Business Development Lead

VDA is a leading Experiential Event Design Agency specializing in 3D marketing and design for virtual and physical solutions that bring brands to life. We work across Corporate Meetings, Trade shows, Themed Events, Exhibits, Retail Environments, and Corporate Facilities. Our team thrives on delivering high-impact experiences that engage audiences and elevate brands.

The Business Development & Account Strategy Lead role is responsible for driving new business acquisition, managing and expanding key accounts, and ensuring seamless client engagement from initial outreach through project execution. This role combines proactive business development with strategic account management, including CRM oversight, proposal support, and internal coordination across Sales, Creative, Production, and Project Management teams. The primary focus is on relationship initiation, revenue growth, and maintaining high client satisfaction.

• Conduct daily outreach to new prospects and former clients via Linked In, email, phone, networking events, industry platforms, and past VDA leads.
• Research target industries including experiential marketing, corporate events, higher education, technology, B2B activations, trade shows, and sponsorship environments.
• Reactivate dormant accounts by initiating conversations and identifying upcoming opportunities.
• Build and maintain a consistent pipeline of qualified leads in
• Track all outreach activity and ensure follow-up schedules are maintained.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for key accounts and new inquiries, ensuring timely and consistent communication.
• Qualify leads, gather client information, identify potential scope and budget alignment, and guide opportunities from initial contact to closed business.
• Support the preparation of Statements of Work (SOWs), proposals, meeting agendas, client materials, and internal handoffs.
• Nurture relationships with key accounts to identify expansion opportunities, recurring engagements, and long-term revenue growth.
• Maintain an accurate CRM with updated outreach logs, opportunity stages, and forecasting.
• Prepare weekly pipeline reports for leadership, ensuring visibility into all active opportunities.
• Monitor progress of all opportunities and ensure no lead or account falls off the radar.

• Maintain organized server structures, folders, and documentation (Google Drive, shared drives) to ensure shared resources are current.
• Prepare meeting agendas, notes, follow-up communications, and internal documentation.
• Collaborate with Sales, Creative, Production, and Project Management teams to ensure smooth handoffs and project alignment.
• Participate in internal and client meetings via Zoom, Teams, or in person, ensuring preparation and actionable follow-up.
• Manage key accounts requiring ongoing strategic support, communication, and project coordination.
• Develop new business prospects across targeted industries and verticals.
• Leverage industry networks (PCMA, MPI, IMEX, EMS) and local conferences for lead generation and account growth.

• Strong proficiency with CRM platforms ( preferred) and Google Workspace/Excel.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage complex tasks and multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated sales acumen and comfort with outbound outreach.
• Ability to build and maintain strong client relationships.
• Experience supporting project coordination or account operations.
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and follow-through.
• Collaborative mindset, comfortable working across diverse internal teams.
• Proficiency with virtual meeting tools such as Zoom and Teams.
• Experience drafting SOWs, proposals, and managing budgets.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certificate.
• Familiarity with AI tools for research, writing, data organization, or workflow efficiency.
• Active industry involvement or networking through associations.
• Experience in experiential marketing, events, brand activations, or agency environments.
• Understanding of event production processes including design, fabrication, installation, and execution.
• Contribute to $2M+ in annual revenue through key account support and new business development.
• Maintain a healthy, accurate CRM pipeline reflecting active opportunities and next steps.
• Generate qualified leads weekly through proactive outreach, networking, and research.
• Monitor and report on all outreach activity, opportunity progression, and conversion of leads into accounts.
• Drive growth within key accounts through strategic relationship management and identification of expansion opportunities.
• Guide opportunities from initial contact through to closed business, contributing to account growth and year-over-year revenue targets.

• Work closely with the Senior Director of Client Experience & Strategy on client prioritization, pipeline…