You’ve got two out of three!  Working in media sales IS a lot of FUN.  You get to work in “show business” be it radio sales, broadcast television or cable television.  You CAN make a LOT OF MONEY, IF you WORK HARD.

This is not an easy gig.  There is a great deal of competition for your clients’ money, not only from other media outlets, but from other sources, such as their payroll, insurances, and other business expenses.

As media sales people we have to WORK HARD to show the business owner the VALUE of advertising.  We have to WORK HARD to earn their trust – to earn their business.

So if you guessed “all of the above” to my initial question, enjoy your time in media sales while it lasts.  Because if you aren’t working hard, you won’t be working in media sales long.

Now, go sell something!

(Watch the trailer here)

A major theme early in the movie was Porter’s lesson about Patience and Persistence. Notwithstanding his physical challenges, he dealt with the typical sales objections and worked through them with thoughtful and creative solutions. By being persistent, he developed relationships with customers who in the beginning wouldn’t give him the time of day. It was Porter’s patience that gave him the will to be persistent.

Patience and Persistence. These words will get you through every call, every day. Patience and Persistence will allow you to develop relationships with clients that are iron clad and built on trust. Patience and Persistence: Words to live by.

I dedicated a sales meeting to a screening of this flick, and, suffice to say, there was not one person who was not moved by this story. Check it out and see if you don’t approach your next day at work with an entirely new perspective.

Now, go sell something!

Now, go sell something!

REPETITION BUILDS REPUTATION.  I heard media sales guru, Dave Gifford, use this phrase and it became the basis for every proposal I have put together ever since.

REPETITION BUILDS REPUTATION.  When you are constructing a media schedule — be it radio, television (broadcast OR cable), internet, even print — it is REPETITION that plays an important part in the success of your schedule.

REETITION BUILDS REPUTATION.  How did YOU learn your ABC’s?  Your Times Table?  You said them over and over and over again.

A successful media schedule (and by “successful” I mean a schedule that has been created with a specific goal in mind and a specific deadline to reach that goal) depends on two things.  One is the message (we’ll get to that in another post) and the other is the schedule.  A schedule that has frequency WILL make the difference.

So what is a good frequency?  There are many ways to achieve FREQUENCY.  When you are limited by budget, use a VERTICAL SCHEDULE.  Choose one day a week and schedule your messages so that the client OWNS THAT DAY.  For
instance, if your client can only afford, say, ten commercials per week, rather than scheduling two commercials per day over five days, create more FREQUENCY by scheduling all ten commercials between 6am-7pm on ONE day.  Put that schedule in place for at least thirteen weeks with a strong message, and it will deliver better results.

When you are lucky enough to have a robust budget, then go for it!  Schedule five to seven message every day – 365 days a year.  Set goals with your client quarterly.  This kind of schedule will require some work on your part.  You will need to keep the message fresh.  You will need to keep the messages on track to meet the goals that you set. You will need to check in
with the client to keep on track.  Just the other day while working with a prospective client, they told me that they hadn’t seen their radio rep in months!  I know that this client has been on that radio station for a number of years (over 10) and has invested a great deal of money over the years.  But the market has changed and their competition has become more aggressive and it’s time for this business to take a close look at their advertising investments.

On a side note, if you have “Annual Clients” on the air, ask yourself when was the last time you spoke with them?  When was the last time you changed their copy?

No matter where your medium stands in the ratings, number 1 or number 7, FREQUENCY is the key to building your clients’ reputations.

Now, go sell something!

But are you really making calls?  When I first started selling media back in the early 90’s the rule of thumb was:  Make 10 calls a day.  FACE to FACE calls.  Walk into a business and speak to a decision maker.

Ten per day.

We as sellers have to get back to seeing ten people per day.  Start your day with 30 to 45 minutes of email contact.  Then hit the road!  Get out and SEE your clients. Let them SEE YOU. Propsect by walking in and introducing yourself.  Look around you and take note of new businesses, new construction, changes in storefronts.  All of these things are indications of opportunities, and you won’t see any of them while sitting in your chair in front of your computer.

Many people have Blackberries or other such devices that allow them to stay plugged in to their e-mail while out of the office.  If you do not, check back at midday and again, allow yourself only 30 to 45 minutes online.   Then GET BACK OUT THERE!   Once you have SEEN ten people, head back to the office and take care of paperwork, administrative tasks, submit your orders, return calls and emails.

If you can get into a routine like this, your sales will increase.  I guarantee it.  You just have to make the calls.  FACE TO FACE CALLS.

Please share your comments and experiences.

Now, go sell something!

I work in media sales in a small market, and compete against approximately fifty other media sales people throughout television, radio, print, yellow pages and cable. Fifty! In such a highly competitive arena, if you are lucky enough to get an appointment to meet with a client, you better be smart enough to know how to conduct that meeting. Spending that time telling the client what they are doing or thinking is wrong will not get you very far.

I know that we all report back to sales managers who are under the gun to meet numbers. They report to general managers who report up the line as well. But if we as sellers start getting aggressive and negative in our sales calls the clients will be turned off. After all, they have many choices (49 others here).

Instead of using the old school tactics, try this: Ask your client what he or she is trying to accomplish. Remember, some of these folks have worked with the “old dogs” for a long time so they will use catch phrases of days gone by. In media, such phrases might include “reach” and “ total household penetration”, “Where are you in the ratings?” Blah blah blah.

BE DIFFERENT. Drill down and ask what YOU can do to help? Get a specific assignment and create a plan that will reach that goal. BE DIFFERENT. Check in often and get updates on the status of the campaign, ask how it is working. BE DIFFERENT. Offer measurable results. BE DIFFERENT.

Would love to hear how YOU are DIFFERENT, please share.

Now, go sell something!

Ask them why… Was the copier that you were trying to sell too big?  Were there not enough lines in the cell phone plan?  If you are selling advertising, did you present a rock station, but the buyer is a Johnny Cash fan?

“No” starts the conversation.  You can ask questions that will help you get closer to a “Yes”.  Find out what the objections are.  Write them down; repeat them back to the client.  Be sure that you know exactly why they said no.  Then prepare a presentation that addresses the objections, either with new solutions or with research that justifies the original proposal.

For instance, I have a client to whom I proposed an advertising schedule.  He was not happy with the networks that I presented, or the time frame in which the commercials would air.  I didn’t understand why.  So I asked questions.  He explained that he was not trying to reach a “do it yourself” demographic.  He felt that his clientele was more affluent, and perhaps a bit older than the network I had targeted.

I understood his reasoning. Then I prepared research to present to him on specific programs on this network that targeted his desired clientele.  I tweaked the schedule so that his commercials aired only in these targeted programs, and when I presented the revised proposal – one that addressed his initial objections — he signed the contract.  His “no” became a “yes.”

When it came time to renegotiate for 2010, the buy grew by 150% for the year.

If you are a REAL salesperson and not just an order-taker, the word “no” means “GO” to you.  This is a green light to proceed.  This is when you get energized and the adrenaline starts pumping.  This is when the SELLING begins!

Now, go sell something!

Clipped from: thelatimergroup.wordpress.com by clp.ly

Dean Brenner is the President and founder of The Latimer Group, he is an accomplished executive coach, a dynamic public speaker, a published author, and an Olympic-caliber athlete.  Dean’s blog, The Beacon, offers advice, insight and is a thought provoking tool that I enjoy regularly.

THANK YOU Dean!

Please click through and enjoy Dean’s latest post…

Then, go sell something!

You have to be willing to put aside what you sell.  Stop worrying about making the sale and think more about solving the problem.  Believe it or not, it is easier than you might think.  When you truly become involved in the process, it takes that desperate hunger out of your eyes and your voice and allows you to HEAR what the client is saying, and it allows your brain to start thinking in terms of SOLUTIONS.

Many times we go into a call with what WE THINK is PERFECT for the client.  Stop.  Listen.  Identify a challenge and THEN apply your product or service as a SOLUTION.  When you do this, it is a lot harder for the client to say NO than it is when you walk in with an “off the shelf” package that screams “Buy this, I need a commission check”!

Try this just once.  You will be amazed.

Now, go sell something!

Golfers – basketball players- baseball players – actors – they all PRACTICE
to become exceptional at their craft.

So how does one practice being a seller? What things make a seller great?
Listening. To be a great seller you must be a good listener. You need to
hear everything a person is saying AND not saying. Be alert to the things
going on around you – everywhere you go. This is not easy. That’s why it
takes practice.

What else makes a great seller? Knowledge. Know everything you can know
about the product or service that you are selling AND your competitors. You
have to become known as an expert in whatever you do. Read newsletters,
blogs, and books about your industry. Keep up on current happenings and
future expectations.

What else? Networking. This can be one of the hardest things to keep up
with. All day long we see people, and now you want me to join a club or
volunteer or sit on a board? YES. Networking is mandatory and it takes
practice. Networking can be disguised as many different things though.
Pick up the book, “The Little Red Book of Selling”, by Jeffery Gitomer and
check out page 82, Principle 5. This will give you plenty of ideas on how
to practice Networking.

One of the most important pieces to practice is delivering on what you
promise. Practice giving the best service possible to your clients. This
will become easier every day, and will help to brand you as a professional
that people trust and will recommend to others.

There are a number of things that each of us needs to personally practice.
For some, it’s leaving effective voice mail messages. Maybe with you it’s
your cold call script. Or taking better notes. We all know what we need to
do to improve, and the only way to get better is to PRACTICE.

Please comment and share some of the ways you practice to be a better seller
- a Professional Seller.

Now, go sell something!