For a nation that would not so long ago rather have cut off its collective right arm than admit to being involved in sales, the UK has gone selling and business mad. Reality television has seen to that.
British TV viewers are fascinated by the antics of the contestants on the UK version of NBC’s The Apprentice, which kicked off its third series recently, with seven out of the 16 assorted spivs, back-stabbers, consultants and chancers who started the show, also admitting to making their living in sales before signing on as Apprentices. Not that they are a particularly good advertisement for professional selling or business in general: chosen as much for their potential to generate Big Brother-style fireworks, the group represents a heady mix of ambition, self-belief and incompetence.
BBC’s The Apprentice has spawned a whole host of copycat and spin-off productions. Badger or Bust airs next month on Sky One: former Apprentice runner-up Ruth Badger attempts to turn some of Britain’s most struggling sales teams into winners. Never one to ignore a cliché, the TV producers have her visiting a different "classic sales business each week, such as a double glazing company and an estate agents (realtor), the Badger swiftly gets to the heart of the problem and wastes no time telling the boss where they’ve gone wrong and how to fix it—if she fails, her reputation and their jobs are at stake."
Badger says: "This is the real test for me, I claim to be able to increase sales in any business! So, in at the deep end, any business that is struggling, I roll my sleeves up and ensure that they perform. Either way, kicking or screaming, I get results!"
Let's not forget Dragon's Den, another BBC reality TV format (originating in Japan) which has just finished its fourth series this side of the Pond. The show sees hapless inventors and would-be entrepreneurs pitch their pet projects to a panel of four venture capitalists and business angels (the Dragons) in the hope of receiving a hefty investment. Highly entertaining as the format is, it is known as much for the very public business failures of former Dragons and the success of ventures not chosen by the panel as it is for promoting new enterprises.
Now even kids are getting in on the act. CBBC (the children’s BBC TV channel) is airing a series called Beat the Boss. Hosted by another former Apprentice, Saira Khan, Beat the Boss sets a challenge for three children and three business executives to design a new product, which is then judged by an independent panel. The aim is to see who will win—the business big shots, or the young bright sparks. In Britain, we believe in starting our business people young!
Nick de Cent is the editor of www.ModernSelling.com, which features sales news, sales advice and sales jobs.
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