How Sales Reps Can Get The Most Out of Working With Agencies
A rep-agency relationship can be fruitful and profitable for both parties. Here’s how to get the most out of the relationship.
For any publication having a close working relationship with any media agency is vital for the mutual benefit of the publication, the agency and the client.
Having been an advertising rep for many years on several titles in this field, I can see how the land lies from both sides, and speak with some authority on the pressures, pains, panics and pleasure that can seem part of the job description.
A good relationship is beneficial for both the reps and the agencies: Sales reps are likely to achieve more bookings and placements, and the agency is likely to secure the best possible placements for clients. The good relationships are formed following a number of interactions as well as habits undertaken by both parties. This post lists a number of ways that sales reps can form habits to help the relationship become more fruitful.
Don’t forget, we want the booking as much as you do, we get paid for each booking, that’s how we make money, so we will be pushing as hard as you are in the background, trust us, it’s what we do. But here are some ways you can work with us and help us, help you.
Subscribe for marketing insights via email
1. MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO FULLY EXPLAIN THE MAGAZINE
From the outset, it’s paramount that the agency knows about you and your products. Reaching out to the agency to set aside half an hour may not be easy, bearing in mind we have a database of over 500 publications in the pharma/life science vertical alone, but persevere in getting that time set aside. The main thing we need to understand as an agency is your audience. Our agency has a continually updated database of every publication, with their audience clinically separated out by several key metrics. Understanding this it makes it easier for us to understand pretty quickly if your publication is right for our client.
2. ARRANGE A MONTHLY CALL (AVOID DAILY CHASING)
We feel your pain on your targets, month-end figures, forecasts and annual sales revenues. The best way to chase an agency for updates and catch-ups (along with regular email, of course) is a fixed point monthly call. Each month, a pre-determined agenda can be set for meeting to happen on pre-planned dates, giving both parties the opportunity to discuss everything that is required in full. This arrangement also provides an opportunity to review previous campaigns as well as plan ahead for future campaigns. Random chasing emails are rarely productive as the agency is often caught off-guard (and already occupied) and might not have the information you require.
3. CLEARLY EXPLAIN NEW INNOVATIONS
It’s imperative that we know and understand all your products, publications, magazines, supplements, show guides and digital offering. Anything that’s new and innovative, that we can use for our client campaigns and help reach the objectives, we need to know to have it on our database. You’ll be surprised that some media vendors do not make it clear in media kits the various options available to advertise. If the agency doesn’t know about these innovations, it cannot present the options to clients and make bookings.
4. MAKE SURE WE RECEIVE YOUR MAGAZINES
Having a hard copy of your publications on our shelves really does help us to help you. When selecting media titles if we can reach out and pick up the last year’s issue, it really helps us to understand your magazines and help us help you. We appreciate that printing and delivery costs can mount, but as an agency that deals with hundreds of magazines, if we can see a magazine in context, it can help us visualise what a future booking may look like. Not having a hard copy in this respect could provide costly for your magazine.
5. HAVE YOUR MEDIA KIT AVAILABLE FOR INSTANT DOWNLOAD
On many occasions what we need is quick immediate access to your circulation figures. It’s fine to gate your downloadable media kit on your website but please have it available for instant download and/or sent out immediately. A page saying “a rep will be in touch with you shortly” can be very unhelpful (providing that rep works 24 hours and 7 days a week), and in our experience, we seldom hear back from the reps for weeks. To be able to make bookings and recommend positions and products to our clients, we need specific information regarding those positions. The sooner we get them, the sooner we can make decisions and make the booking with sales reps.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS NEED TO BE PERSONALISED
The best way to cut through the noise and your competition (I’m sure you’re aware of the number of magazines you are currently competing with) is to research and know our clients’ needs and come to us with something that reaches the readers that they want to be in front of. We can help here as we will probably know them more than sales, but coming to the monthly call after a good search of our clients’ website will really help our conversations.
7. KNOW YOUR READERSHIP
This is critical. The more data you can give us about your readers, the more we can help you sell the space. We need to know: Job titles, job functions, business areas and geographic locations of the readers. We also need the (exact) print circulation (excluding show copy distribution) and we need to know how many opted in email addresses your newsletter hits, or that could receive an e-blast. Some other data required before making any decision includes unique monthly stats your website attracts. Average numbers and pass on rates are of no real concern, we need actual figures because our clients will ask for them. Audit statements and sworn statements are helpful, but not essential. But the more you can tell us, the easier we can help you sell your space.
8. MEET THE AGENCY FACE-TO-FACE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR
Shows are great for this, and we will always try and clear time to meet with you. But also, if you can, come in and see us. We will always have the kettle on for keen publications who want to work with us. To get in touch with Orientation Marketing, we list shows and events that we attend throughout the year, and we also make it clear where our offices are located to encourage this.
9. EXPECT THE AGENCY TO WANT STATS FOLLOWING THE PLACEMENTS
We will be following up on every placement for stats, metrics, measurements and analysis. Have these on hand, better still, pre-empt our call and send them over so a reflective discussion can follow. Good or bad, please still send them. It’s essential we have these and we will chase up, so this just saves one more phone call. Should we not receive these stats, or if the stats are delayed, then we will be put in a difficult place with the client and will be reluctant to use the publication and product in the future.
10. THINK LONG-TERM, NOT SHORT-TERM
You have your monthly target, we understand that, but on the whole, we look at our clients with annual plans. Work with us on the annual plan and think longer ahead than closing the next month, it will help us both.
GET TO KNOW THE AGENCY INSIDE OUT
Some publishers and sales reps tend to hold agencies in a bad light. They see the agency as an unnecessary middleman taking about a % of their commission. But this can’t be any further than the truth.
Most marketing managers in pharmaceutical organisations are fully occupied with other marketing-related tasks - managing events, branding exercises etc. - and do not have the time for relationship-building calls, negotiation and placement selections with sales reps. So the agencies are actually your best friend. And agencies want exactly the same thing as sales reps: To book placements.
To get to know us a little more, get in touch and we’ll arrange a meeting with you, your reps and your publication.
