The jobs of Business Development Manager and Sales Manager may seem similar, especially since both work to achieve growth, increase revenue and deal with customers. In some companies, responsibilities may overlap between the two jobs, or the name business development is used for a job that focusses practically on sales.
But professionally, there is an important difference in the nature of the role, the timeline, and the way the growth industry is. Between creating and developing growth opportunities to transforming opportunities for customers and revenues, we will recognise today on the Saudi business development community website the difference between each of them.
The fundamental difference between business development and sales
The difference can be simplified in one sentence:
The business development manager is looking for where the company can grow,
While the sales manager focusses on how to turn opportunities into revenue.
But the reality is more complex than that; the two rotations work together within a single system to achieve growth.
First: What does the business development manager do?
The business development manager works to create the conditions that allow the company to grow.
His responsibilities may include:
- Analysing new markets and sectors.
- Identify trade and investment opportunities.
- Search for strategic partners.
- Developing relationships with entities and companies.
- Studying competitors.
- Developing new markets.
- Building alliances and partnerships.
- Development of value offers.
Second: What does the sales manager do?
The sales manager is more associated with turning business opportunities into results and revenues.
Among his most important responsibilities:
- Set sales targets.
- Sales team management.
- Follow the Sales Pipeline.
- Client distribution and opportunities to the team.
- Follow up the performance of sales representatives.
- Developing sales methods.
- Negotiating with customers.
- Follow-up deals until closing.
A practical example
Let’s assume that a Saudi company provides technical services to companies.
The Business Development Manager discovers that the logistics sector in the Kingdom is witnessing a significant expansion, and that there is an opportunity to provide the company’s solutions to this sector. It starts by analysing the market, studying competitors, then identifying target companies and looking for potential partners
After identifying and qualifying opportunities, here comes the role of the sales manager and his team, starting to communicate with the customer, starting from presenting the solution and understanding the needs to preparing the commercial offer and closing the contract.
The conclusion
In the Saudi market, which is witnessing expansion in sectors, projects and partnerships, companies need more clarity in defining the roles of their growth teams, and specialists need to understand the difference between the two tracks to build their skills and career paths more accurately. Success lies not in choosing between business development and sales, but in building a system that makes the two work together to make sustainable growth.
