Responsibilities

As a business development manager, you'll need to:

• research and identify new business opportunities - including new markets, growth areas, trends, customers, partnerships, products and services - or new ways of reaching existing markets


• seek out the appropriate contact in an organisation


• generate leads and cold call prospective customers


• meet with customers/clients face to face or over the phone


• foster and develop relationships with customers/clients


• understand the needs of your customers and be able to respond effectively with a plan of how to meet these


• think strategically - seeing the bigger picture and setting aims and objectives in order to develop and improve the business


• work strategically - carrying out necessary planning in order to implement operational changes


• draw up client contracts - depending on the size of company, this task may be completed by someone else or agreements may not be as formal


• have a good understanding of the businesses' products or services and be able to advise others about them


• ensure staff are on board throughout the organisation, and understand the need for change and what is required of them


• train members of your team, arranging external training where appropriate


• discuss promotional strategy and activities with the marketing department


• liaise with the finance team, warehousing and logistics departments as appropriate


• seek ways of improving the way the business operates


• attend seminars, conferences and events where appropriate


• keep abreast of trends and changes in the business world.

If your business development role is more sales orientated, you may also:

• help to plan sales campaigns


• create a sales pipeline


• negotiate pricing with customers, and suppliers in some cases


• increase sales of the business


• carry out sales forecasts and analysis and present your findings to senior management/the board of directors


• develop the business sales and marketing strategy.