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Description

The Business Development Role: Prospect, Qualify and Convert

A half-day to frame the business development role and its day-to-day priorities

  • 0.75 days — 5.25 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • All levels
  • Up to 6 participants

A business developer opens new markets rather than managing an inherited portfolio. The difficulty lies in the constant trade-off between prospecting time, following up live opportunities and responding to internal demands. Without a clear framework, prospecting always comes last.

This short 5-hour-15 virtual format sets out the scope of the role: target accounts to open, prospecting rhythm, opportunity qualification and tracking indicators. It serves as an entry point to a longer learning path and allows each participant to identify their strengths and gaps.

Learning objectives

  • Position the business development role in relation to other sales functions
  • Define priority target accounts and an appropriate prospecting rhythm
  • Qualify an emerging opportunity against explicit criteria
  • Organise the working week to protect time dedicated to new business
  • Select the indicators that genuinely reflect business development activity

What makes this programme different

A short virtual format that serves as an entry point to a more comprehensive learning path
A weekly time allocation built by each participant on their own calendar
An opportunity qualification grid applied to real cases brought by the group

Programme

1Framing the Role

Opening accounts rather than managing them

  • Differences between winning new accounts and managing an existing portfolio
  • What the company expects during the first months in the role
  • Interfaces with marketing, pre-sales and sales administration
  • Common points of friction and how to address them

2Building Your New Business Plan

Targets, rhythm and messages

  • Selecting the segments to open first
  • Activity volume required to feed the sales cycle
  • Contact channels and the sequencing of follow-ups
  • Qualification criteria for emerging opportunities

3Sustaining the Role Over Time

Organisation and indicators

  • Weekly balance between prospecting, follow-up and internal tasks
  • Activity indicators as distinct from results indicators
  • Preparing review meetings with your line manager
  • Skills to develop for the next stage of the learning path

Who is it for

Business developers taking up a new role, sales professionals wishing to move into business development and owner-managers of small companies who handle new business themselves.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.