Recession Sales Tips

If you joined the business after 2003, you've experienced robust economy and the idea of a slowdown is probably new and confusing to you. You should know that veterans who've been through a couple of these take them for granted, just part of the deal. Most have also concluded that they've seldom learned much during good times. The learning occurs in not-perfect times and most who came through it wound up as better salespeople, making more.
 
It doesn't have to be a Recession or Slowdown for YOU. The antidote is ACTION. Go on the Offense. All the great generals were great because they had one thing in common; when things went poorly – they ATTACKED. Here are examples. 
 
 
For Managers
 
The biggest problem I see are managers using the same management strategies in April 2008 that they used in June 2007. All the conditions have changed. It's time to re-think them. Here are just a few.
 
Time to start station ads –on the station. When times are good we forget the obvious simple stuff. They’ll produce call-in business.
 
Ads on websites. Last week I happened on the website of a huge cluster, owned by a huge company in a Top 10 market. At the very bottom of the site there was the ass-grabber copy that said, “Click here for Advertising Information.” When you click through the message “If you’d like information on advertising on FU102, call Mary Jones at 214-xxx-xxxx. If you’d like information on advertising on FU102.com, call John Smith at 214-xxx-xxxx.” Instead of a simple e-mail form, they ask the prospect to copy a number and call them on the phone. What a wasted opportunity. Put that link in a prominent tile at the top of the page and say, “The Proven Secrets of Advertising Success.”
 
Clearance Sale. A normal, accepted retail practice. Got avails at the end of the month? Merchandise that will go unused?  Package them up at rates that will selleasily . Create only a limited number of packages.   When they’re gone, they’re gone. (That’s important.) Offer them to best clients first. If they’re surprised by the rate and want more, we say; “We’re offering them to you first because you’re such a good customer. We can’t offer these rates after April 30th.” Offer a specific number to each salesperson. If they don’t sell their ten by April 23rd, they’re offered to AEs who’ve already sold their allotment.
 
Rate Integrity. Here’s a practice you might need to examine in. Spring 2008 is not the time to be pompous, smug or snotty about rate integrity. The clients aren’t waiting at the front door to buy a schedule. Congratulations if you can do it, but if you leave a spot unsold, you’re missing the point. The goal isn’t high rates – the goal is to make the month. You can only do that with money. ZERO won’t help you make your month. You can’t deposit ZERO in the bank. Any spot sold at a number over ZERO is a Good Spot. Imagine that call from your Corporate Masters who start pounding you when you don’t make your month. A fun exercise: Say “Yes, but we kept our rates up.” Tell me what they say next. Call and I’ll do the Grief Counseling.
 
Stay Super Close to SuperClients. Typically the top 20% of accounts make up 40%-50% of the billing. When you lose one of those babies – that’s big. So institute a program of SuperClient Intensive Care – aimed at the one’s making up the top 40% of the spenders. Have a reason FOR YOU THE MARKET MANAGER, DOS & LSM to visit with them as often as possible. YOU should know them face-to-face, know all about them. If it looks like one is going south, make sure you’re the last one they cut.    
 
 
AEs
 
Always Ask for More. "Grab it and run out the door before they change their mind." Sometimes we feel lucky to even get a buy, or to get an order at all. Don't think that way. The day after the schedule starts get back in there and have an add-on ready to go.
 
Don't Count Calls, Count PRESENTATIONS.  Tiger Woods does well because he makes a couple hundred shots EVERY DAY. Lesson for us; Present, Present, Present. Give yourself a target of making XX presenations a day. It works. Besides, it'll give you an inordinate amount of self-confidence. You'll be a star.
 
PING – like a Submarine. Always be looking for a target. Try three sheets of paper hung on the wall of your cubicle and in your planner – everywhere. The sheets: (1) Accounts on the air now, ranked by billing. Find a good business reason to be in contact with them as often as possible. (1) Accounts on the air that you know are spending more money than they were spending with you now. (3) Prospects who say “Bring me a good idea.”
 
Speaking of a good idea . . .
 
Re-Purpose One-Sheets. I guarantee that many Sales Managers will be introducing the “Bunch-O-Cheap Spots Package. (Value $8,600,000,000: Your cost only $425. )” Adjust it a bit, rename it, put their logo on it and it becomes The Downtown Ford Weekend Traffic Plan, or the Jones Furniture Econo-Master Plan, or the Dr. Gridzinky More Walk-in Traffic Plan.