Which sales methodologies work, and which ones don’t, when courting advertisers?

By William Dunkerley

The ultimate test of any publication's ad sales department lies in the results. Is it producing revenue according to expectation? Is it maximizing opportunities for closing deals?

If you find that ad sales are falling short of your needs or are not at an optimal level, it's time to take a look at the sales methodology you are using. Actually, there are several distinct methodologies that. For the sake of discussion I've named them:

1. Begging for ads.

2. Schmoozing for ads.

3. Strategizing for ads.

4. Brokering for ads.

5. Outsourcing for ads.

A few of the names are intentionally given in lighthearted terms. I'll describe them all one at a time.

Begging for Ads

This method does not really involve getting on your knees and pleading. Basically it is a category where you are offering potential buyers advertising space without representing a direct commercial benefit for the advertiser.

My first encounter with this approach dates to my high school days. Friends and I were members of a hobby club that would hold a large annual event for which there was a program booklet. We were tasked with selling ads in the booklet to support the club, so we'd go out and prevail upon family and friends, especially those with a business connection, to buy ads. If there was a business we often patronized, we hit them up too. Out of the goodness of their hearts, some would pay the nominal amount for an ad. Those without a business connection might simply insert a "compliments of a friend" ad. Ads in high school yearbooks are typically sold in the same way.

A more sophisticated variant of this can be found in the way some professional publishers attempt to sell ads. It is definitely a suboptimal approach.

I've had the opportunity to observe the sales presentations of many ad sales representatives at all kinds of publications. The tip-off that this methodology is being used can often be heard in the opening lines of the sales pitch. In a cold call it goes something like this: "I'd like to tell you something about our publication."

That's usually followed by reciting some boastful features about the publication -- e.g., audience size and demographics, focus of editorial coverage, etc.

Some call this the opera singer approach. You know, "me me me me."

The problem with this is that your publication may be of little interest to the advertiser.

Advertisers are typically more interested in their own businesses, not in your publication. If you are just telling a prospect about features of your publication and expecting an order, that's tantamount to the "begging for ads" approach. You've not connected things to a commercial benefit. That's not a wise approach.

There is a special situation, however, when this approach is perfectly appropriate. That's if you are selling ads in a publication of a charity organization. In that case, a company may be happy to place an ad just as a form of financial support for the charity. Showing a commercial benefit is not necessary.

Schmoozing for Ads

This is usually called "relationship selling," a more dignified term. This can be a very productive method of selling. It's not quick, though. It takes time to establish a relationship and build trust. Any ad sales activity requires establishing rapport with the prospect. Relationship selling takes this to a higher level.

There are some situations in which relationship selling is a must. A good example is when the cost to advertise is relatively high. That can be true with other kinds of high-ticket sales.

For example, back in the print era, there was a time when I was spending millions of dollars on publication printing. I was always hearing from printing companies. Each wanted me to move a publication from the existing printer to their company.

That's not the kind of decision that can be prompted by even the best of cold calls. I finally did change printers. The deal was made with a salesperson who had maintained a relationship over several years. The reputation of the printer (i.e., its brand) played an important role too.

In selling advertising, the importance of relationship selling is influenced by how expensive an ad is. The price for a run-of-publication ad in Forbes magazine is reportedly about $50,000. For many prospects that will be considered a big-ticket item.

It's relative, though. For a fledgling advertiser being approached by a small B2B publication, $5000 for a ROP page may seem like a lot.

When an advertiser is placing an ad, it is taking a chance on your publication. Results aren't guaranteed, so a solid relationship between buyer and seller plus a strong brand image for your publication are usually required.

There's more to be considered when it comes to relationship selling. It also can have some drawbacks. We'll pick up on that next time, and then dive into the other sales methods listed earlier.

William Dunkerley is principal of William Dunkerley Publishing Consultants, www.publishinghelp.com.

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