Killer Media Sales

In this episode of Killer Media Sales, host Alex Whitlock speaks with colleague Michael Magee about how his approach to the sales process has made him a 'big game hunter'. Michael reveals how he develops deep relationships with clients, which people in a business are crucial to connect with, and how he sets personal targets without going beyond his capacity. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales.  

Today's marketplace is different to what it used to be, and in order to engage prospective buyers from the outset, you need a product or an initiative to sell - you cant just sell ads! Join Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson as they explore how and why they go about creating new opportunities through solution-based selling. They show how you can take your offering from basic ad space and editorial to a full service project or initiative. They also reveal their secret method for conveying urgency to buyers. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales.

Working with clients across multi channels can often become highly complex and sometimes just plain confusing. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, host Alex Whitlock is joined by head of partnerships for Defence Connect, Andy Scott, and director of Momentum Connect, Jim Hall, to discuss how to keep it simple when it comes to selling across multiple channels. They reveal their top tips to closing the knowledge gap with clients, the importance of not letting the client dictate sale conditions, and the difference in hearing and listening to your client. They also discuss how to navigate what the client thinks they want and what you are selling, and the key pitfalls for those coming into a media sales environment.

Smaller contracts and deals may seem like a time-waster when you are chasing the big dollars, but by neglecting smaller clients you may be ultimately missing out on big opportunities. In this week’s episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson delve into why setting short-term goals will help you reach the bigger ones, and how those smaller deals can grow into larger contracts if managed correctly. They also discuss the importance of seeing the bigger picture, why it is important that you are the master in your own destiny and why all salespeople need to approach the game with an open mind.

All clients are expecting a good outcome from their advertising campaign, but it is measuring that outcome and building false expectations that can lead to issues down the road. In this episode of Killer Media Sales hosts Russell Stephenson and Alex Whitlock analyse that initial agreement that you have with your client.  They discuss the importance of educating your client upfront about the results that can be controlled – and the ones which really don’t matter! They will explain how you can shift your client mentality to focus on outcomes rather than the numbers, how to avoid the trap of letting the client decide what the outcome should be, and why “click-through” rates don’t mean what they used to.

In this episode of Killer Media Sales, Momentum Media head of editorial Katarina Taurian, joins host Alex Whitlock to reveal her top tips for sales teams working in collaboration with journalists. The pair discuss the need for open lines of communication and why each understanding their role in the sales process is paramount to strong working relationships.    Katarina reveals the importance of those initial conversations to ensure you are working towards the same end goal, and shares the pitfalls to be weary of when setting expectations. 

In this episode of Killer Media Sales, Andrew Scott once again joins host Russell Stephenson to reveal his key tips to calling potential clients, identifying the correct person to speak to, and overcoming the obstacles that may result from a “sales” call. He delves into the power of open format questioning, the importance of strong branding, and how to measure campaign success in a way that keeps your clients passionate and excited about the sales process.

Salesperson Andrew Scott believes that there is one tool which will help you make money, build strong client relationships, and support you during a slump in business. The part that he struggles to believe is that this is a tool which too many salespeople are either not using, or not using effectively. In this episode of Killer Media Sales Andrew joins host Russell Stephenson to reveal the power of best utilising your database, the issues that many will face when using theirs, and what can be derived from a data analysis of your recent activity. They will reveal the question to ask a client which can result in new leads, the traps that many salespeople fall into, and why strong processes are so important.

In this episode of Killer Media Sales, Alex Whitlock is joined by New York Times bestseller Todd Duncan, who shares his secrets on how he builds trust with his clients. He reflects on his extensive history in sales and reveals his tips and tricks for successfully closing a deal. Todd explains how he tackles the stigma of distrust often associated with the sales profession, how he alters his approach to mirror the personalities of his clients and why sometimes it is okay to admit that you were wrong. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales.

Sales is a personality-driven career, but often finding the line between personality and professionalism can be a difficult one and can get you into trouble. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson address this "line", discussing times that they have seen it crossed within their sales teams, why mirroring a client should only be done to a certain extent, and why drinking with a client should be the exception rather than the norm. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales.  

After a short break from episodes, Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson are back for another episode of Killer Media Sales, this time analysing the importance of a part of the sales job that many struggle with across the board - the written aspect of the role. They will reveal how a strong sales call can fall down as a result of a poorly worded and poorly timed follow up email, the mistake that a lot of salespeople make when approaching these emails, and some tips on coming across confident, precise and keeping the "spark" alive in written communication. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales.

In this episode of Killer Media Sales, host Alex Whitlock is joined by his Momentum Media business partner Phil Tarrant to discuss the opportunities that can arise from industry events. Having recently attended an event that he originally looked at as a "chore" Alex shares how a shift in his thinking saw him garner three new business opportunities from the gathering. Phil will share his top tips for starting conversations at events, how the tone of dialogue being shifted from a more formal gathering can be used to your advantage, and how you can flick the switch from being a passenger to being a driver at your next gathering. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales.

In this episode of Killer Media Sales, hosts Alex Whitlock and Russell Stephenson talk the art of the “hustle”, drumming up quick dollars, and making fast sales. With the quick wins sometimes a necessity in the game, they share exactly how to approach a quick sale with your clients, discuss the importance of continuing to effectively prospect, and why complacency gained from a comfortable, regular-spending client base can be your worst enemy. With many believing discounts to be the fast track to a quick sale, Alex and Russell bust this myth instead revealing the right way to get a client across the line quickly – while not sacrificing your dollar value. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales.

Joe Vince, Sales "influencer" for Defence Connect joins host Alex Whitlock on this episode of Killer Media Sales to discuss the importance of strong and well-rehearsed presentation skills. With Alex having been involved in a number of panel discussions as a speaker in recent weeks as part of The Adviser's Better Business Summit, he turns his attention to connecting with an audience and how structuring your presentation is so important in getting a consistent message across. Joe will discuss his recent presentation workshop training, what he has learned about presentation from his extended career as a marine, and Alex will reveal how to make sure that you never lose control of a conversation, ensuring that you remain subtly in the driving seat with your clients. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales. www.killermediasales.com

On this episode of Killer Media Sales, host Alex Whitlock reflects on his first foray into the sales industry with co-host Russell Stephenson, revealing that he almost never got the job and in fact came incredibly close to taking a position painting chimneys at a power station. Having recently had a sales call from the man who trained him, Alex reveals the fundamentals that he learned from his mentor after he put him into a role which although described as a “great opportunity” was instead a doomed title, and Alex will share how he took this opportunity as a challenge and exceeded all expectations from the seat of the previous person who had failed in the role. He will discuss the importance of a direct approach to asking for money, why you should never give someone ten good reasons to sign your deal and the significance of maintaining an energetic approach in your client meetings. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales. www.killermediasales.com  

On this episode of Killer Media Sales, host Alex Whitlock’s business partner Phil Tarrant discusses his recent visit to Avalon for a major defence industry expo, and why planning is the most important part of turning events, trade shows and exhibitions into revenue generating business. Phil will discuss how targeted their approach was in generating new contacts, why it is imperative that potential clients be placed into a hierarchy of who you should be speaking with, and whether you should “pre-empt” the chat that you plan to have. He will explain how trade shows can get you in touch with the main decision makers that you may often struggle to access directly and how it is an opportunity to combine both editorial and sales department staff to your benefit. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales. www.killermediasales.com

Returning to the Killer Media Sales Podcast for the second time, Australian Radio Network sales director of agency Jamie Wood joins hosts Russell Stephenson and Alex Whitlock to unpack how the ability to be able to think on your feet is so imperative in the sales sector. Jamie will discuss his past career as a musician and in doing so liken the sales industry to the spontaneity and creativity of the arts sector, while also revealing why it is often those who “stick to the script” and never add any flair to their delivery that don’t make it. He will explain how client objections are something that should always be handled organically, and why you should “lean in”, let the client articulate their thoughts and let that shape the direction of the conversation. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales. www.killermediasales.com

Having stumbled upon the Killer Media Sales Podcast several months back and since utilising it as a learning resource for his team at the Australian Radio Network, sales director of agency Jamie Wood joins us on this episode of the show to discuss the structure of the team that he works with and some of the challenges that they face day to day. Jamie will discuss how the agency dynamic differs to a direct-to-client sale, how to foster and develop strong relationships within an agency and unpack the delicate balance between standing out from your competition with a creative concept and being realistic and offering an achievable solution for your client. Jamie will share his advice for those who struggle with the barrier that an agency often puts between you and the client and Alex will share his story of when challenging that barrier resulted in a negative outcome for him. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales. www.killermediasales.com

Sales is a competitive industry made even more challenging if a competitor with “poor sales techniques” attempts to undercut you on what you are trying to sell. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, Russell Stephenson joins host Alex Whitlock to reveal how to respond to an undercut attempt from a client without dropping your price, while still maintaining the edge that you need to get the deal over the line. They will discuss their experience of this happening, reveal the opportunity that arises as a result of this occurrence, and reveal the tactic that you can use to keep the interest of the client in this challenging situation. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales. www.killermediasales.com

Following on from what for many has been a break over the Christmas and New Year period, getting back into the swing of working life can often require some easing into.  When it comes to sales however it turns out that this is entirely the wrong mentality to start the year with. In this episode of Killer Media Sales, Russell Stephenson joins host Alex Whitlock having recently guided his sales team through a record month last December to explain why the “it’s the beginning of the year” trap is one that many salespeople fall into. They will look at what you can do if your clients are not all back in their offices, reveal the one question you should avoid in sales calls at this time of the year, and discuss whether you should be reflecting on your performance from the previous year. Tune in now to hear all of this and much, much more in this episode of Killer Media Sales www.killermediasales.com