Would a personal website (with professional content/background) help or hinder the efforts of a business development executive / rainmaker?
The need for an online creative portfolio is common for creative marketing, advertising and design professionals. But could the same concept apply to relationship-building bizdev and sales pros?
Does it make sense for the employing company to subsidize a sales executive's personal website that promotes his/her expertise and thought leadership in an industry? Questions within questions, I know. Thanks for your thoughts!
Scott
Good Answers (6)
Jason M
I teach small businesses a proven Internet marketing strategy from start to finish.
Best Answers in: Internet Marketing (1), Business Development (1), Sales Techniques (1), Blogging (1), Web Development (1)
Scott:
I highly reccommend this approach for the following reasons.
1. The sales persons ego will go through the roof, creating confidence, and confidence sells.
2. He/She will tell everyone
3. Capture leads
4. It also creates a separate advertising placeholder for your company products/services.
5. Differentiation - this is a relatively different idea - people like that.
6. More accountabilty will be given to this salesperson, which helps make You stickier to him/her helping you keep them around.
7. Can improve your companies SEO if you do it right (I'd be happy to explain how one-off)
8. Consolidate literature, sales docs, newsletters on this site.
9. Feedback from customers
10. A place to showcase testimonials
11. It will only evolve into more opportunity that you could never predict simply because you are on the web.
12. Reference my site www.jasonmatthewmurphy.com. I do this already and have for years - I am a Rainmaker...seriously.
13. It's easier than you think (and cheaper).
Let me know if you need help getting started and check out www.nevercoldcallagain.com for more reasons.
Bottom line, leverage technology to help your best assets in the case a sales person.
Thanks,
Jason
Phillip R
Freelance developer / IT consultant specializing in helping growing SMBs leverage technology for success
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (5), Staffing and Recruiting (3), Web Development (3), Career Management (2), Enterprise Software (2), Software Development (2), Mentoring (1), Contracts (1), Internet Marketing (1), Change Management (1), Planning (1), Market Research and Definition (1), Professional Organizations (1), Starting Up (1), Blogging (1), E-Commerce (1), Computers and Software (1), Computer Networking (1)
1. I think it could. Will it necessarily for any given such professional? Who knows.
2. Subsidize? An executive who wants to promote their though leadership doesn't need much more than a basic blog, IMO. Bob Parsons and Jonathon Schwartz use blogs to promote their thoughts.
For someone associated a smaller company, a blog hosted by one of the numerous free blog sites would probably be fine. Many reputable blogs are hosted at blogspot.com or their ilk. Beyond that, if you want a blog hosted on the company domain, software for doing this stuff is widely available from the free / open-source world, so there shouldn't be a lot of expense.
Sandeep B
Business Development and Technology Entrepreneur
Best Answers in: Business Development (4), Using LinkedIn (2), Venture Capital and Private Equity (1), Internet Marketing (1), Positioning (1), E-Commerce (1)
1. For sure i feel the same concept applies to a business development executive as well. End of the day its your personal brand equity and even your Linked-In profile contributes to the same.
2. I don't think it makes sense for the employing company to subsidize the personal website.Your credentials and achievements would anyway be listed on the corporate website and then could offer links to your personal profile/blogs if they may so choose.
Thanks and Regards,
Sandeep Balaji
www.Qiu-inc.com
JoAnn H
Packaging For People And Products
Best Answers in: Packaging and Labeling (3), Using LinkedIn (2), Facilities Management (1), Advertising (1), Direct Marketing (1), Business Development (1), Corporate Governance (1), Change Management (1), Manufacturing (1), Market Research and Definition (1), Engineering (1), Positioning (1)
Scott:
I'm a firm believer in having a personal website no matter who you work for. I would say that it could possibly ultimately be a conflict of interest to have the website subsided by your employer especially if you plan to change jobs or become self-employed. You want the established brand equity to remain with you not your employer. You in effect are creating your own personal following.
In addition it gives you leverage with your personal brand, it belongs to you no matter what the employment circumstances. It also allows you flexibility with creating your own "persona" independent of who you are working for.
Since personal branding is an ongoing process having an independent personal website is something I consider mandatory for any successful "rainmaker" no matter what their skill set.
JoAnn Hines
Packaging Diva
Jim S
CEO at Business Powerpack Limited
Best Answers in: Blogging (2), Direct Marketing (1), Internet Marketing (1), Business Development (1), Starting Up (1)
It really depends.
If you have things like rock-climbing and your future employer is risk-averse your pictures may make them think you take too many risks in your business life too. So be very careful about the message you put out with your personal web site.
I think the best approach would be to have a personal blog/web site that only a favoured few are given access to. Then use another blog/web site to provide your story about your career and why you're you in a way that supports your career.
You must provide a good looking personal blog that wouldn't be out of place in business. Otherwise why do it?
1. I think it depends on how the work is presented. A designer designs, and the work is largely his/her own. Can the same be said for new business wins? Is it the work of an individual or a team? I think it's fine for the rainmaker to feature important wins on his/her personal site--along with credit to other team members where appropriate. Such a gesture would appear gracious on the rainmaker's part and present him/her as a team player. (Make sure everyone on the team wants to be included on the site, of course.)
2. "Subsidized"? Not sure about that. If it's a personal site, I'd pay for it myself. But hey--hosting is cheap, and just about anyone can learn HTML. :)
Good luck!
Devon
