Business Development Manager

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

• Identify new business opportunities - including new markets, growth areas, trends, customers, products and services
• Seek out the appropriate contact in an organization
• Generate leads and cold call prospective customers
• Meet with customers/clients face to face or over the phone
• 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.