Advice/Opinions needed with sales idea!

[dcraigdc]

Guys,

I'm seriously considering putting together a magazine (undecided as to web based or print) for sales guys/gals around the UK.

As far as I have been able to see, there is very little in the way of literature, both online and offline, that corresponds directly to a UK audience even though there are tens of thousands of people in the job.

Almost all of the stuff that I could find (that wasn't a "buy my amazing e-book and make millions" product) was focused on a US market, cheesy taglines and all.

My question is do you think that in theory it's a good idea?

Obviously I need to do a hell of a lot more research before I can even consider taking on something like this but your thoughts would be appreciated. My main aim is to get the guys in the UK more clued up. Make them realise that saying "Hello this is John from company X, I have an amazing new product that will save you money" just doesnt cut it any more.

Any initial thoughts greatly appreciated!

[DuaneJackson]

I think in thoey it's a good idea.

Is this aimed specifically at people in sales roles or the likes of most of us here that have to wear a sales hat as well as an MD hat and engineer hat?

[Sarah-Ink Promotions]

I think its a good idea in threory, there is a lack of information in that area and a lot of the stuff Ive read is aimed at the USA market.

Well done Bond!

Miss Moneypenny :)

[dcraigdc]

Ideally both.

The thing with sales is that most of the tips and hints you learn naturally or read are fairly new to you and if you can take them on board will benefit you no end.

Primarily I think it would have to be targetted at people in sales roles but ideally I would like to do that through the MD's and managers so that the readership levels would be larger.

As a knock on effect I would like people to understand the sales roll a bit better. People have a very bad attitude to salesmen in this country (granted because most of them are in BT's Indian call centre) but I would like to see this industry at least understood. Most sales guys are ashamed to admit they work in sales which is awful and I want to be the first to address this issue.

[dcraigdc]

Is theory the troubled spelling word of the day :D

[DuaneJackson]

In feary, yes.

[WakingDragon]

Sounds like a good idea to me but I have one slight reservation.

If it is targeted at sales people in the main, would a low-key approach work? In my experience a lot of (even very senior) sales people still like to get a porsche for being the best deal-closer. That suggests to me that "buy my ebook and make millions" is going to appeal more.

[dcraigdc]

Excuse my lack of brainpower, could you explain what you would personally define as a low-key approach?

It's very true that sales people (especially senior guys) like to have the best of the best of the best. As such though we are (almost :D) impervious to sales patter. Whilst we will respect a good pitch it still comes down to the actual product and its real, not percieved value.

Of course a lot of people will still be after a quick fix and that isn't really who my target market would be. Obviously I would have to involve them in some way but it is another thing to add to my to-do list.

On second thoughts it would probably be better to bring this to the table when I have had a proper long think about it, defined my target market and set up some serious goals, done some research etc.

This is my main problem in sales, always rushing to get the pitch out before I have thought about it :D

[WakingDragon]

haha - no offence intended. :) I am one person who certainly understands the importance of both sales people and their skills.

It does depend on your target audience of course, but that was subconsciously my point (I think). It sounded to me a little like you were pitching a sales course in a more stereotypically "reserved and English" way (which is what I meant by "low-key"). That is what I took from your wishing to avoid the "Get Rich Quick" approach.

The only problem I see with it, from a non-expert and completely unproven perspective, is that, from my experience, sales specialists, who are the audience you say are most important, but admittedly you have yet to do the research, seem to respond well to extravagant offers and rewards, even though they are, as you say, probably, largely, immune to such offers when they are not backed up by substance.

Like the excessive use of qualification? This is one of the main reasons why I now totally outsource any selling. :)

[dcraigdc]

Ha ha don't worry no offence taken at all, maybe the way I worded it!

I guess the "pitch" of the magazine initially wouldnt be too difficult. There are a lot of people I know who would be interested in it and if it didnt have any competition to begin with it wouldnt be a tremendously hard sale (he says with the optimism of a salesman) :D

[Michael]

I'm A hardened sales professional who's now found himself giving away a free product!

I think it's a great idea but definitly needs to be sold exclusively so as to generate the image of it being the industry standard etc....
Could be worth teaming up with one of the online recruitment sites you know high the turnover of sales staff can be!....A good source of sales work especially managerial / executive would be popular.