[speaker001:] I call them discussions I don't call them interviews. Because we're
[Maggie:] Mhm right.
[Rod:] not offering quote a job. Er it's a business opportunity.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Self employed commission only. We make it absolutely on the phone. There you are.
[Maggie:] You did. [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] So that you know that I do takes notes at the other end. There are my notes and that it absolutely critical for us to know.
[Maggie:] All right yes.
[Rod:] I haven't just done that. It's quite a different coloured pen.
[Maggie:] Yeah. [LAUGHTER] He did mention that to me he did say that to me.
[Rod:] Yeah erm There are two or three things er that erm we are essential for us to find out when people phone in. Well first of all whether the the whole environment of selling advertising appeals.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Whether they can be understood on the phone. And I'm not worried about accents.
[Maggie:] No no.
[Rod:] I'm just if I can understand
[Maggie:] I think they are more acceptable nowadays anyway aren't they?
[Rod:] Oh sure. If I can understand people after twenty five thirty years in sales and marketing listening to people on the phone and knowing how important it is in this then I then that's fine. But I've actually spoken to an even a a real Tyne and Wear Geordie accent
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] I say I'm sorry I cannot understand a word you're saying.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] Or very sorry I find it very difficult to understand
[Maggie:] Yes yes.
[Rod:] er so it wouldn't be any good for us.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Because we're talking to a lot of professional people who are from all Scots you name it they're from it.
[Maggie:] Yeah.
[Rod:] So that's why we we make the advert curious enough or enough curiosity in it, no vagueness I suppose we make it vague enough to say I've got to phone in. Some people will say to us, Now I've seen your ad there's paper
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] and that paper there are two things I get from that. Either you've got a massive turnover in staff or erm you're going somewhere. I say well it's definitely the latter.
[Maggie:] The latter. [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] But there is a certain element of the former.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] Because in any self employed situation you're always going to get people who find something quote better
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] in their opinion and that's that and and they get it.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] But in terms of turnover in staff I would I would be fairly confident in saying we have the lowest one of the lowest if not the lowest in any direct sales operation.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] We happen to have the largest direct sales force of its kind in the U K anyway.
[Maggie:] Yeah. Yeah.
[Rod:] We want three hundred people by the end of this year because the business we've already got just waiting to be done in phenomenal. Well
[Maggie:] And is and is a continuation of business or is this referrals?
[Rod:] Well when you when you understand er when you get to understand the products I mean there's there all our six companies are represented over there er Maggie
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] Erm er one thing that is common across all of those products is exactly what the consultants do. And that is bring together the advertising to fund the product.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Non of that product is or ever has been or is ever going to be sold.
[Maggie:] Mm right.
[Rod:] It's all given to
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] you see this this this one you brought in here
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] unless the local printer's very cleaver somehow and got that advertising to to sponsor er the booklet they've had to charge for it.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Or they have to do what we will never do and that is take the quality out of it. Now the doctor may be quite happy with that. Say no.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] By law he's not even obliged to give them that as something as posh as that or smart as that. All he needs to do is to do a photocopy
[Maggie:] Yes. Yeah which is what I got from my doctors actually.
[Rod:] That's what I got from mine.
[Maggie:] Did you?
[Rod:] Until they came up with er a very cheap version of that.
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER] Yes.
[Rod:] And I was disappointed I went and say, Hey
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] by that time I'd been involved with.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] Erm but one of the things they did not like is for erm to have a sales consultant on the medical practice for three weeks using their
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] telephones because that's part of the deal.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] If you're not prepared to sign that contract then forget it.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Erm so there's no point in talking. There are still a number of er medical practices around who still don't agree with advertising.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] Even though their own
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] B M A have said it's quite
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] and the general medical council have said no problem. That to get back to part of your original question, the company existed on folders the the estate agent folders, for fifteen years. Five years six years ago they introduced the postal wallets because they found that estate agents were sending the very expensive glossy brochures out in the post. It was costing them extra in postage
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] and they kept asking us to print more.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] And that was expensive.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Postal wallets were the wonderful spin-off from there. And they are now getting to the point where they are are popular as the folders in terms of
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] the estate agents that take them.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] Medical practice booklets four years ago or it's five years now I guess, five years ago erm er it's almost five, legislation was brought in by the then Health Secretary Ken Clarke now our dear Chancellor. Erm when
[Maggie:] You might think so. [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] Well yes no I said, Dear. Should I say expensive Chancellor? Erm
[Maggie:] Yeah.
[Rod:] but he did I a favour at by bringing out er a law that said that they must provide something like this.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] We went to the er B M A or the G M C I'm not quite sure which and asked if we could could approach er doctors for this and they've been snapping our hands off ever since. Schools universities and colleges they were a spin-off from the parents' choice charter.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] They have to promote themselves now just as they've got to get bums on seats as they say.
[Maggie:] Mhm mhm yes.
[Rod:] Er golf clubs well golf clubs will take anything they get for free. [LAUGHTER]
[Maggie:] Mhm that's true.
[Rod:] And we bought the company last year that did that so that
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] brought it into the fold. Now so in a in a way I've answered your your er question by saying that erm we are doing an awful lot of reselling. Every two years we reprint this product and we resell the advertising.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And as we take on new assignments er two years time they'll be resales. So it's an ongoing process that the first medical pra or some medical practice booklets are just coming up for their second resale.
[Maggie:] Mhm right.
[Rod:] Schools universities and colleges in er about a year's time the first resales.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] That's they're all the new ones. So there is absolutely tons of work.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] That's why we give an absolute guarantee that we will give you continuity of assignment.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Nobody sits at home twiddling their fingers. Erm I can guarantee one other thing
[Maggie:] It's intriguing sorry go on.
[Rod:] you will earn a far sight more money than the TEC will ever pay you.
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] Even though they've been squandering our money now.
[Maggie:] Haven't they?
[Rod:] Oh.
[Maggie:] It's
[Rod:] I was my own company er does management training and I won't touch the TECs
[Maggie:] Yeah.
[Rod:] Cos I see all the waste and all the people in those organizations. And thankfully us independent consultants in training have just been er vindicated for all we've ever said about them. Because they've come out with a report saying what we've been saying for the
[Maggie:] Have they?
[Rod:] last few years.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Jobs for the boys it was. I feel very strongly about that because it was mine your
[Maggie:] Yes yes.
[Rod:] An application form.
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] If you wanna have a look through some of those products while
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] I'm have a glance through this Maggie erm please do.
[Maggie:] I know these ones. [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] Oh there'll probably be some er names that you've seen
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] and recognize.
[Maggie:] Yeah this is our this is our area this one.
[Rod:] Oh which one's that? Oh right yes.
[Maggie:] Yeah.
[Rod:] Yes. That's a strange size I don't why I don't know if we still do those. But er that came er into my hands
[Maggie:] Gazette.
[Rod:] recently so.
[Maggie:] yes.
[Rod:] So erm that's a strange size. I think somebody brought that in from er he he'd gone along when I was up here a few weeks back.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] So I kept it. [LAUGHTER]... So there's er quite a varied erm sales background here Maggie.
[Maggie:] Mm yes. Yes.
[Rod:] Stationery er Universal Supplies.
[Maggie:] I was at Universal twice.
[Rod:] Is that the big company?
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] That's the that's the one that prints the catalogue and then personalizes it. I'm sure I've I said to you on the phone I think.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] Cos I made a note Universal
[Maggie:] Yes it is and they have you know most of their own own brands which is where they make their money obviously.
[Rod:] Mm. Hampers now there's a there there's erm a market place that's advertising all the time. Was
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] this was this done by you know the subscription each week or each month?
[Maggie:] I didn't work on that side actually Rod. I worked on business to business.
[Rod:] Oh okay fine. Is there still
[Maggie:] And I and I
[Rod:] er oh to the corporate market.
[Maggie:] Yeah. I used to go to all the erm exhibitions Olympia and GMEX and all of those. Erm and then it was my job to chase up all the leads afterwards.
[Rod:] Right. Good fun?
[Maggie:] Yes. [LAUGHTER] Yes.
[Rod:] Doing the exhibitions yes.
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER] Yes. []
[Rod:] I had some sore feet
[Maggie:] Hard work
[Rod:] Yeah I know.
[Maggie:] But er everybody thinks oh you're going away stay in a nice hotel.
[Rod:] I used to run a training course on on how to run exhibitions and one of the things that that female were always surprised about I said don't where high heels on the exhibition stand.
[Maggie:] Yes yes.
[Rod:] You still see them doing it.
[Maggie:] Yes. Oh it's not worth it is it?
[Rod:] My feet are hurt, change your shoes dear. [LAUGHTER]
[Maggie:] Thankfully fashions have changed somewhat now
[Rod:] Yeah that's right.
[Maggie:] haven't they?
[Rod:] That's that's er that's we are I think we are subject to fashion all the time.
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] So the lads have er flown the coop have they?
[Maggie:] No no. The thirty year old is still at home.
[Rod:] Really.
[Maggie:] Can't get rid of him.
[Rod:] [LAUGHTER] Can't get rid of him. []
[Maggie:] And he's been working erm in in the shop. We've just closed a delicatessen actually.
[Rod:] Oh right that's right you had a deli didn't you?
[Maggie:] Erm yeah Ken had one and he's managed to erm secure early release from erm the lease which was due to finish in July. Er but since the multiples started trading on a Sunday last year our sales just went down.
[Rod:] And you're a grandmother too.
[Maggie:] Yes yeah.
[Rod:] And you dote on him I guess.
[Maggie:] We do. He comes every weekend.
[Rod:] Does he? Oh.
[Maggie:] He comes Friday to Sunday we keep him.
[Rod:] Oh can I go to grandma and granddad. [LAUGHTER]
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER] It's a big problem at the moment.
[Rod:] Now what's this? Nights at the pub network.
[Maggie:] Yeah.
[Rod:] Or is that nights at the pub
[Maggie:] Networking
[Rod:] and networking?
[Maggie:] Well it well it's really just it it mixes in doesn't it? You just meet people erm you know
[Rod:] Oh sure.
[Maggie:] Erm and it's all to do with contacts because I'm still running my own business erm of of
[Rod:] Doing what?
[Maggie:] selling hampers.
[Rod:] Oh right.
[Maggie:] But this is
[Rod:] I didn't I didn't hear that.
[Maggie:] this is something though, well they're all finished now at Christmas. But this is
[Rod:] Oh you that's right
[Maggie:] something that Ken would like to take over now.
[Rod:] Ken?
[Maggie:] My husband. Because he's always been in er in food.
[Rod:] Mm. Okay.
[Maggie:] Erm and I'm you know I'm sure now it's it's
[Rod:] Yeah it's one thing that er we have to reem reemphasize to people and usually I do it on the phone, that if people have got businesses erm the way look at it there's such a commitment by this company to
[Maggie:] I can imagine that.
[Rod:] for the self-employed even the self-employed status
[Maggie:] Yes yes.
[Rod:] erm we guarantee. Er you can see the sort of backup er from the brochure
[Maggie:] Yes yeah.
[Rod:] what sort of that we have. We not have to give we're obliged to give in terms of to keep the company going.
[Maggie:] Yes yeah.
[Rod:] Erm and we are fully aware that some people have got other things
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] quote. But it's when it interferes with the thing. They'd say
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] well it's you know it's one
[Maggie:] Yes yes.
[Rod:] or the other.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] But if there're a lot of people have got evenings you know
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] network marketing and things like that.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] As long as
[Maggie:] I think network marketing I think it I think that turns out to be jolly hard work because if you're not recruiting it's the recruitment part of it.
[Rod:] Oh yeah. That has to be
[Maggie:] If you're not recruiting.
[Rod:] Yes I mean my wife and I have had a go at that.
[Maggie:] Have you?
[Rod:] We're still we're still there but erm it it was the number of people you had to approach to get one into you. Because I there's nothing wrong with it. Eth ethically the Government have cleared it and in fact have forecast that it's going to be the one.
[Maggie:] The yes yes
[Rod:] The marketing concept.
[Maggie:] Yeah.
[Rod:] Certainly is in the State and Japan
[Maggie:] I was gonna say it's
[Rod:] sixty seven percent of business goes through network marketing.
[Maggie:] it's more commonly known
[Rod:] Yeah.
[Maggie:] abroad isn't it?
[Rod:] Unfortunately it still has the pyramid selling er
[Maggie:] Tag.
[Rod:] attached.
[Maggie:] Mm mm. That's right.
[Rod:] And of course that's illegal. I've got no
[Maggie:] Yeah we looked at er N S A. We looked at.
[Rod:] Well that's who we're with.
[Maggie:] Are you?
[Rod:] Yeah.
[Maggie:] Oh right. I wonder if this is where er from then?
[Rod:] Who?
[Maggie:] My my friend from er he lives at Sheffield.
[Rod:] Right.
[Maggie:] I wonder if that's where he's heard of you then because he you know he introduced me to N S A.
[Rod:] Oh right.
[Maggie:] I I went to some of the meetings and
[Rod:] Yes.
[Maggie:] I did a couple of workshops.
[Rod:] I don't Ian name doesn't er
[Maggie:] But er Ian.
[Rod:] Doesn't ring a bell.
[Maggie:] No.
[Rod:] No. But that's where I go. I started down there with Wakefield
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] at Wakefield.
[Maggie:] Yeah.
[Rod:] Oh yes I mean there I've I've I wouldn't be without my er filter and my er
[Maggie:] Filter well I have one yes yeah.
[Rod:] And the security products are very good too.
[Maggie:] Yes. Well I didn't see those because I didn't stay long enough. Mm.
[Rod:] Right er I've got nothing wrong with it. But of course the recruitment aspect is really
[Maggie:] Mm mm.
[Rod:] difficult and and now of course we we still retain our our distributorship but er we're not very active. Erm okay. There's the background there I've met you for for ten minutes. I've spoken to you on the phone. You can knock this one into a cocked hat Maggie.
[Maggie:] Could I?
[Rod:] Yes absolutely.
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] I will tell you right now. Well let me explain. Two or three things that we need to decide here today and that's the purpose of these discussions. Is A whether you and I think that this is er erm, if you can forget what your friend [LAUGHTER] told you about []
[Maggie:] Yeah. I it did I mean I thought afterwards I shouldn't have said that to er John because he would be thinking, Oh here's negative Nelly coming along.
[Rod:] [LAUGHTER] No that's all right. [] Erm
[Maggie:] Erm
[Rod:] You know we've got people that erm
[Maggie:] But I think if you put your thoughts on the table at least you all know where you're starting from
[Rod:] Oh sure fine.
[Maggie:] don't you.
[Rod:] Erm in fact you notice I didn't even make a note on it. It just er I remember him saying something to me. Oh you you somebody said that they had a bad time with erm
[Maggie:] Because I was insistent I want I want I wanted to speak to Rod and er I said no I when is con when is it convenient to ring back then cos he said he's got the phone glued to his ear blah blah.
[Rod:] Yes.
[Maggie:] And erm well I am the same status and I am his colleague and all this you know I can help you.
[Rod:] John gets very defensive okay.
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] Yeah. Er nice guy but he's never been in recruitment.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] So he er but he had sold. In fact he er I understand he was a very good er advertising salesman.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] They brought him inside to erm recruit without giving him any training at all and what I do has been gained over the last twenty years of recruitment.
[Maggie:] Mm mm.
[Rod:] So erm in fairness to him I think he was plunged into something he didn't have a hell in er hope in at that time of coping with. If somebody was interviewed by him and had a bad time, I can tell you I had a bad time, well to me it was a bad time, when I with him and he saw he spoke with me. Er when I was asked for my opinion afterwards erm er I said er well I I quite honestly I wasn't er interviewed. I thought for thought for fifteen minutes I was er should I or should I not join the company.
[Maggie:] Mhm mhm.
[Rod:] If you have that bad feeling, well not join the company but. However that's. Erm now the three two or three things that we're talking about today really is, er and one we've just got over I think, is that you and I er I'm I'm absolutely certain you'd knock this into a cocked hat. I've had other people here that don't come anywhere near your background and and your style and particularly your voice. Which is so critical to us.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Erm the other thing is to for you and I decide er well once you tell me that you're happy er with what's happened so far. Erm the other aspect is to decide where you feel that you er could be most comfortable environmentally.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] In other words in what environment will you feel comfortable with working in.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Now I have one of those erm it is a luxury because I have erm six companies where I want people in the north east. And to have a choice like that it means that anybody who comes in here [clears throat] is not in competition with everybody else.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] I can legitimately offer most people that came here today er I happen to have rejected a couple. Erm because that's also what we don't do hide behind reject letters.
[Maggie:] Mm mm.
[Rod:] Er regret letters. Erm is er the other thing is when.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] When we can start. We do have a fully expensed training course at head office. They vary only very slightly across all six companies but the most common thing is that that we won't send people out
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] erm blind.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Okay?
[Maggie:] Well that's not good for either is it?
[Rod:] No.
[Maggie:] I can't I can't sell unless I'm happy with the product. Er unless I believe in it myself I can't erm
[Rod:] Well er this company has er survived for twenty years. It has it can't stop growing.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] Erm we we own all the property at head office. There's no mortgage.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] We just bought a printing
[Maggie:] Brilliant.
[Rod:] Yes I know. In fact if you did a Dunn and Bradstreet
[Maggie:] That's lovely isn't it?
[Rod:] on us it would count, in effect we're cash rich.
[Maggie:] Yes yeah.
[Rod:] The concept's so simple and and the country's littered with people who thought they could do it as well as us.
[Maggie:] Mm. I noticed all the nice motors as well. I was thinking I would [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] As in fact I had a go at that I had a go at I had a go at them about another prod er another photograph. They've obviously lined up er all the best possible cars in the car park. I'm not sure is that the same photograph? Have a look at this one. Yes it is actually we use it on one of our other brochures but they've they've got all the er all the nice cars. And you see it when it generally er and also it's a perfect day. I haven't seen a perfect day like that over in Blackpool yet. But in fact where it starts here to there's the Old Mill
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] Right. These have been added on.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] It goes right the way you can see over there. It goes right the way back. Now right at the back here further down is erm the building belongs to us, all of this is own without a mortgage by us, right at the end er is we we've leased erm a section out to Pickfords
[Maggie:] Oh right yes.
[Rod:] They're moving we so desperately need, I think we've terminated and bought the lease er bought the remaining lease. We leased it to them because we need that area. We're building new training schools, we've already got a big one up on er in one of the er it's it's this end here.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] That's the whole of the training school. Cos you
[Maggie:] Crikey
[Rod:] can see all the smokers gathering along there
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] sales meeting. When you have a sales meeting there's the whole all the sales people who smoke, because it's a totally no smoking company.
[Maggie:] Yes yeah.
[Rod:] They have they by law they have to.
[Maggie:] I don't smoke I like that. [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] By law they have to put somebody er put somewhere in there for people to smoke. But it's totally no smoking all the way through.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And you see all the smokers [LAUGHTER] lining up there [].
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] So that yes. In fact that shows the erm doesn't show. But they've been there for twenty years on that spot. And of course we are looking at other products all the time. I'm just investigating for the company er going onto radio. Taking our ad that
[Maggie:] Ah.
[Rod:] you see. So if people say to you well we're always seeing their ad.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] You will because we're determined that ev you'll see our ad a lot.
[Maggie:] Everybody will.
[Rod:] [blowing nose]. Excuse me.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] But it does give to some people that that will demonstrate that we're always looking for people
[Maggie:] Yes. Mhm.
[Rod:] because we can't hold people.
[Maggie:] Yes mhm.
[Rod:] Well the the reverse is true. Always looking for people because we need to add on. How do you feel Maggie so far? Are you are you erm
[Maggie:] It sounds very interesting. Mhm.
[Rod:] Okay. What about environment which one would you?
[Maggie:] What about environment?
[Rod:] Now which one would you choose?
[Maggie:] Erm I don't know really. I don't know. Erm I mean tell me in more depth how it works
[Rod:] Right.
[Maggie:] Erm you know from the
[Rod:] Simply our consultants, go on ask the full question sorry. How it works?
[Maggie:] Yeah. I mean obviously you erm create the the interest.
[Rod:] Right. Now what we do erm and this takes an awful lot of workload from the sales consultant.
[Maggie:] Mm mhm.
[Rod:] We set up all the assignments. We have a separate marketing er executive group.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] That are travelling the U K right now on behalf of more than one of the companies. We have a marketing executive who signs up golf clubs. We have er two marketing execs three in fact that sign up schools medical practices and we have four I think to sign up estate agents.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] All independently of each other going round to the, well I say independently, but they obviously get fed a lot of information from head office where we have a telesales operation.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] Who do nothing else but phone businesses and organizations and surgeries and golf clubs and tell them about our products.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] They they will have the same script almost and say this is a free of charge item, all we need from you is this this and this and if you're interested I'm gonna ask a marketing executive to come in and agree a contract with you.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] In simple terms that's what they say.
[Maggie:] Right mhm.
[Rod:] Marketing exec goes around signing up the contracts.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Right? There will be certain discussions which I'll go into in a minute, at the at that stage which will determine what we're going to do for them. What we're going to do for them is certainly provide a free of charge product, it's the numbers
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] and the when we're going to do it.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] And the who's going to do it is not determined until a couple of days before either party knows. In other words if the estate agent or medical practice will get a phone call from us and say look we'd like to do your assignment is it convenient. They may say, Oh wow no we're just having something done at the surgery rebuilt.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] Got a couple of new doctors coming in a new practice manager can you leave it for three months. Okay so we put that back. Another one leapfrogs.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] And then we say who's available it's it's come up in North Shields erm who is available who is just finishing an assignment. Oh Maggie is erm fine where is she at the moment, oh she's at Hexham right well we'll give her a call at Hexham and say this is where your new assignment is going to be.
[Maggie:] Right okay.
[Rod:] And that finishes on the Friday or whichever day of the week and you start the next day. You can start the next day. If you decide you want a couple of days off to take your grandson shopping
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] or something like that, er or your husband even with his cheque book, then you just have to tell us.
[Maggie:] Mm mhm.
[Rod:] But if you have to tell us that you wanna week off we need some notice. Because that might be right in the middle of an assignment and they
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] do not like that.
[Maggie:] No no.
[Rod:] That's fair enough.
[Maggie:] No.
[Rod:] So if you want one
[Maggie:] So you've got to tie all your loose ends up haven't you?
[Rod:] So all of this is all set up for you.
[Maggie:] Right okay.
[Rod:] So that's really you literally only have to listen to the phone call and turn up.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] All right? Now most of the people who come to see us have never sold advertising have never wanted to. What we do is provide them all er all of them with er a training course an awareness which does include on some with some companies two days out in the field. Either before or after the course. Right?
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] Medical practices for instance two days beforehand before coming in for three days.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] Fully expensed we pay all all travelling and hotel bills.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] The reason I'm say ask people to erm give me some idea of where they feel, I may have my own ideas, where they feel, depends on the information I impart on people. That's why I like to get that out of the way. But in essence we are erm all of the sales er marketing execs are discussing the same thing with whichever organization.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] How many booklets how many postal wallets how many cards how many folders we're gonna print for them.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] That will depend on the information we get from them.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] We are er going to ask them to compile a list of businesses which they are happy for us to approach.
[Maggie:] Mhm right.
[Rod:] How are you doing your telemarketing at at the TEC?
[Maggie:] I've been provided with lists.
[Rod:] And what what what typically are they?
[Maggie:] Erm people erm the TEC database actually
[Rod:] All right.
[Maggie:] and people who have responded to circulars that they've just sent out. Where they're offering the free hours counselling and er and the two days yeah you know consultancy
[Rod:] and the investors okay yes all right. Okay and what's the sort of reaction that you're getting from them?
[Maggie:] Very good actually because it's free though isn't it? You you can't really knock it can you?
[Rod:] No. Now that would be an ea that's er telemarketing in it's in it's pure sense in that you're offering something free are you interested
[Maggie:] It's softest form isn't it?
[Rod:] it's soft. We have to harden ourselves up for this.
[Maggie:] Mm mhm mhm.
[Rod:] But if you've got the right attitude and right, as I said on the notes, right voice and the right er personality, it it's just the same as having somebody face to face. We have the luxury of course of having to go face to face anyway.
[Maggie:] Yes yes.
[Rod:] Because most telesales people don't, even in advertising.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] They do it all through the fax
[Maggie:] So after you you've erm do it would I then go out to see people, is this what you're meaning?
[Rod:] Yeah. Once you've go we what we don't do in in advertising erm whatever your er your son may do himself, is it your son in in advertising? No.
[Maggie:] No.
[Rod:] Where did I get that from?
[Maggie:] Don't know. He he was in the deli with us.
[Rod:] Oh sorry that was my last
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] my last. That's how you carry on. If I play my tape back I'll me say that again. Erm no in in terms of selling advertising we make sure that the prospective advertiser knows absolutely everything on the phone.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] We don't make appointments to go and see people to talk about advertising. Only to talk about the contract and the copy.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And to pick up a deposit cheque.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] If you if there are certain things that if you don't tell them on the phone, including the price, we tell we talk price. Yeah there's the price it's size it's this product you know the reason we're phone you because you've been identified as by the estate agent or medical practice or school as being very suitable and they would very much like you to support this.
[Maggie:] Right okay.
[Rod:] And it will cost you this. It will cost you this per year for two years.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And it will it will get to this number of people and this is how it will be used. Now that's not face to face that is on the phone.
[Maggie:] That's right yes yeah mhm.
[Rod:] And one of the things they do on the training course is is to compile a script with you.
[Maggie:] Mhm right.
[Rod:] And I had a script but after a while you don't you set that aside and use your own style.
[Maggie:] Mhm. I know
[Rod:] It's a good base to work on.
[Maggie:] Yeah. They sometimes come across stilted don't they when you're trying to
[Rod:] Yes that's right.
[Maggie:] trying to do your own thing and
[Rod:] Yes and don't don't break in I've got to read my script. [LAUGHTER]
[Maggie:] [LAUGHTER]
[Rod:] So that's that's
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] in in a nutshell what we do.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And quite honestly about it. It's not people only make this job difficult I believe erm if they don't listen to the people who's who have been doing these things for twenty years.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And er I include myself in that by having been in sales and marketing for all those years I thought I I could do anything.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] But this is so different to what I'd been doing as it is for most people.
[Maggie:] Mhm. Well as to which discipline erm
[Rod:] I feel you can do this and I know you I think you know you can do this.
[Maggie:] I would think erm estate agents or schools.
[Rod:] Yeah I wouldn't put you in estate agents.
[Maggie:] Wouldn't you? Why?
[Rod:] They've been going for twenty years and er there's er school is very much, I would have put you straight into schools
[Maggie:] Would you?
[Rod:] Yes.
[Maggie:] Oh well.
[Rod:] I'm glad you if you if you'd
[Maggie:] So I was half way there then wasn't I
[Rod:] have only mentioned estate agents I'd have I'd have been disappointed because
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] you know now you've given me a let out. Erm schools I think schools is just up your street mainly because erm And I'll tell you another why I think schools will benefit a lot of people going, first of all it's a fairly new product so we're really in the launch up stage.
[Maggie:] Mm.
[Rod:] That actually benefits us here by the way. Remember estate agents have been going for so long they say, Oh is that another folder?
[Maggie:] Mhm mhm.
[Rod:] Whereas you say I'm I'm responding here for Gosforth Park School or whatever you know, that might not exist but,
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] erm er any school because estates state schools and independent schools
[Maggie:] That's right.
[Rod:] erm there's a certain prestige about erm going on to a school. As there is with all of those but not necessarily estate agents.
[Maggie:] Yes.
[Rod:] However, the other aspect is that if you go to a medical practice you may have four or five doctors to help you out. If you go to an estate agent you may have two people to help you out.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Go to a golf club you may have just the golf secretary. Go to a school you've got fifty to sixty teachers.
[Maggie:] Mm mm.
[Rod:] And I recommend to anybody who goes on the school, I'm sure they do on the training course, that the first opportunity I would have to address erm the con er the staff meeting, you just say this is what I who I am this is why I'm here I've got a list of businesses which the school has provided with me already but I I will I may erm if I bump into you in the corridor I may just say do you know anybody else.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And they they you know if you've got a bit of style and and maturity about you that will go down well.
[Maggie:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Let's talk about schools.
[Maggie:] Mhm okay.
[Rod:] That determines the pack I bring out you see.
[Maggie:] Right.
[Rod:] I may keep that that'll be helpful I'll send that back to the school er to the er Incidentally would you like a cup of tea?
[Maggie:] I'm fine thanks Rod actually no I'm fine thanks.
[Rod:] Would you mind if I ordered one cos I am
[Maggie:] No not at all no.
[Rod:] I missed lunch and everything. Yes that coffee must be. When my wife transcribes this she'll say [recording ends]