To sell more OOH faster we must know what buyers, in this case professional buyers, want from sales reps. I interviewed Ali Broback, Chief Client Officer, Partner at ODN, and Matt Borders, VP of Media, at ODN to uncover the things they want OOH sales reps to know.
Kevin
It varies a lot, but what should be a standard appropriate lead time from the time the rep gets an RFP to the time you get a very complete comprehensive proposal back?
Ali Broback
Always respond instantly with, I’m on it. I don’t care if you’re out for lunch, or you’re on vacation. Set an expectation that you got the request and you’re on it. If you think that you can’t hit the deadline, let the buyer know right away. We’re always flexible.
Matt B0rders
Today is 48 hours. I think five years ago, it was 4 days. It’s shrunk significantly and continues to shrink.
Ali Broback
When we send over RFPs, I see so often is, “you asked for Highway 7 in Minneapolis, but I’m going to send you stuff on 694 because it’s basically the same traffic” No, it’s not. Stick close to the parameters we’re asking for. It alleviates so much time wasting.
Kevin
The rule of the out-of-home company should always be offering a solution to a “no”.
Reps may say, “No, I don’t have Highway 7, but I do have XYZ, which could be a suitable alternative.” At least you know there’s no option for Highway 7. And you know there could be a reasonable alternative. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.
Ali Broback
Yeah. I love that. What I don’t like is, here you go, here’s your request. And I have to open it and uncover that it’s not what I asked for. I would rather you pop me an e-mail back with that “no, but”.
Matt Borders
Be competitive on rates upfront. Obviously, we’re not just RFP-ing single vendor every time. It’s part of the everything upfront deal. We go into a market as an agency, we already know or have an idea what the rate should be. If you just send us a rate card, we know that you’re not putting your whole heart into this thing. We’re not going to pay $1,000 for a poster that we paid $500 for a month previously.
Kevin
So many sales managers, (mostly old-school sales managers) want reps to put the rate out there and let the buyer negotiate. It’s much more client-friendly, and much more collaborative to give your best rates out of the gate. Have the buyer understand that those are the best rates! Explain to the buyer, based on locations, quantity, duration etc. those are your best rates. You’re not going to be embarrassed by having the buyer find out someone bought this inventory prior for half the price. As a rep, don’t put yourself in that position.
The rep has to wear two hats: the client hat and the management hat. When management says, go in there with a top of the rate card and see what you get, those days ended in about 1990. OOH management needs to get on board with the speed of business and the way business is done today.
Matt Borders
Our contracting process is pretty simple. We don’t send the vendor contracts until we have the contract back from the client. We don’t allow that to go too long. Just like the client doesn’t always give us the budget, they don’t always make signing a contract a priority. Even though we have all the documentation, it’s approved, it’s good to go. To actually put pen to paper sometimes can be a little bit delayed.
We don’t mind reps asking, “Hey, where’s our contract?” But if we say, “It’s going to be signed by Friday,” and reps e-mail us every day, “Where’s the contract?” it’s a waste of time and energy for everybody.
It’s communication. I would love for the reps to say, “Hey, can you give me a date of when this contract is going to be signed?” And put the onus on the agency and say, “Hey, just give us a date,” and we will do that.
Then it’s on us to update the rep to say on that date, if it’s not there, “Hey, I don’t have it today. Maybe it’s going to be the next day.” The more communication and understanding the history of the client is a big deal.
Kevin
Ownership and management of out-of-home companies get frustrated because their sales manager says, “Yeah, we’re going to make our number this month.” Bang, the month closes, and they’re $100,000 short because they were expecting those signatures that didn’t come. I think the critical part of that communication is using dates with you and you using dates with the agencies/clients. People understand dates. They don’t understand “It’s out for signature”
Ali Broback
We don’t really sign vendor contracts. But when we do send our contract, double check it, and see if it’s right. I think there’s a sales mentality, where reps close the sale, and you move on to the next sale. Contracts and posting instructions and art, all that stuff is like ugh! Make sure you’re signing those contracts right away so that we can keep the balls rolling.
Matt Borders
Sometimes, in rare instances, a rep needs a contract in to hit a bonus, or whatever. As a good partner to the out-of-home companies sometimes we have flexibility to meet their internal deadlines, so you should always ask.
There are situations where we’ll sign your contract for you, even though we don’t have the client contract.
But again, we’re talking about favors both ways. We will help as long as they communicate. When we know the client’s going to sign, we’re not concerned about it. Or if it’s 60 days out or 90 days out starting, we have a cancelation clause,
Ali Broback
Just like we don’t ask for the same favor over and over and over again; If reps ask for that every time, it’s not going to go over well eventually.
Kevin
Everything is running beautifully and the client’s excited and everybody’s thrilled about the way it’s going. How do you feel about a rep dropping a handwritten note to the client who is writing the check for the program, to say, “We just initiated a program on your behalf. We’re very excited about it. Thank you very much.”
Ali Broback
I guess the relationships really overall should stay in their lane. Obviously, there are going to be sales reps and managers that have a relationship with a client. It is going to happen sometimes. But just out of the blue, sending something on LinkedIn, thanking somebody that feels a little bit outside the lane. I think we’re all a little jaded, I have had many reps try to go around me thinking I’m not including their inventory in the way that I should, or I’m not advocating for their product in the way that I should. It feels like it’s not really being a true partner with us.
Matt Borders
I would add, I think communication on that, a rep asking Ali, “Hey, is it okay if I send so-and-so a note?” I think if you start the process there. They’re going to be more favorable to it. Some clients, Kevin, you know this, use us because they don’t want to communicate with a rep.
We might know something they don’t know, and say, “Hey, normally it’d be okay, but…” It’s not just you, its TV, radio, it’s everything. They just want us to handle it, They don’t want to be involved at all. Always check with the agency first. It doesn’t hurt to ask. It doesn’t offend anybody at the agency if they ask. But if they go around you, that’s where it becomes an issue.
Kevin
The reason I advocate for this is it’s the client’s bank account that’s driving this whole chain of events. You want to thank and recognize them. Certainly, you don’t want to encumber a client with a lengthy communication, maybe a two-sentence thank you card. We do appreciate when client XYZ does a program with us, and they should understand there’s a human being behind this process on the street in the market making sure it runs well for them. I think that would be reassuring.
Ali Broback
I agree. What I don’t like is when reps say, “You could have gotten us cheaper if you had just gone direct.” Which that has happened. The way that you have portrayed this activity, I fully put my stamp of approval on.
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