Corey Smith Dresher Highlights Business Development Trends to Watch This Year

Business development is evolving faster than ever as new technologies, changing buyer expectations, and economic uncertainty reshape how companies generate revenue and build partnerships. Traditional strategies like mass cold outreach and generic marketing are giving way to customer-focused, data-driven approaches.

Research from Gartner shows that 67% of B2B buyers prefer a rep-free buying experience for much of their journey, while 45% use artificial intelligence during purchasing decisions. Buyers are conducting extensive research before engaging with sales teams, making strategic conversations more valuable than traditional sales pitches.

Corey Smith Dresher, Vice President at Mr Brands, believes organizations that embrace innovation while prioritizing customer relationships will achieve long-term success. Here are seven trends shaping business development in 2026.

1. AI Is Driving Smarter Growth

Artificial intelligence is transforming prospect research, lead scoring, outreach, and forecasting. AI helps teams identify high-intent prospects, personalize communication, and automate repetitive tasks, allowing professionals to focus on building meaningful relationships. Corey Smith Dresher believes combining AI with human expertise creates a significant competitive advantage.

2. Personalization Is the New Standard

Generic outreach is becoming ineffective. Buyers expect messaging tailored to their industry, challenges, and goals. AI enables businesses to deliver personalized content at scale, improving engagement and conversion rates. Relevant communication is now essential for earning customer attention.

3. Partnerships Accelerate Expansion

Strategic partnerships are helping companies reach new audiences faster through technology integrations, referral programs, and co-branded initiatives. Rather than building every capability internally, businesses are collaborating to reduce costs and create greater customer value.

4. First-Party Data Creates Better Decisions

As privacy regulations increase, first-party data has become a critical business asset. Information gathered from CRM systems, websites, email campaigns, and customer interactions enables better forecasting, segmentation, and personalization. High-quality data supports stronger business decisions and AI performance.

5. Buyers Want Trusted Advisors

Modern buyers are informed before speaking with sales teams. They value professionals who understand business challenges and provide practical solutions instead of product-focused presentations. Corey Smith Dresher emphasizes that trust, expertise, and consultative conversations are today's strongest differentiators.

6. Existing Customers Drive Sustainable Growth

Customer retention, upselling, and cross-selling are becoming major revenue drivers. Businesses that consistently deliver value strengthen long-term relationships while uncovering new opportunities as customer needs evolve.

Looking AheadThe future of business development will be defined by technology, personalization, trusted relationships, and strategic partnerships. Companies that embrace AI, leverage quality data, collaborate across teams, and focus on long-term customer success will build stronger pipelines and sustainable growth.

Corey Smith Dresher believes organizations that remain adaptable while keeping customers at the center of every decision will be best positioned to succeed in 2026 and beyond.