Making the case for digital sales reps

The complaints that media people have about the reps who come seeking an audience every day could fill a book, and vice versa. Neither side is short on opinions about the other. But one thing media people consistently complain about is what they perceive as reps’ lack of knowledge about what they are selling. Perhaps this is the reason why: Many are doing too much multi-tasking. According to a new report from Borrell Associates, the Williamsburg, Va., ad tracking firm, about half of all local reps sell both digital and traditional media. The other half specialize in digital only. That’s a huge divide, and it shows in the numbers. Companies with dedicated digital-only sales forces bring in four times as much digital sales revenue as those with traditional and digital combined. Little wonder that TV stations have been making more of a push to employ digital-only reps of late. Newspapers and especially radio stations, on the other hand, have been slower to add them. Greg Harmon, senior research analyst at Borrell Associates, talks to Media Life about the advantages and disadvantages of digital-only reps, why some companies eschew them, and how media people and reps can play nice.

What did you find most interesting or most surprising about this report? 

The immense gap in digital revenue between those with and those without dedicated reps is truly startling. Even at the smaller enterprise level, there is a lot of revenue to be had in “double or more.”

What’s the most important thing media buyers and planners can take from it? 

I would suppose it would be that the presence or absence of dedicated digital reps is likely to be a key indicator of how digitally savvy a seller is and, by implication, their likely higher levels of service and skill.

What are the advantages to having digital-only reps over reps who sell a hodgepodge of everything? 

Two things: focus and depth.

By having the full-time equivalent job spec be “digital sales,” those reps can devote their undivided professional attention to online and mobile—so they can focus on their primary mission of directly selling digital and helping others do the same.

For depth, because they are principally management by results on digital, they are far more motivated to examine and understand what digital offerings are available and how they might best fit a customer’s goals.

Why is it that non-pureplays don’t seem to recognize the value of digital-only reps?

This is something of an imponderable to me, but scarce-and steadily contracting-resources, habit and compensation package changes would all seem to work to conspire to limit innovation.

Reps and media buyers/planners have long had a contentious relationship-what are some things that could be done on both sides to help ease that tension?

I think this is a bit outside the scope of this study.

But, since you asked, trained and competent digital reps are likely in a much better position to work smoothly with media buyers as they are ever more strongly pressured to “buy digital.”

What are the biggest complaints you hear about local reps? 

Reps do a great job in their relations with most customers.

The most pressing need for improvement is that all reps “walk the walk” of being consultants in their clients’ ad and marketing efforts. Media reps as salespeople cannot focus solely on their principal media. Just being an order-taker puts their client relationships at risk to new solutions and disruption from new players.

You have been doing this survey for years. What’s the biggest change you’ve noted over the years? Why?

To me, this has been the increasingly positive impact of digital reps on the staff who are not digital. Everyone appears to make more money—that’s a good thing.

Why do you think there has been a high growth in TV companies hiring digital-only reps?  

More money at stake in TV contracts in general is part of the reason.

Also, the fact that TV typically works with both the biggest and savviest local players who are especially open to new opportunities and can afford to engage in new lines of expenditure.

Do you foresee a point in the future where most non-pureplay companies will have a digital-only rep? Why or why not? 

We seem to be at a tipping point, with half say no-half say yes.  And, since the evidence is that the yes people make more money—lots more money—this indicates they will predominate except at the smallest and least moneyed media enterprises.

Tags: borrell, borrell associates, digital reps, media buyers, media people, media planners, reps, studies