Sitting there, sipping on your fourth coffee, staring at your CRM like it’s about to magically sprout leads. Hitting refresh on your inbox like the sales gods are about to drop a golden opportunity straight into your lap. Your pipeline? Drier than a gas station turkey sandwich. Your sales team? One bad month away from collective burnout. Your boss? Asking why leads aren’t flowing in like the Nile while you try not to throw your laptop out the window.

Companies are recognizing listening’s impact on retention, productivity, and culture by installing macro-organizational listening strategies. Strategies include designating a chief listening officer, hiring listening consulting firms and employing organization-wide listening mechanisms like engagement surveys; pulse-taking during exit, onboarding, and post-merger interviews; crowdsourcing methods like suggestion boxes or polling on specific topics.

Once upon a time, there was “health,” well understood by most Americans. “Wellness,” however, was a somewhat vague term not fully understood and seemed to be limited to health spas and retreats and various New Age philosophies and questionable treatments. The pandemic has changed that relationship, elevating wellness on par with health and creating an equal partnership in the minds of millions more Americans and people across the globe. Make no mistake, health wellness is a global trend, almost a phenomenon.

How confident are you that your sales team can meet your KPIs this quarter? If you’re like the 70% majority of sales managers, there’s some doubt in your mind. Meeting key objectives and sales targets seems more unattainable by the day, but it doesn’t have to be. To meet objectives consistently, keep your salesforce satisfied and striving, and give senior leadership reports that have them singing your praises, you need one crucial thing: A sales leadership framework.

Much as TV is now part of the larger visual media environment (and still the largest part), radio must also share people’s ears with newer audio choices, such as streaming music services and podcasts. TV may still command the largest amount of the average daily time adults 18+ spend with all the media outlets, according to Nielsen’s Q1 2018 Total Audience Report; however, radio still rules audience reach, at 92% compared to TV’s 88%.

Richard and Maurice McDonald revolutionized the food industry in the 1940s by creating the “Speedee Service System,” a streamlined, assembly-line approach to fast food that emphasized speed, consistency, and affordability. Their innovative model caught the attention of Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine salesman who saw the potential to scale the concept nationwide. After partnering with the brothers and eventually buying them out, Kroc transformed McDonald’s into a global empire through aggressive franchising, operational standardization, and strategic real estate investments. While the McDonald brothers laid the foundation, it was Kroc’s vision and ambition that turned McDonald’s into one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Their story offers powerful lessons in innovation, branding, and the complexities of business partnerships.

Most media have recovered as well as could be expected since the start of the pandemic, despite significant losses of ad spending and shifts in people’s media use. TV was able to benefit from its ubiquitous position, as viewers, including young adults, planted themselves in front of their TVs for news and entertainment to fill their additional time at home. Eventually, digital media benefited significantly (and still is), as well as many retailers from

Mary Kay Ash turned rejection into a revolution, building one of the most successful sales organizations in the world by focusing on recognition, belief, and the power of human connection. Her methods — making clients feel important, celebrating team wins, and selling with empathy — are timeless principles that apply directly to media sales and advertising. In a world where agencies and media reps fight for attention, her model reminds us that value isn’t just in the product — it’s in how we serve, listen, and lead. Mary Kay didn’t just teach people to sell — she taught them to believe, and that’s what built a billion-dollar brand.

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You are a modern leader, one smart enough to engage your team, improving their plan by allowing others to contribute to their decisions. Some of your team’s contributions are valuable, with many ideas stemming from their different views and experiences. Because you invite them to own and participate in certain decisions, your team is more committed to the plan.

Media sales is a competitive, fast-paced field that requires constant refinement of skills to stay ahead. One effective way to enhance your sales abilities while keeping training engaging is through the Pitch Perfect Challenge. This interactive sales training game simulates real-world scenarios, helping media sales professionals sharpen their skills, build confidence, and improve their ability to close deals—all in a fun and dynamic way.

Dec 1, 2024 | Media, Retail, Advertising and the Economy, Industry Press Highlights Black Friday 2024 highlighted the shifting dynamics of consumer behavior, with online shopping.

In 2025, local media salespeople in newspapers, magazines, billboards, and TV face growing competition from digital platforms like Google and Meta, necessitating innovative sales strategies. By leveraging industry trends, co-op advertising opportunities (available from MarketingInsights.Info) and tailored presentations, sales teams can emphasize their media rsquo;s unique strengths to drive revenue. This article explores actionable strategies to help local media sales professionals adapt and succeed in an evolving advertising landscape.

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

A new study suggests that AI disclaimers on political ads may reduce trust in the message even when the ad itself contains little or no AI-generated content. For local media sellers and agency professionals, that creates a new planning issue: AI may improve speed and efficiency, but required disclosures could weaken credibility and audience receptivity. The takeaway for radio, TV, cable, print, outdoor and digital professionals is that AI use in campaign creative should be evaluated not just for compliance and cost savings, but for its effect on persuasion and trust.