More than ever during this time of economic revival, we need to be able to depend on our existing advertising base – and the forecastable revenue they deliver – while expanding our prospecting efforts.
The climate is ripe for all of us to develop strategies and tactics that can help drive new clients as well as hold on to current accounts. Here are a few things that come to mind when thinking about how to most effectively benefit from the strong signs of an uptick in advertising spending:
1. Think local. Don’t overlook the guy next door or the gal down the street. Local business are still your bread and butter and provide valuable networking and referral opportunities. Regional and national advertising clients are terrific for the bottom line, but dig deep in the communities that your publication serves and make sure you have prominent presence at your local chamber of commerce meetings!
2. Go mobile. Be easy to reach, in many different ways. Cell phones, laptops and tablets can help you manage client and prospect relations both remotely and in the office, since they place technology right at your fingertips nearly all the time. A client should never be left wondering how to reach you immediately when the time comes.
3. Make goals measureable. Smart sales goals are specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, and timely. To ensure that you’re capitalizing on every opportunity, you need to be able to measure your goals and demonstrate how your efforts translate back to your key objectives. By making measurement a priority you are better able to determine what works (rinse and repeat) and what doesn’t (out with the weekly trash.)
4. Replicate what works. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but you do need to be creative in your daily sales activities. Look to past advertising campaigns or promotional materials that can be repurposed for new audiences, outlets, and verticals. And search beyond your own newspaper’s experience (competing media vehicles) so that you’re timely with your own initiatives and aware of other successful campaigns that are being launched to sell against you.
5. Network. Connecting with others in the community continues to be one of your most important tools as an advertising professional. With the proper thought and effort, professional salespeople can capitalize on a strengthening economy by forging relationships with prospects and clients and learning exactly how you can help them meet their core business objectives. As I’ve said many times before, at the end of the day it’s all about THEM!
The Sales Cycle will be on hiatus next week, as I will be out on vacation. I look forward to continuing our conversation on July 31st!
Have a terrific week,
Dan
If there are specific topics you’d like to see discussed in a future issue of The Sales Cycle, please contact me at 612-278-0223 or dan@mna.org