The fundamental purpose and goal of sales and sales management haven’t changed, but the sales process must adjust, and often significantly, to the unique experience of the pandemic and what the post-pandemic period will become. For media sales, specifically, the challenge is regaining an understanding of today’s local economy. Many local businesses/advertisers have closed their doors permanently or have had to change their business model, often radically.

Kick off the week strong with these must-run co-op campaigns your customers will be excited to promote!
• Bring Beauty to Every Room With Benjamin Moore! — Inspire fresh spaces with premium paints and colors that transform any home.
• Poolife Pool Opening Deals! — Help customers get pool-ready with essential supplies and seasonal savings.
• The Lincoln Spring Sales Event! — Elevate the driving experience with luxury offers on Lincoln vehicles.
• Kuhn North America’s Spring Savings! — Equip for the season ahead with dependable agricultural equipment and strong savings.
• Winchester Super X Pump Turkey Rebate! — Gear up for the season with trusted performance and limited-time rebates.
• Book a Culligan In-Home Water Test Save! — Promote cleaner, better-tasting water with convenient in-home testing and savings.
• Generac Spring Sales Event! — Stay prepared with reliable power solutions and special spring offers.

Approach everyone you give feedback to as if they are an iceberg, as there is more below the surface when you deliver structured feedback. Feedback is structured information one person offers to another to impact a choice or behavior. The most effective way to give feedback is to offer someone a choice and present yourself as a neutral party.

The Fed’s latest Beige Book shows the economy is growing again at a “slight to modest” pace in most regions, but the recovery is uneven and increasingly split by income. Higher-income consumers are still spending on luxury goods, travel, dining and experiences, while low- to moderate-income shoppers are becoming more price sensitive and pulling back on nonessential purchases. For local media reps and agencies, that means pitching two different playbooks: “share-taking and dominance” strategies for premium categories, and value-forward, offer-driven messaging with tighter targeting for middle and budget segments. The report also signals that tariff-driven cost increases are starting to pass through to pricing, creating a near-term opportunity to sell campaigns that protect demand, explain price changes, and keep clients visible while consumer behavior shifts.

Looking for a quote to inspire your company, shift your team’s mindset, or bring clarity to your own leadership journey?
You’ve come to the right place— Marketing Insights, where strategy meets soul.

Leadership isn’t about titles or control—it’s about service, empathy, and the quiet courage to lead by example. The best leaders don’t just rise; they lift others as they climb. They empower growth, inspire through action, and leave legacies not in accolades, but in the lives they’ve impacted.

This space highlights quotes that remind us:
✨ Leadership is measured not by authority, but by influence.
✨ Not by personal gain, but by collective growth.
✨ Not by being in charge, but by caring for those in your charge.

Fred Smith, founder of FedEx, turned a college paper into a global logistics powerhouse. After serving in the Marine Corps and earning multiple honors in Vietnam, Smith launched Federal Express in 1973 with a bold idea: overnight delivery via a hub-and-spoke model. Despite early financial struggles—including a legendary blackjack win to cover fuel costs—Smith’s vision and discipline helped FedEx become the first U.S. startup to reach $1 billion in revenue within a decade.
He pioneered real-time package tracking and built a culture rooted in service, accountability, and innovation. Smith’s leadership style, shaped by military experience, emphasized clarity and empowerment. Personally, he was a devoted father of ten, aviation enthusiast, and philanthropist, turning down a second offer to serve as Secretary of Defense to be with his daughter in her final days.
Smith’s legacy offers timeless lessons: trust your instincts, build scalable systems, lead with empathy, and stay mission-focused. His story is a blueprint for entrepreneurs and sales professionals aiming to deliver impact with purpose.

These events below provide excellent opportunities for

• Ad agencies to build campaigns and promotions
• Local media sales professionals to sell advertising to retailers

These events attract large audiences and offer high visibility for brands. By aligning advertising campaigns with these events, retailers can effectively reach and engage their target customers.

Dale Carnegie’s journey from farm boy to global authority on communication offers timeless lessons for anyone in advertising or media sales. His story reveals how empathy, listening, and relationship-building—not just data or persuasion—drive real influence and long-term client trust. Carnegie’s principles, like making others feel important and speaking in terms of their interests, are directly applicable to pitching, negotiating, and retaining clients in today’s competitive media landscape. Reading his story isn’t just inspiring—it’s a masterclass in the human side of selling that every ad professional should revisit.

Weekly Newsletter January 12, 2026

2025 turned out to be a strong year for U.S. advertising, but multiple forecasts suggest 2026 will still grow at a slower pace—meaning local advertisers and agencies will plan in shorter windows and demand more flexibility. As ROI pressure and budget constraints rise, dollars will continue to tilt toward channels that feel more measurable and adjustable, while brand channels will be asked to “prove it” with clearer reporting. Political spending and major tentpole events will further distort local inventory and pricing, making continuity planning and non-preemptible options more important than ever. The winners in local markets will be sellers and agencies who package optionality, measurement, and optimization into their offers—so clients feel their budgets are safer, not riskier, in a choppier year.

Fuel your week with these can’t-miss co-op deals!
• Altoz Buy Now, Pay Later Year-End Promotion! — Upgrade your equipment today and pay later with Altoz’s flexible year-end financing options.
• Can-Am Winter Deals! — Adventure awaits! Take advantage of exciting winter savings on Can-Am vehicles.
• It’s a Great Time to Save on Toro Mowers! — Keep your lawn looking its best! Enjoy seasonal discounts on select Toro mowers.
• The Sealy Presidents Day Event! — Sleep better for less! Don’t miss incredible savings on Sealy mattresses this week.
• Ford Service January Tire Offer! — Stay safe on the road! Get special offers on tires and service at Ford this January.

Dec 2, 2024 | Digital Media and Technology, Industry Press Highlights Executive Summary: X, formerly known as Twitter, has launched new labels for parody and fan...

Keep your advertising in motion with this week’s top promotions!
• Bridgestone Tires – Roll into savings.
• Serta Labor Day Sale – Comfort at a great price.
• TYM Hot Summer Savings – Heat up your summer deals.
• Skeeter Boats Blazing Hot Summer Event – Make a splash.
• Subaru A Lot to Love Event – Unbeatable offers.
• Kubota Mowers – Powerful savings.
• Suzuki Offers – Great value to ease your wallet.

Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are surging again in 2025–2026 as homeowners sitting on record equity and ultra-low first-mortgage rates look for smarter ways to fund renovations and consolidate high-interest debt. HELOCs growth is a great opportunity for local media. Unlike the pre-2008 era, today’s growth is driven by more disciplined, prime borrowers and stricter underwriting, making HELOCs a strategic tool rather than a reckless ATM. Banks, credit unions, and fintechs are all racing to capture this demand, but local media are uniquely positioned to help them win by combining trusted storytelling with data-driven targeting of equity-rich homeowners. For local media sellers and agencies, this creates a timely opportunity to build HELOC campaigns around real-life use cases—“don’t move, improve,” credit-card cleanup, and life events—while pairing brand messaging with performance channels. Ultimately, the HELOC revival reveals a middle class trying to regain control in an anxious economy, using their homes not to splurge, but to stabilize their financial lives.

Business Background

• The US funeral services industry generates around $19.1 billion in annual revenue (IBISWorld, Funeral Homes in the US – Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029)) with a projected CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 1.0% through the end of 2024 (though the pandemic caused a temporary spike).
• The industry is primarily made up of small, family-owned businesses with over 87% falling into this category (National Funeral Directors Association, Statistics). There are also some larger, publicly traded companies.
• The industry is experiencing a shift towards cremation as a more affordable and space-saving option. Additionally, there’s a growing demand for personalized funeral services that reflect the deceased’s life and values.