Business Development Manager
Hire a remote Business Development Manager to build a pipeline, open new markets, and create partnerships without the overhead of an in-house hire.
What you get from this role:
- Consistent outreach and follow-up run inside your CRM
- Qualified meetings with the right decision makers
- Clear weekly reporting on pipeline, not just activity
What a Remote Business Development Manager Does
A Business Development Manager (BDM) creates new revenue opportunities by targeting the proper accounts, starting conversations, qualifying prospects, and progressing deals through a defined sales process.
Instead of vague “growth work,” this role produces measurable outputs:
- A refined ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) and targeting rules
- Prospecting lists with stakeholder mapping and contact coverage
- Outreach sequences and a follow-up cadence across email and LinkedIn
- MQL to SQL qualification with clean handoff to a closer or sales lead
- Pipeline visibility with stage discipline, subsequent actions, and reporting
If you already have an offer that sells, a BDM helps scale it by turning positioning into a repeatable pipeline engine.
Responsibilities, Tools, and KPIs
Core responsibilities and deliverables
- Prospecting and outbound execution
Build targeted lists, launch outreach, and manage follow-ups so opportunities do not slip. - Qualification and deal progression
Qualify leads into SQLs using a consistent framework, then keep the following steps moving in the CRM. - Partnership and channel development
Identify potential partners, run outreach, and track referrals and channel performance. - Segmentation and market penetration
Identify reachable segments, competitor gaps, and expansion paths tied to real buying signals.
Tools and sales systems they can run
- CRM management: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive (stages, tasks, notes, reporting)
- Outreach and sequencing: Apollo, Lemlist, Instantly, HubSpot Sequences
- Prospecting data: LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, Crunchbase (where relevant)
- Sales operations: lead routing, tagging, basic lead scoring support, meeting booking
- Enablement: scripts, objection logging, qualification checklists, call prep notes
KPIs we track so you know it is working
- New leads added (by segment and channel)
- Reply rate and positive reply rate
- SQLs created and qualification pass rate
- Meetings booked and show rate
- Pipeline value created and stage conversion rates
- Pipeline velocity (time from first touch to qualified opportunity)
Speak with our Sales Pipeline Team
Who This Role Fits Best
A remote BDM is a strong fit when:
- Your offer is proven, but the pipeline is inconsistent
- The founder is still doing most of the outreach and follow-up
- You need CRM discipline and a predictable follow-up cadence
- Partnerships could be a growth lever, but nobody owns them
- You want measurable pipeline outcomes, not random activity
Common use cases:
- B2B services (agencies, consulting, professional services)
- SaaS and software companies (outbound, partnerships, strategic accounts)
- E-commerce brands (wholesale and retail partnerships, B2B expansion)
- Financial services (lead qualification and relationship development)
- Startups (early market penetration and founder support)
When this role is not the right fit
A remote BDM is probably not a fit if:
- You are selling a very low-ticket product and need high-volume cold calling
- You do not yet have a clear offer or ICP, and you are still changing weekly
- You want one person to do sales end-to-end without a defined handoff to a closer
- You expect results without a CRM, a basic sales process, or a follow-up cadence
If any of those are true, start with offer clarity, a simple CRM setup, or an SDR-style role first.
Hire a Remote BDM: Process, Onboarding, and 30-Day Plan
Step 1: Define the target and success metrics
We align on your ICP, segments, channels (outbound, inbound, partnerships), qualification rules, and KPIs.
Step 2: Get a clear quote and role plan
You get a price estimate plus a practical scope of work and weekly outcomes.
Step 3: Interview matched candidates and start onboarding
We shortlist, you interview, then we support onboarding so the BDM is productive quickly.
Talk to a Business Development Hiring Specialist
What the first 30 days typically look like
Week 1: ICP, targeting rules, CRM stages, baseline metrics
Week 2: Lists built, sequences live, first outreach sprint
Week 3: Qualification tightened, objections logged, handoff process refined
Week 4: Reporting cadence set, pipeline review, iteration on targeting and messaging
Pricing
Want a fast cost estimate?
Use our pricing calculator to see what a remote Business Development Manager could cost based on hours and seniority.
Book a call
If you want a predictable pipeline and clean CRM execution without hiring in-house, the next step is a short strategy call.
Consult with a BDM Strategist
Frequently Asked Questions
A business development manager creates revenue by identifying target accounts, qualifying leads, and managing sales progression inside a CRM. A business development manager increases pipeline volume, improves deal clarity, and maintains consistent meeting generation.
A digital business development manager drives pipeline creation using data systems and automation. A digital BDM operates prospecting tools, CRM workflows, sequencing software, and dashboards to scale outreach while preserving lead quality. A digital BDM ensures weekly reporting and measurable performance through integrated KPIs.
A business development manager manages a full-cycle pipeline strategy, including segmentation, stakeholder mapping, partnership outreach, and deal progression. A sales development representative focuses on outbound prospecting and booking meetings. A BDM operates strategically across the funnel; an SDR targets top-of-funnel activity only.
A business development manager converts demand into qualified sales opportunities through CRM workflows and lead qualification. A digital marketing manager generates demand through content, campaigns, and channels. Business development turns marketing-sourced leads into a pipeline; marketing produces awareness and traffic.
Hire a business development manager when pipeline creation, lead quality, market targeting, or CRM follow-up is the primary issue. Hire a closer when discovery calls, proposals, or deal closing is the bottleneck. A BDM solves top and mid-funnel problems; a closer solves bottom-funnel gaps.