Firstcomm Case study: Logoshack

“Niche role filled in short timeframe”

Project Detail

Logoshack are a Stoke-on-Trent based graphic design company, with a wide customer base across northern England. They specialise in high quality, eye catching solutions, including large format digital printing, screen printed graphics and computer cut vinyl. All their work is done in-house and they have a strong ethos of producing superior quality products for their clients, from initial consultation through to installation. Traditionally Logoshack had a solid business pipeline via print management companies, but recognised an opportunity to increase revenue by targeting end user clients. For this they would need a sales person, to generate leads and build new customer relationships.

The Brief

The brief was to recruit a sales person, who was responsible for managing new business activities with end user clients. The field of digital printing is highly specialist and also extremely competitive, hence the ideal candidate would need to have a proven track record within the digital print industry. The client was also mindful about finding someone who could maintain lasting relationships and who viewed the role as a long-term career investment, ultimately taking on more of the responsibilities carried by the Managing Director. As the role did require the sales person to have extensive communication with the production team, the client requested that the search area should be limited to individuals living within 30 minutes of Stoke.

Logoshack engaged Firstcomm, as we have more than 20 years’ experience recruiting sales people and are able to find individuals with a genuine talent for hunting down new business. We also have solid coverage within the local market, in order to identify candidates from niche industries. Additionally, Firstcomm was briefed to find applicants, who would be capable of taking on additional responsibility in due course.

The Solution

Firstcomm believes in investing a great deal of time up front, in order to ensure that we have really understood a client’s needs. The process involved meeting key stakeholders and making sure we had taken down a thorough job description.  Firstcomm then ran a targeted headhunting campaign, to map the local market and come up with a shortlist of candidates to match the brief. The client decided to run a two round interview process, with the second interview including a presentation, designed by Firstcomm. We sat in on every interview and were able to offer constructive advice on targeted questioning techniques, as well as seeing which candidate would be the best from a culture fit perspective. Within an overall period of just one week, Logoshack met and successfully offered their preferred candidate for the role.