Business Development Executive
The company:
Advantec Internet Services Ltd is a specialist web development and programming agency based near Southampton, Hampshire. We provide a range of web development, design, marketing and programming services to a variety of clients - from small local businesses up to multi-national corporations. Our typical projects can range from building a simple 10-page content-managed brochure website, to providing a large-scale, integrated online accounting system. We also provide extensive e-commerce services - including the design, build and marketing of online retail sites, which often include features such as integration with offline stock-control systems. We are a mid-market web solutions provider - with typical project values ranging between £2,000 and £20,000. Advantec is a relatively small web development agency - but is currently enjoying a rapid period of growth - something which this new role will capitalise on and develop further.
Purpose of the Role:
The sole purpose of this position is to actively generate an increase in business through sales and marketing. The company has got to its current position through very little marketing - and has never had a formal sales process. The marketing that has been carried out up to now has consisted of relatively limited direct mailing via email marketing, search engine marketing and word-of-mouth. When direct mailing campaigns have been carried out, lack of resource has meant there has been very little active follow-up and development of sales leads. With a strong track-record and excellent word-of-mouth referrals, this has not in fact proved necessary.
For the coming year, Advantec has invested heavily in a substantial direct-email and search engine marketing campaign of over ten-times the volume of previous campaigns. This role will support this campaign, following up and developing the leads that are generated and converting them in to new business.
Our direct email marketing campaign consists of mailing relevant businesses across the region on a monthly basis. Our email tracking technology enables us to track the recipients who read and click on the marketing emails they receive. A report is generated after each campaign of those recipients who clicked-through to read further details - the premise being that these are prospects potentially interested in the offer they have received via email. The Business Development Executive will spend time telephoning these prospects with the aim of developing their interest further and arranging appointments for the Managing Director.
Other sales development opportunities exist - with the follow-up and re-activation of old leads from our internal database of thousands of prospects that have previously enquired, but who have not proceeded with the business. The Business Development Executive will also assist with the creation of marketing materials - for instance the writing of email and direct mail copy, managing the booking and dispatch of marketing campaigns, liaising with providers, dealing with new incoming enquiries - and assisting the Managing Director with the creation of proposals and presentations - including attending client meetings and presentations.
The Business Development Executive will also be responsible for developing relationships with existing clients - be it in up-selling further services and products to them - or through assisting in the smooth-running of ongoing projects - for instance working with clients to obtain the necessary content required to complete their website projects.
Experience Required:
This is a predominantly sales-based role - so experience and success in a sales or business development role is essential. Experience and understanding of the telesales process would be ideal - with an appreciation of how the sometimes unforgiving nature of telephone-based sales will pay off with the proportion of leads that do convert in to new business. Although telephone-based follow-up calling is a significant part of the role, other aspects require experience of marketing - including experience of developing marketing campaigns, targeting campaigns at relevant prospects, writing sales and marketing copy - including an appreciation of layouts, graphics, typography and wording of a variety of marketing pieces for online and print campaigns. Extensive experience in a customer-facing role is essential.
Skills and Expertise Required:
- An excellent, friendly, confident and professional telephone manner
- A natural ability with the sales and lead-generation process
- Previous experience and success in a sales and business-development role is essential
- Previous experience with telephone-based sales is desirable
- Excellent written, verbal and face-to-face communication skills are essential
- Confidence in dealing professionally with clients in senior management roles within their companies
- Previous experience in a web-related company would be useful, but not essential
- Any knowledge of the process of web design and development would also be useful, but not essential
Personal / Professional Characteristics Required:
The successful candidate is likely to be outgoing and confident in dealing with people from all areas of business. They will be able to maintain a positive approach to sales development; when 99% of follow-ups are rejected - an ability to remain positive and focus on the 1% that are profitable is essential. As with all sales-based roles, being able to accept rejection professionally and continue to focus on the positive outcomes is vital. The Business Development Executive will regularly attend client meetings - mainly with the Managing Director and other web development personnel - and sometimes by themselves. As such, they need to have a professional, friendly and outgoing manner and be able to present a competent face of the company to potential and existing clients.
Salary and benefits:
Being a modern and progressive company, we promote flexible working - including opportunities to work from home and flexi-time hours. There are 25-days holiday per year.
The salary is £20,000 per-year, plus a commission of 2.5% of the value of each new contract that the Business Development Executive assists in winning. We operate a bonus scheme, whereby if company sales targets are achieved, an annual bonus of 5% of salary is awarded to staff each year.
To apply:
Send your CV with covering letter to the Managing Director: andrew@advantec-internet.co.uk
