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What are the main roles and responsibilities of a Business Development Manager?

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Question added by Salma Eid , Dietitian/Nutritionist , Muscle Power Sports, Nutrition Centre
Date Posted: 2017/05/30
Kashif Ahmed
by Kashif Ahmed , Business Advisor/ Mentor-the most viewed writer on Quora - on business mentoring , The Solutions INC

Main role as a business development manager is to identify sales leads, pitch goods or services to new clients and maintain a good working relationship with new contacts. ... Communicating new product developments to prospective clients. Overseeing the development of marketing literature. Writing reports.

Micheal Eddie
by Micheal Eddie , Operations General Manager , Max Zambia

Align Business Develop strategy to company mission & vision. Analysis brand offering against the competitive market, market positioning, brand acceptance and USP. BDM responsibility is to keep the brand ahead of the competitors and continuiously measuring the brand again comeptitors with regards to quality, price and promotions. Data reports on last year figures.

At the outset, would to thank you Ms Salma Eid for extending the invite to share the views on roles and responsibilities of BDM - Business Development Manager. 

 

In my views and if we do a holistic study of Sales and Marketing activities, the term Business Development Manager is relatively new. It came into highlight in the last decade, prior to that Sales Manager or Marketing Managers were handling the development work as well. 

 

1. While Sales is considered as a short term function and Marketing as a long term, Business Development is something which is ongoing. A BD professional is someone who is always in touch with the Sales, Marketing and the Customer. In some companies, though Sales and Business Development have either same reporting head or an individual handling both the responsibilities. 

 

2. A BD professional can't be a typical salesman, he/she must understand the demand of the customer, dwell itself into understanding the Vision of the customer/ company in order to form a professional relationship which should result in continuous flow of business opportunities.

 

3. A BD professional can't be a Marketing guy, because employers expect BDM to generate business while maintaining the relationship with it's vendors, dealers etc apart from the customers. Whereas Marketing is more into spending the allocated budget.

 

4. Lastly, and why I shared the comparison between Sales, Marketing and BDM is because it is expected from the BDM to be empathetic rather sympathetic and must possess qualities like exceptional communication skills, needs to be proactive and must have the calculative mind and thinking on how and when to sell or to walkover.     

 

Mohammad Wahid khan
by Mohammad Wahid khan , Key Account Manager , Sigma Enterprises llc

Some of the traits a business developer should have.

Identifies trendsetter ideas by researching industry and related events, publications etc

  • Locates or proposes potential business deals by contacting potential partners;
  • discovering and exploring opportunities.
  • negotiating strategies
  • Motivation for Sales
  • Territory Management
  • Presentation Skills
  • Strategic Market Positioning

 

RAJ DAHIYA
by RAJ DAHIYA , Senior MEP Projects Manager , Trinity Engineering Services L.L.C.

Agree with most of the answers.

Habib Saba
by Habib Saba , Chief Commercial Officer , REEF technology

mainly, To have an open eye on the market trends and be a great PR person, creating leads to the company and transforming them into profit generators.

Faris Abu Hannood
by Faris Abu Hannood , Marketing Consultant , Twist Marketing Agency

A BDM works to improve the organizations market position and financial growth.

In order to be up to that kind of responsibility the person must be chosen carefully as his/her main talents MUST acquire at least the following;

  • Networking,cold calling,advertising,marketing,CRM talents
  • Public speaking,persuasion,research,Closing skills
  • Sales,Planning,motivater,leader,Identification of customer needs

And others of skills and main talents that have to be foreseen before a BDM is wisely elected.

Vojislav Kezija
by Vojislav Kezija , Plant General Manager , Ital Bath

Builds market position by locating, developing, defining, negotiating, and closing business relationships. That is the shortest description of his role.

Robert Malak
by Robert Malak , Projects Manager , Ankido Oil Services for General Contracts DMCC

 

The generic description of the roles and responsibilities of a Business Development Manager are:

 

  • Following up new business opportunities and setting up meetings

  • Planning and preparing presentations.

  • Communicating new product developments to prospective clients

  • Overseeing the development of marketing literature

  • Writing reports

  • Providing management with feedback

 

 However, it’s more than that.

When customers want to buy your products, they usually call your sales representative or sales manager; but when customers want to have a strategic business relationship with your company they usually call the Business Development Manager

STABILIZATION OF THE FIRM WHILST PROGRESS IS BEING MOBILIZED AS A TREND

Eyad Zakout
by Eyad Zakout , Sales Manager , eCommerce House Ltd.

Should be creative,thinker.startigic, leadership not boss,innovative applicable ideas (Has to be crazy by her/his ideas)

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