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If you’ve been following our social media channels recently, you’ll have spotted that we are now the (incredibly!) proud owners of the Communities and Reputation Award from NEPIC!

For a long time now, we have been working to support our clients in a variety of ways – not just with their business growth and visibility – but also in supporting an incredible range of organisations within those communities too. From an internal perspective, we have also been driving positive change throughout our own business too, focusing heavily on greener, more sustainable business practices, supporting a local supply chain and ultimately using the business as a force for good.

As a certified B Corp business, it’s crucial to us that we succeed in this mission – of putting our people and planet first, but as a team, we could not be more proud to have taken away this amazing award from the superb Nepic Annual Awards.

Thank you to category sponsors BP, and our friends and cheerleaders who joined us on the night too!

Do you want to work with an award-winning company? Take a look at our Solutions page to see how.

Are you a CEO or Managing Director? Have you considered tackling a new challenge this year and want to do good with it at the same time?

Why not join us at Just Williams and incredible CEO Adventurer, John Beamson, as we host a group of 30 business leaders to take on the mighty Yorkshire 3 Peaks! Scaling the peaks of Pen-y-Ghent (694 metres), Whernside (736 metres) and Ingleborough (723 metres), usually in this order, and in under 12 hours, the Y3P is not something to be sniffed at! These hills form part of the Pennine range, and encircle the head of the valley of the River Ribble, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Our intrepid adventurers will set out from Scotch Corner with dedicated private travel (and return to the same point) for a day of exceptional scenery, personal challenge and of course – some amazing fundraising at the same time. To participate, each hiker must pledge to raise a minimum of £1000 in sponsorship, which is to be split between the Just Williams chosen charity partner – Catalyst Stockton – and the charity of their choice.

We have already seen exceptional interest in joining this event so we are asking for each potential hiker to complete a short application form, with fee and all applications will be reviewed and confirmed as soon as possible. Please note, your place is not guaranteed until you have received confirmation of a place.

Your application fee includes, cost of application, kit list and training plan, travel to and from Scotch Corner on event day, survival kit, access to a support vehicle throughout, T-Shirt and medal or patch, pint at the end (or similar!) and all refreshments for event day itself. Weather permitting, we are hoping to capture some amazing drone footage of our team on route which we can share, post-event too.

The #JWY3P will be lead by experienced mountain leaders and we will be accompanied by a team of highly trained and certified guides. Our team’s safety is paramount and we have pulled together an exceptional team of partners to help bring this event to you.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION – HOW TO APPLY:

Download the application form and complete your application transaction here.

Please note – applications received without the completed form or application fee will not be processed and reviewed.

Places are extremely limited so please complete your applications as soon as possible! **NB – if your application is unsuccessful, your application fee will be refunded**

For more information, or queries, please contact info@justwilliamsltd.co.uk or call 01642 955862.

Please apply via Indeed here. No agencies please.

In today’s dynamic business landscape, companies of all sizes are constantly seeking ways to maximise their resources and drive growth. Among the many critical aspects of business management, sales and marketing play a pivotal role in ensuring a company’s success. Traditionally, businesses have relied on hiring and maintaining internal sales and marketing teams to handle these functions. However, in recent years, outsourcing sales and marketing has emerged as a strategic alternative that offers several compelling advantages.

Outsourcing involves partnering with third-party professionals or agencies to handle specific business functions or processes. When it comes to sales and marketing, outsourcing can encompass a wide range of services, from lead generation and customer acquisition to content creation, social media management, and more.

Say hello to Just Williams…

We are asked often about the benefits of outsourcing sales and marketing – so we thought, it’s time to put it on (virtual) paper.

Let’s talk cost-efficiency:

One of the primary reasons businesses opt for outsourcing sales and marketing to us is the significant cost savings we offer. Hiring and maintaining an internal team involves numerous expenses, including salaries, benefits, training, office space, and equipment. On the other hand, outsourcing allows you to pay for services you need, reducing fixed overhead costs. You can allocate resources where they are most needed without the burden of full-time salaries.

All about our expertise:

Sales and marketing require a diverse skill set, including market research, content creation, design, project management and data analysis (to start!). Building an internal team with expertise in all these areas can be challenging and expensive.

Outsourcing provides access to a wide range of specialists with proven track records in their respective fields. You can tap into the expertise of digital marketers, graphic designers, content creators, and sales professionals who are well-versed in the latest industry trends and best practices.

Risk reduction, and quick to function:

Market dynamics are constantly evolving, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies can be challenging. Outsourcing mitigates this risk by relying on professionals like us, who are dedicated to keeping our skills and knowledge current. We can adapt quickly to changes in the industry, ensuring your business remains competitive.

“I see…measurable results…”

No skeletons in the cupboard here. Outsourcing sales and marketing with Just Williams comes with clearly defined metrics and reporting structures designed for you. This means you can easily track the effectiveness of your campaigns and strategies, making it easier to measure ROI and make data-driven decisions.

While hiring internal staff for sales and marketing has been the traditional approach, outsourcing has become a viable and strategic alternative for businesses seeking cost-efficiency, expertise, flexibility, and reduced risk. By leveraging the skills and resources of outsourced professionals like us, you can stay competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment while focusing on what your company does best.

Want to see what outsourcing with Just Williams could look like for your business? Check out our Solutions and let’s chat.

We’re looking for someone to join our team!!

The Business Support Executive is an exciting, fast-paced role that is a great opportunity for someone looking to join a company and help it grow. Take a look at the role below and if you’re interested, either contact Emma for an informal, confidential chat (07939 551512, emma@justwilliamsltd.co.uk) or go straight to apply via Indeed.

Business Support Executive
24-37.5hpw, £20,995 – £23,995 dependent on experience.

We are Just Williams, a sales and marketing organisation based in Stockton on Tees with clients operating nationally. We work with businesses to help them grow and improve their visibility and profile in their markets – we do that through a unique combination of sales and marketing activities that are tailored to each client.

We are a certified B Corporation too, a global movement of companies who believe in business as a force for good, ensuring our team, our environment and our customers can thrive.

Our business has evolved significantly over the last eight years, and we are now looking for a new member of the team to help take us into the next stage of Just Williams – and we very much hope that could be you.

As a Business Support Executive you will be responsible for:

• Conducting research on behalf of Just Williams and our clients across multiple platforms and compiling your findings into reports to share.
• Data management, including maintaining our inhouse CRM and those of our clients, where appropriate and ensuring all information is correct and up to date.
• Shared office management, including sourcing new suppliers that fit within the requirements of B Corp, a local and ethical supply chain and developing good relationships in the community, stock and control of equipment and contracts attached (eg annual PAT testing arrangements etc).
• Events, Exhibitions and Membership Organisations – we attend many events throughout the year, the Business Support Executive will support the planning, logistics, booking and management of an approved event calendar. From time to time we ask for all staff to attend and support the events too, so flexibility is also important.
• Building and maintaining great relationships with all our stakeholders.
• Stakeholder Management – working with our customers, the Business Support Executive will be responsible for clear communication, engagement and liaison throughout the Just Williams team and beyond.
• Strong engagement in all business activity – at Just Williams we pride ourselves on being passionate about what we do, so our team members should reflect that and be allies for change and development.

Key Attributes:

We are looking for someone who is as passionate about doing great things as we are. Our business is varied, we work with a wide range of clients, across multiple sectors so our team are highly skilled and very knowledgeable.

Our new Business Support Executive should have:

• Strong time management capabilities and the ability to achieve tight deadlines and work across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office programmes.
• Great attention to detail, reliability, and accountability.
• Motivation to succeed, have a positive attitude and be inquisitive.
• Be a team player.
• A Level 3 + qualification (preferred) and/or experience in a similar role or discipline for a minimum of 3 years.
• A driving license and access to own vehicle (essential).

We have great opportunities to learn, develop and grow within the business and will actively support your development within Just Williams – this may also include progression into future roles as we evolve too. Just Williams also prides itself on offering an extensive range of benefits and opportunities to volunteer or support your chosen charitable causes too.

• Generous annual leave allowance, including increased allocations for Christmas, New Year and your birthday too.
• Access to a Wellbeing Day, to use at your own discretion.
• Volunteering options, funds and partnership support.
• Professional and Personal Development support and resources.
• Access to employee wellbeing packages and opportunities.
• Private health insurance.
• Company pension.
• Flexible working, social events, office refreshments and more.

We are a Real Living Wage employer, a member of the Better Business Act and other organisations developed for the ethical running of business and employment of people.

We have created a small but beautifully formed business and culture where you as an individual can thrive. Your personality, your creative side, your values – are important to us, as ours should be to you. We are looking for our next team member who wants to be more than just a number, who values a business and is looking for a role that is varied, fast-paced and has an impact.

For an informal, confidential discussion about this role please contact Emma McDonald, Head of Delivery, on 07939 551512, emma@justwilliamsltd.co.uk

Interviews commencing from 21st August 2023 (rolling).

Just Williams Ltd is committed to equal opportunity in employment and believes that commitment to promoting equal opportunity should exist throughout the organisation. Just Williams Ltd will ensure that no job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, disability, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, colour, race or ethnic origin or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be justified.

Just Williams and The Just Williams Sales Academy are certified B Corporations.

We believe in the power of using business as a force for good and meeting the highest standards to serve our customers, community, people, and the environment. That’s why we chose to join the global movement of B Corp.

We commenced our B-Corp journey back in 2021 with an ambition to achieve the highest standards with a continuous progression mentality. We wanted to ensure we were operating our businesses in the most sustainable, responsible and ethical way for now – and for the future – and importantly to have a standard to hold us accountable to.

We have always believed that business could be used for so much more than profit and we had already implemented a large number of initiatives both internally and externally. But we wanted to take it to the next level. With a growing following across the UK and the world, we wanted to be part of the B Corp movement and work with other like-minded businesses that place these principles front and centre. As a sales and marketing company working with a range of owner managed businesses across the UK, we knew our journey would support others alongside The Just Williams Sales Academy and we are huge advocates for B-Corp, its ethos, and potential for global change.

It’s taken a complete revision in many areas of the businesses and highlighted and formalised great things we were already doing but it has given us other areas to focus on too. With our purpose clear, our strategy laid out and our ambition high, we are committed to supporting other individuals and businesses thrive, with the B-Corp mentality at the heart of what we do, and how we do it. If you want to find out more about our journey, you can read our full blog here www.justwilliamsltd.co.uk or visit www.justwilliamsales.academy

Find out how we can help you with your Sales and Marketing.

• Consultancy
• Mentoring
• Roots – Sales and Marketing outsourced for small businesses
• Going For Growth – Sales and Marketing outsourced for medium businesses.
• Sales Training – for you, your team and your business

We would love to chat to you. Contact me or any of my team to find out more.

Jessica

We all search for the ‘silver bullet’. We all look for those incremental gains that will increase our bottom line, enhance our pipeline and drive return. Whether that be a new market opportunity, a large contract win or an opportunity to develop a long-term client relationship that will, in turn, open new doors, the silver bullet can look different to every business.

I am frequently asked about it – the one element that will ‘revolutionise a business’, or individual member’s performance. Whether that be in customer service or in business development, it matters not. The quest behind the silver bullet remains the same for everyone, what is the most efficient and effective way to drive sales and grow the customer base?

In last month’s edition I discussed a topic hotter than the British summertime and one I really want those of you with sales targets, portfolios, account management duties, etc to consider; CLV – Customer Lifetime Value. One of, if not the most important aspect of any of the above roles and one no Business Owner should dismiss. Also featured last month was perhaps a new one for you – CPAM – Cost per Acquisition and Maintenance, which leads me nicely to this: If I could tell you one thing to help grow your business, reach new markets, and find that elusive silver bullet, here’s what you need to do…

Develop a Customer Retention and Engagement Strategy

I talk about this so much that I’ve been questioned as to whether in fact, it is in the remit of Sales. My reply – everything you do is Sales. Customers have never had so much choice or information at their fingertips, or so many alternative providers to choose from. If you don’t engage, make them feel valued, and manage the relationship, they will go elsewhere. Let me repeat that, they will go elsewhere. Gone are the days of long-term loyalty. We as consumers want to feel valued, engaged with and heard. And it’s quite simple these days, if we don’t, we will find someone else who listens! Too direct? You should grab a coffee with me and see how animated I get on this subject!

It always amazes me how many organisations and individuals are all about the chase – the win, signing the contract then what? The fun is over, and the customer is left to their own devices – they will suss you out and they will leave. You know how much more expensive it is to acquire a new customer than to retain an old one. But retention isn’t enough. We need to engage with our customers on a deeper level – they have the ability to shape our future innovation, introduce us to their stakeholders, and in turn grow our business exponentially. They have the ability to be our ready-made sales and marketing team, promoting us at every opportunity.

It’s no longer enough to have an annual account review or send a newsletter out once a year calling it “Customer Engagement”. If I could tell you one thing, it would be to create a customer journey – a fully mapped cyclical process. Engage, interact, and above all, make your customer feel valued because if you don’t, someone else wil.

Or if you, like us believe in Outsourcing and focusing on your core expertise, we have a range of sales and / or marketing solutions for you to help you grow your business profile, increase lead generation and are your ready-made Sales and Marketing team. Including supporting your retention and customer journey…

Find out how we can help you with your Sales and Marketing.

• Consultancy
• Mentoring
• Roots – Sales and Marketing outsourced for small businesses
• Going For Growth – Sales and Marketing outsourced for medium businesses.

We would love to chat to you. Contact me or any of my team to find out more.

Jessica

Who doesn’t love an acronym?!

Well dare I tell you; the world of sales is no different – we too like the odd acronym. Perhaps, not in the volume some other sectors do but well, we just don’t like to feel left out.

So here is a new one for you. One we’ve been talking about a lot of late. A methodology we’ve been honing with our clients and running training sessions over the last six months.

CLV = Customer Lifetime Value

CPAM = Cost per Acquisition and Maintenance

ROI = Return on Investment

You’d be forgiven for not coming across the phrase Customer lifetime Value before and perhaps Cost per Acquisition and Maintenance, but Return on Investment should be a staple. So, let’s explore these in detail and look at why they are so vital to your business and why in my opinion, all and every person in every business should understand and know these numbers.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is not a new concept, but one we have become more and more aware of. Distasteful, absolutely not – the value of your customers over the lifetime they remain a customer is an essential element to understanding your retention and customer acquisition strategy – ultimately fundamental to your overall business strategy.

Your CLV is the value (financial and otherwise) your customer represents over the term they remain a customer – so based on either their average spend over the term, or your ideal spend and term per annum i.e., 30K per annum x 3.4 Years = Customer Lifetime Value. You will have your actual versus your ideal.  It is this metric I recommend embedding into your annual Key Performance Indicators both company-wide and on an individual basis.

Imagine the difference it would make to your bottom line if you increased your Customer Lifetime Value by 10%. Often when we look to grow our businesses, portfolios and product lines, we focus on new business growth, new customer, new opportunities, new markets, new geographies. We forget our existing customers, we get complacent and, in a market, where very few of us are the sole provider of our service of product, i.e., we have competitors – what is our differentiator when it comes to retaining our customers? We have to add value at every turn; our differentiators cannot be price, people or market position or even a product as all of these elements can be replicated. We have to go above and beyond and give reasons for our customers to remain loyal. It is far more cost effective to retain customers than to acquire new ones, up to 125% more so (HubSpot, 2022). The Cost per Acquisition and Maintenance (CPAM) of your customers is another important metric to consider when establishing Return on Investment. What elements go into acquiring new customers? From marketing campaigns, sales campaigns, time, events, networking costs (ask NetKno about this) Platform costs, membership organisations, publications – the list can be endless. Not only the cost of acquiring but also maintaining and account managing. But have you ever sat down and worked out how much it actually costs to acquire a customer and then retain one? Few of us have and I can pretty much guarantee once you have, you will place more focus on your retention strategy!

Return on Investment (ROI) – an acronym you really have no excuse to not know. What return do you have to make on your investment to break even? In sales we can look for anything from a 2.5x ROI – 100x dependent on your market, manager or product / service.

Understanding your sales cycle and pipeline are a critical aspect to all the above and the timeframes involved. We’ve been running workshops, training days and mentoring sessions for the last eight years on how these elements can be embedded across a wide variety of markets – so if you would like some additional information on any of the topics, give my team a call.

Or if you, like us believe in Outsourcing and focusing on your core expertise, we have a range of sales and / or marketing solutions for you to help you grow your business profile, increase lead generation and are your ready-made Sales and Marketing team.

Find out how we can help you with your Sales and Marketing.

• Consultancy
• Mentoring
• Roots – Sales and Marketing outsourced for small businesses
• Going For Growth – Sales and Marketing outsourced for medium businesses.

We would love to chat to you. Contact me or any of my team to find out more.

Jessica

Which one comes first?

Can you have one without the other?

As a small business which role should you hire first?

The gap between sales and marketing is closing. These two roles in my humble opinion used to be worlds apart but now – how different are they? Both operating in the space of ‘professional services’ the two have to coexist in a harmonious manner to truly achieve the best possible impact and returns. But how often do they – well rarely in my experience.

I’ve seen a whole host of examples in teams large and small unable to coexist and work together, with quite frankly, snobbery on both sides. Previously seen as the unqualified marketers (don’t even get me started on this) sales professionals have often got the rough end of the stick. Or marketers referred to as the fluffy colour inners (again lets not go there).

Ok so lets be frank and in my traditional style, direct. How exactly do you expect to grow your business without either of these two functions? As I often am heard saying, you can have the best business or product in the world but if you cant sell or market it – it will remain just that – an on the shelf product or service.

So which one comes first? Well as an owner of a sales and marketing company – which started life as a sales consultancy firm, I can give you an unbiased answer. MARKETING. This has to come first – every time without question. I can sell your products or services, but you know how ill do it more efficiently, more effectively and provide you a with a quicker return on investment – if you’re prospects know who you are and they’ve built up a perspective of you. They trust you, they know you and they like you. Brand awareness and brand visibility is one of the fundamental aspects for any sales individual and yes sometimes this is their responsibility if no marketing fuction is available but often this is up to both the sales and marketing functions.

In fact every single person in your business is responsible for your brand perception, customer engagement in some form or another. You could therefore argue that every single member of your organisation is in your sales and marketing team. The question therefore is do they know this and have you provided them with adequate training?

For small and medium companies who have to date grown organically and now looking to scale or venture into new markets – which role would you hire first? Both are a huge commitment and a costly one with average salaries for both in the North East totting up to c80K. That’s why three years ago we pivoted.

Three years ago as a Sales Consultancy company, we brought marketing into the fold following on from customer feedback. Previously working with outsourced marketing agencies for our SMEs, they fed back the challenge and we adapted. Now offering both sales and marketing solutions on a hybrid basis giving you the opportunity to embrace both at once on a holistic basis without having to compromise.

Find out how we can help you with your sales and marketing

• Consultancy
• Mentoring
• Roots – Sales and Marketing outsourced for small businesses
• Going For Growth – Sales and Marketing outsourced for medium businesses

We would love to chat to you.

Jessica.

Sales and Marketing are two professions that until relatively recently have worked in silos almost harmoniously.

They are fundamental to any business.

So which one comes first?

‘Smarketing’ is a term I almost find as offensive as typing as you do reading but was a term doing the rounds in early 2019 as organisations in a bid to be more efficient combined roles. Sales and Marketing professionals were created with lofty titles and enormous expectations to deliver both remits. I would argue such roles are unmanageable and unachievable given how different these role profiles are. Of course there is crossover, although I would lean towards the term brand ambassador over any and covering both – for ultimately we are all responsible for being this in any organsiation regardless of our remit.

So as an organisation looking to grow and expand, who should you hire first? With the UK average Marketing Manager salary at c£45,000 and Sales Manager at c£48,000 (Reed, UK- 2022) either way it’s an expensive and risky choice. As a small business these salaries can represent a disproportionate level of investment to the time taken to achieve a return. And we too have faced similar challenges, often asked by our clients as to which one comes first and who to invest in.

Just Williams, established in 2015 began life as a sales only organisation working in partnership with many other marketing services and organisation, internal and outsourced. Through working with our customers, hosting a range of forums and engagement, it became clear the link between sales and marketing required a more combined approach and a more cost effective one for the business community.

As a result, our hybrid solutions were born in 2020 enabling businesses to embrace both sales and marketing solutions in a more cost effective and efficient manner. With expertise in both subject matters and taking a combined approach from the outset to increase brand visibility, create connections, increase sales pipelines, processes and in turn maximise results – we have seen our client base grow by 280% in this time.

Struggling to hire sales and marketing professionals?

You no longer have to choose between who to hire or combine roles in an unachievable manner for all involved. Outsourcing in the current climate is not only a cost effective solution, it is a sustainable one.

We are now able to work harmoniously together for our businesses using both sales and marketing to help them grow in a sustainable way. If you too are looking to grow, expand and diversify – we would love to chat to you. Contact us today.