In a series of COVID-19 conversations with B2B media sales leaders over the past months, I have heard the stress in the voices of management and salespeople dealing with fewer orders, smaller paychecks, new methods of engaging prospects and customers, and uncertain career futures. Here are some of their thoughts:
We have seen the sales world change and we know change will continue:
• Remote meetings have replaced in-person meetings.
• Customers and prospects must be engaged in different ways.
• Quality services that customers can afford now must be envisioned.
• Long-term relationships must be protected by serving customers with sensitivity and empathy for their circumstances.
• Bringing buyers and sellers together requires new thinking.
• Monthly issues must still be closed in spite of the economy.
• Messaging must be adjusted to resonate with new ideas.
• Creative payment plans for struggling advertisers are necessary.
• What does it take to be the voice of the market?
• The value of marketing in challenging times must be communicated.
• Are there new ways to keep or increase print dollars?
• Understanding customers’ changing needs is critical.
• Getting the company name out there is more difficult; selling, but much more subtly and consultatively is necessary.
We are adjusting to the new realities with creative strategies:
• Developing models for creating revenue from virtual events, hybrid events, finding technology that works.
• Retaining sponsors with one-on-one buyer/seller interactions, incentive programs and passes to events.
• Offering sponsors a chance to interact with attendees in virtual environments with one-on-one meetings and passes for customers.
• Offering Virtual Continuing Education.
• Dramatically increasing numbers of webinars, attendance at webinars and achieving good revenue from sponsors.
• More white papers and podcasts that result in more engagement.
• Increases in marketing services.
• More video -- interviews with key industry leaders.
• Channels for new product information with direct mail, voice and digital stories.
• Engagement Resource Centers for lead gen, brand building, education and thought leaders.
• A renewed focus on the subscription-based model. Readers are paying for content behind pay walls.
• Refining lead-offering products, qualified leads and curating content from the past.
• More efforts are being made to improve marketing sales funnels for customers.
• Who is spending in each category? Use collaboration strategies. Who are targets at this time?
• Research is being designed to help customers navigate these “uncharted waters”.
• Sales courses for salespeople online: Sales Courses
We are approaching the workplace with more creativity, tenacity and compassion.
• CEOs are making themselves more available; holding weekly townhall meetings and sharing more transparently than ever.
• Managers and teams are spending more time together on strategies, and enabling sales, but also in virtual coffee and happy hours to help people feel less isolated. (One manager’s team knows his dog who makes regular appearances during his Zoom meetings.)
• Employees are encouraged to take some time off to recharge and spend time with family.
• Salespeople are giving gift certificates and buying virtual lunches for customers.
• Conversations with customers are becoming more personal.
• Companies are implementing Big Brother programs; assigning someone from upper management to help salespeople with messaging.
• There is more frequent customer contact.
• Salespeople are gathering and communicating customer success stories to sell and to encourage.
We are getting better at collaborative partnerships because… “We are all in this together!”
Wishing you the best of success,
Kathi Simonsen
MediaGrowth
AAA
