We questioned Karl Hodgson, Head of Business Development, about life at Return in the sales team. He shares what he loves about working at Return, the challenges in his role, tips to keeping the team motivated, and his responsibilities and progression within the department.
What is the one thing you love about working at Return?
The one thing I love about working at Return is probably the camaraderie within the team. The standards here are extremely high, but there’s a great atmosphere in the office, with everyone encouraging each other to reach high to achieve success.
We all have each other’s back and will help out to ensure we’re consistently delivering the best results possible for our clients. The success we achieve for our clients constantly feeds our new business opportunities; after all, as any salesman with integrity will tell you, it’s hard to sell something you don’t believe in.
What challenges are you faced with when working in sales?
As with any sales department, there are always challenges to overcome – it’s a fast-paced environment and we all have individual and team KPIs to hit every month. One of the largest challenges, is making Return stand out among a saturated digital landscape, particularly in the North West. But we believe in our core purpose – to get the best return for our clients – and we do this time and time again. You can’t argue with positive ROI!
How do you keep your team motivated?
We have daily updates and weekly huddles, to provide transparency and prioritisation across the team. We share ideas, success stories, and look at new and innovative ways of reaching out to new prospects. Securing new clients and building partnerships is always a motivational driver to encourage focus and keep on track of our sales strategy. Winning a new client is a great feeling!
How would you describe your responsibilities at Return?
A core part of my role is to make sure that we can constantly drive new business opportunities, and that we’re always on the lookout for exciting and ambitious brands. My role is to make sure that we can focus on targeting those brands, maximising inbound leads, prospecting constantly, gathering new insights, working with our partners, and showcasing case studies which we, and our clients, are proud of.
Is there progression at Return for you and other members of the business development team?
Absolutely! We have a well-structured department, with tiered levels of experience and responsibility, from sales executives up to business development managers. Everyone is encouraged to be the best that they can be, and we value personal development and an investment in people.
Find out more about our sales roles and other job opportunities at Return