Business needs ideas..

[ysnnim]

Colleague of mine owns/runs a small business (150k t/o) and through circumstances has not been in a position to bring in enough sales to increase his revenues, and now has had to cut back on staff to try and make ends meet. The business is involved in implementing 'systems' to enable checks to be carried out on a variety of subjects such as security, health and safety, equipment etc... It currently has contracts with a number of compnaies including British Nuclear Fuels, London Underground and BT. With the ever increasing need to check and monitor 'stuff' around the workplace it seems to be like a good area to be involved in. I can think of a bunch of areas in which this type of system could be used, but alas, I am up to my eyeballs with my own company.

He is faced with a couple of choices -
Sell the company - however not good as revenes flat, profits not great
Get investment - possible solution as business is in niche area, has track record, customers etc...
Get someome to get sales in - again possible solution, although have to be on commission only basis as no cash to pay salary.

This is not much to go on, however i hope there is enough to show that there is an opportunity here (for someone!), please drop me an email for more info etc...(Business based in East Sussex...

Cheers

David

[rustybin]

Another thought would be to merge with another company with similar markets such that a dedictaed sales and marketing person can be justified as they would be selling a wider protfolio of produts into potential clients.

[Greenie]

Is your friend's name Chris by any chance?

[FUGatso]

I have sent you an e-mail

[Greenie]

Thanks for confirming the name. I know the company and the products.

The product and their backup is excellent and as you say they should be doing very well with a good product, growing market and proven large company applications.

If he sells the company he is not going to get much back compared to the development time they have put in. So he needs to sell more. I have noticed that they have done a lot of trade advertising recently which obviously hasn't worked (rarely does).

He needs to get a telemarketing/email campaign going and take on a sales person to get more interest in the products. As he doesn't have the money I think his best option will be to take on an equity partner who is more salesy to compliment his development/product skills. Failing that tell him to shave off his beard and he will get more sales

I'm sure there are some good sales people on PH who would be interested in this opportunity if they are bored with being a wage slave. It really is a brilliant product with a real and growing market.

[ysnnim]

Greenie,

That is exactyl what I felt about the company - ticks in all the right boxes, but no dedicated sales focus...I have a few channels/opportunities I can explore for them, however I have other interests to look after - so cannot dedicate the time it really needs.

As you say, it is a very good company...

Cheers

David

[FUGatso]

I've sent you a mail, but i do have the ability to supply contract sales resource based on return rather than salary. I also have a contract relationship with a similar company that could be useful if he decides to sell or work with them

[srebbe64]

Sad to say, but "a poor product well marketed" will always outsell "a good product poorly marketed". Like someone else mentioned, I'd be inclined to look at some sort of merger/cooperation with a company selling to a similar client base which already has an established sales & marketing infrastructure.

[V8 EOL]

I am sorry but I disagree with some of these posts. I am not being aggressive or difficult, I am really trying to help, but it is though love.

assesers_of_the_company said:

...it is a very good company...

How do you measure good? I have no doubt that the company is professional, honest with a good quality product. However it will soon not be a company at all with declining revenue and a small order book. I bet the people who were/about to be made redundant would not describe it as good.

suggesters_about_sales_people said:

but no dedicated sales focus...

At the heart of any company must be a salesman. Why will bringing in a new sales/marketing person solve all of the problems? Surely the people who are most involved, know most about the products, know most about the market, know most about the customers... (I could go on) are the best possible people to sell.

If you cant open doors then push harder.
If you cant put a good presentation together then get some training and help. Those companies are 2 a penny.
If you cant close then really listen, change your strategy and try again.
If you cant sell because the market has changed, change with it.
If you cant sell, you don’t have a company.