In this article we invite you to discover the exciting job of Business Development Manager. From his missions to his skills, you will know everything!
In the business world, there are several roles that contribute to growth and success of an organization. One of these functions is that of business development manager. A management profession as important for the company as marketing.
The position of Business Development Manager is an excellent option for your career if you are interested in the commercial world.
Among the Sales & Business Development jobs, this profession in fact offers rich and varied development perspectives, as well as an attractive salary due to its strategic role within the company.
Understand the job of Business Development Manager
Here is some information to help you better understand this job, which combines both management and marketing aspects.
Definition and role of the Business Development Manager
A Business Development Manager is a professional in charge to identify and create new business opportunities for an organization. We often hear the term Business Development Manager to describe this role.
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The term “business opportunity” is very often used in the B2B sector. It describes a situation in which a potential customer expresses a need or interest in a product or service.
How often a sales team identifies and wins these opportunities depends on the processes and methods used within the company. However, it is the Business Development Manager who sets them up and manages them. It's a bit like a conductor.
This role is therefore very strategic for the company because its growth and success depend on it. The main objective of a Business Development Manager is to generate revenue and increase the financial income of the organization.
The Key Missions of a Business Development Manager
The key missions of a Business Development Manager revolve around the strategy to develop commercial transactions And the sales team management. Let's look at these two parts.
The implementation of a strategy to develop turnover
To increase it, a Business Development Manager must implement scientific and strategic methods based on sales activity data and marketing data.
He must gather and analyze relevant data to identify sales opportunities and areas for improvement, such as:
- Market trends
The business development manager carries out in-depth market studies to understand the needs and preferences of the target audience.
- Customer behavior
Using demographic, geographic, and behavioral data, the commercial conductor can segment buyers into specific groups customers with similar needs. This allows him to personalize business approaches for each segment.
- Key performance indicators (KPIs)
He collaborates with the sales representatives of his team to understand the needs, motivations and challenges of your prospects. In the B2B sector, it will be necessary to understand these elements both for the ideal client company and for the people who work there and who play a major role in purchasing decisions.
The most effective Business Development Managers create typical buyer profiles, also called Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP), and descriptions of the main characteristics of the people who work there (persona). These KPIs and Persona will be used to personalize the offers, messages, speeches, and commercial techniques used.
Management of the team and its development
In addition to increasing turnover, the Business Development Manager also manages the Sales team.
As part of this work, He supervises :
- Commercial recruitment
- The rise in skills of salespeople
- The functioning of the team: the professional grants specific commercial territories to the members of his team. They can therefore sell to prospects who have more or less budgets or who live in certain geographical areas.
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The Business Development Manager provides advice and support for salespeople on his team to ensure that they have effective tools and methods to succeed. He can even coach them himself. It then assesses the improvement obtained by measuring the impact of the changes adopted.
Skills and qualities required
To excel in the role of business development manager, certain know-how and qualities are essential. Let's find out which ones are fundamental to succeeding in this role.
Technical skills of a Business Development Manager
A business development manager must have a range of technical knowledge to effectively carry out their responsibilities. Some of these include:
Mastering technological sales support tools
The ones that are used most often are:
- Les customer relationship management systems (CRM) to manage customer information and track sales-related activities.
- Automation software to automate repetitive tasks such as Zapier
- Prospecting tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Walaaxy and many others.
- Call analysis software, which is becoming more and more numerous with the advance of artificial intelligence, such as Gong or Modjo.
They allow a better monitoring of commercial performance.
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The effective use of professional social networks
In the digital age, social networks play a crucial role in business development.
A business development manager should have a good knowledge of professional social networks such as LinkedIn and be able to exploit them to identify new business opportunities and build relationships with prospects.
Personal qualities
Several personal qualities are necessary for the success of a business development manager. Among them we can mention:
Assertive communication
A business development manager should communicate effectively with customers, colleagues, and team members. Great communication is essential for building long-term relationships, negotiating contracts, and collaborating effectively across the organization.
Leadership and strategic thinking
A Business Development Manager should have strong leadership skills and be able to think strategically.
He is responsible forachievement of business goals set by the sales manager.
The commercial conductor must therefore take the good decisions to promote the growth of the organization.
The quality of its strategic thinking is based on a thorough understanding of the market, competitors and potential customers.
Business Development Managers must be up to date with the latest news in their market and prepare as soon as possible to adapt to changes.
They must also show Curiosity about new lead generation techniques, and other business development methods.
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Results-oriented mindset
The business development manager should be highly motivated and results-oriented. It should focus on achieving business goals and growing the organization's revenue.
What training courses allow you to become a Business Development Manager?
To become a Business Development Manager, there are several courses and academic paths that can prepare you for this job. The choice of training will depend in part on your current professional experience and career goals.
Bootcamp Akimbo in Paris and remotely
For people who have experience as a salesperson, our business development training deepens your business knowledge. You will then have the recognition you need to access high-level positions.
MBA in Business Development
These courses also allow you to access the position of Business Development Manager. The MBA programs combine advanced-level courses in business, marketing, team management, and leadership.