In this episode of Breaking BizDev, John and Mark dive into the complexities of business development within the accounting industry, like the steep challenges of differentiation, pricing models, and the annual scramble leading up to tax day.

John shares his extensive experience with accounting firms and highlights insights gathered from the 2025 Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) Summit Conference in Phoenix, AZ. The episode features quick interviews with sales and marketing professionals at the conference, who shared their perspectives on the most pressing issues in business development—ranging from the friction between marketing and sales to the misalignment of partner involvement.

Tune in for a dynamic conversation rich with expert opinions and actionable advice, all aimed at breaking down what's broken in the accounting industry's approach to business development.

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com

Welcome back to another episode of Breaking BizDev. Join hosts John Tyreman and Mark Wainwright as they dive into why proposals often fail and what you can do to improve them. From the self-diagnosis of client's needs to the common mistakes in crafting and submitting proposals, this episode provides actionable insights and tips.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to business development, this snarky yet insightful episode will help you navigate the fraught process of proposal creation to improve your chances of winning bids and avoiding these common traps:

• Trap #1 - You respond to RFPs you shouldn't
• Trap #2 - You don't take time to understand the client
• Trap #3 - Your proposal looks like a brochure
• Trap #4 - You give the client one price option
• Trap #5 - You submit the proposal without a conversation
• Trap #6 - You blow the in-person interview

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com

Lead generation is a major challenge for many professional services firms. In this episode of Breaking Biz Dev, Mark and John break down possibly the most critical element of lead generation: your offer strategy. What value are you offering? And what’s the call to action? In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The roles of free vs paid offers in lead generation
• How these offers work together in your marketing program
• How to measure the performance of each kind of offer
• Various cognitive biases that influence offer acceptance
• Examples of calls to action (CTAs) for free vs paid offers

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com

In this episode of Breaking Biz Dev, John and Mark take the Rainmaker model out to the alley for a well-deserved beatdown, highlight three (really) bad reasons to hire a rainmaker. In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What is a ‘Rainmaker’ anyway?
• Various ways firms organize their sales functions
• How buyers evaluate professional services firms
• Really bad reason #1 - you don’t know how to sell
• Really bad reason #2 - you need a deal closer
• Really bad reason #3 - you want to grow faster

Read Mark’s full blog post: https://www.wainwrightinsight.com/3-really-bad-reasons-to-hire-a-rainmaker/

Show notes:

• Inside the Buyer’s Brain Executive Summary: https://hingemarketing.com/library/article/inside-the-buyers-brain-fourth-edition-executive-summary
• SMPS + Stambaugh Ness Report: AEC BD 2024 Report: https://www.stambaughness.com/publication/aec-bd-building-business-development-success-report/

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com

Proper planning prevents poor performance. Say that 10 times fast.

In this episode, John and Mark break down the elements of an effective sales call plan, sharing insights from real-world experiences and highlighting the importance in driving better business outcomes. They walk through the crucial elements that make up an effective call plan and emphasize the significance of preparation, especially for those new to sales conversations. In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• The components of a sales call plan and why planning prevents poor performance.
• How setting a clear objective for the call enhances focus and direction.
• The role of thorough research in understanding client needs and anticipating questions.
• Why a concise agenda keeps the conversation aligned and productive.
• The art of telling a compelling client success story

Read the blog post from Mark and download the Sales Call Planning template: https://www.wainwrightinsight.com/creating-a-sales-call-plan/

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com

Send us your feedback in this 3-min survey and help shape the future of Breaking BizDev.

Is there a topic you want us to cover?
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Let us know!

In this short bonus episode, John and Mark share some early feedback from the listener survey, and how you can participate and help steer the conversation.

Take the survey as you listen to the episode. Why not?

Share your feedback here:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8V9T6Z7

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com

Turn your firm into a trusted and respected leader in your niche.

In this episode, John and Mark explore how firms can not only effectively differentiate against competitors, but actually how to apply that differentiation in their marketing and sales activities. In this conversation, we cover:

• The nuanced differences between focus, specialization, and positioning
• Reasons why firms should embrace specialization
• How to identify the right area of specialization
• How to align your specialization with long-term goals for sustained success

Real-world examples of firms with focus, specialization and excellent positioning:

• TBSP (tablespoon) — accounting solutions specifically for restaurants: https://tbsp.com/
• Driving Transactions — M&A advisory services specifically for chauffeured transportation companies: https://www.drivingtransactions.com/
• Jaffe Holden — acoustic design services for Performing Arts, Educational and Cultural Spaces Worldwide: https://www.jaffeholden.com/
• Lloyd Sports + Engineering — Lloyd Sports + Engineering has focused on the planning, design and construction of sports facilities since coining the term “sports engineering” in 1987: https://www.lloydengineers.com/
• Friedman Tax — accounting services specifically for tattoo parlors: https://friedmantax.com/

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com

“We’re in a bad economy…”
“We’re experts. We’re never wrong…”
“We’re up against tough competition…”
"Our point of contact was a jerk..."

…but what if it’s not them? What if it’s you?

In this episode, John and Mark dissect what it truly means to be accountable when you lose a prospective client. We dig into the obstacles that professionals encounter when owning up to losses and present actionable strategies to transform setbacks into stepping stones for growth.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why do we default to the ‘blame game’ ?
• The role of firm culture in nurturing or stifling accountability
• Why losing is a pivotal opportunity for growth
• Strategies for effective internal reflection and owning outcomes
• How mindset, preparation, and continuous learning can help you overcome setbacks.

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhwainwright/
Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/

www.breakingbizdev.com