What We Learned From a Year of Experiments
If you want to grow in business development, there’s one idea that makes everything easier:
Growth comes from experiments.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You don’t need to know the “right” answer before you start.
And you definitely don’t need to wait until everything feels ready.
Most of the time, you learn by doing.
You try something small.
You see what happens.
You make a change and try again.
That’s the real path to BD growth.
We’ve seen this in our own work over and over again. Here are two examples that taught us a lot.
Experiment #1: Testing Different Types of LinkedIn Content
When we first got serious about LinkedIn, we weren’t sure what style of content people would connect with. Instead of guessing, we decided to explore.
Some weeks, we posted quotes.
Other weeks, we shared stories.
We played with carousels.
We tested short posts, long posts, and everything in between.
Little by little, the data started to show a pattern. Whenever we shared an infographic, engagement climbed. People saved them. Teams shared them internally. Readers said they were easy to use in meetings.
Once we noticed the trend, we paid attention. Infographics didn’t just perform better, they created real value for our audience. They made complex ideas simple. They helped people learn something useful in less than a minute.
That insight changed everything about our LinkedIn strategy.
And it only happened because we ran a lot of small tests.
These three infographics alone generated hundreds of thousands of impressions, and show exactly what’s resonating!
Experiment #2: A Year of YouTube… and a Hard “No”
Here’s another example, and it’s just as important.
We spent a full year creating YouTube videos. These weren’t quick clips, either. They were polished, high-quality, well thought-out. We poured time and energy into making them great.
And honestly? We were proud of them.
But after months of effort, the results didn’t match the work we put in. Our audience wasn’t finding us there. The growth wasn’t steady. The traction wasn’t strong enough to continue.
Instead of forcing it, we stepped back and looked at what the results were telling us.
The lesson was clear: even good content doesn’t always live on the right platform.
That didn’t mean the year was wasted. It meant the experiment worked. It showed us where not to invest next. That’s part of the process too.
Letting go of something that isn’t working is one of the smartest moves you can make in BD.
Why Trial and Error Matters in BD
People often think business development is about confidence, charisma, or knowing the magic words.
But the truth is much simpler:
BD is a cycle of testing, learning, and adjusting.
Some ideas stick… Some fall flat… Some evolve into something much better.
What matters is that you keep exploring. Trying small experiments helps you discover what your clients respond to. It helps you avoid wasting time on things that don’t move the needle. And it builds a system of continuous improvement instead of one-time effort.
When you experiment, you move faster.
When you learn quickly, you grow faster.
When you let the data lead, you win more often.
A Simple Way to Try Your Next BD Experiment
If you want to bring experimentation into your own BD work, here’s a simple approach:
1. Choose one small thing to test.
This might be a new outreach message, a different opening question, or a new follow-up format.
2. Run the test for a short period.
Give it a week or two. No pressure, no huge commitment.
3. Look at the result with a clear eye.
Did it create a response? Did it help someone? Did it feel easier?
If the answer is yes… keep it.
If not… shift and try something else.
That’s all it takes.
Small experiments add up. Over time, they shape a stronger, smarter BD system.
Want to See One of Our Best Experiments?
Our infographics have been a huge win. Clients send them to their teams weekly or monthly as quick thought starters that drive the right activity... and more wins. You can grab hi-res versions of all 100+ infographics here.
Hope they spark something new for you.
Mo
Mo, thanks for the posts, they are always helpful. I agree with your research, I loved the infographics.
Thank you. Excellent Insight and shows we must try and explore new options to see if we get results.
Beats overthinking. Our best wins came from quick tests. 🎯 #BusinessDevelopment
Mo, I can deeply resonate with this post and see my own journey along similar lines. The strongest teams don’t wait for certainty. They test, learn, and adjust. One experiment reveals what resonates, another shows what doesn’t, and both are valuable. Infographics that simplify ideas can scale reach. A year of polished YouTube videos with little traction can save future wasted effort. The lesson is simple: BD isn’t about charisma or magic words. It’s about building a system of continuous improvement. Because growth doesn’t come from guessing, it comes from testing. And the teams that learn fastest, grow fastest.
Objective review of effort is tough but it is what the best do to become the best. Excellent, Mo Bunnell