Succeeding at Business Development in a Tough Year

TSL 319: Succeeding at Business Development in a Tough Year Episode Summary

In a challenging economic climate, consistent business development is more crucial than ever for solo PR and marketing professionals. Hosts Karen Swim and Michelle Kane dive into practical strategies to refresh your approach and build a strong pipeline for the coming year. This episode moves beyond basic tips, exploring how to leverage AI as a strategic partner, the importance of going back to fundamentals, and the daily habits that separate thriving consultants from those just surviving. Learn how to define your ideal client, track your efforts, and adopt a problem-solver mindset to make your business development efforts both effective and enjoyable.

Episode Highlights

• [01:03] The Current Challenge: Business development has become an uphill battle in the uncertain 2025 economy.
• [03:15] Back to Basics: The importance of creating a strategic plan for your business development with measurable, time-based SMART goals.
• [05:28] Redefining Your Goals: Why it's critical to re-evaluate what you want from your business, the industries you want to serve, and the type of work you enjoy.
• [06:20] Using AI as a Strategic Partner: How to use AI for more than just content ideas. Use it to research industries, identify trends, perform SWOT analyses, and build detailed buyer personas.
• [08:15] The Power of Daily Habits: Commit to spending a small amount of time, like 45 minutes, every single day on business development tactics.
• [08:48] Tracking Your Success: Analyze your past successes to understand what works. Identify the characteristics of your ideal clients and what made them choose you.
• [10:31] The "One More" Rule: When you think you've done enough for the day, make one more call or send one more email. Persistence is key.
• [12:21] Sales is Just a Conversation: A mindset shift to view sales not as a pushy tactic, but as a conversation where you are a problem solver.
• [14:22] Get Out of Your Bubble: The necessity of networking outside of the PR industry to connect with and understand the clients you want to serve.

Related Episodes & Additional Information

This episode builds on themes of business growth and strategy. For more insights, check out our previous episodes on client management and positioning your brand.

• That Solo Life, Episode 313: Strategies for Securing New PR Business in 2025 . 
• That Solo Life, Episode 275 : Get Proactive with Acquiring New Clients 
• That Solo Life, Episode 278: Key Lessons from Tiny Businesses that Made Big Moves

Host & Show Info

That Solo Life is a podcast created for public relations, communication, and marketing professionals who work as independent and small practitioners. Hosted by Karen Swim, APR, founder of Words For Hire and President of Solo PR, and Michelle Kane, Principal of Voice Matters, the show delivers expert insights, encouragement, and advice for solo PR pros navigating today’s dynamic professional landscape.

 

We're interested in learning about the steps you're taking to revamp your business development! Connect with us at soloprpro.com.

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