research and identify new business opportunities - including new markets, growth areas, trends, customers, partnerships, products and services - or new ways of reaching existing marketsseek out the appropriate contact in an organisationgenerate leads and cold call prospective customersmeet with customers/clients face to face or over the phonefoster and develop relationships with customers/clientsunderstand the needs of your customers and be able to respond effectively with a plan of how to meet thesethink strategically - seeing the bigger picture and setting aims and objectives in order to develop and improve the businesswork strategically - carrying out necessary planning in order to implement operational changes