# Business Development \[BD] {% hint style="info" %} **Responsible MCVP:** *Pending MC TM Manager input* · Contact: <_pending_@aiesec.dk> {% endhint %} ## Business Development (BD) Business Development (BD) is the function that connects AIESEC in Denmark with the external world of companies, organizations, and institutions. As a BD team member, you are responsible for generating partnerships that fund AIESEC's operations and create Traineeship opportunities for exchange participants. You identify prospective partners, build relationships, deliver proposals, and close deals that keep AIESEC financially sustainable and programmatically active. BD is where entrepreneurial energy meets social impact. ### Key Responsibilities * **Prospecting** — Research and identify potential partner organizations (companies, NGOs, start-ups, public institutions) that align with AIESEC's mission and could benefit from hosting an international trainee or sponsoring AIESEC activities. * **Outreach & Pitching** — Contact prospects via email, phone, LinkedIn, or in-person visits. Deliver clear, compelling pitches that explain AIESEC's value proposition and tailor the message to each organization's needs. * **Proposal Development** — Create professional partnership proposals that outline deliverables, pricing, timelines, and mutual benefits. Use templates from the shared drive and customize them for each prospect. * **Partnership Closing & Contracting** — Negotiate terms, finalize agreements, and ensure contracts are signed before any delivery begins. Coordinate with Finance & Legalities (F\&L) on invoicing and payment tracking. * **Account Management** — Maintain ongoing relationships with active partners throughout the term. Conduct regular check-ins, deliver on commitments, and identify opportunities to upsell or extend partnerships. * **CRM Maintenance** — Keep the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system up to date with prospect details, communication history, deal stages, and partnership statuses. * **Revenue Reporting** — Track BD revenue against national and LC targets, report progress weekly, and flag risks or shortfalls early. ### Measures of Success | Metric | Description | Typical Target | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | | Revenue Generated | Total income from partnerships and sponsorships in DKK | Set per LC per term | | Number of Active Partners | Organizations with a signed agreement in the current term | Track and grow quarterly | | TNs Raised (via BD) | Traineeships created through BD-sourced partnerships | Aligned with iCX targets | | Pipeline Value | Total potential revenue from prospects at various deal stages | Reviewed weekly | | Conversion Rate | Percentage of contacted prospects that become signed partners | Track and improve | {% hint style="info" %} BD targets are set by the MC BD Manager at the start of each term, in coordination with the MC Finance Manager. Your LCVP BD will translate these into actionable LC goals. {% endhint %} ### Tools & Resources | Tool | Purpose | | ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **HubSpot CRM** | The national CRM platform for tracking prospects, deals, and partner interactions. All BD team members are expected to log their activity here. | | **Proposal Templates** | Pre-designed partnership proposal decks (Google Slides / Canva) available in the shared drive. Customize for each prospect. | | **Pitch Scripts** | Sample outreach scripts for cold emails, cold calls, and LinkedIn messages. A starting point — always personalize. | **Google Drive Reference:** All BD resources — proposal templates, pitch decks, partner databases, and training materials — are stored in the shared drive under: `04d — Business Development/` {% hint style="info" %} HubSpot access is managed by the MC BD Manager. Request your login during your first week and complete the onboarding tutorial inside the tool. {% endhint %} ### Common Objections & How to Respond When reaching out to prospective partners, you will hear "no" far more often than "yes." That is normal. The key is to listen carefully, acknowledge the concern, and respond with a clear, honest answer. Below are the most common objections BD members encounter, along with suggested responses you can adapt to your own style. #### "We don't have budget for this." Many organizations assume AIESEC partnerships require a large financial commitment. Clarify that partnership models are flexible — some involve hosting a trainee at minimal cost while AIESEC handles recruitment and selection, and others scale up to sponsored projects. Ask what their capacity looks like and propose a model that fits. #### "We've never heard of AIESEC." This is an opportunity, not a rejection. Briefly explain that AIESEC is the world's largest youth-run organization, operating in over 100 countries, and that your local committee is based at their nearby university. Offer to send a one-page overview or schedule a short introductory call rather than pitching everything on the spot. #### "We already have our own internship programme." Acknowledge that their existing programme is great, and position AIESEC as complementary rather than competing. AIESEC brings international candidates with cross-cultural skills who are pre-screened and motivated. Highlight that partnering with AIESEC adds diversity and global perspective to their team without replacing what they already do. #### "The timing isn't right — maybe next semester." Respect their timeline, but keep the door open. Ask if you can follow up in a specific month, and add a reminder in HubSpot. Meanwhile, offer to send them a short case study or testimonial so they can learn more at their own pace. Many partnerships close on the second or third touchpoint, not the first. #### "We tried something similar before and it didn't work." Ask what went wrong. Often the issue was a lack of support during the experience — something AIESEC actively manages through EP onboarding, mid-experience check-ins, and partner feedback loops. Explain the specific support structure your LC provides and how it differs from a generic internship placement. #### "What's in it for us, really?" Be concrete. Partners gain access to a pre-screened, motivated international talent pool; employer branding among young professionals worldwide; and a connection to the local university community. If relevant, mention tax or grant benefits available in Denmark for hosting international trainees, and offer to connect them with a current partner who can share their experience. {% hint style="info" %} These are starting points, not scripts. Always personalize your response to the specific organization and the person you are speaking with. The best BD conversations feel like genuine dialogue, not a sales pitch. {% endhint %} ### Training Materials Below are the key training presentations and guides for this function. For additional materials, browse the full Drive folder. {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} Value Proposition Global Talent - English {% endembed %} {% hint style="info" %} :file\_folder: **Full resource folder:** `04d — Business Development/` in the shared Google Drive {% endhint %} ### How to Get Started 1. **Get access to HubSpot** — Ask your LCVP BD or the MC BD Manager to create your HubSpot account. Spend your first session exploring the pipeline: see which prospects are active, which deals are in progress, and how the stages are defined. 2. **Review the proposal template** — Go to the shared drive under `04d — Business Development/` and open the current partnership proposal template. Read through it to understand what AIESEC offers partners and how the value proposition is structured. 3. **Build your first prospect list** — Using online research (LinkedIn, company websites, local business directories), create a list of 10 potential partners in your city. Add them to HubSpot with basic details (company name, contact person, email, industry). 4. **Make your first outreach** — Pick the three most promising prospects from your list and send a personalized outreach email or LinkedIn message. Share the draft with your LCVP before sending for feedback on tone and content. {% hint style="warning" %} **Missing Drive source file:** The training video `04d — Business Development/Phase 3/1. How to Sign Contracts.mp4` is a broken symlink — the original file has been deleted or moved. Contact the MC BD Manager to locate or replace this resource. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} For national standards that apply across all functions, see [National Standards](/standards-and-compliance/national-standards.md). {% endhint %} *Last updated: April 2026 · Maintained by: MC BD Manager* --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://hubby.aiesec.dk/functional-knowledge/business-development.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. 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