Sales and Business Development are the same thing, right?

NO, they are definitely not the same thing!

Here are 7 of the major differences between Business Development and Sales:

1. Generally when you're developing new business in particular, there is no business to begin with, so you need to make it happen from scratch!

2. Business Development requires a lot of research, planning and step by step execution, so can be an incredibly long and laborious task. BDMs definitely need to be patient people and be able to visualize the end result.

3. If you have a worthwhile product to sell but no customers yet, Business Development needs to happen before any Sales can occur. This might sound logical to you, but you'll be surprised to know how often it does not happen this way in business.

4. Sales is often regarded as the poor cousin of Business Development, but this not the case at all. They are distinctly different functions, with both being necessary and important in business.

5. Business Development and Sales overlap in a number of instances, but cannot be regarded as the same thing for obvious reasons.

6. Simply put, Business Development is the process necessary to find customers in the first instance, and Sales is the process thereafter, which embraces actual selling, negotiating terms and pricing, and managing customer accounts.

7. BDMs and Sales Managers are both integral to the process of establishing business for the first time, and ultimately negotiating worthwhile business. 

Business Development and Sales are interlinked and inseparable processes, yet distinctly different functions. Many companies don't separate these functions in their dealings with customers, but think of how much more successful business could be if you did separate them!