Welcome to The Biz Dev 100, powered by The BD 100, which aims to recognize and celebrate important role played in the media and marketing industry by those who source and bring in new customers and keep the fortunes of businesses on track.
Below is Matthew O'Connor, one of those at the top of their field who work in the UK biz dev sector.
Name: Matthew O'Connor
Job title: head of growth & marketing
Agency: Novoda
What were your highlights of last year?
Reducing Sales cycle by 30%
Increasing average account size by 18%
What has been your most memorable win - and why?
Closing a 7 figure project that saw us grow our team capabilities and market position over a 9 month period.
How would you describe your approach to business development?
Social selling with a clear content strategy that leads to clear workflows being designed based on keeping a strategic pipeline informed of market leading innovation that positions Novoda as a thought-leader and delivery partner.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Adopt a “buyer’s mentality
What would be your number one tip to anyone starting in business development?
Forget scripts, research the sector your targeting up front, understand points of friction around adoption of what you're selling. Understand the persona of those you're wanting to engage and sell at a social level. Avoid pitches, and if they can't be the reason make sure you're the reason the pitch exists, ie, create the demand.
What is your new business soundtrack?
Chase and Status
Brands looking to appoint a new agency should look to The Drum Recommends for help. The Drum Recommends offers reviews of agency partners by their own clients to offer insights to the rest of the industry when hiring.
