Classified Development

...Classified Nuts & Bolts Solutions...

Sales Training:

Classified Development's ad-visor sales training is the most popular part of the service. While more referrals come our way based on the sales training than any other source, it is really the analysis, rate structuring and product innovations that generate most of the revenue. Still, without buy-in from the ad-visors, all the programs in the world won't do you any good.
Your reps will definitely have the necessary buy-in at the end of this training. The sales training starts out as "opportunistic training" during the days of analysis. Clark prefers to work right out among the ad-visors, rather than in an office someplace. If it could be done from an office, it could be done from home. Within an hour or two Clark is "one of the team." The natural apprehension about having an outside consultant evaluate the operation dissolves quickly as Clark uses his sense of humor and easy-going Southern Style to put the ad-visors at ease. They quickly realize that Clark has not only spent considerable time taking ads himself, but that he is only there to make things better.
This is one of Clark's secrets to getting so much of the "soft data" about the specific classified situation put together so quickly. Ad-visors just feel comfortable sharing with him and taking advice from him for better ways of doing things. Clark attributes this phenomenon to his genuinely liking most of the people he meets, and to knowing how to suggest improvements without putting people on the spot. Consider it sort of an informal version of the famous "feel,felt,found" approach.
By the time the all-day Saturday training session rolls around, the all-day "dread-factor" is pretty much gone, and the ad-visors are excited about learning the new techniques.
The Saturday Training is from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM with the newspaper providing lunch onsite for the group. The day goes by faster than you can imagine, unless you have been in one of Clark's sessions. The material is well organized, and each subject covered builds on the previous subject. This is not general sales training with the name classified tagged on. It is classified line-ad specific sales training.
The basic format is: The power of the newspaper and the value of its trust-relationship with its readers; > The importance of classifieds to both the overall readership and revenue stream of the newspaper; > What readers and advertisers expect from the classifieds; > How to get advertisers to include the elements in their ad that will pay off with the desired results; and > How to get more advertisers to use the classifieds.
In one day we will turn your ad-takers into ad-visors, and your ad-visors into ad-experts. Your readers will benefit from information that is broader and clearer. Your advertisers will benefit from getting first shot at more qualified buyers. Your newspaper will benefit from the enhanced revenue stream. Your Ad-visors will benefit from better compensation and the feeling of a job well done.

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The mission of a Classified Ad-visor is to educate both existing and potential advertisers about the value of the local entity’s combination of Print, Internet-based, and other products, balancing the short-term desire for efficiency with the long-term necessity of building positive relationships with advertisers.

 

A major part of this effort involves ethically guiding each of these advertisers into the type of ad that will most effectively meet the informational needs of our readers/viewers, thereby satisfying the advertisers’ need to reach the most-qualified prospects. 

 

This results in the type of classified content that will meet our local entity’s revenue goal attainment requirements, while simultaneously strengthening the local classified franchise. 

 

By passing along customer feedback to mangers, Ad-visors provide a valuable tool for measuring the effectiveness of current operations and the design of future offerings.

 

            To be successful, Ad-visors must understand the nature of the trust factor inherent in the company’s strong local brands. 

 

Ad-visors must also continually strive to improve their contribution to this equation through ongoing training, broader experience, and increased product knowledge.