Seller-Doer Accelerator Module 2: Soft Skills Sales Techniques-Seller-Doer Accelerator Module 2: SMPS Foundation

Seller-Doer Accelerator Module 2: SMPS Foundation

Pdf Summary

The report “Building Business Development Success in a Post-Pandemic World” examines how AEC firms are approaching business development in 2024, compared with prior research from 2015. It finds that the industry has changed dramatically due to generational turnover, digital transformation, and the pandemic. Baby Boomers are retiring, Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping buying and communication preferences, and virtual/digital tools such as Zoom, Teams, email, webinars, blogs, and social media have become central to business development.<br /><br />The study shows that seller-doers remain the dominant model: 89% of firms use seller-doers, and 74% expect to use them in the future. Dedicated business developers are also growing in importance, with 78% of firms employing at least one and 56% increasing their numbers over the past five years. The most common business development roles include principals/owners/partners, project managers/executives, CEOs, and vice presidents.<br /><br />A major reason firms continue using seller-doers is client expectation: clients want to meet the people who will actually do the work. Seller-doers primarily spend time on client meetings, relationship management, shortlist presentations, proposals, and client organization involvement. However, many firms struggle with time constraints, training gaps, unclear expectations, and lack of incentives. Nearly 70% of seller-doers are not eligible for financial incentives.<br /><br />Training is identified as essential but inconsistent: 63% of firms provide training, most often through internal resources. The most common topics are presentations/public speaking, networking, proposal writing, and conversation skills. Looking ahead, firms expect more use of both seller-doers and business developers, but not necessarily a firmwide BD culture.<br /><br />The report concludes that success depends on intentional strategy: set goals, provide ongoing training, incentivize business development, protect BD time, adapt to changing buyer behavior, and play to individual strengths.

Keywords

AEC firms

business development

seller-doers

digital transformation

post-pandemic world

Millennials and Gen Z

client relationship management

business development training

Zoom and Teams

proposal writing