Based in Liskeard, Cornwall, Sales Manager Sabrina Giddy is responsible for advertising sales for the Cornish & Devon Post and the Cornish Times. Having worked for the company since 2006 she talks about her work with Tindle Newspapers and the pleasure she gets from working with the local business community.
What are the main responsibilities in your role with Tindle Newspapers?
I am in charge of generating the commercial revenues for our titles the Cornish & Devon Post and the Cornish Times, both in print and online. Our main clients are independent businesses on the high streets, including shops, restaurants and cafes. We offer clients the chance to build awareness, growing the familiarisation with their business in the local community. We also now help with digital marketing to drive visitors to business websites.
What does a typical day in your role involve?
We have a team catch-up first thing to make sure we know where we are planning to go. We do pre-call planning to scope out who we will contact each day. I speak with Simon Dixon-Phillip, our Publishing Director, regularly so he knows how things are progressing. If any press releases come in which might suggest some commercial opportunities we will follow those up. As well as speaking to clients each day and planning their advertising campaigns I book all my sales on to the system. The work is very varied but it all relies on speaking to colleagues throughout the day.
How does your role fit into the company?
As well as selling advertising we support all sorts of activity. In our region there are a lot of agricultural shows so we help with the printed material used around them. We plan feature sections featuring local advertisers which ties in with seasonal events, such as Easter. Around the spring bank holidays, when people start to look at their homes, we will do special sections on DIY and home renovations. We also do a local events guide and show programme, which is inserted into the newspapers. Overall we work to help people know what is going on locally.
What is your approach to your work?
A lot of our business comes from building a rapport with customers. I have got to know so many people that they now come up to me on the street. It takes time for people to build a relationship with you, but after 16 years in the role I have built strong links. I am on the phone a lot but I like to get out and meet people as much as possible.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love the team I work with. We are really close and work well together. I like the fact that I am part of a business which is long established and recognised within the local area.
When did you join Tindle?
I joined as a sales executive in 2006. I went up to team leader then to sales manager, which is a role I have held since 2018. Prior to joining the company my background was in hospitality, having worked in a cafe, a hotel and a restaurant. I am used to working with the public, which has given me the confidence to talk to people about almost anything.
What are your interests outside work?
I have a cleaning company which I run outside work. My family are the be all and end all for me. I have 11 nieces and nephews so I spend a lot of time with them. I am family orientated and spend a lot of time with my boyfriend.