All the things that media reps DON’T do is costing companies revenue

https://www.petevanbaalen.com/home/all-the-things-that-media-reps-don-t-do-is-costing-companies-revenue

It has been a few short weeks since I walked away from being a member of the media. Now as the director of marketing for a group of businesses, I’ve discovered a few things about media reps that I feel compelled to tell you about.

I still love ya, media! I really do. So much so that I feel the need to enlighten you on what is happening while your sales reps are out of the office on sales calls.

You see, I want / need you to be successful. The community I work in and the businesses I work for all benefit from a strong local media. And while there are systemic issues that media companies of all varieties face, there are some obstacles in the way of future revenue that you can control.

Your sales staff.

In a short amount of time, I’ve discovered a list of a few things media reps don’t due. Pay attention, and train to repair. This list isn’t likely to surprise you that these things happen some, but I will tell you that it is happening at a much higher rate than I expected. In a nutshell, here are the things your reps don’t do:

• Reps DON’T explain why – why should I buy their product and how it will benefit me
• Reps DON’T ask why – find out why did I buy x, why are we doing y? Reps need to better understand the thought process behind we are are doing, and why we are doing it so they can see how their products and services fit in
• Reps DON’T ask for the sale
• Reps DON’T discover my needs. The amount of product dumps that I’ve witnessed in a short time is amazing.
• Reps DON’T respect my time. In one case, I’ve had three customer needs analysis done by a rep (so far). And they are still trying to work towards a real presentation, which hopefully will happen on meeting number four. We’re already four hours into this process, and I can’t imagine how many hours back at the office for them.
• Reps DON’T always have 100% integrity. As the new buyer, I’m being told of all the things the previous person promised reps in terms of buys. In one case for sure, that is a total fabrication. In others, there is definitely some exaggeration.

I’m not picking on any single media outlet. I’ve had conversations with radio, billboards, niche magazines, newspapers and various digital platforms. There are some stars out there in local media calling on me too, but the harsh reality is there is plenty of room for improvement with most individuals.

Of all the “don’ts” on the list, the one that bothers me most is the lack of integrity. I’ve experienced some tall tales, where individuals made statements that were either false or a stretch of the truth in an effort to make me feel obligated to buy. Oddly enough in each case, it was not a local entity that made these claims. Rather, it was either secondary markets or national platforms.

The basics still hold true as to the best approach, at least with me. A sale comes down to two things: solutions to problems and good feelings. Solving my problems can only happen if you know my problems. Product dumping might solve your problem of achieving a goal on the number of pitches made, but unless you do a needs analysis you don’t even know what my problems are and can’t solve those problems.

The best needs analysis I had done was from a billboard rep. He was very detailed in his note taking, and really took the time to ask a question, here my answers and probe further with additional questions. I started asking about specific products, and he apologized. He told me that he was not planning to pitch any products today, but promised to come back with my questions answered along with additional information based on our conversation. Text book!

Contrast that with the radio rep that has worked on three needs assessments (so far) but still hasn’t come back with a full market presentation like we’ve asked. Such a waste of my time, not to mention the time of the sales rep. If you haven’t role played a customer needs analysis in the past month with your sales team, you are overdue. It is the foundational step in the sales process in 2019, and few reps are doing it. Even fewer reps are doing it well. It is hard to generate any good feelings, knowing that my time is being wasted by bad sales techniques.

Another alarming trend I’ve noticed has been a lack of asking for the sale on sales calls. There have been only a few attempts, with the best of those coming from the newspaper rep. She’s also the most experienced, I believe. Thinking about media companies, inexperienced reps are very often who make up the sales team. That being the case, there is a good chance what I’m seeing from young reps is being done by your young staff at your company. Reps have a fear of rejection, so they just don’t ask for the sale. Sales managers have to instill that it is OK to be told no. After all, you can’t overcome objections until they say no. And after all, they might just say yes!

Basic training on the different techniques of closing and overcoming objections needs to be regularly featured in your training. You are training, right?

Revenue opportunities are tough. As more and more dollars go to self serve digital options, you have to make the most of the opportunities you have. I honestly don’t believe media companies are controlling all that they can control in the sales process. The result is costing them money. If you have a young staff, you have to work on customer needs analysis, closing and overcoming objections on a regular basis. And by the way, the same applies for seasoned reps too.

https://www.petevanbaalen.com/single-post/2019/01/07/Rocking-chair-moments-in-my-life-a-tribute-to-the-amazing-people-Ive-worked-with-over-the-years

A mentor and friend of mine referred to them as “rocking chair moments” during a training session nearly 20 years ago.  At the time,  at a beachfront hotel in Fort Lauderdale, I thought I knew exactly what he meant.

Turns out, I was wrong.

At the time, those rocking chair moments were the moments in your life and career that when you looked back you would feel a sense of enjoyment, accomplishment and great pride. I was an aspiring manager in my early 30’s, and I had already had a few of those moments. My vision for the future was grand, and with the help of mentors like the one training me and my hard work, there would be many of those moments when I looked back.

Fast-forward nearly 20 years and I’ve had a lot of great moments. More than my fair share many might say, and I cannot argue that point. But time has a way of adding clarity to one’s perspective, and that certainly has been the case for me.

Those “rocking chair moments” it turns out are not really moments at all. The best, most vivid moments of a person’s life or career are the people along the way that you get to share those moments with.

This month, I launch into a brand new career. I’ve had some time off between jobs to reflect, as well as meet up with some old friends and colleagues that I haven’t seen much recently. The start of a new job and the start of a new year is a great time to take inventory, give thanks and plan for success going forward, and I’ve done just that.

For the most part, most of the people and experiences that make up that inventory are positive. However, not all of the people in those “rocking chair moments” are there for the outstanding positive traits. I’ve learned how not to act just as much as how to act from co-workers and bosses. Creating an atmosphere of fear and contempt in the workplace is not a recipe for success. A boss that sat in his office all day smoking, only going out to scowl and try to intimidate employees taught me the value of walking around the office and talking to employees instead of talking at them. A boss who only talked of a positive attitude and workplace reminded me of the importance of actions instead of words. Liking a positive attitude meme on social media isn’t the same as actually displaying one.

But by far the best “rocking chair moments” are the positive influences that have entered into my life through the friendships I have developed and mentorships I have experienced. Having lunch with two former co-workers this week reminded me of this in the past few days, and how important culture and a positive work environment are to the success of a business and the individuals within it. The best co-workers have a vision of greatness and achievement along with the ability to communicate and inspire those around them to help achieve those goals. I only hope that I’ve managed to do that a few times in my career and in my life.  What I know for sure is that I’ve been blessed by an abundance of people like this in my life.

Life changes, and so does my ability to stay as close to some of those incredibly meaningful people. They have moved, or I have moved but their importance remains. I draw on those individuals for wisdom and inspiration nearly every day. As the years have progressed, some of those great people in my life have passed. Family members, two of my early mentors in business and several other people that have had impact on my life are among the list, which unfortunately continues to grow as I get older.

In the past few days, I’ve had additional reasons to reflect on these “rocking chair moments” in my life. A close family member is recovering from open heart surgery, and is doing well. But it was a reminder of how important family is. A former co-worker called me in the past few days to let me know that they were dying of cancer. I was again reminded of how precious life is, and that tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.

Music has always been a pathway to comfort for me, and with this set of emotions it is no different. We could debate what the best Beatles song of all time was. But if your answer was anything except “In My Life” you would be wrong. The words to this Lennon – McCartney song are insightful and comforting at the same time. They provide that for me now, and I hope for you. They also sum up very well my feelings to those of you who have had such an amazing impact on my life. Thank you.

There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more
In my life-- I love you more

Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney

My decision to leave the newspaper industry but not turn my back on the local newspaper

https://www.petevanbaalen.com/single-post/2018/12/22/My-decision-to-leave-the-newspaper-industry-but-not-turn-my-back-on-the-local-newspaper

The first newspaper story I ever had published appeared in the middle school paper in the fall of 1979. Within three years, I received my first check for writing and working at a newspaper and that has continued up until now. Over the years I’ve worked at media outlets, radio stations and newspapers virtually my entire working life.

My non media career consists of one month at McDonald;s during my freshmen year of college, and then a three and a half month stent at Lazarus, which is now known as Macy’s. It still seems strange to me that this streak is about to end at the first of the year.

The decision to leave the newspaper industry and media in general is not a decision I came to overnight. My passion for media, and especially newspapers has not faded. By no means do I feel that I’m abandoning the industry. While some might say the industry has abandoned me, I do not feel that way. I feel incredibly lucky for the opportunities I’ve had, the challenges I’ve faced and the people I’ve worked side by side throughout the entire process.

So many great people that I wish I could just name each of them off in this column. Two people that had a great impact on love affair with media were my school advisers in middle school and high school. Linda Barnes and Joan Duc encouraged me to write and to lead a staff, first as editor my eight grade year at East Side Middle School and then my junior and senior year at Highland High School in Anderson, Indiana. I just remember having so much fun putting things together back in those days. That element of fun remained with me throughout all the years, though mixed in with the realities of business.

Media was a fun profession; maybe it still is, though I would suggest it is tougher to find the smile and laughter now than ten years ago. Declining circulation and the changes of digital world have made it a bigger challenge.

I’ve written all kinds of stories, broadcast sporting events and other community functions as well as sold countless numbers of advertising campaigns. About the only thing I haven’t done was write an obituary, and I’m not about to write one now for newspapers. Newspapers remain important to the communities they serve.

In the past few weeks, National Public Radio posted a podcast on the changes of the newspaper landscape. “Starving The Watchdog:  Who Foots The Bill When Newspapers Disappear?” This podcast tackles the difficult question:  What happens when newspapers are not around? A study conducted by the University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Notre Dame shows the impact; the cost of government is more where newspapers are not there to be the watchdog.

Maybe I’m just a romantic with my love of traditional media. Guilty. But the importance of institutions like the local newspaper is real and true. So my recent decision to leave media as my career was a tough choice. You hate leaving something you love, and this hasn’t been an easy decision.

I gave two weeks notice, planning to work through December 28 before moving to my next chapter. A business decision, I was allowed to leave prior to that final deadline giving me the holidays off to enjoy family and prepare for a career outside of media. My new chapter starts January 7, doing marketing for a local company that I'm very excited to join.

The decision to move on with my career doesn’t mean I’m turning my back on the local newspaper. If you read about the study I mentioned earlier, if you listened to the NPR piece and agree with their commentary, then you have an opportunity still make a difference. Subscribe to your local newspaper, or in my case stay subscribed to the local newspaper.

No words I can say or write make the case to subscribe to your local newspaper that the words of Blake Sebring. Blake is a very good local writer in Fort Wayne; a reporter that I unfortunately had the misfortune of downsizing in September. Rather than be angry at the industry that made him unemployed days earlier, Blake made a passionate plea to help it.

Building your championship caliber workplace team starts with spring training everyday

https://www.petevanbaalen.com/single-post/2018/11/29/Building-your-championship-caliber-workplace-team-starts-with-spring-training-everyday

The first snow has fallen, and I'm well on my way on a count-down to spring training and the return to baseball season. That's pretty typical for me, being a fan of baseball as well as a hater of cold Indiana winters.

It's especially true this winter, after watching my favorite team the Boston Red Sox win the World Series this past October. And if you're of like mind, you can check out the Spring Training Countdown site to see how soon before the sports reporters announce that pitchers and catchers have reported.

Spring training is where championship teams are developed. You have to have talent, for sure. But spring training is where the fundamentals are taught and emphasized, skills are honed and team chemistry is developed.

Being a manager is not all that glamorous at times. Or a lot of time, pending on your situation. But the best part for me is working with and developing people. I guess that is why I love spring training. Once the season has started, you'll rarely see a veteran being instructed on how to round the bases. But during the spring, they will spend an hour on it, perfecting on the exact approach you should have as you hit the bases.

Developing people in the workplace is my spring training, and I try to make it a part of my daily routine. From working with a brand new sales rep to working with a very experienced business office person who is learning new tasks, the opportunities for developing your team is the most reward part of being a manager.

Alex Cora, the manager for the Red Sox developed a high performing championship team. I'm just trying to win the month with a good performance, but lessons can learned from the rookie manager's approach.

"He just has a way of making you believe." That was a comment from Nathan Eovaldi, pitcher for the Red Sox. I cannot think of a better compliment that someone could  pass along to a manager. That was Eovaldi's comments in the hours after the Sox defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers for the championship.

In all the reading I did after the World Series ended, one article stood out to me. ESPN's Tim Keown's story focused on the culture of the winning team, and specifically Alex Cora. Cora made $800,000 to be the manager of that team which seems like a lot of money. But a team with a payroll of over $228,000,000 that is chump change. Yet, Cora built the team up and kept them up setting team records for wins in 2018. And I'm convinced it all comes back to culture.

Keown writes:  "This was the culture Cora set out to build when he became Boston's manager a year ago, which made the scene both humbling and a little sad. He wanted a team that felt like a family, one constructed out of tolerance and diversity and inclusion. Given the transitory nature of the game, he wanted to create an ecosystem capable of absorbing new members." 

Obviously the story is talking about how to build culture for a successful baseball team. But doesn't that sound pretty accurate for business, a sales team? Looking at building a multi-generational workforce, with Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and more? Then I think the advice from the rookie manager is a good thing to consider.

That passage doesn't talk about accountability. It is a very touchy-feely commentary but that doesn't mean I am not for accountability too. Far from it. I think employees, the good ones anyway, expect to held accountable for their productivity and actions. When they achieve or exceed, or when they fall short and need guidance, if you've treated them with tolerance and respect then they will be more open to hearing the words being expressed. This is especially important when those words are disciplinary by nature.

Shifting demographics still bring optimism to traditional media

https://www.petevanbaalen.com/single-post/2018/11/23/Shifting-demographics-still-bring-optimism-to-traditional-media

A co-worker of mine asked me the other day if I'd heard about the tsunami that was about to hit. Normally our conversation is about popular music or sports, so his weather statement caught me a bit off guard.

Then he forwarded me a recent post from InsiderRadio.com that brought things into perspective. His reference was to the "Silver Tsunami" that is gripping the nation. The trend is that as the US is getting older, the once coveted 25-54 demographic is losing the Baby-Boom generation. As of January 2019, all Baby-Boomers have exited, moving on to the 55+ age range.

The article suggests that advertising agencies and marketers need to rethink who their target should be going forward. Instead of targeting the 25 - 54 age range as in the past, it is time to think older and follow the money. And as Baby-Boomers age, they are aging with all the money! OK, maybe not all of the money but enough that they can't be ignored.

Tom Peters was one of the first business gurus back around the start of the millennium to talk about the need to focus on where the money was regarding marketing dollars, and that you cannot ignore the aging Boomer population. That trend is only intensifying as Boomers get older. Baby Boomers control 50% of the wealth in this country today, and 28% of retail spending based on findings from Deloitte Insights.

The grip on the cash that Baby Boomers have is not something that they are planning to relinquish anytime soon. Their current net worth of 50% of the wealth only drops 5% over the next 12 years. This is good news potentially for traditional media  who continue to struggle in this ever-increasing digital age.

Baby Boomers have embraced digital, and I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't do digital campaigns for this segment. But I think Baby Boomers more so than the generations that have followed are holding on to traditional media. The best example is the newspaper audience.

Newspapers continue to struggle with maintaining circulation numbers. That issue is pretty universal. But the losses are a result of the industry's inability to attract the next generation of readers. This is a long term problem, no doubt. But in the here and now, I believe this is an opportunity.

Newspapers are strongest in the older demographics, especially Baby Boomers. What was once a vehicle to reach the masses is now becoming a vehicle to reach a specific target. And the good news is the target that newspapers reach happens to be the most lucrative segment in the marketplace, and it will be for another generation.

Market research budgets are a thing of the past for most media companies, but there is still at your ready resources that you can use to show newspaper readership. Which you should then match up those readership numbers with the wealth index for this country, and remind advertisers and agencies of the power of the Silver Tsunami.

In Indiana, data from the Hoosier State Press Association's 2017 Readership Study provides you with excellent data on the value of newspaper's older audience. The study, conducted by American Opinion Research found that 74% of adults in the Hoosier state over the age of 55 read a printed newspaper on a regular basis. That strong readership number coupled with a simple explanation about the Silver Tsunami is a powerful combination when talking with media buyers.

This reminds me of Ronald Reagan's debate with Walter Mondale during the 1984 presidential election. Reagan, at the time the oldest president in history emphatically told the audience, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience." He turned a potential negative into a huge positive, catching the audience and his opponent off guard.

Newspapers have the same opportunity. The perceived negative of the aging audience, at least for now, is still a positive opportunity. Newspapers continue to serve the wealthiest and most influential group in this country better than any other media outlet around.

Media has an opportunity to tap into the desire for a sense of community

https://www.petevanbaalen.com/single-post/2018/11/04/Media-has-an-opportunity-to-tap-into-the-desire-for-a-sense-of-community

I was recently lucky enough to get to go on vacation, which included a stop in New York City. Seeing the hustle and bustle of the big city was great, and filled with many memories. Near the top of that list was a chance to see up close the Statue of Liberty.

It was inspiring to see it with my own eyes, and think about the immigrant paths of my family and that of my wife’s along with the hope this statue brought to them and so many other families over the years. But I also looked on with a sense of pride, as I had just recently learned about the important role newspapers played in building of the Statue of Liberty.

The statue itself is a gift from the French, but the pedestal on which she stands needed funding. In steps Joseph Pulitzer, who made it a crusade of sorts to get that money raised. In the pages of his newspaper the New York World, he raised over $100,000 which was more than enough to finish the job. How appropriate that the base of liberty was built by newspapers.

That ability to rally a community and help it to be a better version of itself is one of the many things I love about this industry. And despite the troubles in the industry, newspapers are still building better communities today.

I did not know Matt Tully. To my knowledge, I never had the pleasure of meeting him, yet I couldn’t help but shed a tear as I read about his recent passing. Tully was a columnist for the Indianapolis Star, and Tully helped build communities.

Matt Tully died of cancer in late October. The story of his passing reminded me of what is good in media, and I hope the industry is reminded of the opportunity we are given each day. No doubt as I read about Matt that he took those opportunities and did some great thing. My favorite story started back in 2009, when Tully decided to focus on inner-city schools and tell their stories. He took a typical story assignment, added his passion and ignited a community. The pinnacle was the Christmas concert put on by the choir which, thanks to Tully and the many readers of his column, was attended by over 2,000 people. Most of those people had no direct involvement with the school. They were there because of the call of Tully and the Indianapolis Star. People wanted to be a part of something special, and I believe many yearn for a sense of community. Media and newspapers specifically have a chance to be that conduit to make things like this happen in small towns and large cities.

Building community is not an easy endeavor. While a newspaper wants to build up a community, it also has to report on the bad things too. So finding that balance is never easy. But here, I believe, is every newspapers opportunity.

Nearly every newspaper does a progress edition. It gets called different things at different publications; progress edition, focus edition, community annual report. Instead of doing the same stale section that only looks at the heath care, business and industry, retail and education which rarely changes much from year to year. Look at those topics, or other topics if relevant in your market, and find ways to rally the community.

Rallying the community around a project or a specific need may not generate 2,000 people, but all you might need is the right people to step up. The cities and towns we serve need our help, and taking the annual progress edition and making it important again will have impact. Our advertisers, local business want this too and I believe that not only will rallying the community be good for the community, it will be good for business.

I’m not saying you’ll get 2,000 people at a Christmas concert; but I’m not saying you won’t. Pulitzer’s fundraising for the Statue of Liberty didn’t rely on the bigwigs with deep pockets. It was his average, every day reader that made the difference. In fact, over 125,000 people donated to the pedestal for Lady Liberty, meaning the average donation was only 80 cents.

The newspaper’s ability to tell a story and help change the world is evident every day in the pages published. Focusing on building community through the annual progress edition is an excellent place to build a community and ignite a readership base.