MULTI-MEDIA SALES TEAM
STRUCTURES AND
COMPENSATION
OPTIONS FOR LONG TERM SALES SUCCESS!
LAUREL LANE
DIGITAL MEDIA CONSULTANT
SESSION AGENDA
•  WHO I AM AND WHY I’M HERE
•  DISCUSSION AMONG US ABOUT CURRENT STRUCTURES, COMPENSATION,
CHALLENGES, SUCCESSES
•  REVIEW NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY DISRUPTION
•  SALES MODELS AND HOW/WHY THEY HAVE BEEN CHANGING
•  PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON VARIOUS SALES STAFF STRUCTURES,
COMPENSATION MODELS AND PROS/CONS OF EACH; INCLUDES REVIEWING
UNION ISSUES
•  PRESENTATION DISCUSSION ON CREATING STRUCTURE AND COMPENSATION
PLAN THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION (HINT - SALE PLANNING DRIVES
THE DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE)
•  NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE, HOW TO HIRE, TRAIN AND
RETAIN
LAUREL LANE
15 YEAR DIGITAL MEDIA
VETERAN
•  15+ YEARS OF INTERNET BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN
MEDIA INDUSTRY
•  9 YEARS IN STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP – INCEPTING AND
DEVELOPING PRODUCTS, LAUNCHING MULTIPLE
MARKETS
•  SALES TRAINING, STAFFING CONSULTING WERE PART
OF JOB DUTIES FOR ALL ROLES
•  MEDIANEWS GROUP, LEE ENTERPRISES, JOURNAL
REGISTER CO., THE ERIE TIMES-NEWS AND
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
•  5 YEARS TEACHING AND WRITING MARKETING
COURSES FOR THE ART INSTITUTE OF COLORADO
AND ART INSTITUTE ONLINE
•  LAST 3 YEARS FOCUSING ON DIGITAL SERVICES,
SOCIAL AND MOBILE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FOR
NEWSPAPER AS WELL AS CLIENTS
•  CURRENTLY PROVIDING DIGITAL MARKETING
STRATEGY, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND SALES
TRAINING ACROSS THE DIGITAL SPAN
DISCUSSION
LET’S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT YOU!
•  CORPORATE HR LEADERS OR INDIVIDUAL PAPERS OR BOTH?
•  PLEASE SHARE YOUR CURRENT SALES STAFF STRUCTURE AND
COMPENSATION STRUCTURES
•  DO YOU FEEL THIS STRUCTURE WORKS?
•  WHY OR WHY NOT?
•  HOW ARE YOU MEASURING SUCCESS RELATED TO YOUR SALES STAFF STRUCTURE?
•  WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES YOU UNDERSTAND OR
PERCEIVE THE SALES DEPARTMENT TO HAVE?
•  WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN?
REVIEW OF INDUSTRY DISRUPTION
SALES MODELS AND HOW/WHY THEY HAVE BEEN
CHANGING
NEWSFLASH!! THE INDUSTRY IS
CHANGING…
OF COURSE, IT HAS BEEN CHANGING SINCE
AL GORE INVENTED THE INTERNET
•  TECHNOLOGY AND PROLIFERATION OF INFORMATION FROM UNLIMITED SOURCES
DISRUPTED ALL FACETS OF OUR BUSINESS MODEL
•  CONTENT IS NOT IMMUNE TO CHANGES AND AFFECTS AD SPENDING
•  ADVERTISING SALES DEPARTMENTS HAVE GONE THROUGH INNUMERABLE
ATTEMPTS AT SALES EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY
•  CONTENT IS CONTENT - CONSUMERS/READERS DO NOT CARE ABOUT OUR
SEPARATION OF ADVERTISING CHURCH AND STATE – IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT
AFFECTS AD SPENDING
•  AUDIENCES SEEK QUICK HITS FOR NEWS AND GET IT FROM A WIDE RANGE OF SOURCES –
AKA EYEBALLS GOING ELSEWHERE FOR NEWS AND THOSE ENTITIES ARE GETTING AD
DOLLARS
•  ADVERTISERS WANT US TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE IN EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW AD FORMATS –
AKA NATIVE ADVERTISING AND OTHER “IN CONTENT” OR “SPONSORED CONTENT” IDEAS
•  COMPETITION FOR LIMITED MARKETING DOLLARS COMES AT US AND
ADVERTISERS FROM ALL SIDES
CHALLENGES IN STAFFING
SUCCESSFUL SALES DEPARTMENTS
STRUCTURE
•
TOO MANY PRODUCT OFFERINGS;
TOO PRODUCT FOCUSED
•
CONFLICTING GOALS AMONG SALES
TEAMS
•
COMPETITION FOR SALES AMONG
VARIOUS MEDIA IN MARKET
•
CONSULTATIVE SELLING IS THE NOW
AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE MORE
TRAINING AND SUPPORT IN THIS
AREA
•
UNION RESTRICTIONS CAN LIMIT
HOW/WHAT WE SELL
•
WHAT WE SELL DRIVES HOW WE
SELL – WHAT ADVERTISERS WANT
SHOULD DRIVE HOW WE SELL;
PRICING OF PRODUCTS IMPACTS
STRUCTURE AS WELL
COMPENSATION
TALENT
•
EXPENSE BUDGETS LIMIT
COMPENSATION OFFERINGS
•
SALES POSITIONS GET A BAD
RAP
•
COMMISSION GENERALLY
SHARED AMONG MULTIPLE
SALES STAFF, INCREASES COST
OF SALE, REDUCES MARGIN
•
COMPETITION FOR TALENT IS
ALL TIME HIGH DUE TO
PROLIFERATION OF DIGITAL
MARKETING COMPANIES
•
DIGITAL MEDIA DOLLARS STILL
NOT EARNING AS MUCH
COMMISSION AS TRADITIONAL
SALES; AFFECTS SALES STAFF
BUY-IN AND COMMITMENT TO
SELL CERTAIN PRODUCTS
•
UNION SALES FORCE CAN BE
DETERRENT TO NEW
PROFESSIONALS
•
NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY GETS A
BAD RAP
•
EXPENSE BUDGETS CAN
AFFECT COMP OFFERINGS
NEWSPAPERS THEN AND NOW: CONTENT MODEL
THEN
NOW
•  NEWSPAPERS “GO TO” LOCAL NEWS SOURCE
DAILY – SHORT AND LONG FORM
•  LOCAL NEWS CONTENT PRODUCED IN LONG
FORM BY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
•  GOOGLE, TWITTER, FACEBOOK GO TO SOURCES
FOR NEWS – LOCAL READERS STILL END UP AT
NEWSPAPER CONTENT BUT NOT DIRECT – AD
DOLLARS BEING SPENT ACROSS THE FORMATS THAT
DRIVE PEOPLE BACK TO NEWSPAPERS
•  TV AND RADIO PROVIDED LIMITED
COMPETITION IN CONTENT DUE TO FORMAT
AND TIME LIMITS
•  LOCAL NEWS CONTENT STILL PRODUCED BY
NEWSPAPERS BUT STAFF CUTS ARE LIMITING
CONTENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY
•  PAGE CONSUMPTION HIGH DAILY
•  MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION OUTLETS THAN
EVER BEFORE
•  ADVERTISERS WANTED TO BE PART OF THESE
PAGES DUE TO AUDIENCE
•  ADVERTISERS SAW NEWSPAPERS AS A MUST
•  TRADITIONAL COMPETITION HAVE DIGITAL ASSETS
NOW AS WELL
•  PAGE CONSUMPTION DECREASED DRAMATICALLY
•  ADVERTISERS LARGE AND SMALL WANT TO BE
WHERE THE AUDIENCE IS; NEW TECHNOLOGIES CAN
NEWSPAPERS THEN AND NOW:
ADVERTISING SALES MODEL
THEN
NOW
•  PRINT
•  PRINT/ONLINE
•  PRINT/ONLINE – SIMPLE
PRODUCTS WITH EASY PITCH
– GETS YOU IN FRONT OF
LOCAL AUDIENCE
•  PRINT REPS, SOMETIMES
TEAM SELLING, DIGITAL SALES
REPS
•  DIGITAL SERVICES
•  YAHOO!, MONSTER, ZILLOW, TRULIA
PRODUCTS
•  DAILY DEALS, SOME PARTNERS WITH
GROUPON, LIVING SOCIAL
•  VIDEO
•  EVENTS
NEWSPAPERS THEN AND NOW:
COMPETITION
THEN
•  NEWSPAPERS – MAYBE 2
•  TV
•  RADIO
•  CABLE
•  OUTDOOR
NOW
•  NEWSPAPER, WEBSITE
•  RADIO, WEBSITE, EVENTS
•  TV, WEBSITE
•  CABLE – SPECIFIC CHANNELS AND THEIR
WEBSITES
•  GOOGLE
•  FACEBOOK, TWITTER, FOURSQUARE,
PINTEREST
•  WEBSITES OF FRANCHISES – EXAMPLE –
NFL TEAMS OFFERS ADVERTISING ON
THEIR WEBSITES NOW
HERE IS HOW IT LOOKS: THEN
HERE IS HOW IT LOOKS: NOW
WHAT IS THE EFFECT ON THE CONSUMER?
•  ALL OF THIS COMPETITION HAS SOMETHING TO SELL BECAUSE
THE CONSUMER BASE RESPONDS POSITIVELY IN SOME WAY
•  SOCIAL MEDIA HAS PROVIDED TRACKABLE “WORD OF MOUTH” AT
SCALE – THAT’S THE FREE PART
•  PAID SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING IS VERY INEXPENSIVE AND
WORKS
•  CONSUMERS RESPOND TO PEER PROVIDED INFORMATION IN THE
FORM OF LIKES, SHARES, REVIEWS, ETC
From an
infographic
provided by
BigCommerce
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE A LAY OF THE LAND,
WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?
LET’S DISCUSS SOME CURRENT SALES STRUCTURE AND
COMPENSATION EXAMPLES
SALES STRUCTURE MODELS
•  PRINT REP DIGITAL COUNTERPART
•  PRINT ONLY, DIGITAL ONLY
•  MULTIMEDIA REP
•  DIGITAL SPECIALIST ALL CATEGORIES
•  CATEGORY/CHANNEL/PRODUCT SPECIALIST – ALL FORMATS
•  CATEGORY/CHANNEL/PRODUCT SPECIALIST – DIGITAL ONLY
•  INSIDE/OUTSIDE TEAMS – HUNTER/CULTIVATOR MODEL
COMPENSATION MODELS
•  EVERYONE GETS PAID! USUALLY PRINT AND ONLINE REP
RECEIVE THEIR APPROVED PERCENTAGE OF CLOSED SALES
•  SHARING OF SALES COMMISSION BETWEEN PRINT AND DIGITAL
REP
•  REFERRAL FEE TO PRINT REP ONCE ACCOUNT HANDED OVER TO
DIGITAL (AND VICE VERSA WHEN DIGITAL REP MAKES PRINT
REFERRAL)
•  STRAIGHT COMMISSION PERCENTAGE ALL TOTAL SALES PER REP
– COMMISSIONED PAID ON WHAT YOU SELL – NO TEAM
APPROACH
OTHER IMPEDIMENTS TO SUCCESSFUL
SELLING
•  TOO MANY PRODUCTS AND CHANGING SALES GOALS
•  SPECIAL SECTIONS, PRINT, ONLINE AND EVENTS
•  PARTNERSHIP PRODUCTS
•  TOO TACTICAL WITH NEW PRODUCTS BASED ON “NEEDING REVENUE”
•  NOT ENOUGH TIME GIVEN FOR NEW PRODUCT OFFERING TO GAIN TRACTION
•  REPS DO NOT CONDUCT ADEQUATE NEEDS ANALYSIS TO OBTAIN IMPORTANT
INFORMATION SUCH AS SPENDING BUDGET AND HOW IT MAY BE BEING
ALLOCATED IN THE MARKET
•  TOO MUCH TIME ON DEMANDING CLIENTS
•  NOT ENOUGH TIME SPENT ON PROSPECTING NEW CLIENTS
•  CLIENT SPENDING HAS NOT JUSTIFIED SALES REP TIME IN THE PAST (OUR
OWN ISSUE)
FIXING THOSE IMPEDIMENTS
•  EVALUATE ALL PRODUCTS
•  EXAMINE AND UNDERSTAND ADVERTISER INTEREST
•  P&L’S ON PRODUCTS FOR MARGIN REVIEW
•  ALLOW PRODUCTS TO RETIRE
•  WRITE STRATEGIC PRODUCT PLAN EACH YEAR CONNECTED WITH REVENUE GOALS
•  IMPROVE QUALITY AND VISIBILITY/ENGAGEMENT OPTIONS
•  OFFER DIGITAL SERVICES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BEST OF BREED NICHE
PRODUCTS
•  CONSULTATIVE RELATIONSHIPS – BUILD TRUST WITH CUSTOMERS
•  BE VIGILANT IN YOUR MARKET IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SOLD
•  KNOW THE AD SPENDING BUDGET OF YOUR CLIENTS AND BECOME AN
INDISPENSABLE PART OF THAT BUDGET
•  INVEST IN QUALITY SALES TRAINING
BRINGING IT TOGETHER
IMPLEMENTING MODELS THAT CAN WORK
PRINT REP WITH ASSIGNED DIGITAL REP
STRUCTURE
•  4 PRINT REPS ASSIGNED TO 1 DIGITAL REP (EX)
•  DIGITAL REP RECEIVES ACCOUNT LIST OF PRINT REPS
•  DIGITAL REP AND PRINT REP WORK TOGETHER ON NEW BUSINESS
•  PRINT, DIGITAL MANAGER AND DIGITAL REP MEET WITH PRINT REP TO SET UP ANNUAL SALES PLAN –
MEET MONTHLY (SEPARATE FROM CLIENT PLANNING MEETINGS, TEAM SALES CALLS, ETC) TO DISCUSS
THAT MONTHS ACCOUNT FOCUS, PROGRESS, UPDATE ON NEW DIGITAL PRODUCTS, ETC.
•  DIGITAL MANAGER IN PLACE TO OVERSEE DIGITAL SALES REPS BUT ALSO PROVIDE PRICING GUIDANCE,
PRODUCT INFORMATION TO ALL STAFF, HELP WITH CAMPAIGN PROPOSALS, SUPPORT SALES STAFF;
DIGITAL MANAGER IMPLEMENTS GOALS, SALES REPORTING PROCESS (IN CONJUNCTION WITH PRINT
MANAGER)
COMPENSATION
•  PRINT REP AND DIGITAL REP GET PAID ON DIGITAL SALE – REVENUE IS COUNTED IN BOTH REPS TOTALS,
DIGITAL REP USUALLY PAID AT HIGHER COMMISSION PERCENTAGE BECAUSE DIGITAL PRICING IS STILL
USUALLY LOWER
PRINT AND DIGITAL REPS SELL
INDEPENDENTLY
STRUCTURE
•  PRINT REPS SELL PRINT AND OTHER PRODUCTS DEFINED AS BELONGING IN PRINT
DEPARTMENT
•  DIGITAL REPS RECEIVE ACCOUNT LIST AND WORK TO SELL DIGITAL TO EXISTING
CUSTOMERS
•  DIGITAL REPS DEVELOP NEW BUSINESS PLAN
•  DIGITAL REPS AND MANAGERS MEET REGULARLY WITH PRINT SALES TO KEEP INFORMED OF
PROGRESS .
•  DIGITAL MANAGER IN PLACE TO OVERSEE DIGITAL SALES REPS BUT ALSO PROVIDE PRICING
GUIDANCE, PRODUCT INFORMATION TO ALL STAFF, HELP WITH CAMPAIGN PROPOSALS,
SUPPORT SALES STAFF; ; DIGITAL MANAGER IMPLEMENTS GOALS, SALES REPORTING
PROCESS (IN CONJUNCTION WITH PRINT MANAGER)
COMPENSATION
•  DIGITAL REP RECEIVES APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION AS WOULD ANY SALES REP
•  SALES DEPARTMENT MAY WISH TO SET UP REFERRAL PROGRAM FOR ALL SELLERS –
MULTI-MEDIA REPS
STRUCTURE
•  USUALLY MM REPS ARE PRINT STAFF REDEFINED AND SALE PRODUCTS EXPANDED
•  TAKES EXTENSIVE RETRAINING OF EXISTING STAFF
•  MUST INCLUDE DIGITAL PRODUCT SPECIALISTS WHO CAN MAINTAIN SPECIFIC PRODUCT
KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT THE MM REPS IN SALES
•  USUALLY MUST ALSO HIRE NEW REPS WHO ARE OPEN TO HOW THE JOB IS DEFINED
•  ENTIRELY NEW SALES STRATEGY AND PLAN WOULD BE CRAFTED AND IMPLEMENTED WHEN
MAKING THIS CHANGE IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE SALES NEEDED PER PRODUCT CATEGORY
COMPENSATION
•  ALL REPS PAID SALARY PLUS COMMISSION AND/OR BONUSES BASED ON ALL SALES AND
ACHIEVING SALES GOALS, ETC.
•  DIGITAL PRODUCT SPECIALISTS MAY BE PAID SALARY PLUS MONTHLY BONUS
DIGITAL PRODUCT SPECIALIST – ALL
CATEGORIES
STRUCTURE
•  THIS REP IS A PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE PERSON WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE SALES REP; AND
USUALLY THERE IS A SPECIALIST IN RETAIL AND ONE IN CLASSIFIEDS, OR EVEN BROKEN
DOWN BY SPECIFIC CLASSIFIED CATEGORY DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE NEWSPAPER
•  THE NUMBER OF DIGITAL SPECIALISTS NEEDED IS DEPENDENT UPON THE SIZE OF THE
NEWSPAPER, MARKET AND COMPANY REVENUE GOALS IN ORDER TO HAVE ENOUGH
SPECIALISTS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVE SALES REPS
•  ASSIGNED TO PRINT/MM REPS AND WORKS WITH THOSE REPS ON THEIR ACTIVE LIST AS
WELL AS NEW BUSINESS PLANS; WOULD MANAGE TIME IN SIMILAR FASHION TO DIGITAL
REPS ASSIGNED TO PRINT REPS MODEL
•  DIGITAL SPECIALISTS REQUIRED TO KEEP UP WITH PRODUCT CHANGES, UPGRADES, NEW
PRODUCTS AS WELL AS PROVIDE TRAINING FOR SALES STAFF ON REGULAR BASIS
COMPENSATION
•  THIS PERSON IS USUALLY PAID A LARGER SALARY AND BONUS STRUCTURE BASED ON MBO
FORMAT; MAY ALSO RECEIVE A BONUS BASED ON SUCCESS OF REPS THIS PERSON IS
ASSIGNED TO
CATEGORY SPECIALIST – ALL FORMATS
STRUCTURE
•  REP IS NO DEFINED BY PRINT OR ONLINE RATHER SELLS ALL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE
RELATED TO CATEGORY
•  REP MANAGES ALL PRODUCT SALES APPROPRIATE FOR CATEGORY AND MUST BE TRAINED
THOROUGHLY IN THEM
•  REP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE NORMAL SALES PROCESS PER CLIENT
•  RECENTLY THIS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE CLASSIFIED CATEGORIES AS WELL AS
SOME TRADITIONAL RETAIL CATEGORIES SUCH AS HEALTH, ENTERTAINMENT, ETC.
•  IN LARGER NEWSPAPERS, THERE IS USUALLY A CATEGORY MANAGER OR EVEN DIRECTOR
WHO OVERSEES A TEAM OF SELLERS
COMPENSATION
•  REP RECEIVES APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION AS WOULD ANY SALES REP
•  SOMETIMES THIS ROLE ALSO EXISTS AT CORPORATE NEWSPAPER LEVEL AS A MANAGER OR
DIRECTOR
CATEGORY SPECIALIST – DIGITAL ONLY
STRUCTURE
•  MAY BE INDEPENDENT, MAY WORK WITH PRINT REP
•  PROVIDED WITH CLIENT LIST
•  APPROACHES SALES OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON BEST CLIENTS AND MAXIMUM REVENUE
OPPORTUNITY
•  CREATES NEW BUSINESS LIST INDEPENDENT OF PRINT REP AND VICE VERSA
•  RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO CATEGORY
•  PROVIDES PRODUCT UPDATES, CHANGES, PRICING, ETC. FOR PRINT REP AND DEPARTMENT
•  MAY REPORT TO A CATEGORY MANAGER WHO OVERSEES ALL FORMATS OR DIGITAL SALES MANAGER
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DIGITAL REVENUE
COMPENSATION
•  THIS REP IS USUALLY RECEIVES APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION AS WOULD ANY SALES REP HOWEVER
IN SOME CASES THIS REP MAY BE MORE A PRODUCT TRAINER AND HELPS SUPPORT PRINT/MULTIMEDIA REPS; IN THAT CASE, THIS REP MAY RECEIVE A LARGER SALARY AND MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY
BONUS
•  SOMETIMES THIS ROLE ALSO EXISTS AT CORPORATE NEWSPAPER LEVEL
HUNTER/CULTIVATOR MODEL
STRUCTURE
•  NOT ABOUT FORMATS, UNIQUE OUTSIDE SELLER, INSIDE NURTURER MODEL
•  HUNTER GETS THE CLIENTS AND CLOSES
•  CULTIVATOR PROSPECTS AS WELL AS ACCOUNT MANAGES
•  CULTIVATOR CAPABLE OF UPSELLING
•  MODEL HAS BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY IN RECRUITMENT AND WITH AGENCY
CLIENTS
COMPENSATION
•  SALARY PLUS TEAM-BASED COMMISSION
•  SALARY PLUS COMMISSION, PERCENTAGE FOR HUNTER MAY BE HIGHER
TACKLING THE MARKET:
SALES STRATEGY AND PLANNING
•  REVENUE BUDGET
•  ASSIGN REVENUE PER CATEGORY, PER REP AND PER CLIENT
•  USE PERCENTAGE BASED ON REVENUE GOALS: EXAMPLE, IF GOAL OF
NEWSPAPER IS FOR 15% OF REVENUE TO BE FROM VARIOUS DIGITAL PRODUCTS,
DETERMINE WHAT EACH EXISTING CLIENT SHOULD SPEND IN THOSE PRODUCTS
TO GET THERE
•  SALES MANAGERS ACTIVELY SUPPORT THE SALES EFFORT – NOT WRITE REPORTS
•  SALES MANAGERS WORK WITH REPS ON CLIENT STRATEGY, PROPOSALS, CLIENT
PRESENTATIONS
•  REDUCE NUMBER OF REPS ON SALES CALLS – DETERMINE A BENCHMARK FOR
WHEN A MANAGER IS NEEDED
•  MAP OUT THE TERRITORY WITH REPS TO HELP THEM MINIMIZE DRIVE TIME
INSPECT WHAT YOU EXPECT –
AND HOLD ACCOUNTABLE
•  REPS CREATE WEEKLY SALES PLAN
•  USE EFFECTIVE CRM TOOL – NEWSPAPER NEEDS TO INVEST I TOOL
THAT WILL WORK, CONNECTS WITH INTERNAL SYSTEMS, REQUIRE USE
•  REPS HAVE SAY IN CHOOSING CRM
•  ALL USE THE TOOLS TO MANAGE CLIENT PIPELINE AND CLOSE SALES
•  MANAGERS HELP REPS MANAGE THEIR PLAN; NOT MICROMANAGE THE
REPS
•  HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR EXPECTATIONS; REWARD WITH CASH
WHENEVER YOU CAN
UNION ISSUES
•  UNION CONTRACT PREVENTS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THINGS LIKE:
•  CALL SHEETS
•  REQUIRED NUMBER OF CALLS PER WEEK
•  SALES GOALS
•  UNION CONTRACT MAY IMPEDE SOME OF THESE EXPECTATIONS RATHER THAN
PREVENT THEM
•  WORK AROUND THROUGH
•  INCENTIVES
•  CONTRACT ADDENDUMS
•  EVERYONE GETS PAID APPROACH
RECRUITING, HIRING AND RETAINING
RECRUITING NOW AND FOR THE NEAR
FUTURE
•  WE NEED TO EXAMINE INDUSTRIES WITH SUCCESSFUL SALE
FORCES AND RECRUIT FROM THOSE INDUSTRIES
•  LOOK FOR HIGH COMMISSION COMPENSATION, CONSULTATIVE SALES,
LOW EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
•  WE NEED TO LEARN AND EMBRACE SALES STRATEGIES FROM
THOSE INDUSTRIES
HIRING FOR THE FUTURE
•  SALES HIRING IS A CHALLENGE DUE TO BAD RAP SALES
CAREERS RECEIVE
•  WE MUST CONVINCE NEXT GENERATION THAT SALES IS
ABOUT USING YOUR BRAIN TO CONSULT
•  UNION RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT WELL RECEIVED BY
NEXT GENERATION – WE MUST FIND CREATIVE AND
“UNION LEGAL” WAYS TO NAVIGATE UNION CONTRACTS
•  KEEP NEXT GENERATION SALES CONSULTING
POSITIONS NON-UNION IF POSSIBLE
•  WE MUST EMPLOY THE SAME TOOLS THAT THEY SELL
TO FIND TALENT – LINKEDIN, FB, TWITTER
MODERN SALES REP EXPECTATIONS
•  FLEXIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENT
(AS LONG AS GOALS, SALES
CALL EXPECTATIONS, ACCOUNT
BUILDING, ETC BEING MET)
•  CLEAR GOALS AND
EXPECTATIONS BUT NO
MICROMANAGING
•  TRAINING
•  SUPPORT NOT PUNISHMENT
•  MODERN SALES MANAGEMENT
TOOLS
•  “KINDER, GENTLER SALES
MANAGEMENT
TRAINING IS REQUIRED AND DESIRED
•  NEXT GENERATION (AND CURRENT) WANT
TO LEARN
•  CURRENT SALES FORCE WANTS TO BE
ARMED FOR SUCCESS
•  NUMBER 1 COMPLAINT I HAVE HEARD FROM
SEASONED SALES FORCE IS NOT ENOUGH
FORMAL TRAINING AND SUPPORT
•  INVEST IN TRAINING PROGRAMS
•  UTILIZE DIGITAL MANAGERS TO PROVIDE
PRODUCT TRAINING ONGOING
•  TRAINING MUST INCLUDE KNOWLEDGE ON
EVER INCREASING COMPETITIVE
MARKETING LANDSCAPE
•  PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE SPECIALISTS ARE
RETAINING TALENT
•  REPS WANT TO CONTRIBUTE NEW IDEAS AND SEE THEM THROUGH;
ALLOW INNOVATION AS PART OF THE JOB
•  MANAGEMENT ROLE IS TO SUPPORT NOT SCOLD OR MICROMANAGE
•  CLEAR AWAY THE CLUTTER OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK
•  INVEST IN SYSTEM UPGRADES THAT ALLOW FOR SALES FORCE TO BE OUT
SELLING, NOT ACCOUNT MANAGING
•  CONSIDER ACCOUNT MANAGERS WHO DEAL WITH INTERNAL DETAIL SIMILAR
TO AGENCIES
•  COMPENSATION MUST BE COMPETITIVE WITH COMPETITORS – ALSO
BENEFITS SUCH AS PTO, MATERNITY/PATERNITY LEAVE, ETC.
YOUR THOUGHTS, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!
LAUREL LANE
LAURELLANE11@YAHOO.COM
814-520-9649
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LAURELLANE11
WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/LAURELLANE11
TWITTER - @LAURELLANE11