Scott Howard’s Approach To Advertising Sales

Just what do you do, Scott?  It’s a question I am asked regularly because I often don’t fit the stereotype of an advertising salesperson.  A few years ago, before I was doing the Genuine ScLoHo Media & Marketing Podcast, I wrote about what I do and today, let’s update an article I wrote titled A Peek Behind the Curtain. 

When people find out what I do for a living, preconceived images pop into their heads. I am a member of the advertising sales team at WOWO Radio in Fort Wayne, Indiana.   The words I have selected to use on my business cards are about as accurate and precise as I have been able to come so far, but they deserve some explanation and expansion.

Advertising Sales and Marketing Consultant.  

Yes, I consult with people about their advertising and marketing.  However, I get paid when they buy something from me. Radio advertising, Digital marketing services, these are what have actual prices attached to them that people buy.

So I sell stuff, making me a salesperson.  But there is often a path that has to be followed to go from Advertising and Marketing Consultant to Salesperson.  Not everyone who sells radio advertising and digital marketing services follows this path.

And before I go any further, all of the stuff I sell is provided by the company I choose to work for, Federated Media, which owns several Indiana radio stations including WOWO and a couple of local ESPN stations based in Fort Wayne that I sell advertising for.  We also have a digital advertising division that I also sell marketing solutions for.

Back to the radio stuff for a moment and the Advertising Sales and Marketing Consultant stuff.

My role as an Advertising Sales and Marketing Consultant is to work hand in hand with you to help you create an appropriate plan to accomplish your goals.  Depending on the complexity of your business and the goals, it can be a simple process, or complex.  I usually meet face to face with you and we talk.  My style is casual but my process is deliberate.

The questions I ask and our entire conversation have a path that we take as we explore the possibilities.

Here’s a few more things that you should know:

I do not sell to everyone who wants to buy from me.  I am looking at creating long term business relationships and we need to be able to work well together.

I do not attempt to sell to everyone either.  Like I just said,  I am looking at creating long term business relationships and we need to be able to work well together.  Some people are not a good fit for buying something from me right now.  Some times they never will be.  However, I will still function as their advertising and marketing consultant, even if it is to simply offer some insight and direction.

I only want to work with people that want to work with me.  And when I say work with me, I don’t mean just hand over a pile of cash.  I mean I want to work with you and continually look for ways to improve your business marketing and advertising efforts.

I don’t want to sell stuff to people who don’t want to buy it.  But we may have a conversation where you tell me why you don’t want it.  Still I promise not to hound you and annoy you.

Why?

Just like you, my time is also valuable.  I am only looking for people who want my help with their advertising and marketing.  There are more people out there who I can help than I have time to help, so why waste my time and yours if you don’t want my help?  Just tell me and I’ll respect that.

I have my criteria for my ideal advertising partner and I’ll lay that out for you in the near future.  However, I also work with others who don’t fit perfectly but there are enough positives to outweigh the negatives and we work well together too.

By the way, there are differences between me and my co-workers at WOWO & Federated Media.  We are not identical in our methods and insights. I look at things differently than my co-workers and they do things different from me.  Neither is necessarily better, but each is different.

In the year ahead, I will be taking on a few more advertising partner clients, if you want to see if I can help, contact me.