There are two levels in an IT company's business development: Strategic and tactical levels.
Strategy is about the big picture. It's about setting the direction. It's about WHAT we want to achieve. For instance positioning: Do you want to be known as a premium provider, working on high margin and low volume; or do you want to be known as a "budget alternative" working on high volume and wafer-thin margin?
Tactics are about the details. It's about your daily operation. It's about HOW to achieve the strategy. If you want to be a premium service provider (WHAT), then you'd better not use use a call centre in India (HOW) with the cheapest staff to cold-call the world for new busienss.
Strategy is about sitting down with your financial advisor and formulating a financial strategy. Your advisor can help you with that. But the tactics, like going to the bank to deposit your savings or reconciling your chequebook, are up to you. If you fail on the tactical level your whole strategy goes down the toilet.
Similarly, I start working with clients on a strategic level, that is, I must know where the company is headed. Executives must let me in on the "Big Picture." Then we develop an action plan based on the strategy. Then I help the client's people to execute the action plan.
But please note, I do it WITH them, not FOR them. They must be involved in the process. It's their companies, their businesses, their futures, and it would be plain unethical to do things behind their back without their involvement. Besides, they're the ultimate decision-makers. I can't make decisions for them.
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