Introducing Tracy Bolton, British Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards winner 2016

Tracy Bolton is the winner of the British Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards (BESMA). She works as an outbound cold call telesales agent at Virgin Media and although she has been in the sales industry for a relatively short time, she has already made a big impact.

Tracy is a member of Britain’s Future Board, an initiative that Michael Page is running to give award winning high achieving professionals a platform to tackle industry issues, share insight and inspire the next generation. Tracy and her fellow Board members will share advice and news on the Michael Page website throughout 2016.

I started at Virgin Media in March 2015 after being a prison officer for five years at a high security prison in Salford Manchester.  I had no sales experience when starting; it was a fresh start in a new career but from my three weeks training to now, I have excelled within the company facing numerous challenges along the way.

I have learned the trade e.g. things like objection-handling and closing new prospects, day in and day out. It has been an exciting challenge that I have taken head on while working hard to perfect things I need to improve on. However, I am still learning new working patterns and skills each day.

I think my career highlights so far has been my nomination and then becoming a finalist for Best Newcomer in the Women in Sales Awards, after being whittled down from the final eight. And of course, winning BESMA has topped my short sales career.

I wanted the challenge of a new career and that attracted me to the role originally. I am always up for a new challenge though but being made aware of the amount of money and commission that I could earn spurred me on.

If I did not take up this challenge in sales I would still be employed within the prison sector and working my way up where possible.