Thanks to Clayton Stark of Porlier Outdoor for asking about the best sources of prospects during the pandemic. These strategies work for any challenging economic time. For the Dot-com bubble/recession, the mortgage crisis/recession, the formula was the same.
I believe in the Ying/Yang theory; a strength is a weakness, and a weakness is a strength. In an economic downturn with many companies struggling there is an equal and opposite reality of companies doing very well.
In tough times, people question everything they are doing. They are more open to your ideas than if business is booming.
Don’t rely on the news media to tell you who is doing well. Bad news sells. When 100 people lose their jobs, it will make local news, however, if a company adds 100 positions, it seldom makes news. Companies like IBM, GE, Procter & Gamble, General Motors, Fed Ex and Microsoft were all started during economic depressions/downturn.
- As you monitor the media for leads think not just specific advertiser but ad categories. Advertisers represent hot categories.
- Check financial/business news to see which categories are doing well. Target and Best Buy, for example, had huge years in 2020. If someone in a category is doing well very likely everyone in the category is doing well.
- Use yourself and your family as a focus group. Think about what you are spending more money/time on during a pandemic. Likely this is true for many other consumers and may indicate a trend that you can monopolize on.
As you work these categories you may be told that “business is too good”, that they can’t keep up. In that case, sell them a very creative and effective recruitment campaign to fill their open positions/increase their workforce. Also pursue their competitors who may be more growth oriented.
Some categories that are doing very well during the pandemic are:
- behavior health clinics
- bike shops
- boat dealers
- cleaning
- computer and electronics stores
- computer service shops
- delivered products
- divorce attorneys
- fitness equipment
- food delivery (Door Dash yes but also pizza delivery, etc.)
- gardening supply stores
- general furniture stores
- grocery stores
- hardware stores
- home construction/remodeling
- home healthcare services
- home office furniture
- in-state resorts
- landscaping and yard companies
- liquor and wine stores
- locally prepared food companies
- local movers
- local pharmacies
- mental health and addiction counselors
- paint/decorating stores
- real estate sales
- tele-health services
- used car dealers
These companies probably need recruitment ads in addition to product act. While we hear about people losing their jobs, reality is in most markets many companies need to hire. (I’ll cover the three-audiences-for-the-price-of-one in an OOH recruitment advertising column in the coming weeks.)
Rank these categories in order of their value to you in your marketplace and identify the top prospects in each. This is your pandemic playbook!
Develop the list of categories that will emerge POST pandemic. Start prospecting/seeding them now…our economy is determined to get back to normal and when the economy improves, it will likely happen fast. You want to be first in the door with the best ideas.
In the words of the great sales manager, Winston Churchill: “Never, never, never, give up”
I would value your thoughts on any categories you have seen emerge in your market.
Kevin Gephart spent 35+ years selling advertising including 12 years at Clear Channel Outdoor in Minneapolis. He welcomes your sales questions or comments. Email kevinjgephart@gmail.com or use the form below.
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