The Future of Sales, Media & Digital Marketing [Expert Interview]

Today companies interact with their customers across multiple channels – online, offline, via social media, etc.

In fact, Aberdeen Group claims that companies with the strongest omni-channel customer engagement strategies retain an average of 89% of their customers, as compared to 33% for companies with weak omni-channel strategies.

As both businesses and consumers gain more control as they seek out products, services, and solutions, the job of the sales, media, and digital marketing professional isn’t getting any easier. How can you continue to develop and evolve your skills as more changes emerge?

This week we continue our expert interview series. The goal is to share what industry leaders think about the future of media, sales, and digital marketing.

Hear what David Buonfiglio, an experienced digital/SaaS sales leader who is focused on client solutions & success has to say on the subject:

Question #1: Do you think it’s important for media salespeople to up-skill themselves? 

Questions #2: What changes do you see significantly impacting the media landscape in 2019?

There are so many changes happening right now. It would be hard to put them in any kind of order, but generally, I think the trends and tech that will impact us in the short-term are Artificial Intelligence, smart speakers and OTT.

AI is changing so many aspects of local media, including how news is gathered, written and distributed.

Smart speakers (connected to AI in many ways) are radically changing the search and e-commerce space.

And OTT video delivery services are multiplying quickly. Of course, developing revenue and business models around these developments will be key to local media companies.

Question #3: How do you see the role of the media salesperson and/or sales manager changing in the next 3-5 years?

No question, these positions need to be consultative across all channels.

For those who sell media, we are at a critical crossroad. They need to understand all the products and services they sell, but more importantly, they need to understand and communicate how these various services work together for the benefit of the advertisers.

Sellers will also need to be able to handle data in a way that tells compelling stories about the value of their media products.

Question #4: In your experience as a VP of sales, what are the top traits or qualities that contribute to the success of a media sales rep?

Intelligence, empathy, sense of humor.

With media being so much more complicated than it once was, sellers need to be able to write, argue, handle math, be a student of business and see new technology as an opportunity. They also need to be empathetic to whom they sell. This helps them keep things simple and focused on the important things. And I’ve never met a great salesperson who couldn’t make me laugh. Humor helps with advertisers, too.

Question #5: What's the most important skill a linear TV seller should learn about digital?

Google Analytics. We have to be able to show an advertiser how their web presence drives business and how their offline advertising and marketing can impact what happened on their site and on social media.

About the Author:

David Buonfiglio is an experienced digital and SaaS sales leader focused on client solutions and success. David builds and manages sales teams that outperform the industry. He specializes in structuring and training sales organizations to achieve higher levels of profitability with software platforms for search, social media, reputation management, email, targeted display, OTT and data. David develops sales and media organizations through coaching and inspiring team members to become consultants, rather than salespeople. He is an expert in ensuring customer success through several SaaS reselling relationships and is a compelling speaker.