As an OOH sales professional, your tasks often fall into two distinct categories: those you enjoy and those you'd rather avoid. While the enjoyable tasks get checked off quickly, the less appealing ones can be easily postponed, leading to classic procrastination. ‍

Never forget, everyone’s favorite topic is themselves. If you want to create an environment where you establish rapport have the prospect share with you exactly what you need to know to properly solve their business issues…shut up, you talk too much. Be a better listener!!

At times, an effective salesperson must demonstrate toughness, even at the risk of seeming unlikable. Therefore, don't simply equate sociability with success. A proficient consultative OOH salesperson will probe, and pose difficult queries to uncover their clients' business issues. They do this to offer the best possible solution, helping clients overcome significant challenges or capitalize on significant opportunities. Are you ready to undertake such responsibilities, or are you too preoccupied with the desire to be universally liked?

In sales, telling is not selling. It's critical to pose detailed questions or share relevant anecdotes that will help potential clients uncover the advantages of OOH advertising (or leasing their land) for themselves. People may be skeptical or even deny the validity of our claims, but they will never dispute their own realizations. In our OOH Sales Masteryclasses, we encourage salespeople to think of themselves as guides, leading prospects on a journey of self-discovery about their business through carefully designed queries.

Leave the features and benefits aside. Dive beneath the surface, uncover the prospect's genuine motivations, and ask questions that expose their pain, using their own words. Pain is an immensely powerful emotion that prospects will do anything to avoid. So, forget about features and benefits. When you effectively evoke emotional pain, particularly in the present moment, and demonstrate that you have the means to alleviate their distress, you're one step closer to closing the deal. ‍

OOH Salesperson walks through the prospects door and greets the business owner with a big, friendly smile and wonders if they ever considered billboard advertising to get their message out. It’s their lucky day! We have an available board right near their location…it’s perfect for their business AND I’ve got this beautiful piece of spec art that would be just the ticket. Sound familiar?

The average OOH salesperson spends most of their time with prospects who never become clients, and only about 30-35% of their time actually selling. Without an effective method to qualify prospects, salespeople often waste time in unproductive conversations. A systematic approach to qualifying prospects could significantly increase face time with qualified prospects and drive revenue growth.

Who really knows what the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters will bring in the way of an economy…Anemic? Strong? Recessionary? I for one am very bullish on out of home in 2023 no matter the economy as long as we make sure and do the things that we are in control of. 

As a professional OOH salesperson, do you have an intentional method to how you manage your book of business? Have you broken down your clients into strategic categories with a defined approach as to how you are going to manage those relationships?