Even the most aggressively pursued business development effort will suffer if a sales infrastructure has not been built. A sales "blueprint" helps focus on strategies to develop leads and build relationships for a robust business development program. These nine steps will define sales goals and boost qualified lead development.

1. DEFINE EXPERTISE
Creating a business development blueprint specific to your business and its advantages for clients more deeply identifies your expertise and potential growth areas. Any convergence of specialty areas that this process reveals - for example, writing research and developing custom training programs to help companies implement the results of the research - makes a company even more valuable in that it can pitch a combination of expertise that clearly differentiates it from competitors. Establish an internal team to support business development and establish training so all staff can communicate corporate messages and the "elevator pitch."

2. BUILD BRAND
List your company in industry directories. Create a great Web site. Spread the word through public relations. Find speaking opportunities. Develop a useful newsletter. Improve collateral. Try e-mail marketing. Submit for industry awards. Maximize search engine presence.

3. FILL THE PIPELINE
Being discerning about prospects is vital - a company will succeed long term only if a prospect fits into its areas of expertise. Turning away any lead in difficult times is hard; saying no in good times is much easier. However, a commitment to finding clients that can benefit from your expertise makes a company better - and stronger - in the long run. Examine where your leads come from, and what you win - and lose. To fill the pipeline, try these ideas. Create an educational event specific to your company's talents. Do you help build channel sales opportunities? Then create an event about motivating sales staff targeted toward channel sales managers. As Dorothy said: "There's no place like home." Create a forum to draw local "movers and shakers" and complementary businesses to raise your local market visibility. Assign staff a lead identification quota within the industries represented by your company's existing or preferred client mix.

4. COMMIT TO EFFECTIVE NETWORKING
We all need more relationships. Aggressive networking is one way to open doors. Charge all appropriate employees with regular networking. This vests staff in company growth. Management should commit to ongoing communication with personal and professional contacts, and become active in groups where they can add value and see a return on their investment of time. General staff should join trade groups relevant to company practice areas.

5. MAKE COLD CALLS
Difficult, yes. Painful, sometimes. Effective, occasionally. Creating a template pitch that is easily customizable and can be quickly delivered is an effective tool that doesn't make pursuing cold leads a drain on resources.

6. HOLD AUTHORITY
Most businesses need a larger presence in the business community. Serve on boards or committees to which you can offer relevant expertise, while developing a deeper network of contacts. For instance, if your business targets the travel industry, join travel associations or pursue a board appointment at an industry company, group or non-profit.

7. SOLIDIFY CURRENT RELATIONSHIPS
Consider developing sales efforts to more fully support partnering opportunities. For example, "outsource" specific company capabilities that a competitive or complementary company could then resell to its client base - essentially, build your own custom channel to sell your services.

8. EXPAND YOUR OFFERINGS
Find gaps within your industry and try to expand the industries you serve or broaden your audience. Brand a service that "dresses up" an existing offering, for example give your offering a formal name, such as "CMO On Call."

9. CLOSE THE DEAL
Watch one of the great sales movies, "Glengarry Glenn Ross," and learn from its prevailing message: "A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing, always be closing."