Twins but not identical: the sibling relationship between Business and Sales Development

Sales Development and Business Development are two related but distinct functions within a company's sales organization.

Sales Development (SD) is focused on identifying and nurturing potential customers who are not yet ready to make a purchase. The main goal of SD is to create a pipeline of qualified leads that can be passed on to the sales team for further nurturing and eventual conversion into paying customers. SD teams typically engage with prospects through various outbound marketing and sales channels such as cold calling, email outreach, social media outreach, and targeted advertising. The main focus of SD is on generating new business and expanding the customer base.

On the other hand, Business Development (BD) is focused on identifying and pursuing growth opportunities for the company as a whole. The main goal of BD is to create long-term value for the company by expanding its customer base, entering new markets, and developing new products or services. BD teams engage in activities such as market research, lead generation, relationship building, negotiation and closing, and continuous improvement. The main focus of BD is on creating strategic partnerships, exploring new business opportunities, and developing long-term growth strategies.

In summary, Sales Development is a subset of Business Development, and while both functions are focused on driving growth and revenue for the company, Sales Development is primarily focused on generating leads and expanding the customer base, while Business Development is focused on creating strategic partnerships and exploring new business opportunities.

Now go out there: Have Fun, Help People and Make Money

Moshe Avrahami

Avrahami Business Development