What you need to know about apples
Yes, I did mean apples, not Apple. More on that in a minute...When you stop to think about what has caused many advertisers to shift a growing percentage of their media budgets to more targetable media, such as search marketing (Google mainly), social media (Facebook mainly), online display, video, retargeting and the rest, you can understand the reason. Who, after all, wouldn’t want to target their media to those who express (sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly) their interest in a subject related to what the advertiser wants to sell?
Seven ways we can increase our sales
In a world where something falls off your timeline in two seconds (if it appears at all), everyone can come up with a lower price, and technology evolves quicker than the time you have to enjoy a cup of tea the question is: How can we continue to increase sales? Here are seven tips that have worked in my career, for my colleagues, clients of Marketing Fun With Mike, and more!
Using templates to save sales time
In nearly all email programs there is the option to add a signature to the end of your email. Some of you may not be aware that you can create and edit multiple signatures within your email program. This allows you the ability to create common sales templates within your email program giving you quick access to them in a single click.
How to sell against competitors that lie
Unfortunately, all too often, I get a call from an ad sales coaching client telling me that their nearest competitor just stole another ad deal using false or misleading data. Where this seems to be most evident is with digital audience numbers. So, what do you do to sell against a liar? The answer might be easier than you think... tell the truth. Here are six things to consider when telling the truth about your ad products.
So, your client wants to be in the commercial…Part 2
If your client has a sense of humor, but his voiceprint is deadpan, contrast him with a voice who is truly excited (maybe even overexcited) about the benefits his business has for customers, interspersed with just his unemotional “yup” or “you bet” comments. Record short phone interviews with the client’s relatives about him and build a campaign around the family stories about the client, using short clips from his family members. Or…take a “goes nowhere” story told by the owner in a flat unemotional voice, cut it apart, intersperse it with a very enthusiastic announcer and create an epic:
So, your client wants to be in the commercial-Part 1
What’s the easiest way to get a client on the air? Put them in the commercial! What’s the quickest way to make a bad commercial? Same answer! Unfortunately, there are very few Frank Purdues, Lee Iaccoccas, Victor Kiams or even Dave Thomases out there. Most clients think they can pull off being great spokespersons. Most are wrong. Are there ways you can fulfill their desire for 30 or 60 seconds of fame and still make a commercial that works? Yes.
Getting the most out of younger sales reps
You may find it interesting to note that an MIT study on what motivates people concluded that money is not the best motivator. Researchers concluded that once a task went beyond rudimentary skills, like assembly line work, money was not a key motivator towards increased performance. Once the skill required moved into cognitive skills like sales, there were three factors that "truly" motivated the test subjects; autonomy, mastery and purpose. I heard author Daniel Pink talk in detail about this subject and it inspired me to dig deeper and ask if the MIT findings also applied to managing younger sales people. I found that these three motivators applied to nearly every sales rep I have managed that was born after 1982. Experts refer to this age group as the "millennial generation".
Hiring your next ad sales executive
As an ad sales training consultant, I am often asked to pass along the names of ad sales reps that are looking for work. When asked about candidate qualifications, most of my media company clients respond by saying they are looking for 7-10 years of ad sales experience, great communication skills and the ability to work with little or no supervision. Oh, and the candidate should be “highly motivated.”
Give away your best ideas!
What can we do to separate ourselves from all others in the sales field? What can we do to enable ourselves to thrive and not just survive in the media sales world for decades to come? There are many necessary action steps we need to take to achieve the questions asked above but one that I believe works best is to
Better conversations equal better ad sales
To stay abreast of the latest in ad sales training, I often listen in on fellow sales coaches to learn and observe. What seems so odd to me is the lack of common sense in what is being taught today.
The entire idea that you need the “perfect pitch” or you need to “perfect your pitch” is so off base that I am amazed that people still try and teach these age-old ways of selling. Pitching a product? Hugh? Ask yourself this… do you like it when a sales person pitches to you? If your answer is yes… seek help. If your answer is no, then you are pretty darn normal.
Six ways to improve your social media marketing
The shifting of social media strategy and outlets--the game will never stop changing. The second you might think you have an inkling of how to do something new questions arise. Do I pay for sponsored posts on Facebook?
TV spots need a ratings system – True 10 years ago and today!
Ten years ago – on March 15, 2004 – Advertising Age published an editorial titled, “TV spots need a ratings systems.” That editorial said: “Eight-five percent of marketers are interested in commercial ratings for TV audience measurement, according to a survey released by the Association of National Advertisers.”
The key to radio sales: Roadmaps
Pioneers get shot. While there are many who counsel entrepreneurs to “embrace failure” or “be true to your passion”, most of the time entrepreneurs who pave the way with a new business model or even just a new business feel all alone and vulnerable. Of course, with greater risk there is greater reward and everyone knows that, but let’s be honest – most people are risk-averse. It’s much more comfortable to take a path that is well-worn. So, it’s no wonder that getting radio advertising prospects to commit to a test or a campaign is so difficult. They are terrified of something “new and unproven” or wasting their precious marketing resources. As someone who has seen the radio industry up close for more than 30 years, I have some advice for radio station sellers:
Accepting realities: The five step program
We stick our heads in the sand and go about fighting for our rates that we feel we deserve, or we can accept the realities of our situation and take a proactive approach to ensure our future success. The realities in the traditional media (and this is coming from a person who has worked in the traditional medium of radio since he was 21 years old) is that our competition is better than ever. Social media allows small businesses to tell their great stories and market their businesses for less and less paid advertising. Pandora, behavioral targeting, SEO, you know all of them in the digital marketing world. They all have great advantages to them. We are well past the crossroads in my opinion. And if we don’t accept the realities of the situation we may be able to “hold” onto our jobs and advertising outlets for a few more years but most people aren’t in the business of just “holding” onto their jobs.
Growing Sales Weary?
Can you really blame people? Everyone is getting a little sales weary! From the second we get up in the morning until the moment our heads hit the pillow and our lids close we are getting pitched, asked, negotiated, told, closed, cold called, prospected, and so much more! I’m in media sales and I protect myself all of the time from it and I believe it is your right to protect yourself as well. Even though you are in media sales as well.