Some of the most significant challenges in any sales arena can be found by those working in media and advertising sales.
The size and intricacies of a large number of these sales necessitate addressing issues such as differing return on investment measurements, shifting target groups and various distribution channels. To add another barrier to the sale, many times, a third party, such as an advertising agency is working as an intermediary for the buyer and must be included in discussions.
At Turnkey Solutions Ltd, we believe that the correct approach to be adopted for successful media and advertising sales is a consultative approach through bespoke sales training.
The pace of change in the media and advertising sales arena is faster than in other sectors. Distracting technological advances also create an ever-changing environment where priorities are constantly altered.
As more advanced models are created, customers want to use the latest and best ones in order to keep a competitive edge. Successful sellers overcome this challenge by maintaining their focus on the customer.
Sustaining a customer focus needs the use of salient questioning, which forms the foundations of a consultative approach.
When a salesperson in media or advertising uses pertinent questions to discover needs, they reveal the customer’s underlying views of the business and identify the customer’s fundamental challenges.
Finding clarity on these critical needs is vital for two purposes:
Sellers looking to separate themselves from the crowd must recognise which of their abilities is most relevant to the customer. Finding the answer to this question can only happen if the salesperson makes the effort to pay attention to the customer’s specific needs.
The probing, listening and conversation skills learned in Turnkey Solutions Ltd’s bespoke sales training course for media and advertising sales teams guide sellers down a path to securing the sale.
It is not unusual for sellers in media and advertising to be confronted with a situation where the buyer has already earmarked their budget for another channel or market.
Successful sellers use this as an opportunity for more in-depth discussions with the customer about addressing their challenges.
By using pertinent questioning, a salesperson may show that the customer’s objectives are better addressed by the use of a different solution via a different method. When the salesperson and customer work in partnership, they develop a more educated view of the marketplace. Building a strong rapport with the customer can help this process become more intuitive over time and give the seller the opportunity to bring new ideas to the table for discussion. As these new ideas flow, regular feedback from the customer will confirm that you both stay on the same page.
Turnkey Solutions Ltd sales training for media and advertising sellers, which concentrates on developing a consultative approach, is especially productive because, frequently, the success of an advertising strategy is directly proportionate to its size. Smaller advertising sales are unlikely to deliver the desired outcome. Therefore, selling advertising and other types of media often presents the opportunity to sell a more comprehensive solution to the customer, which in turn means a bigger sale, occasionally at the start of the business relationship.
Being able to present and sell a more comprehensive range of media and advertising solutions only happens when a strong rapport and greater level of trust have been cemented through consultative dialogue and mutual understanding of what constitutes success.
Consultative selling is effective in media and advertising because it gives salespeople a way to plot a course through intricacies not found in other business sectors. Every customer has their own ambitions and needs, but the route to achieving them is the same. A consultative method offers the adaptability and customizable solutions that the buyer needs.
