Killer Media Sales

When setting goals for the year ahead many salespeople place a focus on financial benchmarks, but as Russell Stephenson and Alex Whitlock explain in this episode of Killer Media Sales, ‘goals’ are very different to ‘targets’. They unpack the differences between the two, explaining how goals can be the vehicle to help you achieve your targets, break down how well planned goals can set you up for long term success, and discuss when these goals should be reevaluated. They explain why goals should be activity based, why it isn’t always a ‘win or lose’ when striving for those benchmarks, and touch on the risks that come with unrealistic goals, while offering advice on how to stay accountable to the parameters that you have set.

In a time of year when targets can be increasingly difficult to achieve, Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson explain how a lot of salespeople cause long term damage to relationships in an attempt to hit monthly targets. In this episode of Killer Media Sales they stress the importance of organising your time, why that final push toward target should put you into ‘performance mode’, and why a quick conversation with a client still needs to be well researched and planned. The reveal the one client type on your list you should never approach when making that last ditch effort to hit target, the questions to ask to secure those final dollars, and even explain why sometimes falling slightly short of your goal may in fact be better use of your time and resources.

Killer Media Sales host Alex Whitlock mentioned in a previous episode that he was working on a sales deal that had spontaneously presented itself and had an urgent deadline. Keeping that spontaneity alive, in this episode of the show co-host Russell Stephenson sidesteps from the planned discussion and decides to grill Alex on how that deal played out. Listen as Alex reveals the outcome, how he approached the client, and why he placed so much importance on a concise client proposal. Alex explains why the first sentence of any proposal is so important, deep-dives into the structural mistakes that so many make when writing their proposals, and why urgent deadlines can be huge opportunities to offer exceptional service to your clients.

As the saying goes ‘we have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.’ Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson believe this to be not only great advice for being a good conversationalist, but also a sales technique that too many overlook. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, they explain why leading with a question is imperative to a successful sales call. They stress the need to bring the client into the conversation as soon as possible, and why the belief of ‘the more information I can get out the better’ can often be opposite of the truth. They reveal what you should be focusing on in your sales calls, explain why jargon is your enemy, and why you need to have a genuine interest in both your product, and the business that you are trying to appeal to.

In this episode of Killer Media Sales hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson explain why they believe that the secret to winning is as simple as having a winning mindset. But how do you build this mindset and why is it so important? They deep-dive into the positive mentality killers, explain why a ‘to do list’ should in fact be called a ‘daily win list’ and explain how small wins can set you up for a successful day. From listing priorities in order of magnitude, to why ‘making your bed each morning’ is so important, Alex and Russell focus on the need to understand your working pace, and why sometimes chasing just the deal can be fraught with danger.

Depending on the product that you are selling you may have freedom to negotiate pricing with your clients - or you may not. In this episode of Killer Media Sales hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson explain why price compromise can often be a red flag in your sales negotiation, but how it can also be a tool used to your advantage. They explain the perception around ‘discounted’ rates, how you can understand a client’s budget prior to that initial conversation, and explain why premium products should never be discounted. They also reveal where to take the conversation if price negotiations come up too early in the discussion, how competitors pricing may come into play, and why it is so important to anchor everything to value.

Let’s face it. Nothing is perfect. Except for Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson who join you on this episode of Killer Media Sales to explain why even a ‘perfect’ product is going to have flaws, and how you can navigate those possible bumps in the road when negotiating with clients. The pair explain why belief in a product starts with the salesperson, how that belief can be used to your advantage in convincing clients, and the importance of knowing what your potential customer is trying to achieve from their campaign. They tackle the possible risks involved in ‘sweetening the deal’, how being a respected brand gives you an edge against your competition, and the impact of keeping the urgency ball firmly in your court.

Does a signed contract always mean a sales success? Hosts of Killer Media Sales Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson don’t believe so. In this episode of the podcast they explain why, deep diving into how a salesperson can analyse success and failure, learn from that process, and understand what they could have done differently. They reveal why conversion rates are your best success measurement tool, how the mentality of moving onto the next task without reflection can be detrimental to growth, and explore why being ‘busy’ doesn’t mean you are being productive.

While a proposal is an important part of any sales negotiation, there are three things that you must know before presenting options to your client. In this episode of Killer Media Sales hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson reveal these three key factors, and unpack the importance of knowing how much revenue your client is likely to bring in. They explain the trap that you can fall into where a proposal can instead be a roadblock in your negotiation, why knowing your competition in the market is so important, and why the word ‘budget’ doesn’t necessarily represent a client’s spending limit.

Hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson live and breathe sales, and utilise selling tactics in all corners of their lives. In this episode of Killer Media Sales that is perfectly demonstrated, with today’s topic being inspired by Alex trying to convince a colleague to ditch the healthy salad, and join him for a plate of noodles for lunch. They discuss the art of persuasion, and how in any conversation there is a window of opportunity to truly influence someone’s decision, revealing the tips and tricks that you can use to your advantage. From focusing on the sizzle (not of the noodles), to providing opportunities rather than options, Alex and Russ reveal how to declutter your message, and present your pitch in the best way possible.

You are well researched on your new prospect. You reach out. They seem like they are on board. Then out of nowhere what looked like a probable sale has turned into ignored phone calls and a change of heart. Where did you go wrong? In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson reveal why in many cases it may not be something that you did wrong, explaining why resilience is such an important trait in the sales game. They share why you need to put yourself into the shoes of your prospective client, how changing your focus can often be the best move when a deal is struggling, and explain why sometimes you need to accept that there will be certain factors that are outside of your control.

Momentum Media embraced the opportunities of live-stream broadcast events long before the pressures of COVID-19 saw others join a similar path. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson reveal how being early adopters has given them an edge against the competition, share how they go about securing an audience for a broadcast, and the opportunities that this style of event provides to clients. They stress the importance of knowing what you are offering and correctly pricing this, why an overly successful event could lead to problems down the track, and why you should focus on what a live-stream is worth – not just what you can make.

Sales has always been about building and fostering relationships, but with that in mind it can be easy to fall into the trap of communicating too casually with your clients. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson explain the importance of professional communication, why goal setting is key, and why it is still important to follow a ‘sales structure’ when dealing with long term clients. They explain how casual communication could lose you the deal, discuss how the communication environment has changed over the years, and share their tips on approaching written communications that make the biggest impact.

As we approach the end of a year like no other, many are wondering how COVID-19 will impact the upcoming ‘quieter months’ that many salespeople are likely to face. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson break past the barrier of a quiet month being simply a case of ‘it is what it is’, and reveal how lower sales targets around this time can in fact lead to them being some of your most lucrative months. They explain the importance of mindset, why working smarter is key to success, and how the current climate can present opportunities for both you and your clients.

You would never enter into an agreement with anything less than big expectations on the results that you can achieve for your client. But what if the outcomes don’t meet these expectations? In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson discuss the delicate issue of delivering bad news to a client. Be it an underachieving campaign, a missed article, or any other problem, they reveal the approach that they have seen yield the best results. Alex and Russell discuss their thoughts on accepting responsibility, how to shift the odds back into your favour if you were unaware of the issue, and how well handled problems can in fact be a tool to building stronger relationships.

With COVID-19 having impacted how marketing dollars are being spent across the board, clients are focusing more than ever on the ‘value’ that they are getting from their campaigns. So how can you differentiate yourself from your competition who may be approaching your key clients with similar offerings? In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson unpack what it means to maintain your key accounts, explaining how going ‘above and beyond’ is often not an extra – but coming to be expected. They discuss the importance of having more than one contact associated with each account, why being well-intended is often not enough, and why wine-filled lunches with marketing managers can often do more harm than good.

Having worked in real estate prior to his extensive media sales career, Russell knows all too well the importance of being the owner of your sales ‘turf’. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, he and host Alex Whitlock analyse this concept, looking at how you can apply this philosophy that is key to success in real estate to winning business and retaining clients in the media sales space. They explain the traps that can lead to you losing ‘safe business’, why product confidence is very different to arrogance, and the best way to approach a client who has chosen to advertise with your competitor.

This episode of Killer Media Sales deals with the constant challenge of finding the right balance between selling your inventory and providing your client with the solutions they desire. Hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson outline why it's sometimes critical to give the client exactly what they've asked for, whereas other times it's more beneficial to use tried and tested marketing initiatives to help your clients reach their ideal outcome. They outline how to go about challenging the thought process of a marketing manager, the importance of identifying which clients to pitch which campaign to, and how to approach your line manager with a more effective means of selling.

This episode of Killer Media Sales unpacks how to steer the tempo and direction of a conversation to minimise time wastage and maximise the potential for your desired outcome to be reached. Hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson outline why it's critical to set the tone from the outset, how to control the beat without coming across as too pushy, and what tactics to use when your prospect is stalling. They explain how to apply the appropriate tempo to a particular selling scenario, whether the pace usually increases as you get closer to closing a deal, and why you should always have the bigger picture in mind.

Salespeople can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that they cannot perform at their peak due to external circumstances, but according to Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson, outstanding salespeople are not hindered by market conditions. Tune in to this week's episode of Killer Media Sales as they break down the fundamentals for ensuring that you're consistently bringing in the maximum possible revenue by making the most of the factors you can control. Alex and Russell explain how to set achievable targets that still push you to your limits, how to go about monitoring commercial activity in your marketplace, and why it's critical to maintain a holistic view of what's ahead.