2-Quotes-for-Quarantines

30 Sales Quotes To Keep You Motivated Through Quarantine

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Would you have ever thought Q1 would come to a screeching halt from a pandemic? Or, better yet, that you’d be forced to “shelter in place” for the foreseeable future? Neither did we. Regardless of the situation, you’re still responsible for your work, and if you’re in sales – well, times are tough right now. With many deals being pushed out or canceled altogether, now is the time to look for the good and stay positive. Salespeople are resilient and know how to persevere, so while you’ve probably got this “under control” we figured a little bit of positive reinforcement never hurt anyone. 

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Bookmark this post and keep these 30 motivating sales quotes handy for the next month as you survive the quarantine:

  1.  “Expect the best, prepare for the worst, capitalize on what comes.” – Zig Ziglar
  2.  “Today is always the most productive day of your week.” – Mark Hunter
  3.  “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn

  4.  “Keep your sales pipeline full by prospecting continuously. Always have more people to see than you have time to see them.”– Brian Tracy

  5.  “Your attitude not your aptitude will determine your altitude.”– Zig Ziglar
  6.  “If you are not moving closer to what you want in sales (Or in life), you probably aren’t doing enough asking.” – Jack Canfield
  7.  “To build a long-term, successful enterprise, when you don’t close a sale, open a relationship.” – Patricia Fripp

  8.  “Value the relationship more than the quota.” – Jeff Gitomer

  9.  “Always do your best. What you plant now, will harvest later.” – Og Mandino
  10.  “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.” ― Babe Ruth
  11.  “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” ― Zig Ziglar
  12.  “Sales success comes after you stretch yourself past your limits on a daily basis.” ― Omar Periu

  13.  “All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like, and trust.” ― Bob Burg

  14.  “Begin by always expecting good things to happen.” – Tom Hopkins
  15.  “The significant problems we have, cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.” ― Albert Einstein
  16.  “If you put out what you truly believe in, it will create the law of attraction, and it becomes reality.” ― Conor McGregor
  17.  “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better; don’t wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills; don’t wish for fewer challenges, wish for more wisdom.” ― Jim Rohn

  18.  “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

  19.  “Don’t be casually committed to your profession. If your best is 70%, you’re 30% short, and your earnings will reflect that shortcoming.” ― Dan Seidman
  20.  “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” – Chris Grosser
  21.  “Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts.” – Winston Churchill
  22.  “What differentiates sellers today is their ability to bring fresh ideas.” – Jill Konrath

  23.  “Make a customer not a sale.” – Katherine Barchetti

  24.  “Begin by always expecting good things to happen.” – Tom Hopkins
  25.  “It’s not about having the right opportunities. It’s about handling the opportunities right.” ― Mark Hunter
  26.  “There’s no lotion or potion that will make sales faster and easier for you – unless your potion is hard work.” – Jeffery Gitomer
  27.  “Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.” – William Clement Stone

  28.  “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson

  29.  “Filter everything you’re doing, saying & pitching through the customer point of view, and you’ll improve just about every metric you care about today.”― Matt Heinz
  30.  “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison

Inspired by these sales quotes? Refreshed? Now go get ‘em! And if you’re wondering how to use your new motivation to pivot your strategies, check out our blog How B2B Sales Can Adapt in an Economic Downturn.

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If you liked this blog post, check out:

  1. Navigating B2B Sales During COVID-19
  2. How to Find New Business Leads For Your Agency
  3. The Top Sales Podcasts to Up Your Game During Quarantine
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Worldwide Partners Chooses “Prudence Over Panic” – Interview with CEO John Harris

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Winmo CEO Dave Currie talked with John Harris, President and CEO of Worldwide Partners, an independent agency network with agencies across 40 countries, about the ways in which they are adapting amidst the global pandemic. Harris says that the general theme that has emerged is “prudence over panic.”

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“I think that everybody is realizing that a crisis represents an opportunity for transformation and so you’re seeing agencies take, in some cases, some dramatic steps that we’ll talk a little bit about. Some are realizing there are small steps that they can take to enhance their overall proposition to their clients and to businesses. But everybody’s acting.”

He discussed the industries he’s seen impacted most, the opportunities emerging, and how agencies can pivot to adjust to a socially distanced world.

Who’s impacted most? Where are the challenges and opportunities?

“Everyone has been impacted to some extent. Not surprisingly, travel and tourism is probably taking the biggest hit. Retail and restaurants are obviously navigating a really challenging environment but at the same time, financial services are doing very well. Business to business software and tech seems to be doing extremely well. Healthcare, obviously.”

Who’s poised to win new business?

“I think that the agencies who are identifying what’s a position of strength that they have that they can lean off of and going into other categories. For example, anybody who has experience with multi-unit retail, whether that’s franchise space, whether that’s restaurants, anybody who has that experience can offer the council for those brands who are now having to really amplify and optimize their online presence.”

What should agencies do with this “downtime?”

“One of the councils that I’ve given agencies is lean into your existing clients pretty aggressively. It’s a tremendous opportunity to work with those clients who have in house teams to refine processes, to help them because one of the challenges for the in house groups is that they’re isolated and working within their own confines. As an agency, we have the opportunity to bring fresh thinking from other categories in how they’re responding to this. I think one thing is don’t see this as downtime.”

Have the difficult discussions.

“I think we have the opportunity and the permission and, quite honestly, the obligation to our employees and to our businesses to be having those conversations with the clients.  Don’t be afraid to have the conversations. We’ve seen some agencies who are actually offering clients some incentives to prepay fees. Many of them are now, who weren’t already, asking for at least 50% of production costs on media buys upfront. That’s dependent on the client and the client history and the category that they’re competing with.”

How is the pitch process changing?

“The process is expedited. The rules aren’t as rigid. We don’t have to do a five-minute cultural video. We’re doing a living, breathing cultural video of what our agency is like. You’re seeing a more efficient process, a high level of collaboration that’s going on, and no waste of time. It’s like, ‘Let’s get to the point. I guess what I would end it is many of these things that we’re talking about are outcomes of this crisis.”

What’s the prognosis for the future?

“I think as an industry, it may be a tough couple of quarters ahead of this. But, I think there is some learnings and some practices that hopefully will stick that we’ll all be stronger coming out of this than we were before. I guess I would say, guys, there’s been such a high level of just support that I’ve had, that our agencies are having, that everybody in the industry is really wrapping their arms around each other right now, figuratively speaking.”

See Harris’s full interview here:

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If you liked this blog post, check out:

  1. Sales Prospecting: How to Write Better Cold Call Emails
  2. The 13th Biggest Myths About Sales Prospecting
  3. 10 CMO Tenure Stats to Know

 

5 Brands Boosting eCommerce Right Now

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With consumers sheltering in place, foot traffic to brick-and-mortar businesses has come to a halt. One source of opportunity if you’re looking to tap into marketing budgets that remain? Brands betting on eCommerce. Many marketers are focusing on reaching consumers shopping online, funneling ad dollars into campaigns designed to drive virtual traffic to their websites. We’ve hand-selected five such companies to focus your prospecting on, with details on who should approach based on recent new business triggers.

This piece continues our focus on brands who represent prime sources of sales opportunity in a challenging economic climate. You can also check out 10 brands surging digital ad spend for another crop of advertisers going against the grain.

5 Brands Boosting eCommerce

1. Lululemon

Athleticwear brand Lululemon started redeploying ad dollars to digital channels in order to drive eCommerce performance; per its recent earnings call, overall same-store sales rose 20% during the holiday quarter, with digital sales surging 41%. In light of the global pandemic, Lululemon temporarily shut down all its retail locations in North America. More people are shopping online because of the virus, and the company expects this trend to stick; CEO McDonald called it the “new reality of retail.” Lululemon’s popularity should continue rising since Americans are still working out and doing yoga at home, as well as lounging in casual athletic clothing.

Lululemon’s target demographic consists of millennials and Gen-Z (female skew), along with Gen-X. Considering its focus on digital media, you may also want to offer paid social, OTT and/or podcast ad spend; the company pulled out of OOH and print in 2019, per Kantar.

Agency & martech readers – since we haven’t heard of any roster changes after Lululemon hired its first chief brand officer, Nikki Neuburger, earlier this year, keep reaching out for work, especially if you can offer digital and/or social media management services. ICR and 180LA respectively handle PR and creative duties.

Note: Lululemon is headquartered in Canada, so you might want to familiarize yourself with its Anti-Spam Law (CASL) before reaching out.

2. Thousand

Urban bike accessory company Thousand selected OutsidePR as its new PR AOR; the agency will target both outdoor performance and consumer lifestyle media while focusing on Thousand’s mission rooted in sustainability and safety.

This shift closely follows Thousand’s hire of growth head Cameron Hendrick in December 2019.

This company’s urban focus and sustainability mission lead us to believe its target demographic consists of outdoorsy Gen-Z and millennials. Since consumers can still go out and bike alone despite the global pandemic, Thousand may continue advertising amid it. Upcoming work will probably promote the eCommerce channels through which fans can buy the company’s biking helmets, gloves and other gear. Thousand currently utilizes social media, digital display and micro-influencers. Focus pitches on how you can support the company’s aggressive growth plans.

Agency & martech readers – PR AOR hires often precede other agency reviews, so reach out soon to see if you can secure creative, digital and/or media partnerships.

3. TRX

In March 2020, training product and workout program company TRX completed the CMO search we first reported in October 2019, filling the role with Colleen Morris, former food division general manager at Bell-Carter Foods. Since Morris is TRX’s first CMO, to the best of our knowledge, we expect strategic shifts under her leadership.

TRX provides safe and healthy ways people can build their home gyms, and it made its preeminent professional education course, TRX Suspension Training Course, virtual and free of charge via Zoom in April 2020 in order to reach more consumers who are working out at home due to social distancing. Its digital display spend increase and focus on inclusivity – much of its messaging promotes the idea that its products are options for anyone – lead us to believe its target demographic primarily consists of Gen-Z and millennials. TRX tends to target athletic individuals, but it will soon also target training professionals, for whom it is revolutionizing its online ecosystem. 

Agency & martech readers – we do not think TRX has any agency partners yet, so reach out soon for potential work under its new CMO.

4. e.l.f. Cosmetics

Cosmetics brand e.l.f. remixed the TikTok campaign that debuted February 2020 in order to boost COVID-19 awareness. The new video promotes hand washing and social distancing; creative agency Movers+Shakers developed it. The focus of this campaign on helping others will appeal to e.l.f.’s Gen-Z and millennial target demographic. The video is only available on the @elfyeah TikTok channel.

e.l.f. was already focused on its eCommerce business and should continue to be as consumers switch to ordering products online. Many companies will start spending less on marketing as a result of the global pandemic; however, e.l.f. may not due so since many Gen-Z and millennials are stuck at home with nothing to do and choose to spend their time experimenting with makeup. As of now, e.l.f. is focused on promoting the safety of its team and fans instead of trying to outright sell to them, which will appeal to these generations.

5. Masonite

Effective March 2020, Masonite hired its first CMO and SVP, Jennifer Renaud, who formerly served as Vertiv’s VP. We expect to see strategic shifts under her leadership.

Masonite’s Q4 2019 earnings call revealed the company is focused on product service and quality, innovation and marketing initiatives to boost channel demand; unfortunately, the company has not yet announced its response to the global pandemic.

Masonite targets builders, remodelers, architects and homeowners of all ages and offers interior doors, entry door systems, wood stain kits and flush doors. Right now, its focus is mostly on homeowners; execs in its earnings call mentioned they want to “be top-of-mind when consumers are considering a project that includes doors.” 

Adbeat reports out of the estimated $28.8k Masonite spent on digital display ads since March 2018, $27.2k (94%) was spent after March 2019. It also spends in OOH and print, per Kantar.

The rise in digital display spend leads us to believe the company is especially targeting Gen-Z and millennials, and spend on this channel may continue increasing as consumers stay home and turn to DIY projects to pass the time. Click here to find out residential door distribution partners in your area.

Agency & martech readers – we do not know of any current agency partners for Masonite, so reach out soon to secure work under its new leadership.

 

If these appeal to you, there’s way more where these came from. Get a complimentary trial of Winmo to discover budget-owners, buying trends, and target demographics for top-spending brands, including Direct to Consumer companies, online retailers, and other marketers making eCommerce a priority.

Digital ad spend is climbing

Digital Ad Spend is Climbing: 10 Advertisers Behind the Spike

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With the entire economic landscape transformed since the Coronavirus pandemic, is moving forward with sales, especially in digital ad spend, worth it? In short, yes.

We’ve outlined which industries were hit the hardest and advertisers surging their ad spend to accommodate new consumer realities. Now’s the time to pivot focus and capitalize on the new ad opportunities.

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What industries are being hit the hardest?

It’s no surprise that the travel, hospitality, and entertainment have bore the brunt of this pandemic. These industries combined have seen a $332B shrink in market cap and value over the past month, according to Visual Capitalist. As investor confidence declines and market valuations plummet for key sectors, advertisers and ad executives are also waiving with confidence given the health crisis and new consumer behaviors.

Ad budgets have already seen significant decreases in the first quarter. And, more than two-thirds (68%) of ad executives say the most pronounced ad spend cuts will be seen in Q2 2020, according to Advertiser Perceptions last week.

While some industries have taken a direct hit in market value and cut advertising spend, others are ramping up their digital presence. The trick is to pivot your company’s strategy to provide value to these new ad opportunities. New advertising trends are aligning with the new realities from likely and unlikely sectors.

For instance, it’s no surprise we are seeing ad spend spikes in video conferencing (Zoom, GoToMeeting, GoogleHangout) and work-from-home tech (Microsoft Teams and Slack), given “shelter in place” mandates. There are also high user acquisition spikes for streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ to keep consumers entertained while social distancing. The key to any successful new strategy is to be proactive and adjust for industries with the most potential.

Where’s the opportunity? 

The Winmo team has identified 10 companies in five major industries behind the digital ad spend spikes —  pivot outreach strategies and focus your time on advertisers who are spending now.

    1. Home Improvement
    2. Hobbies/Interest
    3. Entertainment (EA, Lego)
    4. Tech (GoDaddy, Wrike)
    5. Food (Dominos, 5-Hour Energy)

1)  Home improvement digital ad spend

With spring in the air for many states, there are many home improvement projects this time of year. As construction and landscaping remain essential in at least 16 states, there is still potential as this sector continues to boost its advertising spending in key states.

Ace Hardware

First up, among many in the home improvement category, Ace Hardware is upping digital and social ad spend with free delivery promotions. The WFH workforce is motivated to fix ‘that crack in the wall’ and construction needs still continue in many states. Social spend on Facebook has climbed to $7k per day and trending. Find more Winmo intel on Ace Hardware here.

Dyson

Dyson has also seen a spike in digital ad spending with a 78% increase over the last 30 days to capitalize on a surge in home cleaning and self-care needs. Many of their ads focus on Dyson’s vacuum cleaners, fans, humidifiers, hand dryers, lighting, and hair dryers and stylers. Find more Winmo intel on Dyson here.

2)  Hobbies/interest digital ad spend

Given our lifestyle changes, the hobbies/interest industry has also made leaps in ad spend to accommodate for the close of nonessential businesses who have brick and mortar stores in the fitness, self-care, and hospitality sectors. According to PubMatic, this category has seen the second-highest ad spend increase with at a 31% lift globally during the week of March 15.

MasterClass

MasterClass comes out of left field with massive ad spend for this category. The online education platform where students can access pre-recorded tutorials and lectures by experts in various fields, has invested heavily for mind share this past week. Follow the dollars as they aggressively ramp digital display spend to $450k/day (primarily YouTube ads), supported by an additional $120k/day spend on Facebook. New customer acquisition is clearly the goal and these efforts will expand to user engagement and retention initiatives. Within Winmo you can also see similar online education spenders that mirror the Masterclass profile highlighted in the image below. Find more Winmo intel on MasterClass here.

The Penny Hoarder

Then there’s the US’s largest personal finance website. Given the economic downturn with a record of 3.3 million Americans filing for unemployment benefits during the week of March 21, Americans are reading how to make smart money decisions. Penny Hoarder has made a massive jump in ad spend, increasing digital by $3.6M since January, most of it seen this month. Top campaigns in the last 30 days help readers manage low credit scores and find creative ways to pay off debt.

3)  Entertainment digital ad spend

Gaming satisfies the social pacification that many consumers seek in stressful situations, especially social distancing. While we’re doing our best to maintain healthy routines, the share of gamers will increase in an increasingly diverse gaming market. 

Electronic Arts

Online gaming brands like EA have been well poised to adapt their campaigns. There’s been dramatic ad spend increases since March 9th to capture additional market share and drive habitual game/brand loyalty. Find more Winmo intel on EA here.

Lego

With kids at home, Lego has increased digital media ad spend — and 83% direct buy. Find more Winmo intel on Lego here.

4)  Tech digital ad spend

According to PubMatic, this industry has seen a lift of 14% post-COVID-19. This is likely due to the influx of work-from-home, online schooling, and restaurants/retailers trying to reach consumers digitally. Here are the “not-so-obvious” ad spenders in this category.

GoDaddy

GoDaddy has increased its ad spend to support restaurants, retail, fitness, and real-estate businesses through an online-supported business model. Find more Winmo intel on GoDaddy here.

Wrike

Many businesses are now fully remote. Now, online project management tools like Wrike are needed to enable collaboration and centralize communications among many workforces. Wrike’s ad spend started to surge to support the need.

5)  Food digital ad spend

By mid-March, many state and city officials announced an executive order to shut down all on-site dining at restaurants and bars. The social-distancing mandates across the country are forcing delivery, drive-thru, and curb-side options. Food brands are capitalizing on our new, restricted lifestyle.

Dominos

Domino’s has seen a 400%+ digital ad spend increase since March 9 and matched social spend increase (Facebook) with a $424k average daily spend in NY and CA. The shelter-in-place orders opened delivery opportunities and Pizza Hut is following Domino’s lead. Find more Winmo intel on Dominos here.

5-hour ENERGY

Finally, The portable energy shots are leveraging the time when many are at home multitasking. They had a surge of $1.1M in YouTube video ads starting in mid-March, which focuses on key cities including Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. Find more Winmo intel on Living Essentials, LLC the makers of 5-hour Energy shots here.

To wrap up, don’t push pause on business development. Instead, get smarter about the audience you’re targeting and the offer you’re pitching. Many brands have adjusted their digital advertising spending to consumers’ needs, so use the appropriate tools that highlight ad spend opportunities with brands. 

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If you liked this blog post, check out:

  1. How Advertisers are Adjusting to Fanless Sports
  2. Opportunity Ahead: 15 New CMO Hires
  3. What is Ad Sales? A Beginner’s Guide to Ultimate Success

 

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What Agencies Should Be Doing in This Downtime

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“We’re too busy taking care of our clients” is the reason most agencies give for not investing time in their own brands. At the moment, things are different. While we’re all facing significant challenges, the current crisis provides an opportunity to work on the issues and opportunities that sit on the back burner of most firms. Now’s the time to marshal the time and brainpower of your key people to address these seven game-changing priorities.

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1. Mend your website

Agency websites are notoriously “works in progress,” and very few receive the time and attention they need to serve as a potent new business tool. Here are 10 ways you can optimize the effectiveness of your website right now.

2. Tighten up your positioning strategy

Now more than ever, marketers need expertise designed to solve business problems; they need heads, not hands. The thorny business challenges that will emerge from this economic downturn will require specialists, not generalists. Use this time to walk through this process to declutter your business strategy.

3. Identify specific ways you can create more value for your clients

As day-to-day production work moves increasingly in house, clients are looking to outside partners like agencies to provide the insights and strategic thinking needed to grow their brands. Take this opportunity to develop competencies and offerings that are inherently more valuable than basic campaign execution. Engage your team in this thought process designed to uncover high-value services.

4. Diversify your revenue streams

Most agencies are built on the financial model of “work a million hours, make a million dollars.” They have virtually no diversification in their revenue model, and lack the ability to generate income unless they’re logging hours on a timesheet. Consider that there are many different ways your firm can create new revenue streams.

5. Lay the groundwork for a better way to get paid

Progressive agencies around the world have decided to stop selling inputs (hours) and instead sell outputs and/or outcomes (actual deliverables and/or marketplace results). These firms are able to not only improve their profit margins but have completely changed the conversation they have with professional buyers of their services. You can do the same by engaging your team in this important paradigm shift.

6. Put your resources behind a more effective approach to business development

The most successful agencies invest their energies marketing their brand so they don’t have to expend so much effort selling it. In place of the arm waving and outbound new business programs that produce such marginal results, well-positioned agencies leverage their intellectual capital to provide useful information to prospective clients through a consistent thought leadership program. Here’s how.

7. Uncover all the ways you’re meaningfully different

Once we get the attention of a prospective client, most of us waste this time and attention talking about “differences” that are not really points of differentiation at all; they are only points of parity dressed up in colorful language. Capitalize on this opportunity to scour every aspect of your business for meaningful ways you’re unlike other agencies.

Take this time the universe has given you and use it to do the things you know you should do but never seem to have the time. You’ll be proving the adage we all know to be true; even storm clouds can have a silver lining.

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If you liked this blog post, check out:

  1. How to Find New Business Leads For Your Agency
  2. Don’t Stop Advertising and Marketing
  3. 30 Sales Quotes to Keep You Motivated Through Quarantine

(Don’t) Stop Advertising and Marketing

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Stop advertising and marketing! Stop business development and sales! It’s okay, nobody had a thorough plan for what’s happening right now. If you’re like most of the agency and media ad sales execs that I’ve spoken to over the past two weeks, it’s like we’re all racing down the open highway with the wind in our hair and someone smashed the brake pedal right through the firewall.

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Some teams were more prepared or well-positioned for this than others. But it’s too late to look back now and wish you’d done something different. Time to deal with it:

  • What have you done already, and what’s your plan for tomorrow?
  • Will your clients also stop all marketing and advertising? How are you advising them?
  • Will you stop all of your business development and sales efforts? Then what?

Remember, don’t stop advertising and marketing. Don’t stop business development and sales.

It’s clear that this new market reality will reshape the business and connected marketing and advertising landscape. And it’s inevitable that some companies will fold, but the decisions made by you and the clients that you advise have real and immediate consequences. 

Perhaps this will be a one or two-quarter recession, maybe longer? If so, it would be the first since the “great recession” that ended more than a decade ago. There were winners and losers then, just like there will be now. Fear was the culprit then, and its fear driving the market again. The market can handle bad news. What it can’t handle is uncertainty. Uncertainty is driving fear on four wheels today, manifesting in marketing and ad spend ‘pauses’ or ‘cuts’ and stop work on business development and sales for many. Should it?

Studies going back nearly a century point out the advantages of maintaining or even increasing marketing sales efforts during a weaker economy. Advertisers and agencies that maintained or grew their marketing investments increased sales volume and market share during the recession, and in many cases had explosive growth afterward. As a wise old Aussie bloke once said, “When times are good you should advertise. When times are bad you must advertise.” The same can be said for new business development and sales efforts. 

Why? 

Noise Level

In almost all product and service categories the noise level has already dropped as your competitors cut back on their outreach and sales activities. We’ve seen this in almost all brand-side measured media channels since March 9th, from social spend to digital display and broadcast activity. Business development outreach almost entirely ceased that week, and then increased the week of March 16th as teams figured out the logistics of remote work realities and got on with the task at hand. Were you one of them now back on the highway or are you still floundering?

Sensitivity marketing, value adds, and acts of goodwill over hard-ball sales and marketing tactics is certainly called for in today’s climate. If you haven’t pivoted your outreach to this type of ‘here to serve’ messaging. Start now. You’re already a week behind your direct competitors. How much share-of-voice (SOV) have you lost already or will lose by your hesitation to act? Be brave, be bold and get after it.

Positioning

You can use this opportunity (that might be a necessity), to reposition a brand, your firm, or introduce a new product or service. Working exclusively in the travel and hospitality market or for an experiential agency or live events group? Adaptability and investment in repositioning and new offerings are in many cases going to be a make or break.

I was on a call last week with an experiential agency that works for hotels and airlines – they’re not feeling beaten down and sorry. These guys knew what was important and what they could control, and they went for it. They’re on fire! They’ve increased marketing and business development efforts, being proactive and taking innovative digital solutions to their clients, shopping those ideas to others in the same category (and completely new verticals) as of Monday last week. Some incredible ideas for major hotel groups and airlines that already secured new projects and new business meetings with the gaming and toy industry. Incredibly motivating stuff!

The concept is relatively easy to grasp; even when times are tight, people don’t completely stop hearing your message or spending. They simply look for better deals. When companies slow or stop their marketing and ad spending, they vanish from the buyer’s mind. And even if they don’t disappear completely, subconsciously, buyers begin to entertain doubts about them; they perceive the brands as weak or fading, and will often gravitate to the competitor who is maintaining or increasing their ad spending. It’s simple really, if two people are talking to you and one stops and leaves the room, you’re only going to listen to and be influenced by the one who stays and continues talking.

Don’t stop advertising and marketing. Don’t stop business development and sales.

It will need to be different. Climb back in that car, set a new plan, start it up, and hit the gas! They’ll be a few bumps I’m sure. But better those than a carcass of a once beautiful car rusting away on the side of the road as others speed by with a smile.

If you need help riffing on a new plan, new companies, or categories to target, my team and I are here to serve. Got a story to share? We’d love to listen, too.

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If you liked this blog post, check out:

  1. Will There Be Business Travel This Year? Here Are Our 2021 Predictions…
  2. How Winmo Launches Publishing Giant Into New Verticals: Q&A with Future’s Jason Webby
  3. How to Use Sales Intelligence for Growth: 4 Tips Any Agency Can Implement
Navigating B2B Sales During COVID-19

Navigating B2B Sales During COVID-19

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Our world has been turned upside down navigating B2B sales during COVID-19. Today, for many sales professionals, the question is, how do I proceed in an unprecedented economic environment? Winmo CEO, Dave Currie, spoke with revenue teams across the advertising landscape, from adtech and media sales to agency and sponsorship, to learn how they’ve pivoted.

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While we’re all facing significant challenges, the current crisis provides an opportunity to work on the issues and opportunities that sit on the back burner of most sales teams. Now’s the time to marshal the brainpower of your key people to address game-changing priorities on navigating B2B sales

Since quarantine began, there has been a considerable drop in worldwide advertising spending because wherever consumer behavior shifts, advertising spend shifts in response. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, almost a quarter (24%) of media buyers, planners, and brands paused spending through Q2, while 46% indicated they would adjust their ad spend for the same time period. Successful organizations are recalibrating. They’re prioritizing the right prospect sets and executing an approach that shows empathy and compassion.

Check out his interview with our CMO Jennifer Groese for practical tips on navigating B2B sales during COVID-19.

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If you liked this blog post, check out:

  1. [FREE EBOOK] How to Get Sponsorship for Your Event
  2. 3 Tips for Winning Sponsorship Opportunities (IEG Roundtable Recap)
  3. Top 3 Tips for Identifying Key Decision Makers
How B2B Sales Can Adapt in an Economic Downturn

How B2B Sales Can Adapt in an Economic Downturn

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Strange days on this planet. If someone told you at the start of the year that your workforce would become entirely remote, toilet paper would be your most precious commodity, and your sister’s wedding would be cancelled due to a globally recognized pandemic, would you have believed it? Well here we are. 

The thing about humans is, we adapt. We pull out our laptops in our living rooms, find new uses for common napkins, and in business, we lean in on our outbound sales approach. 

Right now, you might be finding some resistance from the buyers you typically target. Marketers, like many, are pulling back and being cautious. Recent estimates by The Meyers Report say the Coronavirus impact to marketing communication budgets could be as much as $11 billion, though a more likely figure of $3 billion has been factored into its projected 2020 ad growth of about 4.8%.

As a company facing similar difficulties ourselves, we’re doubling down on our outbound approach as well. In this article, we’re highlighting what our current strategy is here at Winmo to overcome reduced spending and shrinking markets. 

#1 Be Empathetic:

We’re all going through this together. Your prospect may be dealing with city closures, remote work status, children home from school, not to mention budgetary hesitation. In this time, give space where it’s due, and then determine if there is an opportunity to provide existing or potential customers with a value add or other complimentary offering. Now is the time to nurture relationships.

#2 Be Consultative:

Your prospects are human. Sometimes they panic. In the coming days they may be narrowly focused on the business they’re going to lose, and you can be an invaluable asset that helps steer them in the direction of market share or potential revenue they can win to stay afloat. How can you help your clients adapt? Can you help them adjust their positioning, offer special discounts, or target new consumer groups to effectively navigate a challenging time? Use your subject matter expertise to help your prospects adapt.

For Winmo and our business, there are a number of ways we’re directing sellers’ attention to new prospect sets. For media sellers and agencies who target tourism and hospitality, for instance, we’re helping them pull adjacent or additional prospect lists of companies who might be a more receptive audience right now. We’re helping sales teams target the brands projected to spend more over the coming months, the D2C companies, certain packaged goods segments, and pharmaceutical brands. 

#3 Be Creative:

One company we’re working with, an experiential marketing firm, is facing an inability to carry out live events they specialize in. In the face of this challenge, they are reimagining themselves in the digital space, filling a need for consumers to connect with each other online as public gatherings are off the table. They’re one of many event and experiential brands revamping their strategy to capitalize on virtual events. How can you adjust your offerings to remain a viable option for potential partners?

#4 Go Against the Grain:

The trend in times of economic uncertainty may be to pause or pull back, but it might be helpful to remind your prospects of the advertisers who went against the grain in times of economic uncertainty, increasing their marketing outlays to capture share of mind in times of recession, in order to emerge with gains. Amazon sales grew 28% in the great recession of 2009, for instance. 

Outbound sales might be a nice-to-have in times of economic growth, when inbound inquiries  are more frequent, but in times of recession, outbound sales are a necessity. If your inbound inquiries dry up, don’t panic. Roll up your sleeves and do what successful revenue teams before you have done, take the steps above to adapt.

Winmo Introduces Direct Response TV Insights

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Interested in tapping into direct response TV (DRTV) ad budgets? Winmo has teamed up with Media Analytics to integrate data from their IMS Report, which has been recognized as the leader in direct response monitoring, tracking, and ranking for over 25 years, to surface brands active in the DRTV space. 

A new integration, now available on over 1,500 advertiser profiles in Winmo at launch, pulls a selection of DRTV data from Media Analytics’ IMS Report directly into the Winmo platform, allowing sales teams to discover which brands are spending in direct response TV advertising, alongside the media agency and decision-maker contact information Winmo is known for delivering. The addition of the DRTV data illustrates Winmo’s dedication to providing its users with an unfair advantage to pitching and winning top ad accounts.

“As brands continue to shift more media dollars into DTC (direct to consumer) marketing, agencies, TV networks and martech providers need to understand the impact and adapt quickly,” said Jeffrey White, CEO of Media Analytics. “We’re thrilled to offer our industry leading Direct Response TV insights as part of Winmo’s award winning platform. The integration of our AI driven analysis of the growing DRTV landscape will further arm Winmo clients with a broader set of tools they can use to identify, qualify and close new sales opportunities.” 

DRTV Insights that Help New Business Pros

Features of the integration include:

  • Likelihood of a New Campaign Launching in the Next 90 Days: Media Analytics estimates the probability of a new campaign based on factors like new ad creative/formats.
  • Top TV Networks: The top 5 networks that the brand has run D2C ads on in the past 60 days.
  • D2C Presence Format: Indicates if brand is currently (past 30 days) running ads in Long Form (half hour) or Short Form (15 seconds – five minutes).
  • Network TV Coverage: Shows variance in the number of networks a brand is airing on compared to that brands’ subcategory (as a whole), in the past 30 days.
  • Daily D2C TV Media Spend: The average category spend line represents the average media dollars spent per brand in this brands’ category. The spend line represents this specific brands’ media dollars spent on D2C ads. If the brand line goes above the average category spend line this brand is outpacing the average spend per brand in its category.

Winmo DRTV Insights

“Most directly, this integration will allow our users to have an unfair advantage over their competition by having an even more holistic and real-time picture of an advertiser’s media investments. This provides valuable context for all types of ad sellers and agency new business teams looking to identify brands aiming to reach consumers through direct means. We’ve already had an overwhelmingly positive response to this competitive advantage in the first week, and look forward to continuing to expand on it,” said Dave Currie, CEO of Winmo.

The new integration pairs Media Analytics’ DRTV data with Winmo’s verified brand and agency decision-maker information to empower users to easily find who is spending the budgets they’re qualified to win.

DRTV data is the latest in Winmo’s line of strategic partnerships delivering contextual account information to users. Other integrations include:

Not yet a Winmo user? Get a demo to see how Winmo can help you crush your sales goals.

More About Media Analytics

Media Analytics is a market research and intelligence company that provides competitive intelligence, prescriptive analysis, as well as predictive outcomes for rapidly expanding $12B direct to consumer (DTC) TV advertising industry. The company has built an extensive offering of online monitoring and tracking services that help Brand Marketers, Media Agencies, TV Networks and Martech Providers, maximize their success by understanding the dynamic shifts in media spend and placement, new product offerings, innovative creative and unique sales approaches that brands are implementing across 120 categories and more importantly to gain insight into which brands and categories will be the hot, up and coming DTC segments in the future.

Media Analytics has been recognized as the go to source for direct response monitoring, tracking, and ranking resource for over 25 years. We use proprietary AI based software to track, monitor, aggregate and analyze over 150,000 TV commercial airings representing more $230M of media spend every week. The platform allows users to see what brands and categories are airing TV ads within minutes of the actual ad running. From mobile gaming, to financial services to health and wellness, Media Analytics is the first to identify new product entrants and emerging growth categories across the TV/OTT landscape. Those interested in learning more can contact: sales@imsreport.com or call 610-200-6041.

Top 20 Dallas Agencies

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Dallas is famous for many things, particularly for being BIG. Along with its size, Dallas is a place filled with big thinking, big ideas, and big success. 

It’s also home to some of the most talented and successful agencies throughout the country. If you’re looking to secure ad dollars, you’re in luck. We’ve built a list of 20 Dallas-based agencies who have a total client media spend of at least $100 million. 

Take a look: 

1. Blue 449 

Blue 449 is the Open Source Agency. Many of their brands have experienced significant growth and transformation, and they trust Blue 449 to lead them through the evolving media landscape. 

Discipline: Media Buying & Planning 

Total Client Media Spend: $959.11M

Employees: 201-500

Main Phone: (214) 749-0080

Address: 2828 Routh Street Suite 300 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: T Mobile, Pizza Hut, Denny’s Corporation, Reliant Energy 

 

2. Camelot Strategic Marketing & Media 

Camelot works to help clients create profitable and sustainable growth through unsurpassed communications planning and execution. 

Discipline: Media Buying & Planning 

Total Client Media Spend: $186.82 M

Employees: 51-200

Main Phone: (214) 373-6999

Address: 8140 Walnut Hill Lane Suite 1000 Dallas, TX 75231 USA

Top Clients: TurboTax Consumer, QuickBooks, Citrix Systems, Inc

 

3. Dieste

Dieste is a company with a mission to pioneer the future of how brands and cultures connect. They are able to sync brands with consumer subcultures and create successful outcomes for clients. 

Discipline: Multicultural 

Total Client Media Spend: $362.08 M

Employees: 51-200

Main Phone: (214) 259-8000

Address: 1999 Bryan Street Suite 2700 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: Pizza Hut, Southwest Airlines, General Electric, Goya Foods 

 

4. Edelman 

Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. 

Discipline: Public Relations

Total Client Media Spend: $197.43M

Employees: 1001+

Main Phone: (214) 520-3555

Address: 1845 Woodall Rogers Freeway Suite 1200 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: KFC Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Spence Diamonds 

 

5. Epsilon 

For over 50 years, Epsilon has helped the world’s top brands transform customer experiences into meaningful, human experiences that drive results. 

Discipline: Direct/Relationship 

Total Client Media Spend: $286.37M

Employees: 1001+

Main Phone: (469) 262-0600

Address: 6021 Connection Drive Irving, TX 75039 USA

Top Clients: GlaxoSmithKline, Inc, Nature’s Way Holding Company, Sparkling ICE, Alive! Vitamins

 

6. interTrend Communications 

interTrend Communications is an award-winning full-service communication agency helping corporate America target Asian American segments such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Asian Indian and Filipinos nationwide. 

Discipline: Multicultural 

Total Client Media Spend: $314.8M

Main Phone: (469) 294-0944

Address: 7920 Preston Rd Plano, TX 75024 USA

Top Clients: Toyota Motor Sales 

 

7. iProspect

iProspect is a global, award-winning marketing agency that drives digital performance for many of the world’s largest brands. 

Discipline: SEO/SEM

Total Client Media Spend:  $157.46M

Employees: 201-500

Main Phone: (817) 625-4157

Address: 1021 Foch Street Fort Worth, TX 76107 USA

Top Clients: Hilton Worldwide, Intel Corporation, Neiman Marcus Group, Hampton Inn & Suites 

 

8. Moroch Partners

Moroch’s integration model includes expertise in creative, digital and social media, planning and analytics, media, multicultural, experiential and PR under one roof, working together on behalf of over 100 brands. 

Discipline: Full Service/Integrated 

Total Client Media Spend: $277.43M

Employees: 201-500

Main Phone: (214) 520-9700

Address: 3625 North Hall Street Suite 1100 Dallas, TX 75219-5110 USA

Top Clients: The Coca-Cola Company, Walt Disney Pictures, Planet Fitness, Six Flags 

 

9. Publicis Hawkeye 

Publicis Hawkeye creates ideas that speak to humans, see the world through their eyes and connect with them where they are. 

Discipline: Full Service/Integrated

Total Client Media Spend: $1.6B

Employees: 201-500

Main Phone: (214) 749-0080

Address: 2828 Routh Street Suite 300 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: T-Mobile, Walt Disney Company, Capital One Financial Corporation, Anheuser-Busch Companies

 

10. RAPP Worldwide 

RAPP Worldwide stands up for individuality. They speak up against bland generalizations and fight for solutions that adapt to the individual’s needs, beliefs, behaviors, and aspirations. 

Discipline: Direct/Relationship

Total Client Media Spend: $749.97M

Employees: 1001+

Main Phone: (972) 409-5400

Address: 7850 North Belt Line Road Irving, TX 75063 USA

Top Clients: McDonald’s, ExxonMobil Corporation, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, HP, Inc. 

 

11. Richards/Lerma 

The ideas produced by Richards/Lerma are rooted in a strong, deep understanding of the Hispanic market and are designed to create a unique, enduring bond between consumer and brand. 

Discipline: Multicultural 

Total Client Media Spend: $294.55M

Employees: 11-50

Main Phone: (214) 891-4100

Address: 7007 Twin Hills Avenue Suite 300 Dallas, TX 75231 USA

Top Clients: The Home Depot, Inc, Avocados From Mexico 

 

12. Saatchi & Saatchi Dallas 

Saatchi & Saatchi believes only the curious have something to find. They firmly believe with cutting-edge technology and an openness to embrace the new, they can imagine the impossible and prove it is totally within reach. 

Discipline: Creative/Advertising 

Total Client Media Spend: $528.63M

Main Phone: (469) 357-2000

Address: 2021 McKinney Avenue Suite 700 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla

 

13. Team One

Team One is a modern, fully integrated agency built to help premium brands thrive in the connected world. 

Discipline: Full Service/Integrated 

Total Client Media Spend: $239.6M

Employees: 501-1000

Main Phone: (469) 357-2300

Address: 2021 McKinney Ave Suite 700 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: Lexus, Lexus RX, Lexus ES, Lexus IS 

 

14. The Idea Grove 

As a Dallas-based PR firm with an international roster of B2B technology clients, Idea Grove specializes in building authority for your brand.

Discipline: Public Relations 

Total Client Media Spend: $617.78M

Employees: 11-50

Main Phone: (972) 235-3439

Address: 14800 Quorum Drive Suite 320 Addison, TX 75209 USA

Top Clients: Amazon.com, EXL Healthcare, Sabre Holdings 

 

15. The Integer Group- Dallas 

The Integer Group believes in creativity that is fueled by data, informed by culture, and delivered to the touchpoints that create connections and ultimately drive a transaction. 

Discipline: Promotions 

Total Client Media Spend: $350.85M

Employees: 1001+

Main Phone: (214) 758-6800

Address: 1999 Bryan Street Suite 2700 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: AT&T Mobility, Bimbo Bakeries, E.& J. Gallo Winery, New Amsterdam

 

16. The Marketing Arm 

The Marketing Arm has made themselves experts in the forces that resonate with people across culture, and they harness human truth and the power of creativity to help brands find their purpose and voice. 

Discipline: Event & Sponsorship Marketing 

Total Client Media Spend:  $1.39B

Employees: 501-1000

Main Phone: (214) 259-3200

Address: 1999 Bryan Street Suite 1800 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: State Farm Insurance Companies, Mars, Inc, Pepsico, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

 

17. The Richards Group 

The Richards Group is a branding agency that exists to endear brands to people, which requires creativity that works, and works consistently at every point of contact. 

Discipline: Full Service/Integrated 

Total Client Media Spend: $1.22B

Employees: 501-1000

Main Phone: (214) 891-5700

Address: 2801 North Central Expressway Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75204 USA

Top Clients: Ram, The Home Depot, Dish Network, America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses 

 

18. TPN

TPN is a creative commerce agency that exists to make the buy happen for some of the most iconic retailers, technology, and CPG brands in the world. 

Discipline: Shopper

Total Client Media Spend: $665.54M

Employees: 201-500

Main Phone: (214) 692-1522

Address: 1999 Bryan Street Suite 3000 Dallas, TX 75201 USA

Top Clients: Walmart Stores, Sears Holding Company, Safeway, Bimbo Bakeries 

 

19. TracyLocke

TracyLocke designs brand experiences that reshape the ways people behave by giving them more reasons to connect with brands and products than ever before. 

Discipline: Shopper

Total Client Media Spend: $147.45M

Employees: 501-1000

Main Phone: (214) 259-3500

Address: 7850 North Belt Line Road Irving, TX 75063 USA

Top Clients: YUM Brands, Inc, HP, Inc, Palm Beach Tan, Visit Dallas 

 

20. TruTH

TruTH is a truly strategic shop focused on brands and results and that is engaged with you beginning to end and works flexibly throughout the process. 

Discipline: Multicultural 

Total Client Media Spend: $290.35M

Employees: 11-50

Main Phone: (972) 848-8686

Address: 5800 Democracy Plano, TX 75054 USA

Top Clients: Metro by T-Mobile