Most of our media consulting projects begin with an eye-opening Marketing Audit.
      Our audits include an advertiser perceptual study, as well as sending “mystery shoppers” into your market to solicit presentations from our media client and all of their competitors.
      In the markets we audit, these four failings consistently rear their ugly heads:
1.       Not Reaching Decision-Makers
Media sales reps seldom make an effort to contact decision-makers.
Our mystery shoppers make it very clear that they are NOT the decision makers but — less than 20% of the media reps they meet make an attempt to get to the real decision-maker.
The other 80% rely upon the mystery-shopper “agent” to sell their product for them.
2.       Falling for Low Rates  
Competitor rates are seldom as low as our media-clients think they are.
Media reps appear to find it easier to persuade their sales managers that the competition is selling low than trying to sell prospects on established rates.
These line of least resistance reps fail to realize that clients have a vested interest in convincing them they can buy cheaper elsewhere.
3.       Failing to Build Trust
Most advertisers do not trust their media reps.
Our audits find that nearly 90% of advertisers feel their media reps are a little more than space or spot brokers. 
Our audits reveal that clients desperately want to find someone they can trust to help them make their advertising decisions……..perhaps that is why so many unqualified small ad agencies are able to thrive across North America.
4.       Cookie-Cutter Presentations
Our mystery shoppers clearly outline what they require from the media reps we contact.
More than 75% of the resulting “presentations” they see are generic media kits or off-the-shelf packages that do not address the criteria we prescribed. 
A shocking 11% of the advertising sales people we contact never make a presentation at all or fail to return our phone calls.        

          Opportunity is knocking!  If your organization can be the exception to our typical marketing audit by building a culture where sales people know how to reach real decision-makers, have rate integrity, build trust with prospects and make customer-focused presentations, there is undoubtedly plenty of room to increase your sales.