AD SALES LIFE

Four strategies for sales growth in Q4 and beyond

The most challenging thing about being a sales leader is your adeptness at exponential sales growth. Like most leaders, the constant need for innovation for revenue ascension can be complex and sometimes challenging to navigate. One thing

I’ve committed to in my monthly sales column is walking through the year with you as a sales leader.

It’s imperative to share ideas and help others achieve their collective revenue goals, and Q4 is not only ripe with opportunities for sales growth but also rich in innovation to set a new course for the following year.

Preparing and optimizing your efforts in advance of an upcoming season or quarter is fundamental for any leader. However, sales leaders must seamlessly merge codependent subjective and objective strategies to yield optimal results to produce exponential sales growth. In essence, the intangible culture you develop within your organization amplifies the tangible tactics you put in place and vice versa. These initiatives and cultural shifts take time to manifest but may ultimately set the stage for short- and long-term sales growth. Therefore, here are four strategies you can put in place today to accelerate your sales for Q4 and beyond.

Evaluate your product and audience immediately

As many media organizations face advertiser, subscriber, and viewership erosion, it’s imperative to know and understand the “why” behind your brand, content, and features.

Your product is either an alternative or a disruptor within your content niche, and re-evaluating your current status can help guide the focus on developing

game-changing momentum for your organization.

Don’t simply submit to the ambiguous notion that your product caters to all audiences. Why do they read, listen or view your content? Is your content convenient and easy to use or access? Do they enjoy the opinions of your content team? We’re in an age of consumers being able to read, view and listen to the content they want to know, so among so many other providers of information, why do your subscribers choose you?

Implement a lead generation strategy today

After evaluating and reestablishing the “why” behind your brand, amplify that message to your subscriber and advertiser audiences. Whether you’re doing all of your promotional marketing internally or leveraging an outside source, you must meet your revenue opportunities where they are and ingrain your brand within your region to reach new prospects. Build communities by leveraging all social media groups and platforms. Take advantage of paid digital advertising and partner with small business aid organizations throughout your state. Invest in high-quality lead generation tools and partners, develop video content, and create email and text journeys with new advertisers to communicate your cause and illustrate how your product helps them grow. As a sales leader, your influence and ability to generate new sales opportunities for your organization is the fuel that ignites the flame for sales growth.

Focus on growth

I firmly believe that your reality results from your focus. Sales growth occurs when all departmental functions, tactics, strategies and actions are focused on it. Therefore, you must instill a growth mindset in all aspects of your sales organization. A positive shift in virtually every key sales metric potentially represents a significant sales or revenue impact.

Create psychological security

I believe that the most influential, sales growthdriven culture you can develop as a sales leader is one of team responsibility, reliance and psychological security. This concept does not represent an alternative or elimination of performance or coaching plans. Instead, psychological security results from everyone on your sales team understanding their value and what their efforts mean to an overall objective. I’ve always felt that tethering your sales team members to organizational causes and creating a connected environment among their peers, colleagues and direct reports has an insurmountable effect on their willingness to achieve more. Be genuine, show empathy and reinforce the value of their efforts in all of your communication. Constantly remind them of their impact and illustrate the tactics and strategies you’re putting in place for their longevity and organizational sustainability. If you want to grow sales, you’ll need a team that is ready and willing to grow sales with you. The vanity of any new sale will deplete over time, but the experience of connectivity and playing an integral part in an organization’s growth stays with you throughout your career and replenishes the sales spirit daily.