Practical BizDev Tips
Prospecting & Cold Outreach in the Games Industry
Kristian Kolvek, Tobias Sjögren, Lilia Gurova, Ivan Gradev and Andrii Lukianov
Prospecting: Where to Find New Leads
- Conferences: GDC, Gamescom, Nordic Game
- Online Platforms: LinkedIn, MeetToMatch
- Job Boards: GameJobs.co
- Competitor Research: Analyze partnerships
- MobyGames: Credits for decision-makers
Research Before You Reach Out
- Know your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
- Research their projects and hiring trends
- Engage with their LinkedIn content
- Understand their market/investment climate
Cold Outreach Best Practices
- Personalize every message
- Be clear and concise
- Show immediate value
- Offer solutions, not generic services
- Follow up with useful content (case studies, news)
Cold Outreach: What NOT to Do
- No long, generic messages
- Avoid automation or spammy AI-sounding messages
- Don't ask for a meeting too early
- Limit follow-ups (1-2 times in 2 weeks)
- Contact the right role (do your research!)
Follow-Ups: Persistent, Not Pushy
- Add value in every follow-up
- Use different channels: LinkedIn, email, voice notes
- Respect time and space
- Humor works (when appropriate)
Online vs. Offline BD
- Offline: Build trust & personal connection
- Online: Maintain & scale relationships
- Best results: Combine both approaches
Keys to Long-Term BD Success
- Think long-term: focus on relationships
- Be authentic
- Help first, sell second
- Honesty builds trust
- Your reputation is your biggest asset
Keep Learning & Improving
- Understand game dev challenges
- Stay updated on market trends
- Learn from rejections
- Document meetings and feedback
Handling Rejections
- Don't take it personally
- Focus on reply rates, meetings, conversions
- Celebrate small wins
- Rejections today aren't 'no' forever
Key Takeaways
- Conferences & Events are vital
- Personalized outreach always wins
- Follow-up with value, not noise
- Be human, think long-term