My take on Lord Sugar’s latest rant

By November 19 2012, 1:56 pm Comments Off

I read with great interest Lord Sugar’s latest rant in Campaign last week. Not just because it’s the infamous Lord Sugar, but because I have a unique perspective on this, having been involved in selling Amscreen’s media offering from the very start before leaving the company in April to start my own media sales company.

I’m not sure what he thinks will be achieved with this tirade. This “no bullshit” approach might have worked for Amstrad back in the day when they were flogging stereos and computers to the likes of Comet and Dixons, but all it is likely to achieve now is to demoralise his own sales and marketing teams. The odd employee may emerge to support his comments but I can imagine more the quiet groans from staff on reading this article – it undermines all of their relationships and hard work. Read more »

Little Black Books

By September 27 2012, 10:16 am Comments Off

It’s been 5 months since launching Hub Digital Networks and amazingly we have already need to recruit (no agencies please!). It’s especially scary recruiting staff for your own company; you have to get it right. Many media sales jobs I see advertised place huge importance in finding someone with a ‘little black book’ of contacts, but is that really the answer or is it just an outdated, default request?

Media once had a notorious reputation, so I’m told.  Deals were done in the pub, and forgotten the next morning.  Annual conferences were held in exotic locations; jollies were five star experiences, all with no expense spared. Media owners played top trumps with expense budgets and their staff happily supplied the good times. They did all this because, once upon a time, it was all about ‘who you know’. Read more »

The public stuff sells itself

By August 30 2012, 4:24 pm Comments Off

 

I was lucky enough to visit the Olympic Park a couple of weeks ago during the Olympics. My tickets weren’t for the Olympic stadium, the Velodrome or the Aquatics Centre. No, I was there to watch Handball! Ok, so Handball may not be top of everyone’s list but it gave me a chance to take in the amazing spectacle that is the Olympic games; to walk around the park and to soak up the atmosphere of this once in a lifetime event.

For most of us who work in media, a sad reality is that you also notice ads wherever you go. And this was particularly true of my visit to the Olympic Park. So, what brands had the best poster sites, the best digital billboards or the biggest building wraps? Read more »

Being Sold To

By July 17 2012, 12:32 pm Comments Off

Having been on the sales side of media for so long, it was strange to start receiving emails and calls from other companies selling me stuff. It has proved to be a real eye-opener.

It all starts when you first register your business at Companies House (CH). The post starts arriving from businesses trying to sell me accountancy, tax and legal services. I confess that ALL of it went in the bin. The chances are that most new companies will already have their financial and legal affairs in order, and usually with companies that have been personally recommended to them. Perhaps send it to me after 6 months when my needs might have changed, or when I have discovered that I need to find a new supplier of these services. So, timing is clearly important. Read more »

Launch Pad

By June 19 2012, 5:18 pm Comments Off

The is the first in a series of blogs around the highs and lows of setting up my own Digital Out of Home media sales business

I recently launched my own Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) media sales business [plug: done] and was lucky enough to be able to get it off the ground without having to enter the Dragons Den! I’ve worked in the DOOH arena for a while now, so it was the natural place for me to launch my new business. Stick to what you know, as they say. But, what would those scary dragons have thought of my idea had I entered the Den. Well, a quick look at the astonishing growth in the DOOH sector would’ve provided a strong opening gambit, but would it have been enough to get their money (in exchange for 49% of my business!)? Read more »

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