Toward BetterClient Relationships

About LMA

• Focused on helping local media companies discover new and sustainable business models

• Serve more than 3,000 newspapers, broadcasters, digital news sites, directories,R&D partners

• www.localmedia.org

2

3

Here’s what we’ll cover

• Drawing on your own customer experiences• Preparing for a relationship• Listening with empathy• Setting clients up to succeed• A dash of psychology and a pinch of sociology

4

With a little help from my friends…

5

Stage-setters

Team

• Size?• Divisions of labor?

• ����������� ���• �������������

7

Product and service lines

• Print / ‘legacy’?• ������������ ������������

• Digital?• ����������������������� ������������• !��"�����!#$���� �������������������"���� ���� ����������"������������ �%�����

8

Drawing on your own customer experiences

Cliché #1:Car sales

Cliché #2:Timeshares

Cliché #3:The cablecompany

Cliché #4:Weddingor funeralplanners

Cliché #5:The end of the quarter

What bothers youas a customerin these cliché scenarios?

What do the cliché experienceshave in common?• Priority on the close, not on the long term• Carefully scripted sales approach• Treat customers much the same• Often transition service relationships to others• Tug at heartstrings, or fear of loss

16

How do these clichés differfrom media ad sales?• Price points• Sales curves, span between client buys• No diagnose/prescribe• In media sales, the account executive often maintains the service relationship directly

17

18

“Bring your customer’s customer perspective into the sales call.”

Leslie Laredo���������&�����������'����(����

Set yourself apart from the clichés

• Remember what it feels like to be sold that way• Come to all conversations prepared, not scripted• Give every prospect custom treatment• Don’t sell less than what will work, nor more than client needs

19

20

“Don’t start any presentation about what you have to sell. Start with the ‘why’ first.”

Leslie Laredo���������&�����������'����(����

If you need to close more than they need what you’re selling, that’s a bad way to start or keep the relationship.

Preparing fora relationship

22

Dating process vs. sales process

23

FindFind MeetMeet LearnLearn Grow together

Grow together CommitCommit

ProspectProspect DiagnoseDiagnose PrescribePrescribe Serve and report

Serve and report RenewRenew

Dating

Sales

Diagnose-prescribe sales

• Already know what you can before the ‘first date’• No pitch on first call: learn about businessand short- to medium-term challenges

• Set concrete time frame for returning with ‘prescription’ (pitch), and all follow-ups

24

25

“Back-and-forth Q&A calls are a thing of the past. With the tools that are available today, there is so much that we can find out about an existing or potential client before we step foot in the door. I have always found this to be a ‘warm and fuzzy’ moment. It shows that we have taken our time to invest in them before they ever invest with us.”

AmandaSchwegmann-Jordan����������������!���)���*�+'�������'�

26

“Do pre-call research so you don’t waste your customer’s time with information you could have collected by researching customer site, industry challenges, product offerings etc. This enables you to gain permission to focus on customer strategy. Then you can thoughtfully explore prospect priorities and how they measure success.”

Wes Jackson��� ���������������� ���"��,!�����-��.��%/��� ���� �������'����"�����������*0�����

Eat your own cooking

• House ads have calls to action?• ����� �������� 1

• Use your own website? Apps?• Use the same third-party suppliers as you’re selling to your clients?

• &������������� ��� ������������2��������������������"�������"���� ���1

27

28

“Gone are the days where you can rely on your relationship only in the sales process. You need to understand the industry challenges, how the business stands competitively, their digital footprint – and where you see opportunity for them. Then, in every conversation you should be adding insights and value tailored to them.”

Shannon Kinney���������������!������$ ��������� '���������

29

“Do something, don’t just say something. … Instead of telling a client what he or she should be doing on Facebook, take the keyboard and actually do it. Write a post. Resize an image. Clean up information on Google My Business. Create an Instagram account. It shows knowledge, intent, and a willingness to get your hands dirty.”

David Buonfiglio+���&���������!������������������

Listening with empathy

Journalists are taught:

• Active listening: Lean in, with physical cues that you are paying attention

• Eye contact and acknowledgment while listening• Place what subject says in context of his/her circumstances; try to understand them

• Repeat what you heard to ensure it’s right

31

The same skills will serve you well, especially in a sales diagnosis setting.

33

“Listen with the intent to understand, and always follow through on your commitments. Most of your competition will fail one or both of these simple relationship prerequisites.”

Steve Chase+���&���������!�������������� ���������

34

“Listen more and ask a lot of questions to really understand what can help drive their business.”

Jack Zavoral����������� � ����"���� ���'���� �������������

35

“To quote Teddy Roosevelt, ‘They don’t care what you know until they know that you care.’

“Work on your rapport first with the prospect before selling anything. It is important that they believe that you are there to help them, not to sell them.”

Mike Blinder���������&��������3������(����

Setting clients upto succeed

Short- and long-term marketing

37

38

“For current clients, focus on your customer, not your products. Commit yourself to becoming great at discussing campaign results, linking them to customer outcomes, and uncovering opportunities to improve or adjust to changing client needs. This will differentiate you from competition focused only on justifying their marketing campaign.”

Wes Jackson��� ���������������� ���"��,!�����-��.��%/��� ���� �������'����"�����������*0�����

Building solution sets: Example

39

Specifics Business Profile Elements Benefits Measurements

CLI

ENT

GO

AL

Aw

aren

ess

Introduce brand to as many potential customers as possible.

Limited budget. Opening new locations. Introducing new products. Branding. New to digital advertising.

SOLU

TIO

N S

ETVi

sibi

lity • ROS display

• Video• Reputation services

Maximizing reach efficiently

Impressions, eCPM, reputation scores.

Inte

rest

Describe features, advantages, benefits. Gain credibility.

Want larger, more engaging social presence. More search engine activity. Want to be seen as experts in field. In

tera

ctio

n

• Targeted display• Social• Branded content• SEO• Video• Reputation services

Establishing relationships with prospects

Time on site, bounce rate, social engagement, traffic to branded content, reputation scores.

Des

ire

Make relevant offers. Establish preference.

Trying to create advantages vs. competition. Move customers closer to making decisions. Build databases.

Pref

eren

ce • Paid search• SEO• Targeted display• Contests• Reputation services

Turning interaction into preference

Database growth, search tracking, mobile display clicks, better SERP rankings against head terms. rep management visibility score.

Act

ion Get leads. Develop

prospects. Make sales.

Hyper-focused on ROI. Want to drive short-term sales through events.

Buy

ers • SEM

• Mobile landing page• Targeted display• Reputation services

Converting sales with a focus on ROI

Search tracking, landing page conversions. rep management visibility score.

Building solution sets: Example

40

Specifics Business Profile Elements Benefits Measurements

CLI

ENT

GO

AL

Aw

aren

ess

Introduce brand to as many potential customers as possible.

Limited budget. Opening new locations. Introducing new products. Branding. New to digital advertising.

SOLU

TIO

N S

ETVi

sibi

lity • ROS display

• Video• Reputation services

Maximizing reach efficiently

Impressions, eCPM, reputation scores.

Inte

rest

Describe features, advantages, benefits. Gain credibility.

Want larger, more engaging social presence. More search engine activity. Want to be seen as experts in field. In

tera

ctio

n

• Targeted display• Social• Branded content• SEO• Video• Reputation services

Establishing relationships with prospects

Time on site, bounce rate, social engagement, traffic to branded content, reputation scores.

Des

ire

Make relevant offers. Establish preference.

Trying to create advantages vs. competition. Move customers closer to making decisions. Build databases.

Pref

eren

ce • Paid search• SEO• Targeted display• Contests• Reputation services

Turning interaction into preference

Database growth, search tracking, mobile display clicks, better SERP rankings against head terms. rep management visibility score.

Act

ion Get leads. Develop

prospects. Make sales.

Hyper-focused on ROI. Want to drive short-term sales through events.

Buy

ers • SEM

• Mobile landing page• Targeted display• Reputation services

Converting sales with a focus on ROI

Search tracking, landing page conversions. rep management visibility score.

41

Tier VISIBILITY INTERACTION PREFERENCE BUYERS

Cus

tom

$3,0

00

ROS display $2,000 Targeted display (desktop) $550 Targeted display (desktop) Targeted display (mobile) $850Video $800 Targeted display (mobile) $550 Targeted display (mobile) $1,000 SEM $1,600Reputation $200 Social media $600 SEM $750 Landing pages $200

Branded content $450 SEO $400 Reputation $100SEO $400 Contests $300 Email $250Video $250 Reputation $100Reputation $200 Branded content $450

Prem

ium

$2,0

00

ROS display $1,000 Targeted display (desktop) $450 Targeted display (desktop) $200 Targeted display (mobile) $650Video $800 Targeted display (mobile) $500 Targeted display (mobile) $600 SEM $1,000Reputation $200 Social media $400 SEM $400 Landing pages $150

Branded content $450 SEO $400 ReputationSEO Contests $300 Email $200Video Reputation $100Reputation $200 Branded content

Inte

rmed

iate

$1,2

25

ROS display $750 Targeted display (desktop) $350 Targeted display (desktop) $200 Targeted display (mobile) $400Video $400 Targeted display (mobile) $400 Targeted display (mobile) $600 SEM $600Reputation $100 Social media $400 SEM Landing pages $150

Branded content SEO ReputationSEO Contests $350 Email $100Video Reputation $100Reputation $100 Branded content

Bas

ic$7

50

ROS display $400 Targeted display (desktop) $350 Targeted display (desktop) Targeted display (mobile) $250Video $250 Targeted display (mobile) Targeted display (mobile) $350 SEM $400Reputation $100 Social media $300 SEM Landing pages $100

Branded content SEO ReputationSEO Contests $300 EmailVideo Reputation $100Reputation $100 Branded content

With piecesin place,

set up

service tiers

and

pricing

Sold! Now what?

43

“During the first two months you end up speaking to the customer a lot in order to get new campaigns properly launched. During the final two or three months it's all about calling and emailing to get the renewal. But, those middle 6-8 months need at least monthly proactive communication or we lose touch, and don't build the relationship.

Steve Bookbinder�#$��'���������� �������

Don’t waste the attention they bought

44

Care about bad functionality, before clients have to

45

Know the tones of satisfying service

46

Less about numbers that make you look good.

More about numbers that make them look good.

Digital metrics that matter

• Overall traffic• Sources of traffic• Bounce rates• Time on site

• New / repeat visitors %• If selling social

• #���� ����"�������������"��������

• If selling search• ���"������������%������

48

Case study: Mental health outpatient center in CA• Focus of performance

reporting:Did campaigndeliver qualified leads?

49

Repeat after me:I will get read accessto my clients’Google Analytics

50

51

“Begin the renewal process as soon as the contract is signed. That means making your intentions clear by delivering an ‘account manager’ elevator pitch that describes your role as both reactive (service) and proactive (offering advice, providing additional insights, sharing best practices, and asking to meet other key stakeholders in the advertiser's organization).”

Steve Bookbinder�#$��'���������� �������

Psych 101 and Soc 101

Understand role of emotion

• Clients go through standard emotional arcto make purchase decisions

• ������"��������2���� ������������• Engage appropriately at each stage

53

Danny Wong, marketing consultanthttps://www.tenfold.com/sales-leadership/psychology-sales-management-5-ways-lead-winning-sales-team/

Don’t build on fear

• Those cliché sales approaches? Fear of loss• In media sales, it’s fear of missing out• But you can overplay this hand

54

55

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/lessons-from-sociology-5-tips-to-help-you-sell-more-scott-allen/

Scott AllenSocial Innovation ArchitectGeneral Motors

Five traits that drive adoption/rejection

• Relative advantage• 3������"���������"��• 3���������������1

• Compatibility• ��.�����.���������� �����1

• Simplicity• ��.�������������������

• Trialability• ��.������2���� ��� �����4 ��1

• Observability• ��.�����������1

56

57

“Stop having advertising conversations and start having business ones. Our clients don’t want to spend a dime on advertising. They want the things that advertising can do for their business: deal with a competitive threat, introduce a new location or product, add new patients or cases, overcome challenges of a weak economy.”

Jim Doyle�������0� ����������������

58

“Learn to fail fast. More success comes from figuring out what didn’t work and being strategic about understanding it and how to change it.”

Leslie Laredo���������&�����������'����(����

Thank you!