The winner of the 2010 BESMA sales professional of the year for companies under 50 employees is Mike Weedon. He credits a lot of his success to the managers who have believed in him. Currently, he works as a salesperson managing life cover contracts at Progress from Royal Liver. Salestarget.co.uk spoke with him about his career and his job.
Q. What's the British Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards application process like?
A. It's a stiff interviewing and application process. We submitted an in-depth paper to BESMA highlighting the role I currently do. You have to respond to a number of questions, and once they assess the applications, you are shortlisted. At a later date, if shortlisted you are invited to attend an interview day and take part in a roleplaying session where you are interviewed by four judges and assessed by a sophisticated computer scoring system. – the judges then assess the results to clarify they are happy with the outcome. The fantastic news for me was that I came out on top.
Q. Did you enjoy it?
A. The whole award process makes you focus on the way you do your job. I recommend all sales professionals to enter BESMA next year. The feedback you get is extremely useful. We're not perfect. I may have won the award but I think it still highlights areas where I can improve.
Q. How competitive is your office?
A. Competitive while respecting each other. But before we went in to the awards, we said so long as one of us won and one of us came runner up, we weren't bothered how it went. And that's what happened. Nick Erskine came runner up. I was delighted I was fortunate enough to win.
Q. Did you switch into the financial sales sector?
A. I have always worked with financial services. I was doing an accounting degree in university, and they could have been speaking in Mandarin because it just wasn't going in. It just didn't work for me, so I switched to financial services then. In my final year, I was in the quandary where most students are where, academically, I was all right, I had my GCSEs, but I had no work experience. So I applied with a company called Financial Options, and a chap called Andrew Bedford recruited me and brought me into the industry. And since then, I've never looked back.
Q. What are some of the things you've learned along the way in your career?
A. I've learned more in the last five years in my current role with my current boss Mike Farrell than I have. My boss is very inspirational, very informative. The fact that he has done the job himself means that he can share a lot of his skills with us and develop us all into what is a very competitive, but more important very balanced sales team. Different people have stood out but I'd say in the last five years of progress from when I arrived, I feel like I have really come into my own, consistently hit my sales targets.
Q. Sounds like you have a good manager.
A. I been fortunate enough to be guided by a manager that can pass on several skills – I've been very lucky in that. Unfortunately he didn't win his award which was a real shock to us, and it was the first award of the night. So we were like, "Oh, no, there is quite of bit of pressure on us". He has always built the right team. It's a bit like the England football team at the moment in that you put the 11 best players together and they don't perform. I think some teams are like that but what he has done is build a team that complements each other as a result we picked up awards and the business is run profitably. A lot of the credit goes to him.
Q. Sounds like a good office.
A. Like any sales environment, we are competitive but not to the point that it's cut-throat. I think he's fortunate that he has a small sales team of six people who buy into the company's objectives. I think that it is important, we are prepared to share experiences and help each other reach the goals of the company, as well as individual goals. That point of view is refreshing to see in this day and age.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. The variety and being part of a small team. The role that I have is transparent. There's nowhere to hide. You've got to deliver. The fact that we've got a flat managerial structure gives me exposure to decision makers where ordinarily, in a conventional account manager role, I wouldn't get. And I think that has allowed me to develop my negotiating skills.
Individuals have excelled due to the culture and the fact there are only 24 individuals - so, even though we are a small team/organisation we have consistently punched above our weight.
Q. What skills are vital to the financial sales sector?
A. It's a real combination. You have to have a good understanding of the industry. Be able to empathise with the market. Be able to negotiate and position the product against competitors. You got to be able to present your client with the professionalism it deserves. You need to be able to unlock some of the features and benefits of the product that you've got. It's not all about price in the work that we do.
Q. What are the real benefits of a financial sales career?
A. I think it's very rewarding. We're in uncharted waters at the moment but we're going to come out of it. I think if anyone wants to come in now, they'll have a really good career path – financially and personally. It's an exciting diverse industry that is going through a very difficult period but if we get through this, then we can probably get through anything. There are opportunities out there. Nothing is forever.
Q. What is the biggest challenge you face in your position?
A. The dynamics of the economy. Budgets are tight and disposable incomes are going down now.
Q. Any tips for success?
A. You got to have drive. You got to have energy. And you got to be able to take knocks because not everyone is going to want to see you – but you stay focused. You stay organised. You have a clear plan that you adhere to. It's just about making sure that you are spending your time in the right areas. It's all about preparation. It's about understanding the client, making sure there is something in it for them. It's more than just showing up for a chat. It's making sure you add something of value.
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