Meet the Modern Sales Team

How some publishers are reimagining a crucial piece of operations

2024 is on track to pit publishers in fierce competition for ad dollars. They must contend with marketers’ concerns over ballooning ad costs and a shift to outcomes-based measurement.  At the same time, brands’ continued interest in leveraging retail media networks and their valuable first-party data to drive sales shows no signs of slowing, putting publishers in stiffer competition than ever for media spend.

As a result, media Sales teams must not only navigate the rapidly changing market but also rethink how they position their offerings while retaining and growing their share of wallet. In response, the most forward-thinking Sales teams are reimagining how they structure their work to increase brand deal sizes and bring more revenue in the door. 

Our mission at Boostr is to give media publishers the modern tools they need to thrive in a complicated media landscape. But our commitment doesn’t stop at technology: We also arm CFOs and Rev Ops with the data they need to improve packaging and glean insights from across our customer base to help everyone sell smarter. Here are the strategies we’ve observed in the Sales departments of our most advanced media partners.  

Vertical or category specialization 

The pendulum has swung again in the age-old war between organizing by region vs. vertical. Google, Meta, and other platforms have been verticalized for years. Major publishers like Condé Nast have moved in that direction, too, assigning sellers to specific categories such as technology, retail, or luxury. After successfully testing this change in the U.S., Condé Nast implemented it globally. 

Verticalization allows sellers to be a single point of contact for brands and agencies. In many cases, sellers can more consistently close deals that span the company’s entire portfolio, increasing deal size more consistently. Meanwhile, selling also becomes easier on individual personnel. When sellers specialize by category, they are well-versed in the category's unique trends, pain points, and desires. This extensive knowledge can help Sales teams establish deeper client relationships. That counts for a lot. 

Leveraging AI

AI is impacting all industries and business operations. Media Sales teams can use this technology to supercharge their results while making their days more productive. We reported on this extensively in our e-book, “The Transformative Power of AI in Rev Ops and Sales,” wherein we covered how selling practices haven’t kept up with buying practices—but AI can change that. 

Given the pace of change in digital, Sales teams increasingly need to leverage the power of AI to keep up with the pace of business. To get the job done, sellers need every minute at their disposal to sell—not waste their time entering data, sorting bills, resolving disputes, and writing proposals. The savviest publishers are integrating AI to optimize the time-consuming RFP process. Tools like Proposal IQ, for example, can ingest and summarize RFPs and generate an optimized proposal tailored to the client’s needs and publisher’s margins. The result is a sharp proposal, and Sales teams with more time to polish their pitches. 

Designating ‘growth teams’ 

With every seller on your team attending to the needs of their direct clients or categories,  they don’t have much time left to pursue new leads, respond to proposals, or manage quick-turnaround activities. 

For some brands, the remedy might be a designated “growth team,” a small crew of experienced sellers targeting new business. That may involve establishing connections directly or responding to RFPs—especially those with tight deadlines. 

Growth never stagnates when seasoned professionals can focus on this particular business area. Long-standing relationships can be continually nurtured without sellers dividing their time. Meanwhile, newer sellers can handle inbound and established clients, gaining the necessary skills to grow in their roles. 

Incentivizing differently 

Sales are hard work. Some sellers are more likely to work at full capacity when they feel like their efforts are noticed and rewarded. We know that incentivized selling works. That’s why it has become a mainstay at successful publishers, where sellers are rewarded when they reach a certain level. 

We’ve noticed many publishers rethinking how they structure their incentives, and they’re generating more revenue as a result. Many CEOs and CFOs have started incentivizing sales of their most profitable categories or products. Publishers know that all revenue is not created equal—and to increase their bottom lines, they must focus on products and categories with the best margins. At the same time, they must identify the best possible ad mix for their clients. Tools like Boostr can guide sellers toward optimized plans while offering visibility into the commissions process and even motivating with “what if” calculations. The company benefits when sellers are empowered with data and incentivized to sell a specific mix of high-margin ad space. 

Start empowering sellers today.

Publishers investing in their Sales teams—with education, thoughtful planning, tools, and incentives—will likely recoup those investments in more significant revenue. The last few years have been challenging for many publishers, and adapting to volatility has been essential to sustainability. 

Saving time while growing revenue is critical in 2024. Giving sellers easily accessed insights and data supports new strategies that propel the business forward while empowering them to sell more, work smarter, and stay motivated. 

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Your Sales team is at the heart of your operations. Whether you restructure Sales in 2024 or not, giving sellers the tools to succeed has an impact—and it is easier than you think. Boostr offers a wealth of solutions to save sellers time while increasing productivity.  Find out how we can support your Sales operations here. 

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