How to Sell Advertising for a New Local Paper
Selling advertising can help a new local paper get off to a successful start. The salesperson will need to do extensive research to determine the best way to approach a potential advertising client. Preparing a professional-looking proposal for a business owner is one way to help the salesperson make a sale.
- Meet with your paper’s advertising manager to set some monthly sales goals. Make one set of monthly goals that are attainable and another set that is a reach. Discuss your sales strategy with your manager so you know how to proceed before you start to look for clients.
- Make a list of advertising prospects to contact. Look in other local newspapers to see which businesses advertise and include them on your list. Take some notes on the ads each business uses so you know how to approach the clients.
- Prepare solicitation for the clients you want to contact. Use company letterhead and include a business card. Make each letter you send specific to the particular business, instead of just sending a generic solicitation.
- Follow up on the letters you send after one week. Many businesses receive advertising solicitation frequently, so your letter may not get read. By following up you can discuss your ad proposal with the business owner and try to set up a sales meeting. If a business owner shows some interest, follow up at a later date if you fail to make a sale.
- Offer discounts for clients who are interested in advertising in your paper. You can also just give the client a discount for the first month and then raise the rate for following months. Stay in contact with your clients to make sure they are happy with the performance of the ads they use. If you find a client who is not happy, offer to rework the ad so you can retain their business.