In this episode, Mark and John take aim at the traditional pitch deck — and explain why it no longer works in modern business development.

From distraction overload to one-sided broadcasts, they outline five reasons slides don’t sell and why leading with a deck often undermines real sales conversations.

They also explore what to do instead:

• Shifting from presentation mode to dialogue
• Reflecting and synthesizing what buyers say
• Anchoring conversations in a clear statement of understanding
• Using visual aids strategically (not habitually)
• Maintaining narrative control by sending recordings, not slide files

If your default move before a new prospect meeting is “Where’s the deck?”, this conversation is for you.

#DitchTheDeck

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Most professional services firms approach growth the same way: copy what their competitors are doing, refine it slightly, and hope for better results.

In this episode of Breaking BizDev, we explore why that mindset creates stagnation—and why the firms that grow fastest often look outside their industry for better strategies.

We talk about the “professional services echo chamber,” why benchmarking can backfire, and how borrowing ideas from other sectors can unlock differentiation, stronger positioning, and a more scalable approach to business development.

If you're a firm owner, doer-seller, or sales/marketing leader trying to break through a growth plateau, this episode will give you a sharper way to think about what actually drives sustainable firm growth.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
02:06 Cross-Industry Insights
04:04 AEC employs more seller-doers
09:15 Accounting firms are digitally mature
13:21 Creative agencies have strong account management
17:33 Wealth Management firms use Centers of Influence
23:42 Different pricing models across industries
28:08 Conclusion

Research mentioned in this episode:
• 2026 High Growth Study by Hinge Marketing
• AEC.BD report by Stambaugh Ness and SMPS
• Marketing Budget Benchmark Study by the Association for Accounting Marketing

Share your feedback in our listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8V9T6Z7

Most business development conversations don’t fail in the meeting—they fail in the follow-up.

In this episode of Breaking BizDev, John Tyreman and Mark Wainwright unpack the DOs and DON’Ts of follow-up and explain why it’s one of the most critical—and most mishandled—parts of business development.

They frame follow-up as a link in the chain that either moves opportunities forward or quietly pulls them backward. Through real examples from sales and marketing, they show how effective follow-up builds clarity, trust, and momentum—and how bad follow-up (or none at all) derails deals.

You’ll learn:

• What good follow-up actually does in sales and business development
• Common follow-up mistakes that break momentum
• Why “just checking in” often does more harm than good
• How follow-up supports choreography from conversation to contract
• The difference between sales follow-up and marketing follow-up

A must-listen for consultants, firm owners, doer-sellers, and anyone responsible for generating and closing professional services work.

Past episodes mentioned:

• The Psychology of Familiarity: Building Trust With Mere Exposure
• Checking In, Ghosting, and the Magic Email

Share your feedback in our listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8V9T6Z7