What Business Development Really Means for Agencies
Why ‘biz dev’ is more than just sales.
For many agency founders I speak with, business development often sounds like a fancy way of saying sales.
But that’s where a lot of confusion about how to grow your agency starts.
You might also hear it referred to as “Biz Dev” - a term that can feel vague or even reductive if we don’t properly unpack what it really involves.
Because the truth is business development is much broader than just sales.
It’s about:
Identifying new growth opportunities
Nurturing valuable relationships
Aligning your services with market needs
Building visibility and credibility
Creating a consistent flow of quality enquiries
Sales is just one outcome of this bigger system.
Don’t let the word “broader” make it feel overwhelming. Once you understand the components, business development becomes less mysterious (and much more doable).
Marketing, Sales, and Business Development: What’s the Difference?
In smaller agencies, the lines between marketing, sales, and business development often blur. One person might wear all the hats. Creating content, chasing leads, closing deals.
But each of these areas has a distinct role:
Marketing creates awareness and interest
Sales turns interest into action
Business development shapes both what you market and how you sell
Think of business development as the strategic groundwork that supports all your client-winning efforts.
When you see how these three areas interact, you can build a process that’s actually manageable (and sustainable).
Myths That Hold Agencies Back
Let’s address some common (and costly) assumptions:
“Great work speaks for itself.”
“If we deliver well, the referrals will come flooding in.”
“Business development requires pushy, extroverted hustle.”
Sound familiar?
These myths are what cause many great agencies to stall in their growth.
In truth, thoughtful business development can be quiet, strategic, and aligned with your strengths - making it something both introverts and extroverts can do.
Another trap? Believing you need lots of time to do business development properly. Because when you’re in delivery mode for clients, that time never arrives - and the cycle continues.
The fix?
👉 Start small. Stay consistent. Drop the perfectionism.
This guide is here to help you find a version of business development that works for your agency, and your size. No matter what kind of creative operator your are.
Why Business Development Builds Resilience
Most of us in agency life are trained to respond to the urgent things in our business.
Client needs. Project deadlines. Team fire-fighting.
But the important stuff?
(Like building a pipeline or following up past leads)
That gets ignored, until things go quiet.
And then it’s panic stations.
You start chasing work with no strategy just to fill the gaps in revenue.
That’s the “feast and famine” cycle. We’ve already experienced. And keep finding ourselves caught in. And it’s a direct result of inconsistent business development.
Let’s flip our perception, to make our approach more likely to take root. .
Think of business development as an insurance policy against dry spells.
You might like the hunter/gatherer metaphor:
Hunting = seeking new opportunities
Gathering = nurturing your existing client relationships
Whatever imagery works, the point is:
When Business Development becomes a rhythm (not a reaction) you can forecast, hire, and grow with confidence.
Two Simple Exercises to Embed the Learning
Here are two short, intentional prompts to help you reflect, and act on.
✅ Exercise 1: Redefine Business Development in Your Own Words
Purpose:
To break away from old baggage mindset and create your own definition.
Prompt:
For our agency, business development is the work of…
Avoid using the word “sales.” Instead, think about:
What does it feel like when it’s working?
Who benefits from it?
What kind of actions does it involve?
Why this matters:
If business development feels icky, hard, or confusing - chances are, it’s because you’re borrowing someone else’s definition. Create your own, and you’ll find your natural way of doing it becomes easier.
✅ Exercise 2: Business Development Health Check
Purpose:
To get a quick sense of your current strengths and gaps.
Rate yourself 1–5 on these statements (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree):
Statements:
We have a consistent way to attract and qualify new leads = (Your Score)
We spend time every week on proactive relationship-building = (Your Score)
We know which types of clients/projects are the best fit = (Your Score)
We can forecast the next 3 months of revenue = (Your Score)
We have someone accountable for business development = (Your Score)
Total Score: /25
Reflection:
Which area scored lowest?
What’s one small step you can take this week to improve one of these low scores?
Why this matters:
Business development doesn’t have to be complex. But it does have to be intentional. This exercise helps you spot where you’re relying on luck instead of leading with a plan.
This is Chapter 1 of the The Creative Operator’s Guide to Business Development (View all chapters here →)
COMING SOON!
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