What is business development management in the gaming industry?

It's been a while since we've had content in our "Profession" section. Let's fix that. The new article focuses on the aspects of working as a business development manager, also known as a bizdev. Victoria Belyaeva, Head of PR and Partnerships at AppMagic, shares what such a specialist does in her column for App2Top.

The original text was first published on Belyaeva's LinkedIn page as a series of posts. Here we present an edited and expanded version by the author.

Victoria Belyaeva

If you're wondering how to enter the business development sphere of the gaming industry or just trying to understand what these folks do, here’s a detailed breakdown. Spoiler: it has nothing to do with programming.

Business Development: Not a Developer, but a Builder

The term "business development" can be misleading. A business developer (BD) doesn't write code or create levels. Their role is to find opportunities, close deals, and build partnerships to ensure the company is more successful tomorrow than today. Sound vague? That's because business development encompasses almost everything beyond the company's daily tasks.

The main responsibilities of a business development manager include:

searching for and establishing partnerships (with platforms, agencies, contractors, services, etc.);
attracting investors or buyers;
analyzing trends and developing growth strategies (new platforms, markets, monetization methods, etc.);
participating in trade shows and conferences (finding partners, analyzing, expanding the contact network);
interacting with internal teams;
financial planning and investments.

This list can vary depending on the company's size and specialization (indie studio, large publisher, mobile games, AAA, F2P, etc.).

Business Development vs. Sales: Key Differences

There's often confusion between business development and sales. The easiest way to explain it is:

business development creates opportunities — like finding a local contractor to enter the Chinese market;
sales realize these opportunities — striking deals with local agencies, localizers, etc., to expand this channel.

In small companies, these functions are often combined. However, in the gaming industry, roles labeled "business development" usually imply strategic work, establishing long-term relationships, and a wide range of tasks. In contrast, "sales" are more frequently associated with tactical tasks, heavy workloads, and the need for effective tool usage.

What Skills Should a Business Developer Possess?

As with any profession involving interaction, communication, relationship-building, and trust creation is essential for a business developer. However, this doesn’t mean technical skills aren't needed. A good BD combines both these skill sets.

Key Skills:

Technical Skills

Proficiency with CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.);
sales forecasting and data analysis;
market research and competitor analysis;
negotiating and deal closing;
financial literacy (P&L, ROI, budgeting, pricing);
lead generation and client search;
contract management and basic business understanding;
knowledge of foreign languages (English is mandatory).

Soft Skills

Effective communication and active listening;
emotional intelligence;
persuasion and dialogue skills;
critical thinking and problem-solving;
flexibility and stress resistance;
building business relationships and networking;
creativity and strategic thinking;
presentation and pitching skills.

Networking: The Secret Ingredient of a Successful BD

Networking plays a crucial role in the work of a business developer, but it’s more than just exchanging business cards or adding many contacts on LinkedIn. It’s about building long-term professional relationships based on trust, mutual benefit, and understanding each other's goals.

A successful BD is not only acquainted with a large number of people but also knows how to interact effectively with them. It's important not just to know a contact's job but also to understand their professional goals, objectives, and potential points of intersection. This facilitates faster partner finding, access to new opportunities, and successful negotiations.

Effective networking is based on several key principles. First and foremost, it requires a long-term approach: it’s not a one-time acquaintance but a continuous effort to maintain contacts. Interactions should be meaningful and mutually beneficial, as strong relationships are built on exchanging experiences and mutual advantage. It’s also essential to balance friendly and professional interactions: maintaining a respectful distance without turning communication into mere formality or becoming overly familiar.

Networking extends beyond conferences and business meetings. It is a continuous process that involves thoughtful communication, the ability to build trusting relationships, and understanding other people’s interests.

How to Know if BD is the Right Profession for You?

The job of a business developer seems attractive: travel, conferences, meetings, networking. But there’s also the other side of the coin: high stress, uncertainty, dealing with rejections and conflicts.

Here are some questions to help you determine if this profession is right for you:

Am I willing to talk with different people for 5-6 hours a day?
Am I comfortable repeating the same points multiple times?
How well do I handle uncertainty?
Do I enjoy solving tasks without a clear algorithm?
Am I up for frequent business trips?
Do I handle rejections easily?
Am I calm in conflict situations?
Am I comfortable discussing financial matters and negotiating prices?

How Do You Become a Business Developer?

Few people start their career directly in business development. Success in this field requires connections and business insight, which usually come with experience.

Most often, people transition into BD from sales, product management, production, or entrepreneurship. In startups, the founder may handle BD functions until the company grows and requires a dedicated specialist.

In large companies, business development departments exist where entry-level positions might open. However, initially, these roles often involve routine tasks and rarely include handling negotiations or opportunity searches:

filling in CRM and recording negotiations;
writing follow-up emails;
working with archives, documents, databases;
organizing meetings and managing senior colleagues' calendars;
supporting internal processes.

Over time, as junior employees gain knowledge and experience, they can take on more serious tasks and engage in negotiations.

Business Development is More Than Just Connections

Many mistakenly believe that business development is just about meetings and contacts. But the real work begins after a handshake: negotiations, agreeing on terms, due diligence, project management, and ensuring contract fulfillment.

Core tasks for a BD during deal-making and follow-through include:

organizing workflows (creating communication channels, facilitating discussions);
team coordination (communicating the overall strategy, involving the right people at the right time, planning);
project management (breaking down deals into stages, deadline management, organizing processes);
effective communication (translating complex negotiations into understandable tasks, conveying the vision and goals, harmonizing vision between parties);
document handling (contract alignment, translating from legal to understandable language for all sides);
conflict resolution (finding compromises and balancing interests).

Depending on the size of the companies, deals can take several months or even years, and during this time, a BD must be deeply involved, not losing sight of the bigger picture while overseeing communication throughout the process. The role of a BD is not only to secure a contract but also to ensure the project is executed.

Conclusion: Business Development is More Than Just Networking

A business developer is not just someone with an extensive contact network. They are experts who understand the industry, find opportunities, and drive them to fruition.