At P1 Learning, our founders cut their teeth in the broadcast world. Early in their careers, they lived in the world of spots and dots, and organized their days surrounding drive time.
And while the emergence of digital media has certainly changed the landscape of the industry, there are some commonalities between broadcast and digital sales strategies to keep in mind when building sales teams.
Our team put together a digital spin on a few broadcast sales mantras:
We’re in the awareness business
Broadcast channels broadly drive familiarity and awareness as it generates word-of-mouth and interest. This is the first step in the customer purchase path.
Digital media allows us to amplify that word-of-mouth across all channels and devices, deepening the target’s familiarity with a business by driving to brand sites, campaign landing pages and social sites. Even more, digital advertising drives word-of-mouth among a more targeted consumer set, allowing a customer to zero in on their target audience and retarget them behaviorally based on interests and locations.
Driving to the (digital) storefront
Gone are the days when someone hears a spot, hops in the car and drives to a business with intent to make a purchase. The digital era has made for a more informed consumer who compares competition, searches locations, reads reviews and matches price before even stepping foot into a brick and mortar location.
An integrated media campaign that drives to the digital storefront of a business allows consumers to find all the information they need to make a purchasing decision. However, much like a retail location, the digital storefront must be well-merchandised – as well as viewable across devices. Not only do consumers expect this, but it also enables more targeted digital media strategies such as geofencing and retargeting – which ultimately drives foot traffic. Broadcast campaigns plant seeds in the target; digital media nurtures – and amplifies – that seed.
Sales reps no more – Brand Strategists
Give yourself the credit you deserve. You’re in the business of finding solutions for your customers – and if you are successful, you start with what they need to sell rather than what you need to sell. Presenting yourself as a brand strategist positions you as an advocate for their business. It also opens the conversation to cross-channel strategies – and ways to best integrate their owned properties into a media campaign.
And as a brand strategist, invite all potential client stakeholders to a proposal presentation to ensure you have the right people in the room. If the digital buyer is separate from the broadcast buyer, both should be in the room to properly evaluate the proposal for your client.
What are some of your sales mantras? Share with us!
If you want to bolster the digital expertise on your sales team, check out the P1 Interactive Training program – over 50 courses, all on-demand from your computer, tablet or smart phone. Master digital at your own pace, on your own time.
For more information, contact Bryan Marriott at bryan@p1learning.com
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