Business development manager, sales, marketing person ?
Discussion
I am possibly looking for someone to work with me on putting clear and precise structures in place for our business.
We have no sales staff, no marketing structure, and all of our business is word of mouth or strength of brand in a very niche sector, and we are doing ok, seven figure t/o, 20+ staff.
We are exceptionally good at “making things”, or piecing together how to make things, from sketch on paper, prototype to full production if required.
I won’t go into great detail on here but what we are not so good at is clear structure for sales and marketing. I have been told it’s because we are “typically eccentric engineers & creative types” whatever that means!
We have the infrastructure and skills to go so many directions but I need to find a solution for reigning in and clearly structuring or splitting the business into several different areas/markets/services.
I really do not want to use an external consultants, from experience these are generally failed business people who talk straight from text books, I can do theoretical business myself.
I have also had bad experiences with employment “specialists” who are generally clueless and have no idea how to filter top end candidates from the chaff.
I would ideally like to employ someone to join the team who can really see the potential and get their teeth into things and see a positive future for themselves, not just turn up on day one demanding a huge salary and car for doing “stuff”.
Just throwing ideas on the table at the moment, no clear idea where to go with this and welcome any pointers. This is a rant going around in my head as much as anything else at the moment and I need to share.
Thanks
We have no sales staff, no marketing structure, and all of our business is word of mouth or strength of brand in a very niche sector, and we are doing ok, seven figure t/o, 20+ staff.
We are exceptionally good at “making things”, or piecing together how to make things, from sketch on paper, prototype to full production if required.
I won’t go into great detail on here but what we are not so good at is clear structure for sales and marketing. I have been told it’s because we are “typically eccentric engineers & creative types” whatever that means!
We have the infrastructure and skills to go so many directions but I need to find a solution for reigning in and clearly structuring or splitting the business into several different areas/markets/services.
I really do not want to use an external consultants, from experience these are generally failed business people who talk straight from text books, I can do theoretical business myself.
I have also had bad experiences with employment “specialists” who are generally clueless and have no idea how to filter top end candidates from the chaff.
I would ideally like to employ someone to join the team who can really see the potential and get their teeth into things and see a positive future for themselves, not just turn up on day one demanding a huge salary and car for doing “stuff”.
Just throwing ideas on the table at the moment, no clear idea where to go with this and welcome any pointers. This is a rant going around in my head as much as anything else at the moment and I need to share.
Thanks
Or hire 2-3 people. andy-xr said:
You need a good strategy manager or a NED, someone who can look at the business and say 'this is what we do and we do it well' and crucially 'this is what we dont do, even if we could do it'
They will probably be part time, as and when needed but will keep an eye on what the company goals are, and if needs be help define them. Good ones are rare, you might find the IoD can help, but watch out for those who're waiting for an invite to Dragons Den (they'll never get one).
I dont think a sales/marketing person or persons will help you, you're about 3 steps away from them at the moment as they'll sell/market anything they can to get a result that keeps them in a job, all the while you're adding resource and changing the way the company moves
Good points, thanks. I have no idea what a NED is though?They will probably be part time, as and when needed but will keep an eye on what the company goals are, and if needs be help define them. Good ones are rare, you might find the IoD can help, but watch out for those who're waiting for an invite to Dragons Den (they'll never get one).
I dont think a sales/marketing person or persons will help you, you're about 3 steps away from them at the moment as they'll sell/market anything they can to get a result that keeps them in a job, all the while you're adding resource and changing the way the company moves
I do agree with other points on here about sales/marketing people. Perhaps I should have removed from the title and left just business development or strategy manager.
andy-xr said:
The thing is, you probably need someone fairly impartial and objective. Anyone you actually employ who's earning a salary is going to be favouring what they want to do over anything else.
t hot", I think that will be on all my stationary from now onwards...Frimley111R said:
BGARK said:
Frimley111R said:
set up a marketing programme with an agency
How many agencies would do this on a commission / ROI basis?Perhaps all I'd add to this is, choose an agency with a focus on the commercial element of marketing, not just a design/website agency. Make sure you are dealing with marketing experts, not simply website designers, PPC specialists if you are looking for a programme/strategy/direction.
Frimley111R said:
Indeed. Ideally all businesses should use marketing to acquire and retain customers/clients using a programme so they they know what they are spending and what they expect to receive in terms of orders. For example, the next month you know you will spend £X on PPC, content marketing, emailing and social media. From this you know that you should expect X leads of which you will convert XX% to orders.
Over time experience shows what you can expect and when and from doing what but starting from scratch will inevitably be, to some extent, a learning process and I'd argue that it always will be although as time goes on the learning (i.e. testing new/better way to generate leads) will decrease.
Agreed, and I have sat around many a table nodding about marketing strategies, various jargon and all good theoretical stuff, what I need is someone who can actually roll up their sleeves and get on with it, and do it very well with clear discipline and repetitive monthly structure. Over time experience shows what you can expect and when and from doing what but starting from scratch will inevitably be, to some extent, a learning process and I'd argue that it always will be although as time goes on the learning (i.e. testing new/better way to generate leads) will decrease.
Either that or I employ someone to do it, but... see original post.
TwoLeadFeet said:
Reading between the lines I expect you have chaotic and uncontrolled selling by your "eccentric engineers". They probably mostly pursue (and prepare bids for) opportunities which interest them technically, and don't generally consider the commercial or strategic aspects.
I also expect they project manage these jobs themselves, probably sorting out their own project purchasing (you may have a buyer but they just process the requisitions) and sales invoicing (the finance department will raise the invoices once the engineer has remembered to tell them, which they frequently forget as that's the 'boring' non-technical part).
Although your clients like working with your engineers and you've won most of your work on the basis of a good reputation for delivering quality, well engineered, solutions, you recognise that the company can't carry on working this way and grow to its full potential.
If any of the above is even partially correct then I believe you need to consider more than just the lack of sales & marketing. Adding more sales, albeit in a disciplined and structured way (i.e. you know what your sales opportunities pipeline looks like, you can analyse your market segments and have a strategy to maximise them), into an existing chaotic project delivery process won't be a good outcome. Trust me, I've been there...
Almost 100% correct.I also expect they project manage these jobs themselves, probably sorting out their own project purchasing (you may have a buyer but they just process the requisitions) and sales invoicing (the finance department will raise the invoices once the engineer has remembered to tell them, which they frequently forget as that's the 'boring' non-technical part).
Although your clients like working with your engineers and you've won most of your work on the basis of a good reputation for delivering quality, well engineered, solutions, you recognise that the company can't carry on working this way and grow to its full potential.
If any of the above is even partially correct then I believe you need to consider more than just the lack of sales & marketing. Adding more sales, albeit in a disciplined and structured way (i.e. you know what your sales opportunities pipeline looks like, you can analyse your market segments and have a strategy to maximise them), into an existing chaotic project delivery process won't be a good outcome. Trust me, I've been there...
DragsterRR said:
What do ya make dammit?
I cannot really say on here, but pretty much almost anything.My passion is in innovation and new ideas, talking something from a sketch on a white board through to CAD modelling, prototype and production. (although I get some help on the CAD part)
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