In many companies, the advertising budget was the first to be cut when the economy began to fizzle. Ironically, that means you now face a much more daunting advertising challenge and fewer dollars to work with.
Odds are that the publications you advertised with in the past are having a tough time as well. In uncertain economic times, advertisers are often forced to pull their ads just days before the publication goes to press. The good news for you is that publishers won’t allow big blank pages to be included in their printed issues.
With that in mind, identify the two or three publications you want to be in today. Then take their sales representatives to lunch. These sales representatives are rarely asked to a free lunch, so you can bet they’ll be interested. Make it clear that you’re not currently in a position to be a regular advertiser but that you can help each other. Explain that you are willing to act quickly when they get last-minute cancellations. In return, you expect to pay a greatly diminished fee for the ad space. As a rule, you should offer to pay one-fourth to one-tenth of the list price.
At first, the sales representative may not seem at all excited about your proposal. Yet, in a few weeks, when an advertiser backs out of a commitment to buy one of the inside covers or a full page, you just may get a call. Your representative will look better back at the office if he or she gets something for that premium space
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Bill Todd, is a sales trainer and motivational speaker with over 22 years frontline sales & marketing experience on the local, regional, national and international levels. He is a member of the National Speakres Assocation. For additional information, qu
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