The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

The media sales industry is at a pivotal moment. The 6th Annual Media Sales Report reveals a story of optimism—tempered by caution. Sales managers see opportunity ahead, but many sellers remain unsure. If we want to win in the next era of media sales, we must close this gap in confidence while strengthening the culture that keeps top performers engaged.

Here’s what the data tells us about the industry outlook and company culture—and what sales leaders must do now to lead with clarity, purpose, and results.

Securing appointments has always been a sales challenge, but in media sales today, it’s reached a breaking point. The  6th Annual Media Sales Report shows that booking meetings, advancing deals, and closing business require more persistence, better tools, and sharper strategies than ever before.

Here’s what the data from the Setting Appointments & Sales Process section tells us—and what sales leaders must do now to keep their pipelines full.

Sales enablement should be the bridge between your sales team and closed deals—but in many media organizations, that bridge has cracks. The 6th Annual Media Sales Report reveals that while most sellers have access to some resources, too many are questioning their quality, effectiveness, and the strategy behind them.

Here’s what the Sales Enablement data tells us—and what media sales leaders need to do to make it a true revenue driver.

Each year, The Center for Sales Strategy’s Media Sales Report offers an up-close look at the evolving dynamics of media sales departments. The 6th annual report reveals important shifts in recruitment, structure, and compensation, and offers insights sales leaders can’t afford to ignore.

Here’s what we uncovered in the Sales Department section as well as what media sales managers should do about it.

In this Quick Take episode, Matt wraps up our coverage of The 5th Annual Media Sales Report by spending a few minutes thinking about what this year’s findings can tell us about the future of the media sales industry.

In short, you’ll find that while obstacles are ever-present and, in many cases, more difficult than ever, media sales managers and salespeople alike seem to be up to the challenge.

2022 is poised to be one of the most disruptive years for media sellers. 

Organizations faced with staffing challenges and companies struggling to recover from losses —  businesses in every category feel the impact. And often, there are stark differences based on category and region. 

Generally, businesses are looking to grow new business and revenue. Bolstering sales, disruption in the workplace, supply chain challenges, and a host of other opportunities means a laser focus on how to sell in 2022 will be vital to success. 

Sellers and managers can win more deals by focusing on several cornerstone principles and repeating them daily.  

If your media sales department is facing difficulties, you’re not alone. Despite recent innovations, media sales departments are still missing budgets, not developing new business, and not retaining key accounts.

Many media sales managers are stuck in a vicious circle of recognizing challenges that hinder growth, but they tend to ignore them for various reasons. Failing to tackle these challenges continue to result in lost revenue and lost opportunities.

Below are five of the top challenges media sales departments face and a solution that addresses them all.