PHP n stuffs as web-platforms to build the concerned projects. so basically it's business development of a web-development industry/company.

- i have a basic idea as to what i will be doing for another 2 months. Lead Generation n Conversion by preparing Bid proposals.

So it wud be reeeeeeeeeally great if u cud guide me thru this difficult time

thx

[krislogy]

oh yes.. n plz redirect this thread or mention the proper place where i can get al this information, if its not in the proper place.

thx agen

[Entrepreneur]

Wow - so much to say - do you have a lifetime? 

I don't think I knew as much when I was a recent graduate to know about business development - and lead generation, conversion, and preparing bid proposals - that came with years of working from the bottom up. But this is also part of the current experience of grads getting involved in many facets right away. The juxtaposition of "fresh eng. grad" and "Biz Development Executive" is telling.

One thing to look for are the similarities and difference between simple and complex sales. Not everyone in one if aware of the other and many people are affected greastly by their lifetime of expreince on the recieving end of consumer sales efforts.

So are your web platform sales simple? Versus a complex sale such as an enterprise system. An example of a complex sale involves, for example, an Oracle system with Finance, HR, and other applications, interfacing with other enterprise and stand-alone systems. The sale involves multiple experts on both sides of the sale, significant investment ot time, money, and resources and both sides of the sale, etc.

A simple sale is well, not complex! Not meant to be a negative comment - just meant to be a clarifying line of should we turn right or left in this discussion.

My guess is that you're involved in simpler sales if you're the one and only, or a team member if complex.

[Entrepreneur]

Sorry about that - I had trouble and logged out.

Anyway, once you help us figure out how to provide help, we can then be a little more specific.

Lead generation - now that's the first key (everything's a key - in its time!). Getting the leads takes work. You have to get to know where you're going, and figure out who to connect with. If you bounce around the obvious doors, you'll probably not get in - or get noticed.

Conversion - get as real and personal as you can - on their terms.

Bids and proposals. I think there's a bunch here who are experts in this too. I'm not.

[krislogy]

nice advices ... thank u v much ......... yes i'l try to be specific the next time i have any doubts..

for now, there's just one issue that stil remains.. as a newbie to this world, sometimes i get overwhelmed about this job.. (i know i'm stil not specific.. but,, sorry ) it is basically because i dont have an inner talent for/in this field. but i know that i am a hardworker.

so the question is: is hardwork n determination (with some amt of brain/smartness/etc - which m sure i have/am/etc..) enough to survive n be successful (basically meaning NOT going bankrupt n jobless) here?

(PS: I know i'l find the answer to this question myself within 10 long years ,,, but askin it for some heads-up .... )

[reb]

it is basically because i dont have an inner talent for/in this field. but i know that i am a hardworker.

I think a lot of things are learned - just because some people have or develop an aptitude earlier doesn't mean you won't. I think that's the big impediment when some people discuss nature vs nurture, as if its all or nothing, one has it or one doesn't. An important key is if you enjoy it, then applying yourself to learn has huge advantages.

Although some people have the gift of gab and this seems to make it look easy . . . back to the individual again.

so the question is: is hardwork n determination (with some amt of brain/smartness/etc - which m sure i have/am/etc..) enough to survive n be successful (basically meaning NOT going bankrupt n jobless) here?

There's the rub - to not go broke developing your sales! We could talk all day long about "how to" and "what it takes" and yet luck, circumstance, position - basically things out of one's control have a big hand in how well it works overall.

I have a friend who just changed jobs from engineering to manufacturers rep (sales). He's hanging in there as he builds up accounts - those who were there before have the developed clients. It will be a while. He's like Winston Churchill though - he'll never, never, never give up! And he has a family to feed. But the pay-off potential is large.

(PS: I know i'l find the answer to this question myself within 10 long years ,,, but askin it for some heads-up .... )

That's the beauty of these forums!

- reb

[krislogy]

thx a lot reb.. ..... i'l keep al these things in my mind n heart!! best of luck to al

[RichWolff]

An important key is if you enjoy it, then applying yourself to learn has huge advantages.

This will be the most important part of your job. If you believe in what you're selling and enjoy being around it all the time, you'll be fine. If it's something you don't care for - you will not sell it. The customer can see when you believe in your own product or service and when you dont.

[astan]

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