Starting off his career in Marketing Mark quickly realized sales was where he wanted to be and with the encouragement of his boss he quickly made the change and has never looked back.
He said: “Sales is my calling and a skill I’m really passionate about. I think the key thing is just that, appreciating that sales is a skill whereas many would label sales as a role simply for those with the ‘gift of the gab’.
“I’ve been in sales for fifteen years now but it was only seven years ago when I started being coached on a regular basis did I wake up and realise my profession was one to be proud of, that it is a skill, one that can be mastered (not that I’m anywhere near that level) and that this is what I love doing.”
Mark continued: “The sad truth is many who enter the profession don’t have access to a coach like I did and therefore will never fulfill their true potential. This is a problem I’m desperate to solve and one of the key reasons behind co-founding MySalesCoach, a company dedicated to solving the problem I faced at the start of my career (lack of coaching) by providing sales coaching as a service so everyone can get the coaching I was fortunate to receive”.
The Sunderland graduate is also the co-author of the number 1 best-selling book Problem Prospecting?!
Mark explained: “The book was a result of a lockdown project. When lockdown first started, I knew that there were lots of sales reps working from home and that they would struggle to sell in such an unknown period and need help.
“So, me and my two colleagues, Richard Smith and Stuart Taylor produced a weekly webinar series where we tried to help sales professionals fine tune their craft by sharing how we sold – we used real examples of our work, we played call recordings, we shared our emails, we role-played talk tracks and objections etc. and it just exploded. We anticipated 50 sign ups and would have been happy with 30 attendees – imagine our surprise when 900 odd people turned up!
“We ended up running 11 webinars in total and then we said we should turn this into a book, one filled with everything a sales rep needs to know and that's how Problem Prospecting?! was born.
Mark's advice for recent graduates entering the job market is to find the right company that will support them and their development and to take full advantage of it.
He said: “It’s important you find the right company for you, an arena in which you can learn and grow. The first job is an important choice. Once you're employed it’s all about working hard as well as taking and making opportunities for yourself to grow. Be enthusiastic, be reliable, be willing to learn, make sure you take each and every experience you can.
“I never have the Monday blues; I never watch the clock. I've always enjoyed going to work.
“But what makes a great company? People, culture, and your boss. If you’re surrounded by great colleagues with a great culture and working with a boss who is willing to mentor you then you have all you need. Just don’t take it for granted”.
Mark added: “When I left the University I was chuffed with my experience, the course was really good, I left with first-class honors, friends for life and a girlfriend who is now my wife and mother to my child, William.
“The University gave me my best friends and my wife. Whenever I look back at the University of Sunderland, I only have fond memories, a lot to be proud of and I'm grateful for my time there.”
Asked about his future plans, Mark said: “Rich, Stu and I are going to write a second book for sure, but my main focus for now is on the business I have just co-founded and helping as many sales pro’s as I can fulfill their true potential.”