Don't think I've received more e-mails than the last couple days; we quit counting at 50.

• The most response regarded the contention that CCC's cutting back on salespeople to lower cost-of-sales in order to increase value is akin to shutting down the transmitter in order to save on electricity. It's like cutting off oxygen.  You'll save overhead, but I wouldn't bet on increasing or even keeping revenue at current levels. Nothing to do with the remaining salespeople, but it's just math; less calls - less sales? Does that make sense or am I missing something? 
• If you missed Friday's newsletter, go back and grab it. It was unbearably funny. With thanks to John Belushi and Animal House, it  was the call for us to GET GOING and crank up some Great Big, Bad-Ass, Imaginative, Client-Focused NTR initiatives in the top tier of markets. These are projects wherein the criteria must be other than AQH, cost-per point or a media buyer.  The small market version of these do so well that it's causing PACING UP; indeed, what large markets call NTR, small markets calls SALES. Which brings me to another point . . .

One more snotty reader wrote; "What if they all want a promotion? We'll be doing that for all of them. We can't do that. It's ridiculous."  My question is Why Not? They're asking for them, they'll give us money, and in case you hadn't noticed, the business community isn't exactly hammering our doors down to buy spots. 

Of course we can't give them all a promotion, but we might want to find out where they're coming from, like asking, "What kind of promotion? What are you trying to get done? What promotions have worked for you?" In many cases that's not what they want anyhow - they just want something extra. Or, if they do want a traditional promotion, let's create promotions that have room for lots of clients.

There's a wonderful slogan once heard from a tailor (which I use in seminars). He said, "If the man wants a Green Suit - turn on the Green Light." To wit, if we have customers asking for promotions and value added and they have money in their hand - and we have unsold inventory and don't do business with them, then we deserve to be down 20% just out of sheer stupidity.

Another wonderful slogan; "God's trying to tell us something." To wit, if the evidence is overwhelming and laying there right in front of us that they're buying less of what we're offering and asking for something else that we could provide - that's the Big You-Know-Who trying to tell us something. Duh!  If you want to stay in business and prosper - give them what they want and charge them for it. I mean, THEY'RE ASKING FOR IT, FIND AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO GIVE IT TO THEM. THEY'LL BUY MORE FROM US THAN THEY'RE DOING NOW.

We have the opportunity to lead all other traditional media by inventing ways to accommodate them and sell out, but it must be in major markets where the Death by Avail selling tradition must change.

Selling in a Tough Economy FOR MANAGERS AND SENIOR SELLERS.

Vets have a separate set of problems e.g., bigger accounts, bigger billing, accounts with multiple decision makers. With the decline in the amount of agency business, one of the obvious trends in the new economy is the need to prospect for new clients - indeed, entire new categories. Most vets have less recent experience in those areas.

We offer simple and effective ways to renew these skills and look at it as a great opportunity. Join us Thursday, Jan 29th or Monday, Feb 2nd at 3:30pm ET. Only $99 an email address.

These are for the client to perform. Your job is to bring them the idea, get them excited, help with the copy and get them some traffic and a big schedule - because you're the one that brought it.

Tips

• Get it out to as many dealers/casinos as possible. Flood the category. Let them know that there's only one and they need to act fast before a competitor gets it.
• That way you can price it high. High Demand + Low Supply = Higher Asking Price.
• Don't price it by spot - price it for the entire promotion. 

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