How to phrase a business-development question
A good business-development question has three parts. Include them all, and the map comes back focused on exactly what you need.
- 1
Start with your company
Tell it who you are and what you do — the product, the market you sell into, the kind of deal you're after. That's the anchor everything else is ranked against.
- 2
State one clear objective
Name the one thing you're trying to do: enter a market, find a reseller, source a supplier, or land a partnership. A single objective keeps the plan sharp.
- 3
Say who you're NOT after
Rule out what you don't want — companies too big, the wrong region, anyone already tied to a competitor. Disqualifiers do as much work as targets; they keep the shortlist honest.
Think of it like briefing a new colleague: company, goal, and "don't bother with." For instance: "We make industrial sensors; find automotive Tier-1 suppliers in Mexico who might design us in, but skip anyone already sourcing from a competitor." Pairs with Ask your first question.
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