The term ‘business development’ can be a slightly ambiguous one. Some people see it as sales, some view it as being more process-driven, others think of it as networking. Seeing as the term can incorporate so many different elements, you can use this to your advantage to pick and choose the parts which will suit your business’s needs.

Perhaps the main duty of a business development professional is to ensure that your company is able to grow. They should be a strategic individual who is able to find opportunities to make your business more profitable. This could be by generating new leads, building new relationships, nurturing current relationships, improving processes, and generally adding value. Value doesn’t just have to mean value in a monetary sense – not immediately, anyway. The successful candidate should be able to contribute valuable ideas and strategies which will lead to business improvements in the long term.

Business development is essentially a marketing function, aiming to expand and promote your organisation in order to achieve ongoing, continuous success. The right individual is likely to be results-driven, methodical and a very good communicator. If business development isn’t a function which you’ve thought about within your business, now could be a good time. Think of it as investing in you business’s future.