Has your company got what it takes to win the Business Development category in this year's EDP Business Awards?

Successful business development has to result in new and measurable value being created. Consequently the judges in this popular category will be looking for the positive impact to the bottom line in terms of the additional revenue and profit generated from any activity.

Last year's winners, Digital Phone Company, impressed the judges with the development of its dedicated B2B division One Stream, which was launched in 2008.

Its focus on customer service helped One Stream increase its customer base by 69pc year on year and saw the Norfolk business increase its B2B footprint to Scotland.

Andrew Barnes, senior partner at Howes Percival Solicitors, which is again sponsoring this category, said the intriguing thing about this award was seeing the diversity of companies which enter and also that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to business development.

'These days everyone is also very focused on growth which creates new jobs, so the judges will also be looking for organisations that can demonstrate value created in new jobs and expansion in terms of new offices, branches or other facilities,' he said.

'For the last few years the business development challenge for most companies has been around how to grow profits in a shrinking or flat market.

'Realistically that can mean regular orders reducing, promised deals not materialising or customers just being unable to make a decision on a contract due to nervousness about their own future.

'Successful companies have found ways of keeping those existing customers coming back. Or they have created new products and services that customers are comfortable buying or have taken them into new markets. Responding to changing markets and adapting the way the organisation interacts with its customers is key. Customer demands shift constantly and good companies are always changing, so being able to develop new products and services profitably will be something the judges will be interested in seeing.'

n Find out more about this category and all the categories in this year's business awards at the dedicated website – www.edpbusinessawards.co.uk.

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