The Traditional Sales Manager Role Is Disappearing, To Be Replaced By A Hybrid – The Business Development Manager

Comparing the two positions will quickly point out that they are very different.

Today’s savvy business executive recognizes that the traditional sales executives’ role of “recruiting, hiring, training and motivating” sales pros no longer is enough to keep the company growing and competitive.  Elements of marketing are being added to the list of responsibilities.  And the job will never be the same ever again.

Below are seven qualities that today’s most successful BizDev professionals must have in order to compete. How do your business development professionals compare?

1. Knowledge of the company.

Business development managers need to know—inside out—everything about the company that might impact his/her ability to close new business and increase the company’s penetration of the existing customer base.  This includes in-depth info on the company’s products, its internal systems and how to interact with them, who’s who (nice to know when you need a quick answer), its market position, its strengths and weaknesses compared with its competition.  Naturally, this information must be known and used by this executive and his professional sales team when they interact with the customer base and prospective customers in the field.

2. Strong motivation skills.

BizDev managers need to keep themselves—and their staff—motivated and positive as they roll out initiatives.  They need to set reasonable (and attainable) goals for their reports and help them understand and accomplish the specific goals they have been assigned.

3. Marketing smarts.

Although some BizDev pros don’t see themselves as marketers, the reality is that they are as much “marketers as they are a sales executive.  Companies, today, expect their BizDev pros to be their eyes and ears on the street – providing competitive information about companies and products that are being sold into their market.  Where there are competitive situations, management needs to know who is winning deals and why the competition didn’t win.  That info is then used to help the marketing executives improve its ability to successfully compete.

4. Know the numbers – Monitor and Mentor

BizDev professionals need to learn how to motivate their reports to make sure that the sales funnel is always filled. They need to understand the reporting system (MIS – Management Information System), where to look for business, how to contact people and all types of calling methods—pre-call planning, cold calling skills, and successful methods of winning appointments.

5. Hone your report’s salesmanship skills.

Know how to set reasonable (and attainable) expectations, how to successfully run a sales meeting complete with information (about products, the company, the competition and/or customers), how to enhance the results from each connection with a prospect or customer, know what belongs in your attache. You need to create a car kit to make sure you have the collaterals that are needed (and those that are rarely with you when you need them), how to create a pitch book and craft an opening statement for the appointment.

6. Master your reports’ networking skills.

BizDev professionals and their reports must excel at networking. This means training reports to be able to being able to attend a conference/convention/networking opportunities and come away with prospects or referrals.  To help make that happen, to work with the sales team to develop/fine tune one or more 30-or-60 second sales. The most successful BizDev managers are those who attend with their reports and mentor their skills as needed.

7. Seek out affiliates.

Corporate executives try to attract affiliates (companies that can deliver referrals).  Naturally it is important that sales reports also have the skills to attract and land permanent relations with others.  Directly or indirectly, the savvy BizDev manager needs to build competencies within the sales organization that will enable the reports to identify potential affiliates, approach and negotiate, and leverage these connections to land new business opportunities.  To make this possible, the BizDev manager needs to create a proactive affiliate plan, report on the results of the relationship, develop contract (so there’s a clear understanding as to what each side will do), generate a finders fee/commission (reward) system to motivate your affiliates and to measure and cut out ties with unproductive affiliates.

Sometimes people need help from companies like SPIA, Inc. Check out our website to see what we can do for you, reach us at info@spiainc.com or by calling (978) 640-0803.

You can also follow us on Twitter: @CraigStimmel or check us out on Facebook.