LSA15: Sales 2.0 Best Practices (LA Times Media Group, Advance Digital, Closely)

LOCAL SEARCH Effective Targeting Tactics

Presented by Earl Baer – Los Angeles Times Media Group

What Local Businesses Need

Get the Word Out Be Found, Be Seen

BEST PRACTICES:

Local Search:

Adver6ser Prospec6ng

Local Search: Adver6ser Targe6ng Where to Start?

LA-‐DMA 5 COUNTIES 52,000 SQ MI 520,000 SMBs

7 TacAcs for EffecAve ProspecAng

Effective Prospecting

Get the Word Out Be Found, Be Seen

Effective Prospecting

Be Found, Be Seen

Tac6c 1: Most Likely Business Categories

•  Auto •  Healthcare •  Legal •  Educa6on •  Real Estate •  Restaurant •  Home Services •  Retail -‐ eComm

“I Need a _____ Now.”

“I’m Looking for a ______”

LA Times Media Group

Local Search: Adver6ser Prospec6ng

Tac6c 2: Who Needs Help Being Found & Being Seen?


•  Budget Poten6al

•  Category/Industry Research

•  Current Search Strategy

•  Compe66on

•  Keyword Tools

Tac6c 3: Use Research Tools

Local Search: Adver6ser Prospec6ng Tac6c 4: ExisAng AdverAsers – Show Them the Importance of Search



Tac6c 5: Educate

•  Become the ‘Trusted Advisor’

•  Share Knowledge, Research & Insights

•  In-‐Person Training

•  Webinars

•  Digital Training Events



Tac6c 6: Promote

•  Adver3ser Marke3ng through exis3ng media channels

•  B2B E-‐mail Marke3ng

•  Event Marke3ng

•  PPC



Tac6c 7: Harness the ExperAse, Interests & Passions of Your Sales Force

The 3 Keys to Prospecting Success

People Focus Tools &

Resources

LOCAL SEARCH Effective Targeting Tactics

Presented by Earl Baer – Los Angeles Times Media Group

Sales Training at Advance Digital Sandy Lohr, SVP/Sales

2

We Believe…

Adv

ance

Dig

ital S

ales

Phi

loso

phy

Vision / Values

Information / Insight

People / Process

Engagement / Empowerment

Review / Report

P3

The Sales Rep is Not Alone

After the Sale

Making the Sale

Getting Ready to Sell

Collaboration at Every Stage

3

WHY? HOW? WHEN?

P4

Company Objectives

Industry Trends

Marketing &

Promotions

Target Audience

RESEARCH

Company Objectives

Industry Trends

Marketing &

Promotions

Target Audience

QUESTIONS

Company Objectives

Industry Trends

Marketing &

Promotions

Target Audience

ANSWERS

Informed Selling … At Every Step of the Sales Process

4

Continuous Learning = Knowledgeable Salespeople

Knowledgeable Salespeople = Results for Advertisers

Advance Digital New Hire Training

The Local Market Training Manager creates a customized, three month-long “Blended Learning” Plan based on the new hire’s previous experience, skills and knowledge.

5

The balancing act: Quick Productivity VS Too Much Information / Too Fast.

Blended Learning

Classroom

E-Learning – Advance University

Joint Sales Calls

Coaching

Shadowing Other Reps

Assisted time in territory

Advance Digital New Hire Training

•  After first two weeks, new hires attend one advertising solution class per week, and are assisted on-the-job by the training department, peers, management and Advance University (E-Learning).

•  At the end of three months, their sales skills are tested via a Role Play Case Study.

6

The “Why” of our Company

Sales Training

Salesforce Training

Advertising Solutions Overview

During first two weeks, new hires attend these four classes:

Blended Learning Approach

7

E-Learning System, with hundreds of self-directed classes, industry resources, sales presentations and peer-to-peer sessions.

Access to lynda.com, with thousands of training videos on every subject imaginable.

And, our training team: •  Local Market Trainers •  Subject Matter Trainers

(National, Centralized Team) •  Instructional Design Manager •  Training & Communications

Coordinator

An Organization Focused on Continuous Learning

•  We invest heavily in training – via a combination of in-market and centralized resources.

•  Trainers specialize … verticals, marketing services and sales process. •  Advance University, our E-learning system, is integrated into the learning

process. •  We are constantly obtaining feedback and adjusting our training methods

accordingly. •  We believe people are the difference. •  Training produces better equipped and differentiating skillset. •  Investing in employees increases retention, which diminishes client churn.

Thank you, Sandy Lohr

[email protected]

8

Relationship Management with Closely

Who is Closely?

Then

SaaS tool to create and schedule promotions for posting to social media

Now

Mobile service to watch social activity, learn about social media and discover products & solutions

Closely helps small businesses step up their game in digital marketing

Our Audience

Our Audience

Our Audience

Our Sales Experience

When selling direct •  Getting the attention of SMBs is difficult

•  Steep competition for the attention of the SMB

•  SMBs are inundated with sales calls

•  SMBs don’t have time for sales calls

•  Name recognition / relationship with the small businesses is a must to get in the door with SMBs

Our Sales Experience

When partnering •  Sales force has multiple products to sell – focus often on

greatest reward for rep

•  Customers are sold on the product/service

•  Message often reaches SMB at the wrong time – No nurturing of “need”

•  It’s a one-time opportunity to sell

•  SMBs don’t fully understand what they are buying

•  Low usage / high churn

Sales Dead Zone

•  No great distribution channels for SMB products around $1,000

•  Products need a personal sales effort, but the sales process is too expensive

Peter Thiel | Zero to One

The Problem

Borrell Associates | SMB Marketing Patterns | December 2013

“SMBs are pestered. On average, SMBs get 5 sales calls per week and listen to only 1 of them.”

The Problem

The Problem

Lots of great products, but too many calls

•  2,500 start-ups focused on new products for SMB

•  SMBs are being sold at indiscriminately and constantly

•  Personalized sales are too expensive - Phone based sales are too abusive

SMB attention is increasingly difficult to secure – the problem is getting worse and we need a new approach!

The Opportunity

We can help SMBs decide by reinventing how we reach, inform and educate them.

Our Approach

Establish a relationship with the small business using Perch – a free service with a simple value proposition

•  Watch : What’s happening with my business and with my competitors

•  Learn : How am I doing?

•  Discover : What should I do next?

Our Approach

To foster this relationship, we create moments of interaction with our users through...

•  Daily engagement in the app

•  Daily and weekly digest emails

•  Weekly performance reports

All with data customized for their business

Watch

•  Social media

•  Review sites

•  Promotions

•  Organized by Business Venue

•  For Biz & Competitors

Learn

•  Data driven insights •  Learning content

Learn

Discover

•  Building the Perch Marketplace

•  Smartly match solutions to needs of 100K+ SMBs

•  Where/when SMBs are paying attention (9+ times per month)

What works

•  Customized information

•  Consistent value

•  Convenient access

Thanks!

Perch Partnership Program •  perchapp.com/partners •  @perchapp