A Special “Thank you” to all who offered their insights into Monday’s Billboard Insider Account Executive Metrics Poll. The poll asked two of the biggest questions out of home operators have regarding the size of their sales teams. The overall answer requires much broader consideration.

How many OOH sales reps should your OOH company have?

The real answer? At least one more than you have right now.

It may sound cheeky—but it’s true. In most local markets, your radio, print, cable TV and digital competitors have twice as many reps on the street which equates to more client touches, more proposals, and more deals—leaving OOH behind in the local ad share race. Want proof? Ask around, survey your local media market, and calculate each competitor’s billing-to-rep ratio. It’s eye-opening!

The total output of your sales organization is the sum of your reps’ individual ambition. Sales management, coaching, and training can help optimize performance—but you can’t manufacture ambition. Some reps cap out at $500K a year; others will bill $2–3 million without breaking a sweat.

The biggest mistake? Capping a rep’s potential by limiting their billing. It drives away your best performers and leaves opportunities on the table.

Adding Reps accomplishes three critical goals:

1. Revenue growth.
2. Reduced organizational risk by insulating against turnover or underperformance.
3. Establishing a fresh sales department dynamic with new blood.

Why OOH companies don’t want to add sales reps.

Despite the upside, many OOH companies hesitate to add reps. Here’s why:

1. Short-Term Cost Concerns – Companies gladly invest five figures in new boards—but hesitate to invest in sales talent. Why not divert a portion of capital spend towards sales team growth? While these two expense categories are treated very differently on your profit/loss statement, they are still dollars spent to drive revenue, A good sales rep hire, like a new billboard location, will drive results over time. Even a contract rep or part-time hunter can be a low-risk pilot.

2. Inventory Worries – Some fear there’s not enough inventory to sell. Start now: raise rates, plan builds and begin onboarding. By the time the rep is ramped up, the inventory will be ready.

3. Sales Manager Resistance – Managers may feel a new rep is just more work—recruiting, training, mentoring. The long-term payoff far outweighs the initial effort. Consider giving managers additional support to make the onboarding successful. (Message me for my Comprehensive Sales Rep Onboarding Plan).

4. Current Rep Pushback – Existing reps may fear new hires will “steal” deals or cut into their commissions. This mindset wrongfully assumes a zero-sum game. New reps bring in new business. If someone else can close a deal your rep didn’t, or find missed opportunities, that’s growth—not cannibalization.

Urgent Warning Signs You Need More Sales Reps

If your reps are:

• Missing their self-generated, new business call quota
• Relying too heavily on inbound leads/ RFPs
• Taking more than 2 hours to acknowledge inbound RFPs
• Not using a structured 18+ call strategy to uncover true potential of a lead
• Consistently late on creative and production deadlines
• Missing meetings or skipping training
• Churning out short-term buys (1–2 months) that don’t renew
• Not keeping up with CRM and recordkeeping
• Saying things like: “I just don’t have time for X”

They’re not lazy, they’re overextended. Their book of business is too large, and it’s hurting your company’s revenue potential.

When you make the strategic choice to expand your sales team, do it right. Your recruitment process should include six critical steps to improve your chances of making a successful OOH hire.

Email me at KevinJGephart@gmail.com and I can help

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