A systematic approach to BD doesn’t kill creativity. It enables it.

Most firms treat business development like an instinct. You either have it or you don’t. But relying on natural rainmakers is risky. What happens when they retire, leave, or burn out? It also creates ego-driven cultures where the firm’s best interests take a back seat to the rainmakers.

For most people, business development isn’t magic. It’s a process. And when you build it systematically, it can scale beyond personality and luck.

1. Start with a Method

Charisma may win the first meeting, but structure builds
the pipeline.

Every firm needs a defined process for relationship development that clarifies expectations, focus, and follow-through.

If you don’t already have one in place, try The Short List Method. (It’s simple, repeatable, and turns BD from guesswork into discipline):

1. Identify your SMART goal. What are you trying to accomplish this quarter—more referrals, new logos, or upmarket traction? Make sure your goal is specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound.
   
   
2. Create your Short List. Choose 9–35 key relationships that are critical to achieving your SMART goal. They should include key Clients, Prospects, and Connectors (both internal and external).
   
   
3. Nurture your Short List through helpful, personalized outreach: introductions, insights, invitations, and relevant check-ins. “Spray and pray” email sequences don’t build trust.
   
   
4. Play the long game. Our research shows it takes an average of fourteen interactions from first contact to first contract, but most people stop after just a few.
   
   
5. Track your activity. Use a CRM or pipeline management system to keep your outreach consistent and visible.

When your team follows this framework, BD stops being random. It becomes intentional, measurable, and manageable.

2. Build Momentum into Firm Culture

The best BD systems don’t rely on motivation. They rely on momentum.

Too many professionals say they’ll “get to BD when things slow down.” But they never do.

Firms that win make BD part of firm culture:

• Incentivize business development properly. Your compensation structure communicates priorities. If the reward for BD is minimal, expect minimal effort.
  
  
• Create accountability that inspires. Regular coaching and mentoring are key. To make it scalable, introduce peer coaching or BD pods that make growth a shared responsibility. Professionals stay engaged when they see others doing the same work.
  
  
• Schedule regular outreach blocks. Even a 30-minute block each week can move the needle. Consistency matters more than intensity.

When BD becomes part of how your team evaluates success, it shifts from a “nice to have” to a cultural expectation.

3. Measure What Matters

If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.

Most firms still rely on lagging metrics like new matters, new revenue, and hours billed. Those are important, but they only tell you what already happened. A systematic BD process also tracks leading indicators:

• Number of proactive outreach actions
• Relationship engagement consistency
• New introductions or opportunities generated

These metrics reveal what’s working early, so you can course-correct before the quarter slips away.

4. Build Feedback Loops that Reinforce Progress

A system without feedback is just a checklist. People need to see that their efforts are paying off.

You can strengthen feedback loops by:

• Inviting your team to shadow you on pitch calls and meetings. Give them a defined role, then debrief afterward so they can learn from what worked and what didn’t.
  
  
• Acknowledging and encouraging effort, even small wins. Many of your rising stars are still developing their BD skills, and encouragement from leadership goes a long way.
  
  
• Sharing wins firmwide, even if it’s just a reconnection that led to a referral or proposal.
  
  
• Celebrating effort metrics (number of meaningful touchpoints) alongside revenue metrics. Leading indicators like interactions are as critical as lagging ones like new engagements.
  
  
• Using your CRM or relationship tracker to spotlight what’s working and where the pipeline is leaking.

Visible progress sustains engagement. When professionals see cause and effect, they double down.

5. Coach the System, Not Just the People

Firm leaders should reinforce The Short List Method at every level—from onboarding to partner development.

That means:

• Embedding BD goals into performance plans
• Training new professionals to build their own Short List
• Rewarding consistency and collaboration, not just big wins
• Recognizing when internal resources aren’t producing the results you want, and outsourcing to professional BD coaches who can accelerate progress

When the system is institutionalized, BD becomes part of how the firm operates, not an afterthought.

Final Thoughts

A systematic approach to BD doesn’t kill creativity. It enables it.

When professionals have structure, they’re freed from the guesswork and can focus on what they do best: building trust with clients, current and future.

With The Short List Method as your foundation, BD stops depending on luck, personality, or “natural rainmakers.” It becomes a reliable, firmwide growth engine.