Hard skills are a must-have in your CV. Check this list of hard skills for business development to set yourself apart from the competition.
When it comes to business development we have two types of skills: Hard skills and soft skills.
Hard skills are those that can be easily defined, taught, and measured. They are necessary to be able to perform your job.
While soft skills are related to how you work and interact with your colleagues, clients, or partners. They are related to your personality and they are not necessarily tight to one specific job.
Today we will focus on hard skills because they are the ones that are needed to complete job-related duties and responsibilities.
We can consider them must-haves that can give you higher chances to find the perfect business development job.
So, hard skills are part of the skill set that is required for a business development job. They enable you to be successful at it.
Usually, these skills are listed in the job description when you are looking for a new job. They can be defined, evaluated, and measured.
Each job candidate is expected to have them. If not, they are teachable and you should invest time in learning them.
It is true that employers also look for soft skills. These include being good communicators, reliable and organized, and they are crucial in business development.
On the other hand, hard skills are more concrete and very important to succeed in your role as a business developer.
Some hard skills include learning foreign languages, a degree or certificate, or typing speed. Others can be machine operation and computer programming. They can be challenging to learn, but they are not impossible.
Here is the list of hard skills for business development:
1 – Language skills
Listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a foreign language is a valuable hard skill. Especially, if you’re applying for a job in an international company. This can be of great value.
Particularly, knowing more than one language will set you apart from your competition. So, if you work at a company that deals with international customers or stakeholders, foreign languages are a big plus. You will be able to communicate with them in their language.
2 – Presentation skills
Presentation skills include some soft skills like confidence, adaptability, self-awareness, and good stress management. However, presentation skills are hard skills. For example, to deliver a good presentation, there has to be great visual communication.
To do so, you prepare slideshows, conduct research, and data analysis, do reporting, and do some graphic design. As a business developer, you’ll have to present or pitch your business ideas to the stakeholders. That’s why you should master your presentation abilities.
Presenting your arguments effectively is one of the core modules of our 5-week certification program.
Check out the full program to discover how the course can help you become more effective in your business development role.
3 – Computer skills
This involves the ability to use computer software and hardware. It ranges from basic, general, and highly specialized. They are a must-have in business development.
Regardless of your position in the company, you have to be very good at computer use. Our field has become very digitized, so computer skills will ensure you succeed in your job.
There are many digital tools you can use to achieve your goals.
Basic computer skills include MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, OneNote, Access) and Google Drive and Spreadsheets. Also, emails, presentations, CRM software, and Quickbooks are important.
4 – Marketing
Every business developer needs to be familiar with marketing. Particularly, it is crucial that a business developer has general knowledge of advertising, marketing strategies, and customer research.
The list of important marketing skills is huge!
They include SEO – get familiar with research tools like Ahrefs, and SEMRush, which can help you find conversation topics with your audience.
Social media marketing is another powerful skill to own considering most of our job is online at the moment. Last, automation tools like Phantombuster can help you speed up your processes and be more effective.
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5 – Hard communication
It can also be useful for business developers to be good at digital communication. This includes copywriting. You must learn how to write copy that promotes products and services to an audience.
Copywriting needs to be direct, persuasive, and informative. It can lead to more customers buying the company’s products and services. Today, it is important to be able to engage with customers. As business development pros, we must learn how to meet their needs.
The more connected your audience feels to your company, the more results you can achieve.
6 – Research and data analysis
Data analysis holds great value in business development. You can use the information for the benefit of your company.
This includes data mining, data presentation, and resource management. Also, data engineering and database management are crucial. Use data to identify problems and find solutions.
You can put data analysis skills on your resume. Employers look for good research skills when assessing a business development application.
We dedicate a big part of our training to research skills. After the training, you will be able to analyze your market, competitors, and customers very quickly.
So you will be able to take better business decisions faster. Check out the program at this link.
7 – Writing skills
Excellent writing will give your career a boost.
Nowadays, many jobs require candidates with great writing abilities. Customers always seek information on their favorite products and services.
Many business developers collaborate with marketing teams. So, content writing is a necessary skill in business development.
Writing can also include quarterly reports and documents. Client presentations, sales pitches, and proposals. You must be great at grammar, punctuation, spelling, and proofreading.
Besides, many business developers use cold emails to generate leads. So, it’s important to be good at email writing. In your email messages, you must be clear and honest. This will help you to strengthen connections with your audience.
Creative writing can also be useful. Customers love when they read content that is informative. But, they also enjoy entertaining content.
It is a good way to ensure your customers are happy with what you post. This also creates a way for them to convert into long-term customers.
Join our personalized training to develop the hard skills you need to succeed in business development!
