What makes a great business development manager?

So what is the "new" paradigm of service and "value add" to advisers and the materials to deliver. The recent Investor Daily article:

http://www.investordaily.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/id/style/14051.htmutm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&rdeCOQ=SID-0A3D9632-1A61C6D2

provides some views from investment and insurance houses about approaches they feel resonate with advisers.

In PCE's experience, what is valued by advisers is:

- exceptional product knowledge that includes how to practically apply the product to a variety of client circumstances and strategies

- the ability to articulate succinctly what the fit of a product is in relation to the advisers client base

Therefore in order to add value the BDM needs to:

- understand the advisers client base and strategy proposition

- be able to identify and highlight the strategy options an adviser might like to consider to therefore position with their client base

- have sales and client engagement ideas for the adviser to leverage these strategy solutions into the client base

- have B2B skills to facilitate and maximise relationships between advisers and their current and prospective COI's

- be able to present at a level and with quality that would position the BDM as an authority on subject matter

- have exceptional follow up (its all about diary management)

With this approach advisers truly partner and in order to be able to deliver on the above the qualities required are:

- small business experience
- advice experience
- accountancy / mortgage or other financial service COI experience
- be well read
- life experience
- strong strategy OR client engagement skills

But at the end of the day nothing beats attitude, energy, follow up.