That Icky Feeling of Cold Outreach – Authentic Business Development Tips

The Trough Problem

After hitting that inevitable quiet spell that follows every busy period — and realising, with painful predictability, that I’d done little to no business development — I brought in Ruth from Your Marketing Partner, who arrived with some brilliant and fresh ideas and a clear, actionable plan. Everything sounded entirely achievable as I waved her off… until it came to actually implementing it.

The real issue had very quickly become obvious: visibility. PepperStreet has been quietly ticking along, but if I’m honest, we’ve done so with little active promotion, it’s a miracle PepperStreet has lasted 17 years, relying on a strategy best described as “sit tight and wait.”

The challenge, of course, is that the thought of putting myself out there — sending emails, reaching out on LinkedIn, or pitching new clients — still feels more than a little “ikcy”. It felt intrusive and pushy — exactly the things we’re warned against by parents eager to see us fit neatly into our expected societal roles. But the reality is clear: staying invisible isn’t sustainable.

So what’s the answer? And why does outreach leave so many of us with this feeling of needing a good hot shower?

Now, I’m no psychologist — wine-fuelled attempts aside — but I suspect a fear of failure and rejection sits at the heart of my visceral loathing for business outreach. Maybe those who do it well are simply more confident in themselves, or perhaps they’ve developed thicker skin. Still, I can’t help but wonder if this discomfort is more common among women in business — that quiet anxiety of not being quite what people want. For me, the thought that someone I reach out to might reject me — and my talents (which, for the record, are quite impressive!) — often stops me from putting myself out there at all. The result? No one knows I exist, and when people go looking for my skills, they end up finding someone else.

So I’ve started exploring alternatives to traditional cold outreach. I’m focusing on approaches that feel authentic and human, or as human as sales can get.

So below my top 4 Authentic Business Development Tips to myself for building visibility and hopefully bringing in business.

1. Build genuine visibility through content

Instead of chasing potential leads, write meaningful and interesting content. It’s helpful if, unlike this post, it’s actually relevant to your business and skills. Show you offer value and position yourself as a trusted expert. Let people come to you.

2. Nurture existing connections

The lovely Ruth asked about our client database, to which I shrugged. The best leads are the people who already know and trust you. Reconnect with them, they might not need you but are far more likely to recommend you than some rando on LinkedIn.

3. Get involved locally

This applies especially for small businesses like ours. One of our superpowers is being local. Network locally, sponsor an event (budget not withstanding) and with a growing trend for shopping locally this could be gold.

4. Collaborate instead of compete

As a web designer, I should be building connections with local IT providers, marketing agencies, printers, and copywriters — businesses that complement ours rather than compete with it. Their success doesn’t take away from ours; in fact, when combined, it can create something far more powerful.

Conclusion

Business development is always slightly sleazy, awkward, and pushy. That’s the nature of the beast. The key is to approach it in a way that feels authentic to you and your brand.

Promoting yourself and your business requires effort, courage, and a willingness to embrace rejection as part of the process. But when done thoughtfully, it becomes less about chasing clients and more about creating meaningful connections that naturally lead to opportunities.

My takeaway? Despite much noise to the contrary, Business development isn’t a numbers game; it’s about building trust, showing up consistently, and making your presence known in ways that feel honest and sustainable.