How to get partners more involved in business development (without chasing them)
“We need partners to be more involved in business development.”
It’s one of the most common frustrations I hear across law firms, accountancy firms and professional services businesses. Marketing teams are feeling the pressure to drive growth. Senior leaders want stronger pipelines. But partners are often seen as disengaged or inconsistent when it comes to BD.
The usual response? More reminders. More encouragement. More pressure.
And yet, it rarely works.
Because the issue isn’t effort. It’s how business development is set up in the first place.
Partners aren’t avoiding BD for no reason
It’s easy to assume partners are simply too busy or not interested. But in reality, there are usually a few very common barriers at play.
It’s not always clear what they should actually be doing. There’s no structured approach to follow. Activity doesn’t obviously link to outcomes. And it competes directly with billable work and client priorities.
So business development gets pushed down the list. Not because it doesn’t matter, but because it feels difficult to approach in any meaningful way.
Understanding that is the first step to fixing it.
Make it easier, not louder
One of the biggest mistakes firms make is trying to solve this with more communication. More emails. More meetings. More reminders to “do more BD.”
But without changing the experience itself, nothing shifts.
If business development feels vague or time-consuming, partners will keep avoiding it. Chasing them harder won’t change that. What will change it is making it genuinely easier to engage.
The focus shouldn’t be on pressure. It should be on removing the friction.
Give partners a structure they can actually use
Partners are used to working within clear frameworks in their client work. Business development shouldn’t be any different.
Instead of broad expectations, give them something simple and practical to work with.
That might look like a clear set of priority sectors or clients, defined activities expected each month, and straightforward guidance on what good actually looks like.
This removes the ambiguity. It turns business development from something abstract into something actionable. And that’s where engagement starts to improve.
Align BD to their goals, not just the firm’s
Another common issue is misalignment. Business development is often positioned as something the firm needs, rather than something that benefits the individual partner.
But partners are far more likely to engage when they can see how it supports their own objectives. Growing a specific area of expertise. Strengthening key client relationships. Building their profile in a particular sector.
When business development is linked to personal and commercial goals, it becomes more relevant. And when it’s more relevant, it’s more motivating.
Focus on fewer, better activities
A long list of BD expectations can feel overwhelming. Attend events. Write content. Post on LinkedIn. Follow up with contacts. Build relationships. The list goes on.
The instinct to cover everything is understandable, but it’s usually counterproductive.
Narrow the focus instead. Identify a small number of high-impact activities and make those the priority. Regular contact with a defined list of key clients or prospects. Targeted networking in specific sectors. Contributing thought leadership in a focused area.
This makes it far more manageable. And more importantly, far more consistent.
Build BD into what partners are already doing
One of the main reasons business development gets deprioritised is that it feels like an extra. Something separate from the day job.
But the most effective approaches integrate BD into what partners are already doing rather than adding to their plate.
That could mean using client meetings as an opportunity to identify new needs. Following up on completed matters with structured next steps. Turning existing expertise into simple, usable content.
It reduces the friction. It makes business development part of the role rather than an additional task on an already long list.
Support matters more than pressure
Partners are more likely to engage when they feel supported, not monitored.
That means providing practical tools and templates, helping shape messaging and positioning, and offering guidance on how to approach conversations. Rather than simply asking for more activity, support them in doing it well.
This builds confidence. And confidence is often the missing piece.
Ask yourself these questions
If partners aren’t consistently involved in business development, it’s worth pausing and asking a few honest questions.
Have you made it clear what they should be focusing on? Have you given them a simple structure to follow? Are the activities aligned to their individual goals? Are you asking for a few key actions or too many?
If the answers feel unclear, that’s likely where the issue sits. Not in willingness, but in how business development is being approached.
A final thought
Chasing partners rarely leads to better business development. It creates frustration on both sides and doesn’t address the root cause.
But when you make it easier, give it structure and connect it to what actually matters to them, engagement starts to shift.
And when that happens, business development becomes more consistent, more focused and far more effective.
Need help?
If you would like help with your marketing, bringing on a marketing consultant with a fresh pair of eyes can make all the difference. I work with B2B businesses and professional service firms in London, Kent, the UK, and Europe, specialising as a legal marketing consultant. Please get in touch or book a free 30-minute consultation.
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