APIs make deal execution much easier, but there will still be a place for negotiating distribution within an application or through other channels for anyone that is not a completely (or almost completely) open ecosystem.
Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
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Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#12For my site in the travel industry, I need a bizdev guy to get me access to the APIs. Also, not really. There are a ton of biz dev relationships that require more than just an API. Making a public API where "The constraints, the terms, everything is all there" probably isn't worthwhile if you don't plan for many to use the API. In the cruise industry, not many players want access to the cruise API, so they negotiate…
APIs definitely won't replace bizdev, but you have to admit, for a lot of industries, it's making the process a lot more efficient. Look at all the companies that are opening up APIs. The New York Times just opened up an API to their entire catalog of articles, definitely wasn't expecting that. These APIs are making the cost of doing business a lot lower.
The NYT example is a bad one because any commercial use of of the API is forbidden per the Terms of Use [1]. It seems like the API would be a pretty bad starting point if you were a business that wanted a relationship with the NYT.
[1] e. YOU SHALL NOT: (i) use the NYT APIs for any commercial purpose or in any product or service that competes with products or services offered by NYT. (from: http://developer.nytimes.com/Api_terms_of_use)
Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#13I'm not sure why this title was chosen, the article itself says >So now the million dollar question - have APIs made BizDev obsolete? Definitely not. The articles own title APIs are just BizDev 2.0 is far better.
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Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#14An API is only part of a relationship. Even when the relationship is based on an API. For example, anyone can build an App for Shopify's app store. But, some apps are featured more than others, some apps are blogged about more by the Shopify team, and some apps are promoted by Shopify staff in the forum.
Yes, anyone can integrate with the easy to use API, but it's bizdev that turns an integration into a channel to acquire more customers. (This may apply more to B2B software than consumer)
Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#15I guess someone remembers pg's tweet: https://twitter.com/paulg/statuses/171840230373081088
Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#16No, APIs won't make Biz Dev obsolete.
Yes, APIs will cause the role of Biz Dev to evolve to the next step in it's business function in the same general direction that the Internet has forced sales people to evolve.
Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#17APIs do not eliminate biz dev, but they do make it easier and faster to get deals done. I get the impression that the author might not have a firm grasp of what business development people actually do ("they do deals" is not a sufficient explanation).
I know that biz dev people love self-service APIs - and that they're no longer the gatekeepers of API keys, and can instead focus that time on creating unique partnerships and closing more deals.
Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#18This would be much more insightful perhaps if the author had any actual experience either developing an API or doing business development. He appears to have none.
Nonetheless, as others have said, APIs facilitate and accelerate true business development.
Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#19By looking at the API, Instagram immediately knows that they indeed can post a picture on someone’s timeline,
Today. At this very moment.
And tomorrow, without an actual contract, that mechanism could be taken away from you.
Re: Are APIs making Biz Dev obsolete?
#20By looking at the API, Instagram immediately knows that they indeed can post a picture on someone’s timeline, Today. At this very moment. And tomorrow, without an actual contract, that mechanism could be taken away from you.
Good point. APIs can speed things up, but ultimately you'll need bizdev people to close the deal.