Oliver Knowles

OK-Digital

Remember, people buy from people, but trust is the key ingredient. :)

Have a look at the wonderful feedback I've received from clients during our collaborations.

Know someone, who might benefit from a conversation with me? Let's connect and explore how I can help.

Fractional Business Development Director

Bonanza Studios | Growth Consultancy

As the Growth and Opportunity Lead over at Bonanza, my role is all about spotting and chasing the best growth opportunities for the business.

Bonanza.studios - Works with SaaS startups to nail market fit, optimise cash flow, and drive customer acquisition—without the guesswork.

Growth and Opportunity Lead at Bonanza (Fractional Contract)

Leadable

Outbound sales in an ABM style needs to be relevant and personalized to every prospect. We handle all of this so that your sales team can break through the noise with Tier 1 accounts.

https://www.leadable.io

Head of Sales

Brightmile

Head of Sales Development

Backed by one of the world's largest insurers, Brightmile is the simplest and fastest way to improve your drivers’ safety and reduce your business risk. Brightmile harnesses new technology to deliver AI-powered real-time, contextual prevention whilst engaging drivers. I lead the demand generation side of our business.

Account Manager

Outbound sales to Enterprise needs to be uniquely personalized to every prospect. We handle all of this so that your sales team can focus on closing.

https://www.leadable.io

Client Growth Manager (Fractional)

GatherContent

GatherContent is a Content Operations Platform that helps teams produce effective content, at scale. Customers use our platform to manage the people, and process, for producing effective content that meets user needs and business goals.

We work with leading digital agencies, higher education institutions, governments, non-profits and membership organisations. Some of our customers include Digitas LBI, Harvard University, The Australian Government and Doctors without Borders.

We launched in 2012 and now help thousands of customers, all over the world. Our team is fully remote, working from all over the UK.

Senior Account Executive

TINT (tintup.com)

Head of Europe 

TINT (tintup.com) is a simple, yet powerful solution that lets you aggregate, curate, and display any social media feeds onto your websites, mobile apps, Facebook Pages, retail displays and event walls. It's social engagement, anywhere. Trusted by over 45,000+ brands worldwide.

European Sales & Marketing at TINT (tintup.com) 

Mubaloo Limited

As part of The Mubaloo Group TRW designs and builds enterprise grade websites that empower users and transform business.

TRW shape user experiences around giving more choice to customers, and powerful tools to staff. This helps our clients drive internal efficiencies, improve customer retention and acquisition

Business Development Manager

Kudan

Specialists in mobile Augmented Reality

Kudan is a market leading Augmented Reality specialist. We create award winning solutions through big ideas and technology.

Our services span strategy to core technology development with specialists in digital marketing strategy, 3D and graphic design and computer vision.

Through our AR solutions and strategic planning, we drive footfall, traceability and integrate on and off-line activity in your campaigns. With our AR, your offline activity is now as measurable as digital campaigns.

We have our own technology, an industry-leading track record – and we know how to make a difference.

Clients: ebay, MI (kraft), Diageo, BBC, Monster Energy Drink, Pieminister, Mothercare, Singtel, Universal Music...

AlwaysOnMessage

* Responsible for the targeting and analysis of tactical and strategic new business targets
    * iOS + Android Application user journey design and project scoping
    * Manage the full sales cycle from prospecting to proposal writing through to the close
    * Writing and structuring of pre-qualification questionnaires, RFI’s, & tender submissions
    * Work closely with agencies PR and marketing team as part of the new business strategy

Clients: Monster Energy Drink, IPC Media, Life Technologies, Cartoon Network...

Are you at the helm of an early-stage SaaS company and ready to set up your initial outbound sales function? 

Do you aim to devise a process that's both predictable and scalable, helping you unlock your next round of funding?

Or perhaps you're a founder or sales leader with a compact sales team, still figuring out the intricacies of outbound sales? 

Are you eager to cultivate these essential skills within your team instead of relying on external outsourcing?

Maybe I can help?

I'm a fractional Business Development Director (BDD) with a personalised approach to drive growth. 

Here's what I offer:

✅ ICP/Persona & Messaging Mapping
✅ List Building & Enrichment
✅ Cadence & Email Sequences
✅ Calling Script Writing
✅ Fractional SDR
✅ Playbook Documentation
✅ Tech Stack Implementation

Ready to Drive Predictable Growth? Build, Own & Master Your Outbound Sales / GTM Playbook 🚀
Connect with me at oliver@ok-digital.co.uk - +44 (0) 7990012125.

Using AI, multi-domain/inbox spam cannons, high-volume LinkedIn automation, and multi-line power dialers is not going to save you.

It's just going to burn through your TAM and piss them off in the process.

Can't we all just slow down a bit and think of the long game rather than quick wins?

Let's stop weaponising shit outreach.

It's a race to the bottom, and no one wins.

Happy Friday everyone.

Xx

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬

We've all seen it happen.

Manager asks, "How did the call go with ACME? Can we add this to our forecast?"

Rep replies with confidence, "They loved it. All the right people were on the call, and I'm 100% sure they'll sign up next month. It's pretty much a done deal :)"

Fast forward one month, and it's nothing but crickets.

Here's the reality in sales: optimism is vital, but so is keeping it real. 

'Happy Ears'—thinking a deal is done when it isn't—can turn solid leads into ghosts.

So, what's the fix? Lean into cautious optimism. Dive deeper than surface-level enthusiasm by asking probing questions that unearth the true extent of their problem and interest. 

Rigorous follow-up is key, but so is knowing when to walk away. 

It’s smarter to have a lean, mean pipeline than one bloated with deals that are as likely to close as a chocolate egg is to survive in the spring sun.

Doesn't matter how sweet the deal seems, if it's melting under scrutiny, it's time to reassess.

Have you lost a deal to "Happy Ears"? 

"𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐲 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫?" - 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭

I understand, not everyone appreciates being cold-called on their personal mobile number. 

Whenever I'm asked, "Where did you get my number?" during my calls, I always tell them straight up which data provider we purchased it from and I explain how they can remove it.

Have you ever wondered how your number ends up online in the first place? 

Here's a brief overview:

𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧-𝐮𝐩𝐬: Shared when signing up for various online services.
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬: Exposed, making your information accessible.
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬: Included in publicly accessible records or directories.
𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚: Available through profiles or posts.
𝐁𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬: Your number can be on lists purchased by companies.
𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠: Collected by software from websites, forums, and platforms.

I've compiled a list of resources to assist in removing your phone number from the internet and protecting your privacy:

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞: How to Remove Your Phone Number from the Internet
https://lnkd.in/eT7j4kpZ
𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞: Stop Getting Nuisance Calls and Texts
https://lnkd.in/ejhzkgyN
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞: Add and Remove Mobile Phone Numbers for Accounts with No Associated Email
https://lnkd.in/eNP4Z5V4

𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒂 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔:

𝐀𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨.𝐢𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞
https://lnkd.in/eyVhcvFc

𝐙𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭
https://lnkd.in/eSPS9XRN

𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥
https://lnkd.in/erhw6QZ6

𝐂𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐎𝐩𝐭-𝐎𝐮𝐭
https://lnkd.in/eCtWs2tu

To reduce unwanted calls, consider these actions:

- Use your number sparingly and only with trusted sites.
- Check privacy settings on social media.
- Register with your country's "do not call" list, if available.
- Use a secondary number for less secure sign-ups.
- Be cautious with whom and where you share your number.

Want to keep your private info private? It all starts with you.

Us sales folk come in peace :) 


𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞.

Building a case for annual or multi-year subscriptions is stressful, and if it doesn't pan out, you're the first in line for scrutiny from leadership and finance.
 
I've been there myself and seen it happen to peers and clients too. Sure, longer commitments come with discounts and budget predictability, and they can make strategic sense if you're certain about what you need. 

But, if you're building a new sales function or any team that depends on SaaS, I'd recommend sticking to monthly plans at first. 

From experience, I'd only commit to an annual plan after using the tool for six months to be sure it's right for you. CRM systems, for example, are tough to swap out, and the big players know this. 

However, the challengers offering trials and monthly options are cleaning up, providing the flexibility to test before you commit and the freedom to stay up-to-date without long-term ties. 

A CRM and Data Provider are most likely going to be your biggest expense and also the biggest risk when purchasing. 

Shout out to Apollo.io & Close.io for offering monthly is a game changer for us SME's. 

With rapid changes in technology and 1000's of options, navigating this minefield can be daunting. 

My advice? (Don't hate me, sales folks) Shop around, kick some tyres, and don't hesitate to test multiple offerings before committing. 

Trust me, your future self will thank you for avoiding the pain of realising, three months into a two-year deal, that it's not the right fit.

If you would like to talk about reviewing your existing stack or discuss potential new tooling I can help. 

What has been your biggest buyers remorse over the years? 

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

I found this amazing book in a local charity shop. 

What do you think of this selection of rules? 

1. Once you have their money, you never give it back. ("The Nagus")
3. Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to. ("The Maquis, Part II")
6. Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity. ("The Nagus")
7. Keep your ears open. ("In the Hands of the Prophets")
9. Opportunity plus instinct equals profit. ("The Storyteller")
10. Greed is eternal. (?)
16. A deal is a deal. ("Melora")
17. A contract, is a contract, is a contract... but only between Ferengi. ("Body Parts")
18. A Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all. ("Heart of Stone")
21. Never place friendship above profit. ("Rules of Acquisition")
22. A wise man can hear profit in the wind. ("Rules of Acquisition")
31. Never make fun of a Ferengi's mother. ("The Siege")
33. It never hurts to suck up to the boss. ("Rules of Acquisition")
34. War is good for business. (?)
35. Peace is good for business. (?)
47. Don't trust a man wearing a suit better than your own. ("Rivals")

How are you integrating AI into your sales practices?

Dive into our March webinar featuring industry expert, Oliver Knowles, where he shares invaluable advice about integrating AI without taking away the critical thinking of individuals.

You can watch Oliver's video here: https://lnkd.in/eAAU538X 

Discover the points he makes during this video:

✅ AI should be used sparingly to start with, in order to maintain the skill set of the salesperson.
✅ AI can't replace the human's ability to build relationships and that point should never be overlooked.
✅ ChatGPT is like having the world's greatest consultant, but you shouldn't overuse it.

Why not join our sales community? We send out monthly insights and invites to exclusive masterclasses like these: https://lnkd.in/eKYi5YcH... 

#salesdebate #ai #aivshumans #salescommunity #ethicalsalesacademy

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