Oct 2025 -Professional Organizations

In September 2023, I wrote about the importance of professional development in Business Development (BD), emphasizing its role in maintaining relevance. Relevance means staying actively connected to the contract and competitive environments in which BD professionals operate, essential for recognizing and adapting to changes that affect positioning, acquisition, and market opportunity.

Professional development can be as simple as reading trade publications, industry websites, and partner materials to stay informed. A more comprehensive approach is joining a professional organization, where practitioners share trends, best practices, and proven techniques. Strong organizations also set standards, provide training, and offer certification frameworks that help members strengthen their expertise and credibility.

In the United States, the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) is the leading organization advancing BD, Capture, and Proposal competence, offering certifications, training, networking events, and extensive online professional resources. Organizations with APMP-affiliated professionals benefit from an enhanced workforce competency, impacting win rates. For more information about APMP, visit them at https://www.apmp.org/.