Jesse London has 25 years experience in media sales including 20 years selling out of home. Last week he he gave 6 tips for sales call preparation. Today he highlights 6 traits to succeed in out of home sales. You can reach Jesse at jesselondon1@gmail.com.
What are 6 traits needed to succeed in out of home sales?
1) Good with Advertisers (or agencies) – Advertisers want to work with someone they trust, and the easiest way for an AE to build trust is to be responsive to the advertiser’s business needs. AE’s need to really listen to understand the business challenges, be empathetic, and then present only proposals that align with those needs. Service after purchase should include accurate paperwork, quick POP’s, honest reporting of problems, and competitive updates. Check in on an advertiser outside of the normal proposal cycle, send birthday/anniversary cards to show you are thinking of them, and get clients out of the office to really bond.
2) Understanding Value – Sellers really need to internalize the true value of out of home. Not only is the space efficient vs other media, but it plays a critical role in both the national and local media mix. OOH can be used to create broad market awareness, target special neighborhoods and create that last impression on the path to purchase. Sellers that are comfortable with their inventory are better prepared to offer the right sign to fit an advertisers needs or know how to package a group of signs to deliver an effective program.
3) Hungry – Good sellers create opportunity and want to earn that extra commission. They think independently, they can self-start and find creative solutions to generate incremental spend. Most managers want hunters over farmers, and choose sellers that find new contacts, are comfortable prospecting, and network their relationships. Smart sellers look for market trends, follow the competition, or keep an eye on what companies received fresh funding.
4) Resilient and Positive – Day to day we face let downs, rejection or even slumps but it means everything to be able to get back up. AE’s are rewarded for good results, and this requires a positive response to change, the spirit to shake off setbacks and the ability to learn from mistakes.
5) Effective Communicator – A solid presentation, good verbal skills and authenticity creates credibility. Sellers need to really understand their selling proposition and be able to present in it in their own words, in a genuine and understandable fashion. While face to face meetings are critical, the reality is the sales cycle is so short that smart electronic communication including engaging social media and informative digital marketing is essential. Personal correspondence needs to be succinct; emails need to be brief and include relevant links/data for maximum utility. Grids should be flawless, photo sheets need to be accurate, and requests should be responded to quickly.
6) Competitive – Effective sellers set goals, and achieve them. Internal competition among a sales team using a goal attainment index is healthy, and I encourage it. Management should embrace this competition and create quarterly prizes for top performers. Everyone wants to win.
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