Creative Business Development Representative

Business Development Representative — Upwork & Outbound Lead Generation We are an established digital agency seeking a highly organized and resourceful Business Development Representative to research, qualify, engage, and nurture prospective clients across Upwork and external sales channels. Our agency specializes primarily in: * Shopify design and development * Webflow design and development * WordPress websites * Branding and visual identity * Email and landing-page design * Website optimization and related digital services This is not a high-pressure closing position. Your primary responsibility will be to consistently identify strong opportunities, start relevant conversations, nurture interested prospects, and schedule qualified meetings for our sales team. The agency will remain anonymous during the initial application process. Additional information, portfolio examples, and internal processes will be shared with qualified candidates. Your Responsibilities Upwork Business Development * Research relevant Upwork opportunities each business day * Identify projects that closely match our capabilities, pricing, and ideal-client profile * Review client history, spending, feedback, location, project details, and other qualification signals * Prioritize high-quality opportunities rather than applying indiscriminately * Prepare personalized proposal drafts using our portfolio, positioning, and proposal frameworks * Respond promptly to messages and inbound inquiries * Ask preliminary questions to clarify scope, budget, timeline, and fit * Nurture prospective clients who are interested but not ready to schedule a meeting * Coordinate discovery calls between qualified prospects and our sales representative * Maintain accurate records of submitted proposals, responses, meetings, outcomes, and follow-up dates * Monitor performance and identify which services, proposal styles, and job types produce the best results All Upwork-sourced opportunities must be handled in accordance with Upwork’s applicable platform and communication requirements. Off-Platform Lead Generation * Research potential clients through LinkedIn, company websites, business directories, professional networks, and other approved sources * Identify companies that may need website design, development, branding, CRO, or email-design support * Find and verify relevant decision-makers and business contact information * Personalize outreach based on the company’s website, business model, recent activity, or apparent digital needs * Conduct thoughtful email and LinkedIn outreach using our approved messaging * Manage multi-step follow-up and nurture sequences * Re-engage prospects who previously expressed interest * Qualify responses before scheduling meetings * Keep lead records, notes, statuses, and next steps updated in our CRM * Help test new prospecting lists, messages, industries, and offers * Report regularly on outreach activity, response rates, qualified opportunities, and meetings booked Ideal Candidate You should be comfortable combining detailed online research with personalized written communication. The ideal candidate has: * Previous BDR, SDR, lead-generation, appointment-setting, or agency outreach experience * Experience researching and applying to opportunities on Upwork * Strong written English and close attention to detail * The ability to personalize outreach without relying on generic AI-generated messages * Experience identifying business owners, founders, marketing leaders, and other decision-makers * A basic understanding of websites, e-commerce, branding, UI/UX, email marketing, or digital agencies * Familiarity with Shopify, Webflow, WordPress, or similar platforms * Experience using a CRM or structured lead-tracking system * Strong follow-up habits and the ability to manage a large number of active conversations * The judgment to distinguish a qualified opportunity from a poor-fit or low-value lead * Reliable availability and the ability to work independently * Respect for platform policies, privacy requirements, and applicable outreach regulations Experience with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, Upwork agencies, email-verification tools, or sales automation platforms is helpful but not required. What Success Looks Like Performance will be measured through a combination of activity, quality, and results, including: * Relevant Upwork opportunities identified * High-quality proposals submitted * Proposal response rate * Qualified conversations generated * Outbound leads researched and verified * Positive response rate * Qualified meetings scheduled * Meeting attendance rate * Opportunities created for the sales team * Accuracy of CRM records and follow-up * Revenue influenced by sourced opportunities We do not want someone who simply maximizes application or email volume. We want someone who researches carefully, communicates intelligently, and consistently generates relevant sales conversations. Compensation We are open to: * Hourly compensation * Hourly compensation plus performance bonuses * A base retainer plus commission or meeting-based incentives Our preferred structure includes reliable base compensation with performance incentives tied to qualified meetings and closed business. Final terms will depend on experience, availability, and demonstrated results. This is intended to become a long-term position for the right person. There will be an opportunity to take greater ownership of our business-development process as the agency grows. To Apply Please include: 1. A brief overview of your BDR, lead-generation, or appointment-setting experience. 2. Your experience researching and applying to projects on Upwork. 3. The industries or services you have previously represented. 4. The lead-research and outreach tools you have used. 5. Your typical daily or weekly outreach capacity. 6. Your recent response-rate, meeting-booking, or pipeline results, if available. 7. A short example of an Upwork proposal or cold outreach message you have written. 8. How you determine whether an opportunity is worth pursuing. 9. Your availability and preferred working hours. 10. Your preferred compensation structure. Please begin your application with the phrase “Quality Over Volume” so we know you reviewed the complete description. We are looking for someone who is persistent without being careless, comfortable with measurable goals, and capable of representing a premium agency professionally from the first interaction.