Mid-Year Review:

What Will You Do Differently in the Third and Fourth Quarters?

By Jeffrey Myers, Personal Selling Principles

At mid-year 2002, media forecasters, group heads and research companies are all stating they expect positive growth in the second half of 2002 advertising sales

If your own expectation differs from these leaders, the question you should ask yourself is, "Year to date, has my sales effort been focused, consistent, effective, and efficient?"

The first quarter started slow, while the second quarter caught many managers unprepared to maximize the revenue upturn in May and June by selling out too early. Now is the time to ask, "What am I going to do differently to maximize the projected growth in the second half of this year?"

At Personal Selling Principles, we believe that in order to end 2002 on a solid growth pattern, now is the time to help your sellers to be focused, consistent, effective and efficient.

A comparison study was done on athletes who regularly won in their sport vs. those who occasionally won. Eight characteristics were found in those that regularly won, and one of those characteristics was focus. Focus is the base foundation upon which change is made. When the money is plentiful, our goal is "get the money-get the money-get the money." What happens when there's less money? That's when we find ourselves scrambling.

Management should also require consistency, which is the single most difficult aspect of what we do to manage, train, and incorporate into our business acumen. Depending on your performance year-to-date, and your revenue expectation in the second half of 2002, consistency will be the second most important aspect of your sales effort. As radio marketers, we must accept that part of our dilemma has to do with how we manage and sell through the economy's cycles. Focus and consistency will direct us away from slumping performances, regardless of the economy.

Peter Drucker defined efficiency as doing things right and effectiveness as doing the right thing. With regard to sales, doing things right and doing the right thing should be the goal of each company.

Sales effectiveness is the goal of each and every one of us - - not just our top performers. If you have the client relationship, reframe the need for effectiveness as it relates to the clients' goals.

Revenues appear to be coming back and the difference between the winners and losers of 2002 will be sales marketing processes that are focused, consistent, effective and efficient.

To insure you'll be on the list of winners, require focus, consistency, effectiveness and efficiency from your greatest asset - - your people.

Jeffrey Myers can be reached at

Personal Selling Principles
10817 Weeping Willow Lane #101
Beltsville, Md. 20705
Phone-301-595-1871
Fax- 301-595-1871
E Mail- Myers @OLG.com