7 Top Traits To Look For When Hiring An Account/Business Development Manager

Hiring the right Account or Business Development Manager can change your company’s future.

This is one of the most important roles when it comes to shaping your sales strategy, managing key clients, and driving business growth.

Success here is not just about charm. It’s about identifying core skills, from interpersonal skills to technical skills, and finding someone who can spot market opportunities before others do.

You need someone who understands the sales process, nurtures client relationships, and brings in real business deals.

The challenge is simple: filter out fluff in the recruitment process and focus on traits that drive impact.

In this guide, you’ll learn which traits actually matter.

Each one helps you cut through noise during the hiring process—and pick a potential employee who’s built for this path.

Let’s walk through 7 traits that scream high-performing Business Development or Account Manager.

Why Do You Need a Great Account/Business Development Manager?

A strong Account or Business Development Manager isn’t just a nice-to-have. They’re a key role in your sales team, especially if you're serious about business growth. As the graphic below shows, ADMs and BDMs have many key benefits.

Here’s why this role matters:

1. They bring in new business opportunities.

A good manager identifies potential clients, turns them into prospective clients, and then into key customers. They don’t wait for leads, they create them.

2. They manage and grow existing client relationships

Maintaining positive relationships with key accounts is a big part of the job. These managers boost customer retention strategies and improve your customer satisfaction rate.

3. They drive product sales and revenue

Whether it’s e-commerce sales or enterprise software sales, ADMs and BDMs move deals through the path to sale and close. They think in terms of annual sales, not just leads.

4. They lead cross-functional collaboration.

ADMs and BDMs work with marketing teams, operations managers, and cross-functional teams to deliver full-funnel results and increase operational efficiency across your business.

In short, they keep your company growing, inside and out. So how do you find a good one?

7 Important Traits to Look For When Hiring an Account or Business Development Manager

1. Strategic Ownership of Key Accounts

Strategic ownership of key accounts means more than checking in with clients or handling complaints. It’s about treating those accounts like a business within the business. A great Account or Business Development Manager takes full responsibility for growing customer accounts, spotting business opportunities, and making sure those accounts stay profitable. This includes building positive relationships, analyzing performance trends, and offering solutions to clients that actually solve their problems.

You want someone who actively strengthens relationships with customers, not someone who just responds when there's a problem. Look for people who’ve measurably improved client satisfaction, implemented customer retention strategies, or turned at-risk clients into loyal customers. 

This is where customer engagement connects directly to business growth. If they’ve led key account management projects or improved client relationships through personalized outreach or upselling, that’s a clear sign they understand strategic ownership.

When hiring, ask your candidates for examples of how they’ve taken control of key clients or restructured account strategies to support long-term customer retention. You want someone who doesn’t just follow a system — they build one that scales.

In the image below you can see some of the key strategic skills of a good ADM or BDM:

2. Data-Backed Decision Making

Data-backed decision making is a must-have trait in any Business Development or Account Manager. The best candidates rely on tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google Merchant Center to track lead sources, conversion behavior, and traffic patterns that impact the sales process. They don’t guess what’s working — they prove it. This data mindset separates average performers from those who drive measurable results in customer engagement, product sales, and market position.

You should also look for candidates who know how to connect data with action. For example, someone who used Google Suite to build custom dashboards, analyzed churn rates using Customer Relationship Management tools, or adjusted email marketing campaigns to increase the customer satisfaction rate. These are signs they understand how business intelligence leads to smarter sales strategy decisions. Ask about KPIs they’ve owned, like increase in customer retention, annual sales growth, or engagement from prospective clients.

In interviews, don’t settle for buzzwords. Push for specific examples. A great hire will be happy to show you how they’ve used metrics to improve an effective strategy, uncover market opportunities, or support cross-functional teams in refining account plans. You're looking for someone who can translate numbers into revenue, like the graphic below shows.

3. Raw Sales Skills with Challenger Mindset

Raw sales skills are an important baseline, but they’re not enough. You’re hiring for more than a sales rep who reads a script. The strongest candidates bring what’s called a Challenger Sales mindset. That means they don’t just sell features—they reframe the client’s thinking. They understand the client’s business, challenge outdated assumptions, and present solutions to clients that connect to ROI, not just surface needs. This style of selling is especially effective in B2B and enterprise software sales where decisions are complex and involve multiple stakeholders. The image below shows more.

The numbers back it up. A study by CEB (now Gartner) found that Challenger sellers outperform other types of reps in complex sales environments, and make up 54% of top performers. That’s why value-based Selling and insight-driven approaches are considered essential skills in today’s hiring process. When reviewing candidates, dig into their sales skills. Ask how they’ve navigated business development initiatives, tailored pitches to key clients, or reshaped a stalled deal by focusing on business outcomes.

You want someone who’s done more than make calls. They’ve used negotiation skills, persuasion skills, and business context to close tough deals. Look for evidence of customer engagement that went beyond rapport and led to real business deals. In interviews, avoid vague answers. Push for stories where they created urgency, managed key accounts, or turned skeptical potential clients into long-term revenue.

4. Entrepreneurial Drive with Structure

Entrepreneurial spirit is what drives a candidate to create value without waiting for permission. The best Account and Business Development Managers act like owners. They hunt for market opportunities, take initiative on business development reps tasks, and test new angles in customer engagement. They don’t just fill quotas — they build processes, experiment with outreach, and improve client relationships from the ground up. That kind of self-starter mentality is what leads to consistent business growth.

But structure matters too, as shown by the image below. Without strong organizational skills and project management skills, that drive can turn chaotic. You need someone who can lead key initiatives, follow through on tasks across cross-functional teams, and balance creativity with systems. Effective time management and a structured approach can be enormously beneficial for sales leaders, but only 28% of sales reps say they follow a structured time management philosophy.

When hiring, ask how the candidate has designed their own career path or improved operational efficiency in past roles. Did they lead new product launches or streamline the sales process without being told to? Look for someone who mixes big-picture thinking with execution — this kind of balance is rare and highly valuable.

5. Expert-Level Communication and Persuasion

Expert communication is about more than being friendly on a sales call. The best hires combine interpersonal skills with strategic intent. They know how to start meaningful conversations that open doors with prospective clients and navigate hard talks when customer support issues pop up. They make every interaction count — whether it’s a cold email, a Zoom call, or a high-stakes negotiation with key clients. This isn’t about small talk, it’s about clear value delivery.

Here’s how charm and strategy intersect to drive results:

Persuasion skills are where communication becomes impact. A strong Account or Business Development Manager moves potential customers through the path to sale using logic, confidence, and understanding of the buyer’s goals. Research suggests that 66% of buyers are more likely to purchase if the rep clearly shows the ROI of their product. That only happens when reps use tight messaging, adapt on the fly, and link the pitch to business outcomes.

In interviews, ask candidates how they’ve influenced client relationships or saved a deal through smart communication. Look for signs they can articulate value, manage pushback, and build positive relationships with both key accounts and new business opportunities. Keep in mind that you're not hiring for charisma, you're hiring for clarity and influence.

6. Adaptable Tech and Industry Skills

Adaptable tech skills are now part of most job descriptions, and A/BDMs are no exception. The right hire needs to be fluent in tools like Google Docs, Google Workspace, and platforms tied to Customer Relationship Management. Whether it’s logging activity, automating follow-ups, or organizing reports for cross-functional teams, a strong Account or Business Development Manager should be comfortable moving between systems without slowing down. If they’re not already using email marketing tools or Google Analytics to sharpen outreach, they’re behind.

Here are some of the key tech skills for ADMs and BDMs right now:

Just as important are industry skills that evolve with the market. Experience in enterprise software sales or International Business Development shows a candidate can handle complex deals and global pipelines. According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Future of Skills report, adaptability is the top skill of the moment, largely due to the rapid rise of new technologies like AI. That means you should look for someone who’s already adjusted to platform changes, adapted strategies mid-quarter, or taken ownership of technical onboarding for potential clients.

During the interview process, ask which tools they’ve used to increase customer satisfaction or streamline outreach. Have they worked across tools like Google Ads, Google Merchant Center, or CRM dashboards? Can they pivot quickly when new software gets rolled out? Tech stack fluency isn’t optional anymore, it’s a core skill for modern sales execution.

7. Leadership in Action, Not Title

Leadership skills show up in behavior long before someone has a leadership title. In sales hiring, you're not just looking for someone to follow directions, you want someone who steps up. That could mean guiding entry-level employees, coordinating with marketing teams, or leading cross-functional teams to execute on a shared sales strategy. The right candidate takes an active role in refining processes, solving roadblocks, and improving team performance without being asked. In the image below you can see more key sales leadership skills.

Leadership in this role often means taking ownership of key initiatives or driving alignment between departments to close business deals. 83% of companies say developing leaders at all levels is important, yet only 5% have fully implemented leadership development at non-manager levels. That’s a hiring gap you can exploit, by spotting potential employees who show leadership behavior even if they’re not in senior roles yet.

Ask candidates about times they’ve led without formal authority. Have they ever coached peers through a cold calling strategy? Did they take over a project management task when things were falling apart? Leadership in action is one of the best predictors of someone who will grow with your company — and help others grow too.

Common Challenges When Hiring an Account or Business Development Manager

1. Prioritizing Likeability Over Sales Skills

A friendly personality doesn’t guarantee performance. Lots of teams hire based on interpersonal skills alone and overlook the lack of sales skills or negotiation skills. To avoid this, structure the interview process to include scenario-based questions, mock pitches, or reviews of past sales metrics tied to key clients or customer accounts. Hire for outcomes, not charm.

2. Ignoring Tech Fluency and Digital Tools

Some hiring teams don’t check if a candidate can use tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, Customer Relationship Management platforms, or email marketing tools. This slows onboarding and hurts operational efficiency. Always verify technical skills — even better, test for them. Ask how they’ve used data to improve a sales process or uncover market opportunities.

3. Failing to Screen for Strategic Thinking

You’re not hiring just another sales rep—you’re hiring for a key role that drives business development initiatives and owns key account management. Many companies fail to ask questions that assess whether the candidate can spot profitable investment opportunities, grow key accounts, or align with broader business strategy. Include questions about past wins tied to business growth or customer retention.

4. Overlooking Leadership Potential

Too many hiring managers focus on past titles and miss candidates who’ve shown real leadership skills without formal authority. Don’t wait for a senior role to look for leadership. Look for people who took initiative, improved team workflows, or led cross-functional teams from any position. Ask about their role in shaping key initiatives and working with cross-functional team leadership.

5. Hiring Without a Clear Job Description

If your job description is vague or filled with fluff, you’ll attract unqualified applicants. Be specific about the core skills, tools, and outcomes required. List tech like Google Workspace, clarify expectations around cold calling or customer relationship ownership, and define your hiring process clearly. The clearer your expectations, the better your chances of hiring someone who can deliver.

Hire with Confidence

Hiring the wrong person costs you deals, time, and trust. Overlooking traits like strategic ownership, data fluency, or value-based Selling puts your pipeline at risk.

The right hire doesn’t just support your goals, they build the engine that drives them. They lead, adapt, and close without needing to be told how.

Use these traits as filters, not suggestions. Miss them, and you’ll miss the kind of hire that actually grows your business.

FAQ — Hiring an ADM or BDM

1. Should I hire a business development manager?

Yes—if you’re looking to open new business opportunities, grow your customer base, and increase product sales, a Business Development Manager (BDM) can play a crucial role. They focus on lead generation, client relationships, and long-term business growth.

2. Should I hire an account development manager?

If your focus is on nurturing key clients and improving customer retention, hiring an Account Development Manager (ADM) makes sense. They build positive relationships, manage customer accounts, and help drive more value from your existing pipeline.

3. What is a BDM in a company?

A Business Development Manager is responsible for identifying market opportunities, converting prospective clients, and pushing strategic business development initiatives. Their goal is to generate revenue and support scalable growth.

4. What is an ADM in a company?

An Account Development Manager focuses on developing key account relationships, increasing the customer satisfaction rate, and working closely with the sales team to expand existing accounts. They bridge the gap between new business and long-term retention.

5. What are some key challenges when hiring ADMs and BDMs?

Common mistakes include hiring based on personality instead of sales skills, ignoring technical skills, and overlooking leadership potential. Clear job descriptions, structured assessments, and role-specific questions help avoid these missteps.

6. What's the most important trait for an ADM or BDM to have?

The most important trait is ownership mindset — the ability to take full responsibility for key accounts, client relationships, and business outcomes. Whether it’s driving customer retention strategies or spotting market opportunities, top performers don’t wait for direction — they lead, analyze, and execute with purpose.