Business Development Manager

Company: Zero Design Studio
Department: Business Development – Events
Location: Malad (W), Mumbai
Experience: 4–8 years
Employment Type: Full-time
About the Role
We are looking for an energetic and result-oriented Business Development Manager – Events to drive new business, build strong client relationships, and generate revenue opportunities across the events and experiential space.
The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of the events industry, excellent communication and negotiation skills, and the ability to independently manage the sales cycle—from lead generation and pitching to closure and client relationship management.
Key Responsibilities
Identify and develop new business opportunities across corporate events, brand activations, exhibitions, conferences, launches, and experiential events.
Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective clients through networking, referrals, databases, industry contacts, and market research.
Proactively reach out to potential clients and decision-makers to introduce the company and understand their event requirements.
Develop strong relationships with corporate clients, brands, agencies, event heads, and other industry stakeholders.
Understand client briefs and coordinate with the internal creative, design, production, and project teams to develop relevant solutions.
Prepare and deliver company presentations, pitches, proposals, and sales presentations to prospective clients.
Lead client meetings and presentations, clearly communicating the company's capabilities, creative approach, and event solutions.
Prepare commercial proposals and negotiate pricing, scope, and terms in coordination with the management/accounts team.
Drive the complete sales process from lead generation → qualification → meeting → brief → proposal → negotiation → closure → handover.
Follow up consistently with prospects and ensure timely movement of opportunities through the sales pipeline.
Maintain accurate records of leads, client interactions, proposals, follow-ups, and closures.
Coordinate with the internal team to ensure a smooth handover of confirmed projects from BD to the execution/project team.
Build long-term relationships with existing clients to generate repeat business, referrals, and upselling opportunities.
Track competitor activity, industry trends, upcoming events, and potential business opportunities.
Attend networking events, industry exhibitions, conferences, and relevant business meetings to expand the company's network.
Work closely with senior management to develop and execute business development strategies and revenue plans.
Prepare regular updates on pipeline, ongoing opportunities, conversions, and upcoming business prospects.
Desired Skills & Competencies
Strong understanding of the events, experiential, exhibition, and brand activation industry.
Proven experience in B2B sales/business development, preferably within events or creative production.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong client-facing and presentation skills.
Excellent negotiation and persuasion abilities.
Ability to understand client requirements and translate them into business opportunities.
Strong follow-up and relationship-management skills.
Good commercial understanding and ability to work with budgets and proposals.
Strong networking and lead-generation abilities.
Ability to manage multiple prospects and opportunities simultaneously.
Self-motivated, target-oriented, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.
Strong coordination skills and ability to work effectively with creative and execution teams.
Proficiency in MS Office/Google Workspace and CRM or lead-tracking tools.
Preferred Background
Candidates with experience in:
Event agencies
Event production companies
Experiential marketing agencies
Exhibition companies
Brand activation agencies
Creative/design studios
Corporate event solutions
will be preferred.
Key Performance Areas
New client acquisition
Lead generation and quality of pipeline
Client meetings and presentations
Proposal and pitch conversion
Revenue generation
Business closure
Repeat business and client retention
Average deal value
Development of strategic client relationships
Timely and effective handover of confirmed projects
What We’re Looking For
Someone who is well-connected, commercially driven, confident with clients, and passionate about the events industry—someone who can bring in new opportunities while building long-term relationships for the company.

Work arrangement
No