Thanks to everyone who submitted their toughest OOH Sales questions.  I will answer the questions in my next few columns.  A Billboard Insider reader asked:

“How do I sell long-term versus short-term contracts?”

Here are four principal elements:

Always present all proposals as annual contracts. If an advertiser asks for a six-week program, explain; “here is an annual option which includes a six-week plan as well as all of the other weeks you’ll want sales.”

1. Ask the advertiser if the following points are important to them:
   1. controlling the board locations for their business
   2. keeping the boards out of competitors’ hands
   3. getting the best rates
   4. holding the rate
   5. having continuity in their advertising

Present this annual program as your “advertiser control program.”  Buying an annual program gives the advertiser control over all these principal elements.

1. Instead of discounting the rate, offer a 13^th period free. It’s only about a 7.5% discount but sounds very attractive. Be clear this free period will be added to the end of the contract (to ensure complete fulfillment). Now, when you negotiate the renewal rate, you are starting from your original rate, not the discounted rate.
2. Some companies, as a fallback position when closing annuals, will offer to include a 60-day cancellation clause. It is widely proven that an annual advertiser with a 60-day cancel clause will spend more money with you than a sporadic advertiser who never signs an annual contract.
3. Use a “service guarantee” (example found in the appendix of the Ultimate OOH Sales Guide) signed by the OOH sales rep and, possibly, management. It puts, in writing, all the things your OOH sales rep is guaranteeing to do in service of the annual contract. I doubt any of your local media sales competitors are using this tool

If 2026 is your year to focus on selling more OOH faster, we should talk. Learn more about me at OOHSalesFaster.com, or contact to me at KevinJGephart@gmail.com or 612-387-5349