Position Plus Points: Stability, good retirement and pension plan, health benefits, good money and great opportunities for advancement.

Kevin Watson's been in a sales career with Brunswick News Inc. for just three years, but he came to the role with more than a decade of management experience behind him. That was long enough for him to develop his personal philosophy of work.

"I really believe that a happy work environment is the key to helping drive myself to succeed and to motivate my peers to want to do a good job," he says.

His co-workers who report to him at the Bugle-Observer in Woodstock, the Carleton Victoria Advertiser and the York County Connection are quick to say that his concept works well for them.

Kevin took a circuitous route to his current post as sales manager, picking up unique skills along the way. A native of Woodstock, he trained originally at community college in radio broadcasting and did a stint in that field, before he was motivated to move to something more lucrative.

"I also found the retirement plan attractive, as well as the health and medical benefits,"

For the next 10 years, he managed the MacDonald's Restaurant, but then there came a point when he was seek a new challenge and more flexibility in his work life.

He says he was attracted to Brunswick News for a number of reasons, the tops of which was autonomy and flexibility to do his job. While goals are clearly established for BNI managers, there is considerable freedom in which road the manager wishes to take to achieve them, and some flexibility to allow individuals to handle family concerns.

"I also found the retirement plan attractive, as well as the health and medical benefits," he said. "And I could work days, Monday to Friday, and have a good job and be able to stay in my hometown."

Kevin's philosophy is to really get to know his customers, and to take the time to learn about their businesses, including their peak seasons and their down seasons.

"I have to know these things if we are going to handle their advertising requirements," he says. "We want to be able to help them, to bring them new ideas, and we have to know what will work for them."

Kevin, who assumed his new post eight months ago, believes that the crucial skill for both a sales manager and a sales representative to hone is the desire to succeed. Other "must haves" are people skills and patience.

Sales representatives start at $30,000 and then can move quite quickly up to $40,000 to $50,000. Sales managers start at $30,000 and can, through systems of commissions and bonuses, move up to about $80,000. Most representatives and managers work days, Monday to Friday, a bit of a rarity in a world full of shift workers, he added.

Kevin said he believes consistency is the key to success.

"I tell the sales reps that just because a customer says no, they should continue to work with them, to visit and ask lots of questions so they will understand the business. The more you find out about a customer's needs, the better you can build their businesses."

Developing this special close rapport with customers is something Kevin says is a real advantage when you work in close-knit smaller communities, where many of the BNI weeklies are located.

"It is definitely important to build these strong relationships. You need to develop trust and you do that by doing what you say you will do."

When Kevin is not working hard at his office at the Bugle-Observer, he enjoys going to the gym for a good workout every second day.

"I live a healthy lifestyle," he admits. He loves to go bicycling especially with his nine-year-old son Damien and with his girlfriend and her four children who live together in this happy blended family."

"There's never a dull moment," says Kevin, as he recounts discovering new trails, biking along steep hills and through fields to get to the highway..

A high energy person, Kevin said having time to work out at the gym and bike is important to him. He wasn't always happy with the way he felt.

"I had a friend who owned a gym and I wanted to drop some pounds, so that's how I got started. And I've stayed with it ever since."

"They are always planning for down the road and spend a lot of time grooming new, younger people for taking positions of advanced responsibility down the road."

Kevin also enjoys being able to be close to his family in the Woodstock area, including two brothers and a half-sister nearby.

With the happy work environment and the healthy lifestyle working well for him, Kevin says he's also pleased that through his work, he gets lots of opportunity for advanced training and to learn new skills.

"It's fantastic, really. There's no lack of opportunity to take training and to further my career. I like the fact that there is opportunity for advancement."

For those just starting at entry level, Kevin said a basic training module developed by the company is a huge bonus to help them quickly gather the needed skills to start selling.

"It's a very forward thinking company," he added. "They are always planning for down the road and spend a lot of time grooming new, younger people for taking positions of advanced responsibility down the road."

Kevin was also attracted by the stability of the company and their emphasis on finding lasting solutions to business issues.

"Any company that has lasted for more than a century and is still open to change has something going right for it," is the way he puts it.

"I also like their open door policy. They say that and they mean it. Everyone is very approachable and they really want to help new people out. This works to everyone's advantage."

Kevin's quick guide to being a weekly newspaper advertising sales manager:

• Skills needed: Desire to succeed, consistency in dealing with customers.
• Pluses of the position: Stability, good retirement and pension plan, health benefits, good money and great opportunities for advancement
• Negatives of the job: There's no downtime, the pace is consistently busy.
• Advice to someone hoping to do this work: Be consistent in your approach to business. Even if a customer says no, keep working with them consistently to understand their business. Ask lots of questions. The more you find out, the better chance you have to succeed next time.
• Salary: $30,000 - $80,000
• Pace of the day: There's some flexibility to help keep a good work and life balance. The goals are clear; you have autonomy on how you achieve them.
• Most unique aspect of this career: You get to be part of the process of helping businesses succeed. It is really satisfying to hear the success stories of campaigns that really worked for customers.