Business developer : missions, skills, training, salary and career development

The Business Developer is a key player in company growth. They detect new business opportunities, seek out potential customers and build strategic partnerships. This job combines analysis, strategy and interpersonal skills, and requires a strong competitive attitude. Multi-skilled, they work at the crossroads of marketing, sales and product development to generate sustainable sales.

What are the main tasks of a business developer?

Business developers are involved at every stage of the business development cycle. They start by analysing the market and the competition to identify niche markets or unmet needs. They then define targeted prospecting strategies and implement concrete actions to make contact with potential customers or partners. This may involve e-mails, phone calls, participation in trade fairs or hosting webinars.

Once contacts have been made, they introduce the company's products and services, negotiate commercial terms and conditions and work towards concluding contracts. They also provide tailored follow-up for leads and customers to ensure their satisfaction and encourage loyalty.

Lastly, business developers work with internal teams to adapt the offering, improve the customer experience and monitor KPIs (performance indicators) to measure the impact of their actions on growth targets.

What skills do you need to be a business developer?

Business developers have to master a range of technical skills, but they also need to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, as they are constantly interacting with a variety of internal and external contacts.

Technical skills:

They need to be familiar with customer relationship management (CRM) tools such as Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive in order to track opportunities. A good understanding of sales, negotiation and closing techniques is essential to turn leads into customers. They are also capable of carrying out market analyses and interpreting sales data to guide their actions.

Knowledge of digital marketing, communications or strategy can also make a difference, particularly in B2B or SaaS environments. Fluency in English and other languages is often required in international companies.

Interpersonal skills:

In terms of interpersonal skills, a good business developer is above all curious, dynamic and persuasive. They need to be able to create a climate of trust quickly, ask the right questions and propose appropriate solutions. Their entrepreneurial spirit, taste for challenge and resilience in the face of rejection or commercial pressure are key assets. They must also be able to work independently, while collaborating effectively with other departments.

What training do you recommend to become a business developer?

There is not a single path to becoming a Business Developer, but several training programmes lead to this profession, often in the field of sales, marketing or entrepreneurship :

• Bac +3 to Bac +5 in business, marketing or management (Licence Pro Commerce, Bachelor Marketing, etc.)
• Business schools specialising in business development or entrepreneurship
• Professional training programmes or MBAs specialising in Business Development or Sales Strategy

Whether through the Programme Grande École or the MSc International Marketing and Business Development, EM Normandie Business School offers a range of specialisations in business and sales.

Note that a junior profile can evolve much faster with internships or work-study tracks in sales or consulting.

How much does a business developer earn?

A business developer's salary generally includes a fixed amount and a variable amount linked to sales performance. This commission-based remuneration reflects the results-oriented culture of the profession.

• Beginner (0-2 years): between €30,000 and €40,000 gross/year
• Confirmed (3-5 years): between €40,000 and €60,000 gross/year
• Senior (5+ years): up to €80,000 or more, including performance bonuses

In start-ups or scale-ups, BSPCEs (Business creator share subscription warrants) or shares may be added to remuneration.

What career prospects are there in this profession?

Being a Business Developer is an excellent launch pad for moving on to positions of greater responsibility. A successful candidate can quickly become a Key Account Manager, in charge of strategic customers, or move up to the position of Sales Manager or even Sales Director, with a more global vision of the company's sales strategy.

Some people move into strategic partnerships or international development, particularly in start-ups and scale-ups. The job also opens the way to setting up a business, thanks to the experience gained in prospecting, negotiation and project management.

Business developers can also move into sales strategy consulting or cross-functional positions in strategic marketing, growth hacking or product management, depending on their skills and the company's projects.

In a nutshell

Business developers are responsible for identifying and developing new commercial opportunities to grow their company's business. They prospect, negotiate with customers and build strategic partnerships. This job requires an excellent command of sales techniques, good interpersonal skills and an entrepreneurial spirit. With a background in sales or marketing, they often progress to sales management or executive positions. Remuneration is attractive, with a motivating variable component linked to results.