We know that individuals with Drive make great salespeople, but there are a number of other traits that complement Drive and are important to consider when looking to hire top-producing salespeople. These are sales traits that you just cannot identify from an interview alone. That is why it is critical to start out with an assessment that measures Drive, because coaching salespeople after hiring isn’t always the best way to find success.

Ready to ignite momentum and turn insight into impact?
At Marketing Insights, we know that results don’t wait—and neither should you.

Action orientation and a sense of urgency are the engines that drive marketing and sales success. It’s about moving decisively, with purpose, while staying clear-headed enough to make smart, strategic choices. Momentum is the currency of growth—when you act boldly and intentionally, results follow.

This collection of quotes reminds us:
⚡ Progress happens when intention meets action.
⚡ Urgency fuels focus—but clarity guides it.
⚡ Momentum is won one purposeful step at a time.

Clients and colleagues frequently ask my opinion of people they are considering hiring. It’s often a request, “Dave, what do you think of each of these candidates? Who would you hire?” And the requests are accompanied with resumes, each extolling the fantastic accomplishments the candidate has achieved through their career.

There is way too much on cold calling. On any day, you can find all kinds of self-proclaimed experts publishing posts about cold calling. Occasionally, you will find these experts arguing over the best way to make a cold call. One expert will focus on how you introduce yourself, while another will claim that they can improve your chances of a conversation and acquiring a first meeting. It is rare to see the cold call expert offer anything important outside of their chosen area of focus.

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.

Every week, you communicate a variety of messages to your bosses, employees and customers. Many of your ideas are aimed at creating a better future — that’s what leaders do! But will your ideas work? Will they be understood and acted on? You’ve likely witnessed or lived through change initiatives that don’t achieve the desired results. Why is that? In some cases, the leader’s ideas weren’t fully vetted. In other situations, the poor results were due to ineffective communications.

Often, when I talk to managers, they tell me how much time they spend coaching. They tell me stories of meeting, weekly, with their people, doing reviews, pipeline discussions, activity discussions—-all sorts of “coaching meetings.” They say, “Dave, coaching is important and we are spending a lot of time coaching…..”

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Hi, I’m Kevin Eikenberry, answering the questions that new and frontline leaders ask us. Actually, it’s our goal to help all leaders be more productive, successful, and confident. And this video series is just one way we do that. Today, I’m asking the question. How do I get people to follow me?

Sales meetings are a critical component of keeping your team aligned and motivated. But too often, they can feel like a chore rather than an opportunity for growth. With proper planning, these meetings can energize your media sales team and drive results.

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.

Industry Press Highlights, Media, Retail, Advertising and the Economy

Gen X—and soon older millennials—are redefining what “50-plus” looks like, and the market opportunity is enormous: this group drives a disproportionate share of spending and expects modern, respectful portrayals. For local advertisers, agencies, and media sellers, the practical move is to drop “beige” stereotypes, assume cross-platform tech adoption, and segment by life mode (caregiver, late-career, downsizer, active empty-nester) rather than age alone. The action plan is to audit creative for accidental ageism, build trust-led local + streaming bundles, and anchor messaging in outcomes this cohort values—clarity, competence, time-savings, and confidence.

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Local media sales has become harder not because advertising demand has disappeared, but because the makeup of local advertisers has changed, with more service businesses, newer companies, and digitally fluent marketers reshaping how budgets are allocated. Many local advertisers now over-rely on lower-funnel tactics like search, social and targeted digital, creating an opening for radio, TV, outdoor, print and premium digital sellers to show how brand-building media improves total campaign performance. The media companies most likely to win going forward will be the ones that stop selling like it is 2014 and instead act as trusted advisors who understand changing market composition, bring proof, and connect multiple media channels to real business outcomes.

The future never waits for anyone or anything. It is eager and enthusiastic, even obsessed, with becoming the present. The future is an express train through history – and we’re all on board. The future never waits for anyone or anything. It is eager and enthusiastic, even obsessed, with becoming the present. The future is an express train through history – and we’re all on board.