Nota Bene, Not Bad, No Brainer, Nude Beaches… what do all these have in common? They’re nowhere near as cool as our NB: the New Business department. Learn all about what this department does. You may decide your business needs one too.
WHAT is it?
Just like Strategy does strat, and HR does, well, “humans”, so too is this department’s name self-explanatory: The New Business (NB) team secures new business. You could say it essentially plays the role of a ‘”sales” department – but that wouldn’t do it justice.
Because instead of that slick smooth-talker you may be picturing, think instead of a suave, intelligent and attentive celebutante (it’s a thing, Google it).
The experienced finesse that our NB team adds makes all the difference for Flume.
WHAT does it do?
The NB team’s main objective? To discover fresh work opportunities, whether it’s with existing clients or new ones. This involves a mix of inbound and outbound sales tactics, which sometimes means managing and participating in high-stakes pitches.
What you may not guess is that sizeable amounts of new business approach us. And it’s a big moment of pride for the team when the work we’ve done speaks for itself and does all the selling for us.
“It’s an honour to be recognised. We get a lot of compliments on the work the team has done and on the client base we have built.“–Julia Unser, The OG
HOW did it start?
The NB team started its journey many years ago when our Co-founder and Co-CEO Jacque Du Bruyn donned the hat of Business Development Manager. He’s been the “Sales Boss/Big Boss Daddy” since the company’s inception. And as Flume grew, the need for a dedicated sales team also grew.
“At Flume, the New Business department isn’t just a team; it’s our growth engine, driving us to new heights and making it matter.”–Jacques, the NB OG
The NB team is now a small but robust force in Flume’s mission to “Make it matter”. We currently have three NB celebutantes in Johannesburg, one in Cape Town, and two in Amsterdam.
WHICH new business and WHY?
How does the NB team decide which opportunities to pursue?
Brands and/or potential clients that align with Flume’s values and purpose often promise ideal relationships, so the team keeps that in mind when they explore opportunities. There’s also something to be said about general chemistry.
“Ultimately, sales is like dating. You have what I want, I have what you want, but there still needs to be chemistry.”–Julie Unser, Business Development Manager
However, the team doesn’t discriminate; any potential partner is welcome! NB loves to meet new people, learn new things, and tackle new challenges.
WHICH Flumers work with the NB team?
All of us!
“We work across all of the departments. We are essentially selling Flume as an integrated service, which means that all of our services work perfectly in harmony.”–Julia (yes, that one)
Collaboration is key in Flume, and the NB team epitomises this. They work closely with every Flumer – from SEO to Creative to Social to Dev to Paid Media. Not only do these cross-departmental collabs result in brainstorming sessions and solution-selling conversations that benefit our clients, but it also means the NB team are constantly “product learning”.
WHICH future Flumers would fit in?
So, what does it take to join this illustrious crew? They look for individuals with a hunger for success, a knack for handling rejection with grace, and a natural affinity for building relationships.
“Being a team player is crucial, as is being a people-person, given the daily encounters with new faces. We really look for go-getters and people who want to learn and grow.”–You-know-who
WHAT is next?
But first: What just happened?
Flume has started 2024 with a bang; so far we’ve already fulfilled our ambitious motto for 2024, making it “The Year of More.”
Recent victories for the NB team – and all of us Flumers – include securing relationships with Absa and Momentum.
Where to next?
“We want to expand globally.
The beauty of digital marketing is that it can be done anywhere in the world. With the right toolsets and a killer strategy.”–You-guessed-it
The New Business department at Flume is not just a group of salespeople; it’s a team that was forged with purpose and purpose continues to fuel everything it does today.
It’s thanks to these celebutantes that Flume is THE independent, fully in-house agency to choose for all your digital marketing needs.
So thank you to our NB team: Julia (not sure we’ve mentioned her yet?), Jacques, Darren, Bianca A., and Janique.
Keen to meet one of our celebutantes and see if there’s chemistry? Contact us today.
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Flume is an independent, full-service digital marketing agency providing services that include SEO, web design and development, public relations, media buying, client service, UX/UI, and creative production. For more information visit www.flume.co.za or email us at [email protected] to say, well, “hello”.
