What is Business Development?

Business Development is essentially what the job title suggests. Professionals in this field help businesses develop by finding them new customers and clients, and securing new sales and partnerships. Business Development professionals usually work in offices, though their work often takes them to conferences and meetings for networking, which can be crucial to aiding business expansion.

Since Business Development roles are integral to business success, they often work to their own schedule, answering only to the company higher-ups. They will likely have sales quotas to meet to help guide their work, with emphasis also placed on maintaining good relationships with current customers.

Salary information and career progression

Opportunity

Employer demand for Business Development and Sales Executives is high around the country, and there are plenty of roles available to fill.

• Recent Changes in the Sector

  A recent major change to the Business Development and Sales sector is a move away from commission-based salaries. This is because customers have become distrustful of salespeople who may only be encouraging them to make purchases for the commission. This change means Sales professionals can build more genuine relationships with customers based on what they really need, as well as begin to make the transition to consultancy based roles.

  One way the Account Management landscape is being altered is through increased use of software and tools allowing direct collaboration with clients. These tools also allow for a more proactive management approach in order to identify the priority needs for individual clients as well as planning campaigns months in advance in order to add value and ensure a transparent relationship with the client.  

• Future Prospects

  Business Development Executives are already very senior, but Sales departments usually have rigorous promotion structures. In Sales, you will always have the chance to be promoted if you deliver the right results.

• Salt’s advice for getting a role in Business Development & Sales Role

  Employers’ requirements

  Most employers expect a lot from Business Development and Sales Executives. You will need to demonstrate that you can maintain current customer relationships whilst establishing new ones, and even advise on future product developments. You’ll also need to know about collecting customer data and market information.

  CV requirements

  Above everything it is important for candidates to have communication skills and the ability sell services and products, even if they are complicated. It can also be useful to know foreign languages, as businesses increasingly market to global customers.

  Interview preparation

  Personality plays a huge role in Business Development and Sales, so interviewers will be looking to find out as much as they can about what you are like as a person. Questions you may be asked include:

  1. Which is more important: happy customers or meeting your targets?
  2. What is this company’s target market?
  3. What is your least favourite part of the sales process?
  4. How would former clients describe you?
  5. What could our company do better sales-wise?

  Educational requirements

  In most cases, employers will value personality, communication skills and commercial awareness over academic qualifications. A degree in business, marketing or technology can be useful, though, especially if you want to enter a graduate scheme.