SKILLS SUMMARY

 

A senior manager with extensive experience in business development and face-to-face sales up to ‘C’ level. Highly developed presentation and negotiation skills, able to communicate effectively both in person and in writing. A hunter, able to produce leads from cold and develop ongoing business relationships and with an in-depth understanding of the Internet and New Media.

 

 

CAPABILITIES

 

Professional Service Sales

·         Demonstrating over 25 years’ sales and marketing experience in B2B sales / sales management.

·         Working effectively with government departments such as the DTI, HMRC and the DWP.

·         Demonstrating full e-commerce awareness and familiarity with all aspects of new media and the Internet.

·         Building sales and sales pipelines and also developing reporting systems and procedures to maximise sales.

·         Driving business forward by leading from the front.

·         Negotiating the best possible result for the company in all sales situations.

 

Business Development

·         Analysing potential new markets and designing strategies to sell into them.

·         Understanding the unique requirements of channel partnership development within the SME marketplace.

·         Defining and redefining sales processes to maximise success.

·         Monitoring the marketplace to spot trends and react to changes.

·         Forecasting sales and revenue, interpreting results, and adapting quickly to take changes into account.

 

Leadership

·         Applying an extensive background in recruitment, training, motivation, and formal and 'on the job' coaching.

·         Understanding and listening to people to build and develop supportive and successful teams.

·         Delegating responsibility when advisable.

·         Resolving disputes and reducing conflict effectively.

·         Appraising staff to ensure they reach their maximum potential both personally and for the company.

·         Motivating teams to act together and in line with stated goals.

·         Training staff in house and in the field.

 

Communication

·         Communicating ideas and concepts accurately and enthusiastically.

·         Discussing sales strategies and developments openly to promote thorough staff understanding.

·         Lecturing to large audiences on a wide variety of subjects.

·         Presenting material in an easy to understand fashion.

·         Writing a wide variety of material without jargon and with directed sales messages.

·         Producing sales and marketing material of all descriptions with extensive copywriting experience.

·         Applying good IT skills in Excel, Access, ACT, Word and PowerPoint.

 

Personal

·         Adapting readily to changing circumstances and situations and learning quickly about new subjects.

·         Making sometimes painful decisions in the best interests of the company.

·         Getting to the heart of problems by focusing on critical information and issues.

·         Setting high but achievable standards of performance both personally and for others.

 

 

CAREER HISTORY

 

2008 - 2009                European Channel Sales Manager, Alibaba.com, China

                                      The world’s sixth largest Internet company and 2007’s second largest IPO after Google. Alibaba.com is a B2B trade site with over 32 million members internationally.

 

·         Launched Alibaba.com outside China

·         Negotiated high-level joint venture partnership in Turkey

·         Negotiated major revenue share partnership in the UK

·         Negotiated similar deal in the US, Spain and South America

·         Developed UK Government contacts and support on behalf of Alibaba

·         Negotiated online advertising deals in EMEA

·         Trained partners in online marketing techniques

 

2006 - 2008                Business Development Manager, Cost Advocates, London

                                      A legal practice specialising in legal costs negotiation and in a funding and fee sharing arrangement with Capita. Cost Advocates works for the insurance industry, local / central government, private enterprise and the media, analysing and negotiating third-party legal bills.

 

·         Increased sales in year 1 by £750,000

·         Reinvigorated a failing sales organization to an industry leader

·         Produced successful UK Government tenders

·         Negotiated exclusive insurance vertical contracts in excess of £5m

 

2005 – 2006               Director of UK Sales, HarvestINFO Inc, Mason, Ohio. USA

                                      An ASP service provider to the media industry enabling newspapers, radio and television companies to develop additional revenue via online shopping and compete with Internet giants such as Google, eBay and Craigslist.

 

·         Exceeded all targets for new business acquisition in the UK

·         Exceeded all targets for new business turnover (£1.5M)

·         100% success engaging at decision maker level with UK media companies

·         Negotiated online adserving deals with major UK players

·         Up sold print ad repositioning to full online offering

 

2002 - 2005                Sales & Marketing Manager, beprofessional.com Limited, London        

An Internet company jointly formed by Deloitte and City legal firm Berwin Leighton Paisner to deliver business processes online on a subscription basis.

 

·         Drove online subscription sales from zero to 37,000 in three years

·         Realised revenue in excess of £3m in the same period

·         Negotiated exclusive deal with Barclays Bank

·         Took company from an unknown to market leader

·         Closed distribution deal with PC World

 

 

1998 - 2002                Head of Sales, electrobug.com, London           

A B2C portal designed to assist consumers with the online purchase of complex electrical products.

 

·         100% success rate in signing up online retailers

·         Devised and drove the sales process

·         Pioneered the pay-per-click pricing model in the UK

·         Trained and motivated a 50 strong telesales team

 

 

1992 - 2000                Sales & Marketing Consultant / Freelance Copywriter / Trainer, Rivermead Business Management Ltd, Swanley         

A self-owned company acting as a sales and marketing consultancy to the Italian domestic appliance industry as well as producing written copy, sales training courses and motivational seminars.

 

·         Developed custom ‘web copy’ to drive sales

·         Re-wrote the entire UK HMRC website for a tier-one audience

·         Grew company to a £150,000 a year turnover

·         Acted as web content advisor to central and local Government

·         Pioneered specialist web content as opposed to recycled print content

 

 

1986 - 1992                General Manager, Hoover Plc, Mid Glamorgan

 

·                        Launched Hoover’s Built-in Appliance Division

·         Achieved year 1 turnover of £1m

·         Exceeded all initial performance targets

 

 

1978 - 1986                Area Sales Manager, GKN Stenor Ltd, Kew

 

1975 - 1978                Trainee Sales Representative, GKN Stenor Ltd, Kew

 

 

 

 

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

 

MBA Magna cum Laude - University of Phoenix Online, Sept 2007

FInstSMM - Fellow of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management

Member of MENSA