Fright night
Because your pipeline shouldn’t go bump in the night.
If there’s one thing that truly haunts sales and business development, it’s not ghosts, zombies or vampires, it’s poor communication. Almost every BD & sales nightmare can be traced back to it. A client left in the dark. A colleague out of the loop. An assumption that turns into a fright.
So, in the spirit of Halloween, here are three tricks to keep your BD & sales from getting spooky and your stakeholders safely unspooked. Enjoy.
#1. No surprises
Clients can forgive a lot, but being blindsided isn’t one of them. Most “horror stories” in client relationships start when someone forgets to communicate.
- Scope changes: Don’t creep into new territory without a chat first. Agree it before you do it and definitely, definitely don’t pick your pen up until the revised pricing’s been agreed. Be brave enough to pause and get clarity before charging ahead.
- Team changes: They’re inevitable, but don’t let new faces appear on screen like Casper. Introduce them properly, explain why they’re a great fit, and show the client you’ve thought about continuity and chemistry.
- Something’s gone wrong: It happens. Unlike our Halloween zombie colleagues, we’re human. What really matters is how you deal with it. Own the mistake, explain what happened, and fix it fast. Many clients judge you more on your recovery than the error itself.
Takeaway: Communication kills surprises. Keep your clients informed and the monsters stay firmly in their box.
#2. Resurrect the undead
Every BD pipeline hides a few zombies; old leads, expired proposals, and “let’s revisit next quarter” conversations that never quite died. This is the week to bring them back from the dead.
Here are a few cheeky openers to reanimate your old prospects:
- “Given it’s resurrection season, thought I’d see if this one still has a pulse?”
- “It’s that time of year when I check in on the undead in my inbox, are we still alive on this?”
- “Back from the BD graveyard with this one. Any chance it’s still walking?”
- “Not to frighten you, but I’m reviving an old conversation we never quite buried…”
Takeaway: A bit of humour and good timing can work magic — no Ouija board required.
#3. Don’t ghost your own team
Halloween marks the start of a busy season; directory submissions, client deadlines, and everyone trying to close out the calendar year. The pressure’s on. And when that happens, communication is the first thing to vanish.
Don’t let your own team become ghosts. Keep marketing, partners, and BD connected. Share updates, flag opportunities, and double-check who’s doing what. Duplication and crossed wires are the real terrors.
Takeaway: Communication, communication, communication. It’s what keeps your team (and your sanity) alive through the year-end rush.
Final thought
So, this Halloween, keep your pipeline bright, your zombies useful, and your colleagues visible in daylight.
No tricks. Just treats.
We’re building a team of voice enabled AI assistants to support you with BD activities and allow you to spend more time being human. Interested? We’d love to chat.
