Balancing Short-Term Wins with Long-Term Fit

Sarah Sink
Aug 12
3 min read

There’s a constant tension in business development that no pipeline escapes: Hit your targets now vs. build the right partnerships for later.

And in today’s biotech market, that pressure is only getting louder.

It’s tempting to chase the “quick yes.” A client ready to start immediately. A fill-in batch that plugs a short-term hole. A revenue boost that looks great on the forecast. I get it, we all have goals to hit.

But if those short-term wins come at the cost of long-term fit, you’re building a shaky foundation. And eventually, that house cracks.

Why Short-Term Wins Can Quietly Create Long-Term Strain

Short-term deals aren’t inherently bad. In fact, they’re often necessary. The problem is when they:

Pull resources away from core accounts
Block capacity needed for more strategic programs
Overwhelm SMEs with disjointed projects
Set a precedent for transactional relationships

You might close the deal. You might even deliver it on time. But internally? You’ve traded flexibility for firefighting.

That’s why every “quick win” should be assessed not just on how fast it closes, but on what it costs.

Long-Term Fit Isn’t About Saying No to Revenue; It’s About Saying Yes to the Right Kind

Long-term fit is rooted in alignment between your team’s strengths and the sponsor’s needs, between your growth trajectory and their development plans.

The deals that fit long term are the ones that:

Match your core capabilities
Create opportunities for program expansion
Operate in therapeutic or technical spaces you’re investing in
Strengthen your internal cross-functional alignment, not stretch it

Here’s the kicker: these deals often take longer to close. They require trust-building. They involve more internal discussion. They’re not the low-hanging fruit.

But they’re the ones that keep your team out of the churn cycle.

How to Balance the Two Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Forecast)

So how do you manage both short-term wins and long-term fit without running your BD team (and ops team) ragged?

Start here:

1. Classify Your Pipeline

Break down your deals into categories:

Short-Term Tactical – Fill-ins, backfills, near-term batch support
Medium-Term Relationship Builders – Programs that can scale, but start small
Long-Term Strategic – Complex tech transfers, high-value sponsors, expansion potential

When you see your mix clearly, you can rebalance intentionally instead of just reacting.

2. Protect Strategic Bandwidth

It’s easy to fill your team’s calendar with short-term deals. The trick is reserving time and internal alignment before a big opportunity shows up.

Block capacity for the deals you actually want to grow with.

3. Set Criteria for “Worthwhile Wins”

Not all short-term wins are equal. Some can be steppingstones. Others are just noise.

Ask yourself:

Will this open the door to additional programs?
Can we execute it well without compromising strategic work?
Will it stretch resources that are already tight?

If it checks at least two boxes, it might be a smart short-term play. If not, it’s probably worth declining.

Need help qualifying leads across multiple service areas? My “Breaking Down CDMO Modalities” guide walks through core capabilities from sterile fill-finish to biologics and OSD, so you can match sponsor needs to your strengths with clarity.

Strategic Fit Requires Discipline

One of the hardest things in BD is saying “no” to a deal that would hit your number but isn’t the right fit long term.

But that’s what separates transactional selling from strategic partnership building.

Saying no protects your team. It strengthens your internal reputation. And it earns trust from sponsors who do align because they know you’re not just chasing revenue.

Play the Long Game, Even While You Hit Your Targets

Balancing short-term and long-term doesn’t mean splitting the difference. It means building a BD engine that can support both without losing its purpose or pace.

So yes, hit the goal. Get the wins. Keep your pipeline flowing. But don’t lose sight of the partnerships that will still be valuable a year from now.

Because a well-balanced pipeline isn’t just a path to revenue. It’s a path to resilience.

For more insights and personalized support in navigating the biotech-CDMO landscape, visit my website: www.yourpharmagirl.com and follow Your Pharma Girl on LinkedIn. Whether you need strategic guidance, tailored BD solutions, or expert advice on building lasting partnerships, I’m here to help you and your team succeed at every stage of development.