What can I do to start off strong in a new position?
I just landed a new position as a business development manager in an eMarketing Consulting company. I want to fulfill my job description to the best of my ability. Any management advice, tips, or articles that will help me start off strong in my new position?
Expert Answers
Sort by Date
Sort by Votes
Feb 24, 2015
Congrats on your new position! A favorite resource of mine is the book "The First 90 Days." It provides great recommendations of actions you can take, regardless of your role. Here's a link to a summary of it: http://www.summary.com/book-summaries/_/The-First-90-Days. Also at this same link, is information on another good one - "The New Leader's 100 Day Action Plan." Hope this helps and good luck.
Feb 13, 2015
From my experience in a corporation environment: the only way that your performance is measured when you're in a management position is achieving your targets: whether you already received your main KPI's and your targets or you have to create them: always speak with data: what really matters is how the company results are improving, not how you can show to the others how hard you're working; and since you're new to the company just avoid negative reactions to others behaviors (like not showing in meetings you invite them to, like having your team not doing all you ask for, and any kind of conflicts, you first need to understand how the system works, & from who and how you can get what you want...
Feb 9, 2015
Dear Mohammed,
The new role of business development manager, you have a lots going on in your mind. ‘How good/bad are things really? What are the real expectations of me? Will I find what I expected to find? Will I fit the culture? Do I actually have what it takes to do the job? Can I establish a consensus to make the changes required?’
The key is to try and find out answers to your questions, network with people across different functions/ roles, get to know them, get their support to understand the business, company and your clients better.
This will help you in your balancing act and connect you three main tasks: understanding the offerings and buyers; relook at the pipeline available and what needs to be done to have a quality pipeline; and the successful attainment of key business numbers.
All the best.
Feb 8, 2015
Study, study and study the company and don't be the proverbial "bull in a china shop." They were in business before you were hired and will continue to be after you leave. Find out what they do right and best and continue the tradition. Offer creativity, but seek advice and counsel. Remember you are the manager and will win only when the team wins. Only once you have assessed your team will you be ready to tackle business development. Remember the cliche, "sales/marketing promises" but others "deliver." Don't promise if you can't deliver. - A Taurus (May birthday)
Feb 6, 2015
Take a close look at what your day to day operations look like and then research those areas to make the biggest impact you can. With eMarketing there are lots of ways to add a new style to creative department projects and new markets to cultivate so if all else fails get proactive about bringing those leads to the table.
Feb 6, 2015
Develop a game plan/strategy that you feel confident you can execute. Get it on paper and go over it with your manager/superior. Make sure you have marketing materials to get people on board (presentation, webinars, email sequence, flyers, banners, pdfs, white papers, questionnaires, registration forms, etc).
Make sure you develop a process for client recruitment that includes some tangible marketing materials. Overcome all objections by creating an irrefutable offer, free sample of your product/service, free events with personal help, and any other way you can educate potential clients while giving them a chance to experience your product/service at the same time.
Reach out to partners by creating a partner recruitment process and represent that process on your site. Then engage conferences and speaking opportunities to network with potential power players in your industry.
By getting everything on paper from the very beginning, it will be easier to execute your plan and educate and organize your team.
Feb 6, 2015
All great advice from the others here.
Learn as much as you can about your companies products and services, the markets you serve and the existing clients they have. Talk to as many people in your company as you can to build relationships and to understand the role they play and how you may be able to help each other out in the future.
Ask lots of questions, and when you think your done, ask more.
Feb 5, 2015
In line with Doru's point I suggest you adapt the 30 / 60 / 90 day plan technique. This is normally used by companies to assess job applicants but it can be applied retrospectively. As time is of the essence here a google search will provide an explanation of the technique and provide templates.
Feb 5, 2015
Show them what you can do (your expertise) — strive to do your best — and establish your credibility quickly as a trusted, reliable business partner who knows his stuff and gets things done effectively, on time. Build great working relationships with colleagues and business partners across the company. That's how I succeeded for five years at a major financial services company. I was hired on a temporary, 12-month contract….within 7 months I was rolled over to staff. I became a trusted 'go-to' person.
Feb 5, 2015
I agree with Doru. One on one conversations will reveal the most about the lay of the land. The loud employees can't wait to tell you what they think, but it's often the quiet ones that reveal more when you get them alone. Ask everyone what the best and worst things are with how the company is working.
The best managers are good listeners.
And bring cookies. :)
Feb 5, 2015
Understanding and exceeding their expectation is the key. This may sound obvious but few people go deeply into what their companies problems are and how your expertise and effort can make a difference.
Feb 5, 2015
Fulfill your job description? Wrong Mohamed, you must go beyond what is expected from you.
With this in mind, speak less and listen more, soak every piece of information surrounding you, learn everything from the company. Yes, even other departments affairs. Study their weaknesses and propose solutions to common problems.
Climb that ladder!
Feb 5, 2015
Best thing will be to have a talk with your new colleagues, 1 on 1, and understand what works and what doesn't, from their perspective, in the new company. From there you can see how your new position could help improve processes. I'm not a strong believer in the "by the book" approach, as each situation is different. Knowing your company inside out is the first and most important thing, in my opinion.
Feb 5, 2015
I don't know how others do, but I do have a methodology:
Best position for your career growth and promotion
1. Know your direct boss well - your little god
2. Know your CEO well - your greatest god
3. Learn how to please them well
4. Deliver what their real wants
(As such, on top of sharpen your trade skills, I would suggest you learn how to read peoples' mind to profile people on though conversation and build relation with your target personnel)
Whether you like it or not, this is undeniable fact of life.
Feb 5, 2015
Start concentrating over LinkedIN as that's the place where you are going to learn things in an proper manner, as I am sure as a business manger you might be the one who has to drive the business over to the place where you work. Also watch over the Groups and post section over LinkedIN its something which I must say you can learn easily from the post over their !
Great advice Craig and I'll add this- keep on asking those questions, learn from them and give your knowledge back in spades.