The seller-doer business development model
Opportunity shines for collaboration
in capturing new business
The painful recession in the latter part of the 2000s has
created a shining light of opportunity for architectural, en-
gineering and construction practitioners ready to capitalize
on it in the decades ahead: The integration of business de-
velopment and professional/technical work – and the prac-
tical expansion of the seller-doer model.
Today, the mantra is “everyone should be involved in
business development,” evolving the early era rainmaker
model and the later approach borrowed from other indus-
tries of dedicated sales (business development) represen-
tatives. New research indicates that an integrated system
works best. Project managers and even junior engineers
and architects help out in capturing new business for their
practices. The most recent model shift initially occurred with the
blunt force trauma. As the 2008 recession tore into estab-
lished AEC businesses, specialized business development
staff were dismissed and project managers were asked to
12 – September 2016 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report
step in and help bring in new business through their rela-
tionship network.
Today though, conditions are very different and now the
story is a shortage of time and, in some cases, qualified
professionals. Without planning, co-ordination and special-
ized training, overworked doers may struggle to apply the
best business development practices. Even if practices try
to resolve the problem by rehiring dedicated business de-
velopment specialists, they will find that some clients may
prefer meeting with “doers.”
SMPS Foundation research from the book AEC Business
Development – The Decade Ahead has uncovered the vi-
tally important observation that some clients prefer to do
business with seller-doers rather than dedicated business
development representatives. In other words, the seller-
doer model, developed during the recession as a business
survival tool, reflects what should be best practice for busi-
ness development in thriving conditions.
Scott Butcher, vice president and director of business de-
velopment of JDB Engineering, Inc. with offices in Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland, says the original seller-doer model –
rainmakers – reflected the business norm for AEC profes-
sional services before the 1970s marketing revolution, when
professional practices were allowed to advertise and work
with non-doer business developers for the first time.
In the old days, principals/partners often were their most
effective business developers. Rising stars with business de-
velopment ability could quickly achieve prominence and suc-
cess as they had the strategic ability to attract new business,
while maintaining professional credentials. Most of these
rainmakers seemed to have natural ability, though there were
some guides, such as Ford Harding’s solid books on rainmak-
ing, that sought to codify the business development
processes. Construction businesses, meanwhile, either generally
competed in “low bid wins the job” competitions or relied on
existing networks and relationships to uncover new business,
when concepts such as design-build, integrated project de-
livery or public-private-partnerships were rarely if ever applied.
When marketing and business development rules were re-
laxed by professional associations in the 1970s and 1980s,
firms sought out and began hiring non-technical business de-
velopers or salespeople.
Butcher says these sales representatives have personality
traits often the opposite of the technical professionals.
“Engineers are trained culturally to be 100 per cent correct
in everything they do,” he said. (This is reasonable, of course,
because you don’t want to be guessing about the reliability
or safety in engineering specifications.) However, “with sales,
there is no such thing as 100 per cent perfection. Every
prospect is different. In sales, you are constantly experiencing
objections. People say no.”
In practice, this means that without guidance, when proj-
ect managers enter the business development world, they
may initially be enthusiastic, working on a proposal, develop-
ing interviews, and seeking business. “But when you start ex-
periencing rejection, it is very disheartening and
demotivating,” Butcher says.
The solution, says Butcher and SMPS president Paula
Ryan, director of marketing for Jezerinac Geers & Associates,
Inc., structural engineers in Columbus, OH, lies in the fact that
in many cases the doers “don’t know how to build deliberate
relationships or ask the right questions of clients – it’s a ques-
tion of they don’t know what they don’t know.”
The doers can then throw their hands up, say “that’s
enough business development for me,” and retreat back to
their technical or professional work,” Butcher says. “Many
doers have little interest in selling. And even those who have
an interest don’t necessarily have the right skillset or mind-
set.” The solution, say Butcher and Ryan, is to provide training
and support for technical professionals and project man-
agers, while recognizing there will be some who will want to
spend more of their time on business development than oth-
ers. The ones with business development aptitude and ability
should be encouraged to develop their skills and given
greater responsibilities.
Continued on page 14
Some key
points about
the seller-doer
model Here are some key points and resources for
practitioners interested in the seller-doer model:
All hands on deck
Virtually everyone in the organization, from the
front office receptionist and mid-level project man-
agers, to the CEO, has a role in business develop-
ment. Providing exceptional client service and
maintaining relationships with existing clients are es-
sential to business development. Technical profes-
sionals who don’t have the aptitude or interest in
business development can still sharpen their soft
skills. Asking questions about opportunities, and par-
ticipating in client organizations are contributions
anyone can make.
Seniority equals business development
(but juniors can get a head start)
New research indicates that close to half of tech-
nical professionals with the title of principal, owner,
or partner have business development goals. One
way junior staff can secure career advancement is
by learning and taking an interest in business devel-
opment. Traditional business developers need to develop
pedagogical (teaching) and co-ordinating skills
Business developers will spend more time coach-
ing seller-doers in the art of client capture and main-
tenance. They should focus on advancing their
training skills and developing a solid understanding
of the technical aspects of the industry, as well as
their own credentials.
The Canadian Design and Construction Report — September 2016 – 13