Whatever the world throws at US consumers – inflation, limited inventory, higher prices and interest rates, recessions and even drastic weather and a pandemic – they are unstoppable. Since they are responsible for approximately 70% of total GDP, they better not stop. Although current economic conditions may cause many Americans to pause or re-prioritize their spending, total seasonally adjusted retail and food services sales during March 2023 was $6.92 trillion – and only exceeded by January’s and February’s total.

A new study from the American Association of Political Consultants Foundation suggests that AI disclaimers on political ads may be reducing voter trust rather than improving transparency. For local media sellers and ad agencies, the lesson is clear: political advertisers will need more than legal compliance—they will need credible media environments, careful creative execution and voter-sensitive messaging. Radio, TV, cable, print, outdoor and digital platforms can strengthen their value in political campaigns by helping candidates communicate clearly, disclose responsibly and avoid turning transparency into suspicion.

Booming Market: The U.S. eye care market is experiencing significant growth, driven by factors such as an aging population, increased awareness of eye health, and technological advancements. According to a report by Grand View Research, the market size is expected to reach $37.5 billion by 2032 (Source: Grand View Research). Essential Health Service: Eye care is a crucial component of overall health, with optometrists playing a pivotal role in diagnosing and treating various eye conditions.

Radio remains one of the most trusted and emotionally connected media platforms, reaching nearly 60% of adults 18+ each day for over two hours, according to The Media Audit. In a down economy, radio’s presence in consumers’ daily routines—especially while driving to shop—makes it a powerful, real-time influence on purchase decisions. Stations that highlight their local impact, personal connections, and advertiser success stories will be best positioned to retain and grow revenue even as budgets tighten.

Historically, the interaction between the credit collections department and the sales team has been an adversarial relationship. The credit collections team believes that salespeople have no concern for collections and just want to sell to anyone to make commissions and meet quotas. The sales team sees the credit collections department as an obstacle to opening new accounts and closing deals.

U.S. retail sales rose 1.4% in March 2025, driven by auto purchases and supported by tax refunds, lower gas prices, and modest income growth. While the National Retail Federation forecasts core retail sales to grow up to 3.7% this year, consumer confidence remains shaky amid ongoing tariff uncertainty and global trade disruptions. For local media, this presents short-term ad revenue opportunities in sectors like auto, home improvement, and financial services. However, advertisers are expected to be cautious and demand more ROI-driven, flexible advertising solutions.

Studies reveal a startling paradox: 82% of leaders believe they’re supporting their teams effectively, yet only 38% of employees feel genuinely supported. Moreover, this disconnect stems from what initially appears to be a positive leadership trait – what I call “the protection paradox” – the desire to protect teams from challenges. However, this well-intentioned shield ultimately becomes the very barrier that stifles growth and erodes trust. As an executive leadership coach working alongside pioneering organizations,

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the 2025 evolution of SEO, focused on securing brand citations in AI-generated answers from platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity, where only 2–7 sources are cited per query.
For media sales reps and agency pros, GEO is a new revenue channel—helping clients win high-intent leads, protect brand reputation, and outpace competitors in AI search results. Success requires a 10-step framework, including auditing current AI visibility, mapping real customer prompts, structuring AI-friendly content, optimizing technical signals, and building citation authority.
Local market case studies show GEO can quickly boost inquiries, reservations, and sales when executed with clear KPIs like visibility score, citation count, and positive sentiment. Reps who understand and pitch GEO now will position themselves as forward-thinking partners, securing long-term client trust before competitors catch on.

Artificial intelligence and programmatic advertising platforms are dismantling traditional competitive advantages of large agencies by democratizing access to sophisticated tools once exclusive to major players. Boutique agencies are leveraging this technological leveling to outperform larger competitors through specialized expertise and faster decision-making, with some achieving better performance metrics than multinational networks. Specialization allows smaller firms to command premium pricing while delivering personalized service and direct access to senior strategists. Speed has become critical, as boutique agencies pivot strategies within hours compared to weeks of approval processes at larger firms. The trend strongly favors agile specialists who combine technological fluency with deep domain expertise and exceptional client relationships.

It’s crucial for every successful leader to understand the motivations and drivers of their direct reports. The best leaders take the time to regularly check in with their team members and ask the right questions to gain valuable insights into how to support and motivate them.

Ad tech is transforming TV from a simple spot-and-break business into a unified “Total TV” ecosystem where linear, streaming and CTV inventory are sold, targeted and measured together. For local media sellers and agencies, that means shifting from selling GRPs and dayparts to selling audiences and impressions across platforms, using tools like dynamic ad insertion, new streaming ad formats and unified campaign automation. CTV and OTT now deliver real-time, digital-style metrics—reach, frequency, completion rates and attribution—that let local outlets compete more directly with search and social for performance-driven budgets. AI is beginning to power optimization, data onboarding and contextual targeting, creating efficiency and better campaign results, and giving local media a more sophisticated, data-backed story to take into every client meeting.

Are your cold calls falling flat because you’re making simple mistakes? The salesperson called me, but I couldn’t talk at that moment. I was busy focused on something and was unwilling to stop, although I usually take cold calls. If you make cold calls, you should take them because you may learn from different approaches.

A sense of community is key for employees. It gives them a feeling of belonging while helping build culture and learning. This article discusses how companies can be sensitive and promote community. In her book Retirement and Its Discontents, Michelle Pannor Silver’s research reveals that for millions of people work is much more than output or income they generate. It is a source of meaning and social identity. It is where they feel intellectually stimulated and can express their creative selves. It is where they feel a sense of community and connection.

If you are a sales leader or sales manager, you struggle to get everything done. You want to work with your team, but you often find yourself being pulled into meetings and conversations that have no ability to help you reach your sales targets. It can be difficult to decide what gets your attention and what doesn’t deserve your time.

Recently, I had an interesting conversation with an executive. It was a large organization. By most measures, it was extremely successful. Year after year of good (perhaps not great) revenue growth, good profitability. They checked all the boxes the financial markets tend to care about and it was reflected in their stock price. But the executive was uncomfortable. As we peeled back his concerns and started looking at the data, we discovered some interesting things: