How to Hire a Business Development Manager in Turkey
Hiring a BDM in Turkey involves understanding the role, identifying your business needs, and evaluating candidates thoroughly. By leveraging platforms like Kariyer.net and LinkedIn, setting up a trial period, and investing in onboarding and continuous learning, you can ensure a successful hire. Employee leasing can be an effective option for employee administration. With the right strategies in place, a skilled BDM can significantly contribute to your company’s success.
Understanding the role of a business development manager
A Business Development Manager (BDM) must possess a blend of technical and soft skills, including project management, communication, a deep understanding of sales strategies, marketing, data analysis, and leadership, to effectively drive company growth.
Turkey presents a vast array of business opportunities due to its diverse industries and favorable investment climate. The country’s strategic location serves as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, offering companies privileged access to major international markets.
Furthermore, Turkey’s economy is relatively resilient, showing high growth potential despite global economic challenges. Various sectors in Turkey are ripe for investment, including technology, infrastructure, tourism, food and agriculture. The government has initiated significant reforms to create a more investment-friendly environment, enhancing the appeal of the Turkish market for foreign businesses.
The competitive talent market in Turkey is another advantage for international firms. The country boasts a growing pool of skilled professionals in different sector, which can be leveraged to support business growth.
Here’s how a BDM can make a significant impact in Turkey:
Table of Contents
Market entry strategy:
- Understanding Local Dynamics: A BDM can research and assess the Turkish market, identify local trends, consumer behavior, and competitive landscapes. With a clear understanding of the market, a BDM can tailor entry strategies, such as joint ventures, partnerships, or setting up a local office.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Turkey has its own set of business regulations, including taxation, import/export laws, and local compliance requirements. A BDM can ensure that international businesses meet these legal frameworks while optimizing their operations.
Networking and building relationships:
- Local Connections: A BDM can leverage existing local relationships to establish connections with key players such as suppliers, distributors, and potential customers. These networks can open doors to new business opportunities.
- Cultural Understanding: A BDM can bridge cultural gaps and foster strong, long-lasting relationships. Understanding the Turkish business culture, which places great importance on trust, face-to-face meetings, and personal rapport, is essential for success in the market.
Tailoring products and services:
- Adapting Offerings: The BDM can ensure that the company’s products or services align with local preferences, pricing expectations, and regulations. For example, adjusting marketing materials to Turkish language or even making slight modifications to the product design to appeal to local tastes.
- Competitive Advantage: Through understanding local competitors, a BDM can position the company uniquely and offer value propositions that resonate with the Turkish consumer or business partner.
Strategic partnerships and collaborations:
- Business Alliances: Turkey’s strategic location connects Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, making it an ideal hub for regional business expansion. A BDM can form partnerships with local firms to leverage distribution channels, reduce costs, or strengthen brand presence.
- Joint Ventures & Investments: The BDM can scout for opportunities for joint ventures, partnerships, or investments that help expand the international company’s footprint in the region.
Sales and revenue growth:
- Revenue Generation: By developing and executing sales strategies, a BDM can drive revenue growth by tapping into Turkey’s diverse sectors, including construction, automotive, electronics, textiles, tourism, and agriculture.
- Client Acquisition and Retention: Establishing a consistent customer base and maintaining relationships with key accounts will be vital for ongoing success.
Market expansion and diversification:
- Regional Expansion: Once a presence is established in Turkey, the BDM can explore opportunities for expanding into nearby countries in the Middle East and Central Asia, leveraging Turkey’s geopolitical position.
- Industry Diversification: A BDM can diversify the business by identifying underrepresented industries or emerging sectors in the Turkish economy, such as renewable energy, technology, and healthcare.
Risk management:
- Navigating Challenges: Turkey, like many emerging markets, may present certain challenges, such as inflation, political instability, or fluctuating currency rates. A BDM can help manage these risks through proper financial planning, diversification, and risk mitigation strategies.
Where to find top business development managers in Turkey
Hiring the right BDM starts with identifying your specific business needs and the required qualifications of a BDM to meet your needs and targets. Subsequently, locating qualified BDMs in Turkey is essential for your company’s success in this competitive market. Platforms like Kariyer.net or LinkedIn provide extensive candidate databases, making it easier to find individuals with the specific skills and experience you need.
As recruiting agency, we consider using LinkedIn and direct search methods to be highly effective. Reaching out to potential candidates not actively looking for new jobs can yield great results, as many top professionals are passive candidates.
Evaluating candidates
Evaluating candidates for the role of BDM requires a thorough and systematic approach. Resume analysis should focus on measurable achievements and increased responsibilities in each new role, identifying individuals with a proven track record of success who can bring valuable expertise to your company.
Consider both a candidate’s past achievements and their ability to adapt to new challenges during the evaluation process. Incorporating skills assessments can quickly identify qualified candidates, ensuring they possess the necessary skills to succeed. Discussing expectations for the role and aligning them with your company’s growth strategies is also vital for making informed hiring decisions.
A probationary period allows businesses to set specific performance goals, determining if the employee should continue with the company. This trial period provides an opportunity to evaluate the candidate’s fit within the team and their ability to meet expectations. The probation period can be maximum two months in Turkey; hence, the evaluations should be planned accordingly.
Structured orientation programs provide essential information about the company, its policies, and specific job training, ensuring that new employees are well-prepared for their roles. Clear expectations and a structured onboarding plan during the trial period enhance communication and help the new hire integrate smoothly. Providing regular feedback and performance reviews is crucial, allowing the new employee to understand areas for improvement and grow their skills. Offering mentorship and buddy systems can also support the new hire’s development and foster a positive working relationship.
Continuous training and development opportunities are critical for new hires to grow their skills and advance in their careers. Documenting all communication and training materials aids in evaluating the effectiveness of the onboarding process and maintaining compliance. Investing in continuous learning and innovation ensures that your employees remain engaged and capable of driving the company’s success.
How to hire a BDM
Companies which don’t have their own entity in Turkey may lease employees for long-term needs without directly hiring them. An employee leasing company like FMC Group takes responsibility for the employment relationship. The employee leasing company is responsible for administrative tasks like payroll, insurance, and tax, while the lessee company manages the employees’ daily work and responsibilities. This model allows businesses to focus on their core operations while outsourcing administrative and compliance responsibilities. Employee leasing provides a fast and flexible way to enter the Turkish market without the need for a local legal entity. This is particularly beneficial for companies testing new markets.
Nevertheless, if the final decision of the company is to establish its own entity, there are several types of legal entities that can be established, each with its own characteristics, requirements, and tax implications, such as Joint-Stock Company, Limited Liability Company, Branch Office, or Liaison Office.
Summary
In summary, hiring a BDM in Turkey involves understanding the role, identifying your business needs, and evaluating candidates thoroughly. By leveraging platforms like Kariyer.net and LinkedIn, setting up a trial period, and investing in onboarding and continuous learning, you can ensure a successful hire. Employee leasing can be an effective option for employee administration. With the right strategies in place, a skilled BDM can significantly contribute to your company’s success.