A Smart Bear · Jason Cohen
articleprincipleWhy startup biz dev deals almost never get done
6 October 2024Profit
Source excerpt
About A Smart BearStartups fail at biz dev because their proposals don't make sense to bigger companies. Here's how to adjust your approach.
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Apollo layer
What a founder can learn
Founder takeaway
Design business-development proposals around the larger company’s priorities, incentives, and constraints—not just the value the deal creates for your startup.
Why it matters
A partnership can look transformative to a startup but immaterial or difficult to justify inside a larger company. Closing that gap makes the proposal easier to evaluate and act on.
Put it to work
Before your next pitch, write one sentence answering: “Why does this deal make sense for this company now, from its decision-maker’s perspective?” If the answer relies mainly on your startup’s needs, revise the proposal.
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