Job Description
We are seeking a female proactive Business Development & Sales Specialist to drive appointment setting and outbound sales for a professional speaker and coaching business. This full-time role is primarily focused on outbound business development and scheduling qualified meetings. The specialist will extensively use Apollo.io for email sequencing and prospect management (experience with Apollo is preferred but not mandatory). About 50% of the role involves phone-based outreach and 50% involves non-voice tasks (email, LinkedIn, research, CRM updates, admin) PLUS secondary skill utilisation in a non-BD capacity (see below). The ideal candidate is a confident communicator, highly organized, and able to take initiative in a fast-paced environment.
Job Title
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Business Development & Sales Specialist
Work Schedule
- Day Shift
Job Qualifications/Requirements
- Proven experience in business development and/or sales, especially in appointment setting and cold calling with a results-driven growth mindset.
- Demonstrated ability to meet sales quotas or grow client accounts through proactive outreach.
- Experience with Apollo.io is highly preferred. Otherwise, familiarity with other sales engagement or CRM tools (e.g., HubSpot, Salesloft, Outreach) and the ability to learn Apollo.io quickly is required.
- Excellent phone etiquette and confidence in speaking with prospects; able to build rapport quickly and handle objections during calls.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to craft compelling emails and LinkedIn messages, and communicate confidently on calls and presentations.
- Proficient in managing email outreach and handling CRM systems like ActiveCampaign (or similar) for tracking leads, logging activities, and updating contact information.
- Experience with LinkedIn for lead generation and networking. Comfort in reaching out to prospects, writing personalized connection notes, and engaging professionally on the platform.
- Ability to effectively research prospects, events, and companies.
- Highly organized in managing follow-ups, schedules, and data, with great attention to detail.
- Self-motivated and able to work independently.
- Capable of adjusting outreach strategies based on feedback and showing initiative in a fast-paced, target-driven environment.
- Take ownership of sales targets and work proactively to meet or exceed them.
- Track sales metrics, prepare progress reports, and adjust strategies to ensure consistent growth in line with company goals.
- Contribute to business development strategy by thinking outside the box and proposing creative ideas.
- Work with the team to brainstorm and implement new approaches for market expansion, lead generation, and brand awareness.
- Strong general administrative skills – for example, keeping records updated, preparing follow-up emails, coordinating calendars for booked meetings, and ensuring smooth hand-offs of scheduled appointments to the speaker or coaching team.
- Hands-on experience with AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT and others) to enhance productivity in research, content drafting, or outreach personalization.
- Embracing new technology to work smarter is expected.
- Experience with Google Workstation (Google Workspace apps) is essential for daily collaboration and organization (Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, etc.).
- Exposure to Dialpad or similar VoIP phone systems for sales calls is preferred (but can be learned on the job if needed).
- Must be willing to make outbound calls and follow up with leads by phone.
- Familiarity with ActiveCampaign or similar CRM/marketing automation platforms is preferred.
- Ability to manage email lists, track engagement, or run simple email campaigns through such tools will be a bonus.
- Able to work independently to drive results, while also collaborating effectively with a remote team.
- Strong organizational skills to handle multiple leads and tasks simultaneously.
- Additional skills are not required but will be considered a plus:
- Video Editing (CapCut) – Proficiency in video editing using CapCut to create short promotional or follow-up videos for clients or social media.
- Social Media Management (Meta Business Suite) – Experience managing social media content and campaigns through Meta Business Suite (Facebook/Instagram), helping to boost outreach and brand visibility.
- Graphic Design (Canva) – Ability to design attractive graphics or sales collateral using Canva for presentations, email campaigns, or social media posts.
Job Responsibilities
- Manage outbound email sequences and follow-up tasks within Apollo.io to engage prospects.
- Make proactive outbound calls (using Dialpad) to prospects who have not responded to email outreach.
- Verify with prospects if they received the email (and check if messages went to spam/junk folders).
- If a prospect shows interest, schedule a Zoom appointment between the prospect and the lead speaker.
- If a prospect hasn’t seen the email, resend it and ensure they receive the necessary information.
- Keep prospect lists and sequences up-to-date, removing invalid contacts (bounced or blocked emails) to maintain data cleanliness.
- Monitor the dedicated outreach email inbox for responses generated by Apollo campaigns.
- Categorize email responses for appropriate action (e.g., Interested, Not Interested, Needs Follow-up, Do Not Contact).
- Add interested prospects to the CRM (ActiveCampaign), especially if they opt in to the “Thrive Fortnightly” newsletter series or other resources.
- Ensure all CRM records are accurate and up-to-date, maintaining a clear sales pipeline and activity log for each prospect.
- Research and compile targeted lists of prospects on LinkedIn, focusing on decision-makers in schools and companies that fit our target audience.
- Execute connection requests and outreach messages on LinkedIn following provided scripts and a step-by-step process.
- Engage with prospects by liking, commenting, or messaging to warm up leads, and then introduce our services to generate interest and set meetings.
- Track LinkedIn outreach efforts and follow up consistently to convert connections into scheduled appointments.
- Research upcoming conferences, events, and speaking opportunities relevant to the speaker’s topics and expertise.
- Identify and record key details for each event (e.g., event organizers, themes, past speakers, attendee profile) to assess fit.
- Reach out to event organizers or coordinators to inquire about potential speaking slots or workshops.
- Keep a calendar of proposal deadlines and application requirements for each target event, and assist in preparing and submitting proposals on time.
- Support follow-up with leads generated from marketing campaigns or ads, ensuring timely contact and nurturing.
- Help maintain an organized system across all sales tools (Apollo.io, ActiveCampaign, LinkedIn, etc.) so that information is consistent and easily accessible.
- Assist with inbound inquiries, answering general questions or forwarding qualified leads to the appropriate team member.
- Contribute to creative or administrative tasks as needed (e.g., preparing sales materials, analyzing outreach data, improving outreach templates) to continually improve business development efforts.
Good luck and God Bless!