My experience as Digital Business Developer for Capture Europe
In this article, Michel Henry VERHASSELT (ESSEC Business School, Master in Finance, 2023-2025) shares his professional experience as Digital Business Developper at Capture Europe.
About the company
Capture Europe provides software solutions and IT services to businesses on an international scale, with a focus on European businesses. Partners of Broadcom and ServiceNow, their areas of expertise are mainly in Project Portfolio Management and Automation. Past clients include major banks, telecommunication companies, etc.
Logo of the company.
Source: the company.
My role at Capture Europe
My missions
In my role as a Digital Business Developer at Capture Europe, my primary mission was to coordinate our sales and marketing teams. This multifaceted role demanded a diverse skill set and included various responsibilities. On the sales front, I screened prospects, transforming them into valuable sales-qualified leads. This process involved market and industry research, cold-calling, and reaching out to other potential clients, such as webinar attendees and conference participants.
Once the leads met our predefined criteria and expressed a genuine interest in partnering with Capture Europe, I connected them with the relevant business divisions within our company. This transition from prospect to sales-ready lead was pivotal in driving sales, and it was perhaps what I enjoyed most about the job. I had to learn to be comfortable talking to people in different positions of the corporate hierarchy, to change my style accordingly and make sure they were interested in what I had to say. I also had to learn to deal with rejection and sometimes rudeness. In the end, you get used to it, and you focus on achieving your goals.
On the marketing front, I played a role in bolstering our company’s online presence. This involved curating content for our social media platforms and leading marketing campaigns in collaboration with the rest of the team. I was responsible for developing compelling marketing materials, creating engaging presentations and webinars, and maintaining our extensive CRM database, which housed information on 2,000-3,000 customers.
As part of my administrative duties, I maintained regular communication with our executives, providing them with insightful updates on the performance of both the sales and marketing teams in relation to key performance indicators and our organization’s overarching goals. This holistic experience provided me with insights into the inner workings of our business and, I believe, helped my professional growth in general.
Throughout my tenure at Capture Europe, I consistently exceeded KPI sales targets, driving over €600,000 in revenue through strategic software sales. This experience not only enhanced my sales and marketing skills but also equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of how an enterprise operates.
Required skills and knowledge
A diverse skill set is needed to succeed as Digital Business Developer. Approximately half of my responsibilities revolved around leveraging analytical skills, while the other half emphasized interpersonal and communication abilities.
On the analytical side, a substantial portion of my time was dedicated to database analysis and market research. These tasks demanded a thorough understanding of research tools and data analysis techniques, allowing me to derive meaningful insights from large datasets. Familiarity with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software was also indispensable, enabling the efficient management of customer data and facilitating data-driven decision-making.
Once I had identified promising prospects, my role transitioned to a more people-centric focus. Building and nurturing business relationships became pivotal. Effective interpersonal skills, coupled with the ability to initiate conversations and guide them towards a successful conclusion, played a vital role in securing sales. These skills were also essential for facilitating smooth collaboration and alignment between the marketing and sales teams, despite differing goals and expectations. It was not uncommon for conflicts to arise, with the teams’ managers occasionally holding conflicting opinions. In such scenarios, I often found myself in a diplomatic role, navigating the fine line between my role as an employee of the Head of Marketing and the imperative to ensure effective cooperation. My background in languages and translation proved invaluable in these situations, as it equipped me with the ability to employ nuanced language to reconcile differences and lead the teams to collectively achieve overarching project success.
What I learned
My tenure as a Digital Business Developer at Capture Europe provided me with insights into the workings of a business, from its microscale operations to the macroscopic strategic planning. Throughout my role, I gained a comprehensive understanding of various facets, including how different branches within the corporate structure collaborate and communicate to achieve common objectives.
On a microscale, I learned the intricacies of identifying potential sales opportunities and managing short-term projects efficiently. These experiences equipped me with practical insights into the day-to-day operations of a business, highlighting the importance of timely execution and attention to detail.
On a macroscale, I had the privilege of observing how executives manage and coordinate teams to achieve long-term organizational goals. This perspective allowed me to comprehend the complexities of aligning individual efforts with the overarching mission of the company.
In terms of interpersonal skills, my role exposed me to the nuances of effective communication, diplomacy, and conflict resolution within a professional setting. I encountered challenging scenarios, learned how to navigate workplace conflicts, and honed my ability to maintain productive relationships, even when dealing with difficult customers. This aspect of my experience underscored the importance of empathy, patience, and adaptability when addressing customer concerns and achieving favourable outcomes.
Lastly, I acquired a range of hard skills, most notably advanced proficiency in Excel. The practical utilization of Excel tools and functions in data analysis and reporting became a crucial component of my daily responsibilities. This experience enhanced my analytical capabilities and has proven to be an asset in various professional contexts.
In essence, my time at Capture Europe provided me with a holistic view of business operations, from the smallest details of day-to-day tasks to the grand strategies of executives. It also honed my people skills and hard skills. These experiences have collectively contributed to my personal and professional growth.
Financial concepts related my internship
Return on Investment
As a Digital Business Developer, understanding ROI is essential. Your role involves identifying sales opportunities, conducting market research, and implementing marketing campaigns. These efforts all incur costs, and it’s crucial to measure the return on these investments. We would continually be measuring our efforts against the overall marketing budget, and gauging how cost-effective our campaigns were. For example, some menial tasks involve a lot of man-hours, like screening thousands of prospects’ backgrounds – would it be smarter for the organization to automate this work ? It is not at all obvious without thorough analysis of the specific costs of both options. It was my suggestion to management, but it was ultimately rejected as too costly.
You need to analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, sales efforts, and the overall impact on the company’s bottom line. Knowledge of ROI enables you to assess whether your strategies are generating profitable outcomes or if adjustments are required.
Customer Lifetime Value
This concept, akin to ROI but with a more personalized focus, comes into play when dealing with numerous potential clients daily. In such a dynamic environment, you must make choices and prioritize certain relationships over others. It’s important to recognize that the most promising business relationships might not yield immediate success. Patience is key, as nurturing long-term client relations can be more valuable. While a single, small to medium-sized contract may not suffice to meet your KPIs or drive significant company growth, establishing trust with a long-term partner can be more advantageous. These enduring partnerships offer the potential for recurring contracts and cross-selling opportunities once clients appreciate the value you bring to their business, making them exceptionally valuable.
Cash-flow analysis
Cash-flow analysis serves as the linchpin that connects both ROI and CLV. To ascertain ROI, you must meticulously track the flow of financial resources. It involves assessing the inflow and outflow of cash within the business, to ensure liquidity and overall financial stability. Similarly, when considering CLV, understanding the organization’s cash flow is vital. It enables you to determine the feasibility of nurturing long-term client relationships, as you can evaluate the available funds to support these efforts over an extended period.
Why should I be interested in this job?
Imagine your finance studies as the “what” of the financial world – understanding numbers, investments, and markets. But a successful finance professional needs the “how” and “why” too. That’s where my experience as a Digital Business Developer comes into play.
You’ll need to grasp how different parts of a company connect and impact each other. My role helped me understand this interconnected web of business operations. You’ll appreciate this holistic perspective when you’re making financial decisions that affect the entire organization.
Moreover, I often needed to take the role of a team leader. Leadership and teamwork are more than buzzwords. Your finance journey won’t be a solo ride; you’ll work in teams with different goals. My time as a coordinator taught me how to lead, resolve conflicts, and unite people towards a common objective. This is the reality of working within a larger structure: managing projects, working with diverse teams, and making things happen together.
Externally, building relationships and securing deals were crucial in my role. These soft skills are a finance must-have too. Whether you’re advising clients in private banking or large institutions and businesses in corporate and commercial banking, it’s all about understanding others’ needs and offering tailored solutions. Your people skills will play a significant role in your future success.
Finally, in terms of hard skills, Digital Business Developers need to wield a variety of tools to garner meaningful business insight and drive sales. In finance, you’ll likewise need to use models and analysis tools for similar goals: to assess the feasibility of your projects, study potential risks, and compare them to the rewards.
In a nutshell, my journey as a Digital Business Developer gives you a sneak peek into the “real world” of a business. It’s like having a backstage pass to understand how businesses run, the art of teamwork, and the tools to navigate the corporate maze. So, when you blend this with your finance studies at ESSEC, you’re not just learning about finance – you’re becoming the kind of finance professional who can thrive in any role in the industry.
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Useful resources
What is Digital Business Development
Marketing Strategies for Financial Services
About the author
The article was written in December 2023 by Michel Henry VERHASSELT (ESSEC Business School – Master in Finance, 2023-2025).