When companies look for new talent to help grow their business, most focus on hiring a brilliant engineer or an experienced accountant. While these professionals definitely bring a lot to the table, a business developer may just be the person to give you a competitive edge in the market.
Businesses of all sizes and scopes, from small mom-and-pop shops to big tech companies, can benefit from hiring a business developer, whether it’s a full-time position or as an independent consultant contract. Here are five skills that great business developers have in common:
Strong Communication Skills
Business developers are capable of working with multiple teams and departments within the company to coordinate and strategize the right plan of action. Strong communication skills are necessary to communicate and present information to varied stakeholders of an entity or project. At times, business developers must also pick up the phone to cold call new leads. Thus, they aren’t just equipped to communicate with colleagues, but they can also transition their communication style and approach to relate and appeal to customers. Because they may play various roles in and out of a company, business developers also learn how to collaborate with other people to achieve a common goal.
High Business Intelligence
Being entrepreneur-savvy isn’t enough to distinguish your business from competitors that are also reading the same information and using the same tools to get ahead of the herd. Having high business intelligence is important to identify the business’ relative position in its market. It means knowing everything about your business offerings and being able to conduct an in-depth market analysis to identify the best possible approach to capture more of the market. Good business developers collect information they need and then analyze it thoroughly to arrive at a precise conclusion and action plan.
Unparalleled Listening Skills
Business developers are great listeners. They are able to intently focus all of their attention towards the present conversation, and thus are able to achieve mastery of different subject matters quickly. While listening intently, successful business developers are also able to intersperse the conversation with meaningful questions. This results in positive interactions with both their colleagues and customers. Through their genuine curiosity and interest during business conversations, business developers establish solid professional relationships.
Highly Organized
Being involved in different projects and working with different people means that you often have to switch from one task to another. You may need to hop on different video conferences and group calls throughout the day. Being organized is key to juggling various tasks while being consistent in your output. Successful business developers are extensive planners. They organize every task, down to the smallest details. Planning and organization keeps a business developer’s day-to-day work life stress-free and allows them to focus on hitting targets and prioritize high-impact tasks.
Ultimate Team Player
Leading a team of any kind, whether it’s in business or sports, requires the ability to accept other people’s input and, at times, use it to lead. Good business developers are able to effectively align a teams’ collective efforts and beliefs to accomplish a common goal. They are able to take pride and ego out of the equation when choosing which path to follow. They acknowledge the fact that they do not know everything and are not afraid to ask team members for help.
In addition to these five skills aforementioned, successful business developers are always up for a challenge. They share a growth mindset that drives them to learn new skills and knowledge. By working with a highly decorated business developer, you are able to leverage these skills to grow your business.