Anonymous@5:55 a.m. writes about Monday's company-wide advertising sales rally, one they called "a complete waste of time."
Time that could be spent resolving billing problems, or working on the 18th proof you got back from the Gannett Production Center (that still looks like a 6th-grader did it with clip art and Word), or maybe even squeeze in a little time to actually sell something once you're done with all the admistrative crap that's been building up on your desk.
Once again, they have proven that they have no idea how to move this company forward. I still can't believe somebody thought this was a good idea. Even more, somebody above that nimrod green-lighted it.
It's pretty simple, Gracia. You have to spend money to make money -- if you want to generate more revenue. Hire more sales people. Or at least bring back some of the support staff positions you elimiated so we have time to go out and MAKE MONEY.
As always, other views on this topic are welcome. Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.
Time that could be spent resolving billing problems, or working on the 18th proof you got back from the Gannett Production Center (that still looks like a 6th-grader did it with clip art and Word), or maybe even squeeze in a little time to actually sell something once you're done with all the admistrative crap that's been building up on your desk.
It's pretty simple, Gracia. You have to spend money to make money -- if you want to generate more revenue. Hire more sales people. Or at least bring back some of the support staff positions you elimiated so we have time to go out and MAKE MONEY.
As always, other views on this topic are welcome. Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.
I think it's safe to say that Monday was one big sandbag across the country.
ReplyDeleteDid any close a sale that they weren't already working on before? I know I look like a rockstar at my site becuase of that.
This is something most reps do on a daily, or at least semi-daily basis anyway. The sad part is it will look succesful to managemnt. They'll pat their backs, and fawn all over themselves in a big congratulatory orgy. Then make us do it all over again.
UGH!
Facts:
ReplyDelete- we watched 2 people on a stage in an empty auditorium - exciting stuff!!!
- said people acted like sorority presidents debating whose sorority is prettier, skinnier, has the cutest boots - - OMG!
- someone failed to test the technology because some could not see or hear first rally session - in seeing what there was to see it's unfortunate the technology was fixed.
- the lead lists provided were full of garbage. World Class Sales Organizations provide their World Class Sales team with valid lists so don't waste their time calling companies out of business or that are advertisers or better yet they have 4 locations and 4 reps get the leads for the location in their area so 3 of them waste their time
- some sites clearly started this before Monday and they are cheaters!
- the barbie twins may be good sales people but they clearly are not cut out for doing what they were trying to do. There are many across the company laughing at them not with them.
- world class sales reps need world class equipment and support - (don't polish a turd and call it a diamond, we are not stupid)
Second rate initiative
ReplyDeleteSecond rate management
Second rate company.
But I'm world class!!!!!
For the amount of money the "rally" girls get paid and this is what we get, not only a waste of time but a waste of money. Makes me wonder how they even got their jobs in the first place. I guess if I laughed at a bunch of inside jokes, flipped my hair and had boots I could be a "rally" girl too.
ReplyDeleteAs has been mentioned before, Gannett management knows how to do dog and pony shows. It doesn't know how to do much of anything else.
ReplyDeleteI heard in our site it was a contest to make appointments to make sales, but weren't allowed to make sales that day. .... Um... WHAT?
ReplyDeleteWow. Slap. Thank you sir, may I have another.
OK, for those of us former G folks, who are the "barbie twins"? What was the purpose of this rally?
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the "Attila the Hun" strategy the Crystal Towers had going on a few years ago. Now, how did that work out? Impaled a few advertisers down the road? LOL!
ReplyDeleteAt my site our goals were bumped up higher than usual in anticipation of making lots of sales!!! from this.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty clear from the shit lists they handed us that we won't be doing that. And now I have an absurdly high goal with no way to reach it.
Guess I'll be sitting back for the rest of the month. And this company wonders why it's losing money.
I agree with 9:49. It was a complete joke. It is ridiculous that corporate put these two inexperienced "girls" in charge of this initiative and then expects us to take it or them seriously. Wasn't one of them Michelle Krans' administrative assistant?
ReplyDeleteWe were all laughing at them at our site. Where's Leslie Giallombardo? If we are forced to do these types of things the least they could do is put her or, at a minimum, an experienced sales executive that actually knows what they are doing in charge.
The truth is that businesses will advertise where they receive a definitive return on their return on investment. During these very trying economic times the majority of medium and small businesses don't have the money to gamble on advertising which does not bring in customers. As circulation continues to decline, that means that fewer eyes are seeing the ads resulting in a bad return or no positive return on the investment. Sending the sales people out on wild goose chases and other idiotic campaigns is not the answer. The partial answer is to lower advertising rates to match the real penetration in hopes that some of these small local companies acrue some positive results so they can improve their business. Most of the suits at Gannett have no idea how to sell ads or what it takes to obtain and retain advertisers. Nothing new with this sad company.
ReplyDelete4:22 nailed it. I'm no longer onboard the S.S. Gannettitanic, but when I was? I was required to stop work and go to these lame rah-rah meetings on the technicality that our skill sets were those of salespeople when we were graphic artists (showed me how much the self-important management had any clue about either function).
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, our work was being put behind and we had to scramble to catch up -- error-free, mind you -- to a one, all miffed at the ego-trip of an interruption.
Eventually they stopped requiring the artists to go to these nauseating nightmares, so, on a few occasions -- rather than hold them in a large conference room, doors closed -- they just held them in the gutted and gaping former Art Department, close to our desks, replete with a chorus of Homer Simpson-like "Woo-hoo's -- while we tried to concentrate on the brass tacks, of, gee... working?
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ReplyDeleteI don't understand why employees don't realize all the effort that goes into convening these conferences. There's arranging for the halls, the speakers and what they are going to say. It takes weeks of planning, only to be upset by furloughs and out-of-town trips. It's not easy to put these presentations together, so a little appreciation for your fellow employees, please.
ReplyDelete8:27- Yes it does take a lot of planning, and even expense. Which is why it makes the whole thing even more annoying. How much time and money did we waste on this?
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ReplyDeleteClearly 8:27 was one of the planners/presenters. Good job patting yourself on the back.
ReplyDeleteLooks to me as if someone in corporate has been reading "Smell the Coffee" by Howard Schwarz, the CEO of Starbucks. As a marketing effort, he shut down the whole chain for a half a day to impress upon baristas the importance of corporate teaching on the amounts of coffee and milk used in making coffee. He also ordered new coffee machines because he noted new espresso machines didn't give his stores the "smell of coffee" he wanted. Here's an article that discusses some of it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_33/b4143028813542.htm
The problem, as you will read, it didn't work in the long-term, as Starbucks now is closing stores right and left. But that part wasn't in the book.
If you think picking up the phone and cold calling for new business is a waste of time, you clearly don't understand sales enough to comment about it. I can understand frustrations, but attacking the concept of cold calling just hurts your credibility. And, the attack on the people that organized it is just petty.
ReplyDeleteThe cool thing about corporate is that they are doomed. Millionaires? Sure. But really poor examples of decent human beings. There's still the yardstick which fails to measure dollars. Imagine. They life out their lives, no matter how much riches, wonderin', oh, I'm dead. I've done nothing. I am meaningless. A greedy bastard or bitch.
ReplyDeleteWould those of you who are no longer employed by the company which gave you a royal shank, just post your name? You have no reason to do otherwise.
ReplyDeleteSome tippy-top dared me to post my name. This is typical Gannett from typical Gannett. Guess what: you just took 25 YEARS of my life.
I'm gonna cower in a corner. Those 25 years were not the slacks I dealt with. I was that fool who worked overtime. I beleived.
For those who believed I had "something to hide," something "anonymous" to many must avails to keep some worth?
I rest my case.
4:22 you are right. Just lowering the cost to businesses will raise ads. They have been too high forever but in these times they are ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThere was a meeting here not long ago on other matters but the question of whether the paper would ever get biggier again, i.e. more content. The answer was "we need more ads to make a bigger paper". I said that more content, putting back the deleted columns and sections, whould raise readership, therefore making the paper actually worth the money. Raising readership, along with realistic ad prices would benefit all. Didn't get an answer to that.
11:16 PM The complaint was that they were supposed to only make cold call appointments, but they weren't allowed to make any actual sales. So if someone was interested on the phone, they weren't supposed to try to make a sale.
ReplyDeleteThe issue wasn't the concept it was the execution. Of course, making new business development calls is a must to succeed in business, however, this type of rally takes more time than a week for local sites to put together (remember, most do not have scores of people to pull and accurately confirm the data). Not one deadline was hit from the corporate team of sending out information. The technology was for the webcasts was a disaster for the first call. At least 50% of sites were not able to access the webcast even though questions were raised in advance. The webcasts were amateur and unprofessional - including the Michelle Krans and Leslie Giallombardo "skit." Sites were told not to make sales in advance (unbelievable), however were applauded on the calls for closing business. All we ask is that if we are going to do something of this magnitude, that planning time is taken into consideration; good execution is a must (good enough is not a good enough concept on these type of projects) - the corporate team needs to under promise and over deliver rather than the other way around; and we need to feel like it isn't a waste of time. Some properties took the concept and ran with it - and that is outstanding, but most felt like it was just an imposition on already crammed full days. The corporate team has no idea what it is like to be in the field these days. In addition, they have to figure out that you cannot micromanage from the McLean - that is why you have good managers - train them rather than try to manage around them - which is what is happening across all platforms of the organization.
ReplyDeletePrediction: Because regular real sales were compressed into four days, workflow into GPC is also compressed. Expect delays this afternoon and all day Friday, with our World Class Sales Force monitoring their email and proofs instead of making those appointment calls.
ReplyDeleteYou want to know why I can't make as many sales as I used to? Why the experienced people interviewing for jobs run the other way? It's because we barely sell at all.
ReplyDeleteG2/G3 ordering is slow and cumbersome, though I feel for our classified reps - their system can take a half hour per order. Not to fill out the forms, but to wait for the system to catch up.
Ordering online ads involves entering nearly all the information twice in two different systems. And if you are creating a package of multiple sizes or multiple websites, everything has to be ordered separately. Twice. And when the ad doesn't start on time, you have to touch every one of those orders again.
When we had graphic artists, I could have them give my big customers a call and let them work out the details directly. It was a huge timesaver I never appreciated until I had to be middleman between my advertisers and people who may have never seen their ads before. You cannot imagine the sales time drain of having to communicate everything explicitly versus being able to trust the next person in line to know anything.
Bringing in new accounts involves chasing down credit apps and ownership information. Slow payers get visited for checks, not new ads. Functions that were handled in finance but have been pushed back with their consolidations.
The list goes on. Meetings to hype products that have been dogs for years and should be put down. Meetings to discuss products we've done every year. Meetings to discuss things we could explain with sales flyers. Meetings to "launch" efforts that evidently we already have big successes with.
For me, making more cold calls isn't going to increase my revenue. What else won't work? Redesigning territories, adding work-intensive/dollar-poor social media products, or sending out product specialists with me on calls.
What I need is more time to be out of the office. What I need is timely, accurate and useful information about my market and my product. And what I need is actual sales support - the people that keep getting canned because I can't go out and do my job.
Sure, we have the fingernail polishers, the 3 hour lunchers. But the actual performers who make the revenue that brings president's rings?
For god's sake, let us sell!
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ReplyDelete11:16 Just think of the time spent organizing this big cluster f--- at corporate and think of the time spent in the local offices organizing. Complainta against the organizers are not petty, they are real. Most of us could not get in on the first webcast until almost 10am - when it was almost over. Waste of time. Repet on Monday.
ReplyDelete7:07 That's what I said. Organizing is not easy. It's not just sending e-mails.
ReplyDeleteThey need to hire consultants to put the next one together properly.
ReplyDeleteNo consultants. They just need to put together a meeting to decide how they are going to handle the next meeting to solve all the problems. Easy.
ReplyDeleteAs a newsroom (and that's what it was called at the time LMAO) employee, those rah-rah meetings remind me of the "Real Life/Real News" crap that we had to deal with around 2003.
ReplyDeleteWe had to sit in these meetings and discuss what made a "Moment of Life" (which was the same crap that we were covering for years, only now it had a nickname!), and watch videos of USA Today writers and editors. Talk about your wastes of time. We could have been out reporting, doing our editing work, doing anything to make the paper better. Instead, we were devoting several hours a week to these useless meetings.
Still trying to find a song that best fits the Barbie Twins and would love to share it with everyone at next Mondays Dog and Pony show. But I guess I will have to upload it to their ever popular Facebook page instead
ReplyDeleteDid I hear something to the extent of smarty pants? Or am I dreaming? Could not believe. We have lost it completely with this dog and pony show. Who will rescue them? I guess corporate only. What a shame!
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ReplyDeleteFor 8:32am
ReplyDeleteHere is the song you are looking for!
http://youtu.be/9ibblFcvaKQ
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ReplyDeleteI had my first cold call appointment today. We discussed how best to spend her $100 a month.
ReplyDeleteThis was a spectactular idea!
Well paid salary SALES PEOPLE are still calling prospect after prospect that is out of business/# is out of service - yet some mystery formula says they have the potential to spend thousands per year.
ReplyDeleteThis task of appointment setting should have been outsourced. Get a fucking clue corporate. You are nailing the coffin shut with stupid mistakes like this.
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ReplyDeleteI've just removed several off-topic posts. I agree with the posters who want to see this thread focused on the subject of the sales meeting, and other more advertising-specific topics. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm still lost why some are so dependent on these webcasts and lists provided by others to be successful. Some will criticize, condemn and complain about this initiative regardless. Any decent sales organization has firm expectations for cold calling. Very few of them spoon feed leads, prizes and coddle bad attitudes. And, the best sales people know (or learn) how to do it well. A career in sales with any company is short lived if you can't qualify a lead, call for an appointment and create a sales opportunity. If you disagree, you're just arguing for your own limitations.
ReplyDeleteBecause Gannett is losing young talent because they continue to raise their goals, give them nothing for a job well done and keep raising unrealistic goals that no one can attain. They are very short sighted and because of this they will lose that exact talent that are trying to attain. It's not rocket science but it appears they failed biology and chemistry!
ReplyDelete11:03 was also written by someone not involved in sales (me).
ReplyDeleteYou missed the point with "dependent on these webcasts and lists provided by others to be successful." the good reps don't want or need these webcasts or lists. They have proven to be a waste of time. Successful reps are being forced to come off thr streets to watch a joke of a rally. They are being forced to work a list that is garbage instead of being able to hunt for valid business. It is frustrating to make appointment setting calls on potential customers with a lead list that is filled with bad numbers and contacts. When you ask to speak with someone and you get laughed at and told they have been gone for 4 years you look dumb. That does not make the reps feel "world class" nor does it make our organization look world class.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see the Barbie Twins make calls from some of these lists on Monday. Get in the mud girls and show us how it's done.
5:48- You nailed it. I'm sick of posts here about how we should be or how we need to make cold calls.
ReplyDeleteDUH! Yes we should, and we already have been. A lot. We don't need a rally or some crappy list for something we do everyday!
Was this rally a one-time event? Or is another one scheduled in the near future?
ReplyDeleteWe have one again this coming Monday. They have I believe $50,000 worth of prizes tied to this summer long rally. I still don't understand what all of them are for... I think most are tied to submissions to our new world class website. Something that the Barbie twin A's darling Brevard created. One of the prizes is actually called Mr or Mrs Smarty pants! I almost threw up in my mouth when I heard that.
ReplyDeleteApparently, Corporate is planning on the world not ending tomorrow, despite widely publicized forecasts to the contrary.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone who said this was nothing but a waste of time. It was! Let us do our jobs. As far as the barbie girls, I can tell you having to watch the last one (because we couldn't connect to the first one) irritated the hell out of me. We don't have time to sit and watch little girl high school behaviors. Truth is, you get what you pay for!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny Jim. Hey how about a pic of the 'Barbie Girls' for those of us not included in the jamboree.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a great sales staff. One in particular would go to lots of social events, art walks, openings, etc mind you off the clock and loving every moment of it. This professional worked the crowds, handed cards, talked opportunities. Lots of business came from these efforts, sales increased. What did the management do? They saw how great the sales area was and split it up between other sales people to 'grow' the sales. What happened was disaster. The clients lost their main contact and were stuck with a sales person who did not know the area or client needs and who had no real interest in interacting with them. Sales dropped.
Also they had a habit of changing sales goals in the middle of the sales period...this doesn't sound legal to me. Guess who was running this show? Krans & minions. If this jamboree thing came from her I'm not surprised, if not, it would be interesting to know the originators.
8:32 AM - Brevard may be her darling, but she sure isn't Brevard's darling!
ReplyDeletePalm Springs has a history of pulling the rug out from under successful sales people. Tactics have included taking away sales areas that experienced sales people had built up and giving them to less experienced sales people; changing goals or giving them impossible goals when they started to make too much money. Why wouldn't you want your sales people to make a lot of money. Doesn't that mean the paper also is making more money? I'm glad that I'm no longer there.
ReplyDelete1:48- I think thats true at many sites. I can't tell you how many times we've reorged or switched accounts or were screwed over on our goals. Most of what you said can be directly attributed to our downward spiral of revenue. This company actually makes it difficult for you to sell and stay motivated doing so.
ReplyDeleteWould love to know how many reorganizations the sales side has had in the past 3 years. Seems no site is exempt and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know you need to give reps and territories time to get traction.
ReplyDeleteConstant change will make customers uneasy and they won't trust you. If your cable company kept changing the program guide every couple months and your favorite shows all of a sudden moved to different stations and they accidenly billed you double. oh and last week the feed was hit or miss you just might stop your service. Times that but half your customers and you've got problems.
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ReplyDeleteI am a long time cost only overhead (as in reporter/editor), but its fascinating how similar the ad side is impacted by ridiculous know nothings from above. We share your pain, brothers and sisters. We also have our share of Barbie twins, and empty headed Kens, too.
ReplyDeleteThe idea behind the sales rally is great: Get the reps excited, build some appointment setting momentum, uncover some new leads. Great idea. Really.
ReplyDeleteBut holy cr*p that webcast was funnier than half the skits on SNL. World class? It looked like a small-time, small market 5am Sunday morning cable access show making inside jokes and trying to stretch to fill time. I kept waiting for the color bars to come on.
And $100 Visa gift cards as incentives for a national "World Class" sales rally? Used car salesmen might be motivated by prizes like that but come on, "World Class" media marketing reps laugh at it. It screams small-time... big time.
Treat us like we're stupid, naive, and desperate and guess what you'll get in return? Sorry but that's the truth.
I want to know what the deal is with 'being allowed' to wear jeans and getting fed endless amounts of junk food food for lunch. Feels like kindergarten during these 'rallies'
ReplyDeleteTime to get ready for the "rally".....gag!!! Wonder who the barbie twins will make fun of today, or what kind of boots they will have on
ReplyDeleteAs a former Gannett AD, "Cold Calling " meant driving around your territory and calling on non-advertisers. Phone calls hardly ever work. It's really easy to say " no " over the phone.
ReplyDeleteEmployment Sales- How is the Virtual Career Fair going? Great thing to sell in this economy! :(
ReplyDeleteTo all the people who complain about "crappy leads" Do you ever stop to think about how those leads are generated?
ReplyDeleteThey are lists - bought from Hoovers or InfoUSA or some such organization. They are not vetted - unless someone wants to hire someone to crank call all these places to see if anyone answers. And when they do - then what? Do we tell them, "AWESOME! A rep is going to call you back now that I know you are there!"
Get real. It's not going to get better then a 3rd party list. And there will be holes. No paper (or corporate) is going to throw money at vetting pre-sales person.