Growing Pains
I have always thought about growing the internal sales team at Blue Whale Media. The main problem has been I have been thinking about it for 7 years. Ok well, I have not been thinking about it for 7 years all the time, but there have been several times when I have been close to at least trying to recruit. The main reason I have always wanted to recruit another salesperson is that I was fully aware to grow the company and brand we need more than just good old me. You might be thinking why did it take so long to get my arse into gear?? Well, there are loads of reasons I could make up. The truth is there always seemed other reasons to spend money elsewhere.
But 8 weeks ago, I took the plunge and moved one person from another department into sales/appointment making and recruited somebody else to also make appointments and sell. Guess what happened next… More Opportunities, More Pitches, More Meetings, More Sales. The new business brought in within the last 8 weeks has more than trebled and the business has been able to look at expanding on the back of this. Yes, I wish I had done this at least 3 years ago. Just goes to prove you are always learning even when you are the MD.
Increase in New Customers
Bringing in two new sales staff has increased new customers numbers and it’s also helped Blue Whale Media grow in the local market space in Warrington. Locally we have started to do more business with local companies around Birchwood and the surrounding boroughs. It’s also not just small new businesses we are talking to and engaging with. It’s bigger companies that employ 55,000 people with global appeal. I can honestly say this would not have happened if the two new sales guys had not been added to the Blue Whale Media Team. Don’t get me wrong it’s been difficult and both new sales guys have had to have the right mindset and be willing to learn. But this a great mindset to have in a growing company which has new skills and products to sell weekly. I guess I will never know where we would be now if I had taken the plunge years ago. But I can also say it has been the perfect time to do it as everything was in place and ready for when the upsurge in work started.
Dealing with The Effects
It’s great growing the business and it’s even better bringing on loads of new customers. However, with adding more customers in at one end, also means we have needed to add resources to deal with the new demand.
This means two new web designers have also joined the Blue Whale Media Team. Yes, two! The two new creative talents are both very keen and very creative. I have only seen some of the work produced so far but let’s just say competition between the designers is stepping up!
Lack Of Space
“Crap we have run out of room”… That’s what I and the Operations Director said when we added in four more desks for the two designers and two sales staff of the Blue Whale Media Team. It was only 18 months ago we moved into our new lovely offices and even then I thought “this will do us fine for the next five years while we grow”. How wrong could I be… VERY … is the answer.
So now after starting 8 weeks ago by just adding in a couple of sales staff, growing customer numbers and increasing the production team by two people, we have had to start to look for additional space. Not what I had planned 18 months ago but I would not change a thing.
The Future
The future looks bright and if having to grow a little quicker than I first thought is the answer then that’s fine by me.
If the last 8 weeks have taught me anything, it is that sometimes-taking small risks or acting on your instincts can bring good rewards. You just need to not sit on ideas for 3 or 4 years. Instead just take the bull by the horns and go for it like my partner in crime says somethings thinking too hard just makes your brain hurt and doesn’t achieve anything.
Bye for now
So, I said I was going to write a blog once a month for you all, but as this is only my third blog of 2018 I’m going to say I failed that challenge. But let’s all look forward to 2019 and try and push our businesses to greater heights.
Gary Sweeney (Managing Director)
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