If you’re an SME trying to hire a Business Development Manager and you don’t currently have a NB function, please, think seriously about what you’re doing
If you’re looking for a BDM to report into someone who isn’t C-suite and/or no experience of NB, then please for the love of god, stop what you’re doing and have a word with yourself.
I speak with a fair few prospect clients looking for a BDM to be their silver bullet, however, most seem to think they can pay £30-£40k, ask for 5 years+ industry experience and a successful track record.
They also believe they can report into someone without a background in BD and the BDM will be the answer to their NB prayers.
Not going to happen I’m afraid.
As much as BD people have a reputation of being full of BS, BD is an art form when done properly.
They are the face of your business, the front end and the person who needs to gather trust, loyalty and respect very quickly against a background of everyone they speak with thinking they’re full of BS.
See the problem.
My advice, if you’re serious about starting a proper BD function which will take at least 9-18 months to come to any real fruition but sustain you for the future, get yourself a senior BDD or Head of BD who can take the whole marketing/sales strategy off your hands as well as sit around the board table and talk about grown up agency positioning and strategy stuff.
If you just want someone to open doors for you, then honestly, any one of the outsourced BD agencies can do this and as long as you have someone credible to walk through those doors, you’ll be golden.
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