Selling newspaper and shopper advertising is more difficult today than it was just a few years ago. There’s more competition online and in traditional media. But the local market still has great potential and the possibilities for success still exist. Businesses want to advertise. They just don’t know when, where, what, and how. Local newspaper and shopper salespeople simply have to work smarter and harder to get their share of the business.

I have always encouraged our sales team to prepare to sell three levels of advertising every time they make an outside sales call:
    First, an exciting, unique, community promotion or special section that will be offered that week only. Such an offer overcomes the “Let me think about it” objection since the promotion could be sold out and disappear at any moment.

Second, a special request for any “run of paper” or general advertising the business…