Prepare for your Business Development Intern interview. Understand the required skills and qualifications, anticipate the questions you may be asked, and study well-prepared answers using our sample responses.
This question can help the interviewer determine if you are comfortable making initial contact with potential clients. Cold calling can be a challenging part of business development, but it’s important to show that you are willing to make calls even if they are uncomfortable for you. If cold calling is not your cup of tea, consider explaining another way that you would approach this task.
Answer: “Yes, I am comfortable cold calling potential clients. I have previous experience in an office environment where cold calling was a part of my daily duties. During my internship at ABC Company, I was tasked with making daily calls to potential clients in order to generate new business. I found that if I approached each call with confidence and enthusiasm, the person on the other end of the line was more likely to listen to what I had to say.”
This question can help the interviewer understand your interpersonal skills and how you approach developing relationships with others. Use examples from previous experience that highlight your communication skills, problem-solving ability and willingness to take initiative.
Answer: “I find it most effective to start a relationship by making sure I have all of the information about the person or company I’m trying to reach out to. This helps me create a personalized message that shows I took the time to understand their interests and goals. In addition, I always try to respond to emails or calls within 24 hours because it shows I value their time.”
This question can help interviewers understand how you would handle a challenging situation. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate with others.
Answer: “I would first listen to the client’s concerns, then ask questions to understand their point of view. I would then meet with my team members who are responsible for creating the product or providing the service to discuss possible solutions. If the issue is with the product itself, I would work with my team to find a solution. If the issue is with the service, I would find out why the client is unhappy and work with my team to improve our processes or procedures.”
This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with business development and how you apply it to your work. Use examples from past experiences to highlight your skills and abilities in this area.
Answer: “In my last position as a business development intern for a software company, I helped develop new product lines by researching customer needs and creating marketing strategies to reach out to potential customers. I also worked with the marketing team to create content for our website that would attract customers looking for these products. This experience taught me how important it is to understand customer needs before creating marketing strategies.”
Business development interns often need to negotiate deals with clients. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience with negotiation and how well you can apply it in the workplace. When answering, think of a time when you successfully negotiated a deal with a client or customer. Explain what strategies you used to come to an agreement that was beneficial for both you and the client.
Answer: “In my last internship, I was tasked with finding new clients for our company’s website design services. I found a local business that was looking for a website redesign and approached them about our services. The company owner agreed to meet with me to discuss the project further. During our meeting, I learned more about their needs and goals for the website redesign. I also discussed the benefits of working with our company and showed them some examples of our previous work. After discussing everything, the owner decided to hire us for the project.”
This question helps the interviewer understand what you hope to achieve during your internship. Your answer should include a specific goal that relates to the company’s mission or objectives.
Answer: “My primary focus as a business development intern would be to increase sales for the company. I plan to do this by developing new client relationships and finding ways to improve existing ones. I am confident that my experience in sales and marketing will help me achieve this goal.”
This question is a great way to test your problem-solving skills and ability to learn on the job. It also shows the interviewer that you are willing to ask for help when you need it, which is an important quality in an intern. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific example of how you would approach this situation in the past.
Answer: “If I were given a list of potential clients without any information about how to contact them, I would first research the company or individual to learn more about their business and what they are looking for in a partner. This research will help me determine which approach will be most effective in reaching out to them. For example, if I am given a list of small businesses in my area, I would send them an email introducing myself and my company and explaining how our services could benefit them.”
This question can help the interviewer determine how much you know about their company and its products or services. Use your research to highlight any information that shows you’re interested in the company’s mission or history.
Answer: “I’ve done extensive research on your company, including reading through your website and social media pages. I’m familiar with all of your current products and services, as well as any recent changes or updates you’ve made. In addition, I understand the importance of customer satisfaction and how it impacts sales. I am confident that I can contribute to the success of your business development team by providing valuable insight into customer needs and wants.”
This question can help the interviewer determine your experience level with business development tools. If you have no prior experience, consider mentioning other types of tools you’ve used in your previous roles that helped you complete tasks.
Answer: “I’ve used several lead generation tools in my previous roles, including HubSpot, Google Ads and Salesforce.com. I find that HubSpot is one of the most effective tools for generating leads because it allows me to create customized campaigns based on specific customer demographics. For example, if I want to target businesses in the financial sector, I can create a specific campaign that targets those customers only. This helps me save time while also increasing my overall sales.”
This question can help the interviewer understand how you approach new clients and introduce yourself. Your answer should include an example of what you say and why it’s effective.
Answer: “I always start by introducing myself and my company, followed by a brief description of what we do. I find that this helps the client understand who I am and what I’m offering them. Next, I explain why I’m contacting them and what makes them an ideal candidate for our services. Finally, I ask if they have any questions or would like more information. This helps me gauge their interest in working with us and allows me to provide more details if needed.”
This question is a great way to show your problem-solving skills and ability to work as part of a team. When answering this question, think of a time when you helped improve customer service at your last job or school project.
Answer: “I would start by analyzing our current customer service practices. I would look at what types of customers we’re losing and why they’re leaving. Then, I would create a plan to improve our customer service by training our sales team on how to better interact with customers. I would also create better communication between the sales team and customer service team so they could better support each other. Finally, I would track our customer satisfaction rates to make sure we’re meeting our goals.”
Social media is a common tool for business development professionals to use when promoting a company’s products or services. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience using social media and how effective you are at using it. In your answer, explain which social media platforms you’ve used in the past and why you chose to use those over others.
Answer: “In my last internship, I was responsible for promoting our company’s products on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I found that Instagram was the best platform for me to use because it had the highest engagement rate. I would post photos of our products along with captions that encouraged users to leave comments or likes. This helped me build relationships with potential customers and increase sales.”
This question is your opportunity to show the interviewer that you are qualified for this role. You can answer this question by highlighting your relevant experience and skills, such as your communication skills or ability to work in a team.
Answer: “I am an ideal candidate for this business development internship because of my proven track record of success in sales. I have been consistently ranked among my company’s top performers, and I am confident that I can bring my sales skills to your team. My outgoing personality and strong communication skills make me an ideal candidate for this position.”
This question can help the interviewer understand your background and how it relates to their company. Use this opportunity to highlight any relevant experience you have that is related to the industry of the company.
Answer: “I have extensive experience in the technology industry, having worked with several start-ups and large corporations. I’m also familiar with the healthcare industry due to my internship at a hospital last summer.”
This question can help the interviewer determine your priorities and how you make decisions. Your answer should show that you value customer service and relationships, which are important in business development. You can also use this opportunity to highlight any specific skills or experience that would be beneficial to the company.
Answer: “I think the most important factor when deciding whether to work with a client is their culture fit. I believe that if a company’s values don’t align with mine, it’s unlikely that I’ll be able to provide them with the best service possible. In my previous internship, I worked with a client who had very similar values to ours, which made it easier for me to provide them with quality service.”
This question can help the interviewer understand your sales process and how often you need to contact clients. It’s important to remember that each company has its own guidelines for this, so it’s best to ask about company policy before answering this question.
Answer: “I think it’s important to maintain contact with clients after the initial sale because it gives me an opportunity to help them with any questions or concerns they may have about their new product or service. I would prefer to contact them once every two weeks for the first month after the sale so I can ensure they’re satisfied with their purchase. After that, I would like to check in with them every month or so to see if there is anything else I can do to help them.”
This question is a great way to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to work with others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to explain the steps you would take to solve the issue and highlight any specific skills you have that would help you accomplish this goal.
Answer: “I would first meet with both departments to discuss their goals and objectives. Then, I would create a plan for how we can better collaborate on projects so that we’re all working toward the same end goal. I would also make sure to communicate this plan regularly so everyone knows what’s expected of them. This will help ensure that there are no further disconnects between the two departments.”
