In this episode of OnBD with ALF, Amanda Rosevear, General Manager of ALF Insight, chats to James Walmsley, Ad Director at Immediate Media. 

James shares insights from his career in media sales, including what he loved about his early days at MTV and why he’s stayed at Immediate Media for so many years.

He discusses the industry's challenges, including the shifting digital landscape and the resurgence of print media. 

James also tells us about the idea behind Atria, a new collaborative initiative among major UK publishers aimed at simplifying media buys and driving investment into trusted, editorial brands and why he thinks joining forces with ‘competitors’ is a positive move.

00:00 Introduction

00:47 James’s Career Journey

04:11 Life at Immediate Media

05:56 Challenges and Innovations in Publishing

07:27 Focus on Video and Social Content

09:14 Subscriber Growth Strategies

12:40 Launch of Atria: A New Marketplace

20:31 The Future of Publishing and AI

22:06 The Importance of Human Connection in Media

23:15 The Value of Trusted Brands

24:56 Launching a New Initiative

25:59 James's Passion for Media Sales

29:03 The Future of Print and Digital Media

31:42 Advice for Aspiring Salespeople

36:00 James's Career Reflections and Hype Song

37:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Amanda Rosevear, General Manager of ALF Insight, chats to Kim James, Chief Growth and Business Development Officer at Havas Media Network. 

Kim shares her journey through the media industry, starting as a graduate TV buyer to her current role at Havas Media Network. 

Discover her thoughts behind the importance of building communities for business development and the strategies Havas uses to maintain relationships with prospective clients over long periods. 

Kim emphasises the necessity of a team effort in successful pitches and tells us how Havas is working to expand their pitch bench. 

The episode also discusses the evolving role of procurement in the pitch process and how Havas is addressing these changes through technology, robust qualification processes, and data-driven strategies.

00:00 Introduction

00:43 Meet Kim James: A Journey in Media

03:29 Strategies for Business Development

05:12 Building and Leveraging Communities

14:45 The Art of Pitching

21:38 The Changing Landscape of Pitch Processes

26:07 Utilising Technology and Data in New Business

33:36 Final Thoughts and Advice

37:58 Conclusion and Farewell

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of 'OnBD with ALF' host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear welcomes co-founders of the BD100, Jody Osman and Rich McHardy, to discuss everything you need to know about submitting your application to the prestigious awards. 

Rich and Jody share why they created the BD100, and talk us through the nomination and submission processes, along with tips for crafting a standout entry. 

They also explain additional categories such as Win of the Year, Team of the Year, and the newly introduced Industry Impact Award. With key insights and advice, this episode is essential for anyone in business development looking to boost their sales strategies and gain recognition. 

Listen now to learn how to get involved and make the most of the BD100 community.

00:00 Introduction

02:06 The Importance of the BD100 Community

04:44 How to Get Nominated for the BD100

24:04 Additional Categories and Awards

26:47 Key Dates and Final Tips

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear meets Katie Street, Founder and MD of Street Agency and podcast host of 'Marketing in the Madness.' 

Katie shares her journey from falling into sales at a young age to running her own successful marketing agency. They delve into the importance of human-centred, people-powered marketing in the age of AI, discuss content creation strategies, and provide insights on building a personal brand in business development. 

Listen in for actionable advice and inspiring stories to elevate your sales game.

00:43 Meet Katie Street: Career Journey and Insights

04:30 The Power of People-Powered Marketing

06:33 Challenges and Strategies in Personal Branding

11:40 Creating Valuable Content for Your Audience

18:44 Effective Audience Engagement and Outreach

24:06 The Overwhelming Email Overload

24:36 Human-Centric Marketing Strategies

25:12 Company-Wide Marketing Efforts

26:39 The Future of Personal Branding

29:07 Gen Z and the Evolution of Sales

32:11 Creating Authentic Content

36:55 Quick Fire Questions with Katie

42:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear, interviews Debra Sharron, a seasoned sales trainer and founder of Media Sales Training. 

They discuss Debra’s journey into media sales, the current trends and challenges in the industry, and expert advice on sales success. The conversation also touches on the importance of consultative selling, the significance of face-to-face meetings, and strategies for building relationships with clients. Debra also shares insights on how to avoid being ghosted by prospects and explains why there’s a need for authenticity in sales. 

Plus, Debra answers our quickfire questions that reveal her thoughts on sales, success and her favourite hype song.

00:00 Introduction 

02:00 Debra's Journey into Media Sales

06:21 Current Trends in Media Sales

09:14 Consultative Selling in Today's Market

12:18 The Importance of Face-to-Face Meetings

20:40 Challenges Faced by Salespeople

24:05 Impact of Hybrid Working on Sales

30:30 Building Relationships in Sales

34:24 Keys to a Successful Sales Team

36:57 Quickfire Questions with Debra

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Amanda Rosevear speaks with Nick Adams, CEO of Sense, about the evolution of new business strategies in the experiential marketing sector. 

Nick shares insights from his extensive career, discussing the challenges agencies face in winning clients today, the importance of data in sales, and the shift towards more transactional relationships. 

Find out how Sense identifies their top prospects, the opportunities of collaborating with other agencies and the value of building genuine relationships in a fast-paced industry.

00:00 Introduction

00:43 Meet Nick Adams, CEO of Sense

01:09 Nick Adams' Career Journey

03:22 Evolution of New Business Strategies

06:08 Balancing Outbound and Inbound Marketing

11:10 Challenges in Winning New Clients

12:10 Specialising vs. Generalising in Brand Experience

18:58 Importance of Data in New Business

23:17 Impact of COVID on Client Relationships

26:08 The Shift in Client Expectations

27:14 The Importance of Chemistry in Client Relationships

29:47 The Future of Relationship Building in Sales

32:26 Adapting New Business Strategies

34:00 Collaborations and Audience Segmentation

38:30 Quickfire Questions with Nick

43:30 Final Thoughts 

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear, sits down with Steve Cox, former Marketing Director of JCDecaux, to find out about his 40 years of experience within the media and advertising industry.

Steve shares a comprehensive overview of his illustrious career, from his early days in television to his recent venture into consultancy. He offers invaluable insights into effective sales strategies, emphasising the importance of understanding audience mindset and context. 

Steve also introduces his five-step sales process to ensure successful pitches and shares practical advice for smaller media owners aiming to compete with industry giants. 

00:43 Meet the Legend: Steve Cox

01:20 Steve Cox's Journey in Media

03:58 Transition to Out-of-Home Advertising

05:36 Challenges and Strategies for Smaller Media Owners

09:06 The Five-Step Sales Process

19:06 Common Mistakes in Media Sales

22:55 Understanding Audience Behaviour

23:41 Marketing to Brands and Agencies

24:40 The Importance of Agency Relationships

25:39 Targeting Small and Local Brands

26:49 Effective Communication with Agencies

31:30 The Value of Agility and Passion

33:35 Quickfire Questions with Steve

42:20 Final Thoughts

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear, interviews Dawn Le Men, Sales Director at Boom Radio, to discover the importance of the ‘silver pound’ audience and how Boom Radio has gone from strength to strength in the radio industry.

Dawn discusses her extensive career in media, including the transition from television to radio, and the unique challenges and successes of working in a start-up environment. 

Amanda and Dawn talk about the challenges of selling to brands, the impact of industry changes and the rise of AI. 

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:00 Career Journey in Media

05:54 Transition to Radio and a Startup Environment

11:51 Success of Boom Radio

14:37 Understanding the Silver Pound Audience

19:17 Challenges in Selling to Brands

22:16 Navigating Industry Changes

24:33 Memorable Wins and Lessons Learned

29:02 Quickfire Questions and Personal Insights

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, speaks with Ian Harris, founder of Agency Hackers.

Ian shares his journey from journalism to building a thriving membership community for independent agency leaders. 

He discusses the importance of truly understanding what people want, the challenges agencies face in growth and client acquisition, and the successful formula behind his events and why Ibiza has proved to be such a popular location. 

Amanda and Ian also discuss the importance of inclusivity in industry, leveraging LinkedIn for personal branding and business growth, and the value of authentic communication and relationship building in business development. 

00:00 Introduction to Agency Hackers and Ian's Journey

07:19 Building Community: The Success of Agency Hackers

10:10 The Formula for Successful Events

16:55 Challenges in Agency Growth and Client Acquisition

23:19 Implementing Effective New Business Processes

28:09 Inclusivity in Agency Leadership

29:52 The Viral Success of Ibiza Events

31:33 Navigating LinkedIn for Business Growth

36:00 The Balance of Personal Branding

41:09 Effective Communication in Business Development

46:17 The Importance of Relationship Building

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, chats to Laura Vipond, Chief Growth Officer at Ogilvy. 

They discuss Laura's career journey, the importance of new business culture, and the strategies Ogilvy employs for agency growth. Laura shares her knowledge of how best to understand client needs, the evolving pitch process, and why she promotes the Positive Pitch Pledge, aimed at improving the pitching experience for both agencies and clients. 

The conversation also touches on the importance of emotional intelligence in business development and the long-term strategies for building client relationships.

Plus, Laura answers the OnBD Quickfire Questions revealing which animated movie title best describes her career.

00:00 Introduction to Laura Vipond and Her Career Journey

03:53 Understanding Agency Growth Models

08:13 The Importance of New Business Culture

11:06 Ogilvy's New Business Strategy

15:02 Identifying and Filling the Pipeline

18:47 The Long Game: Asparagus Growth Strategy

21:12 Evolving Pitch Processes and Client Expectations

27:04 The Positive Pitch Pledge

32:50 Quickfire Questions and Key Takeaways

If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.