Have you ever looked closely at the Super Stars on your TV sales team and analyzed their similarities? Bet you will find many of these–

• They are focused on their customers’ success
• They are positive
• They block out negativity
• They are relentlessly curious and love learning
• They look for solutions, not problems
• They don’t give their advertisers easy outs
• They concentrate on meaningful activity and delete or delegate the rest
• They network, network, network and then they network some more
• They are open to ideas from many sources
• They know how to uncover their advertiser’s needs quickly
• They aren’t afraid to ask for the order
• They win big!

And, as TV Sales people, how many of these qualities do you possess? The more of them you have the more remark-able you are!

(And do you surround yourself with Super Stars?)

I have become very introspective lately analyzing my successes and failures in the Broadcast Television business. I uncovered a common theme – when I am a believer in what I am selling I find success. When I’m not a believer I sometimes make a sale but seldom feel like a success.

The very word “selling” still makes me uncomfortable. I associate “selling” with asking someone to do something they don’t want to do, of being conniving and somewhat deceitful. I know there are shelves of books telling us “selling” is an admirable profession but it just doesn’t sit well with me.

What I found works best is finding something I believe in and sharing that with others so they can achieve their success. If the advertiser’s budget doesn’t allow me to guarantee success on my TV Station, if the customer is just not right for that football package or some other initiative I’m pressured to sell or if I am not sure my station can execute a promotion properly you can pretty well bet I will be unsuccessful in “selling.”

If my solution doesn’t solve the customer’s problem but I’m shoving it at them anyway I am “selling.” And I see this every day.

But when I believe in something and know the resources are there to support my efforts look out! I am all in!!

If you are having trouble closing sales take a look inside. Are you a believer? If you aren’t maybe it’s because you are “selling” and not “solving.”

If you confidently believe you are contributing to your advertiser’s success go all in. You won’t feel like you are “selling.” You will be remark-able and, best of all, they will be too.

Remember high school when we all tried to be like everyone else so we could fit in? We all wore the same style of clothes, had the same couple of hairstyles to pick from, listened to the same music and danced the same dance?

Well, how have you changed since then? Still trying to fit in especially at work?

“Fitting in” is the problem today – as hiring Managers there is a tendency to look for “a good fit” which means someone just like the rest of your team. Because of that most TV Sales teams are made up of highly creative people who get nothing but the most urgent done. New, well thought out projects are major challenges that oftentimes never get off the ground.

I keep hearing you want to be proactive but are stuck being reactive.

Maybe it’s not the outside world causing this. Maybe it’s your team makeup.

Diversity of styles, strengths and tendencies enriches your team and can lead to increased efficiencies if identified and respected. There are many tools available to help you “diagnose” your current staff and identify what characteristics are needed to round out your team so you can become more efficient and proactive! If interested contact me – they are not expensive tools and well worth the investment!

To be remark-able don’t “fit in.” Shake it up! Diversify your team strengths and talents, develop a culture of respect for these differences and learn how to best utilize these talents. The result will be a proactive team dancing together but to their own music.