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Making More Money in Media Sales: Who Brought You to the Dance?

by | Feb 21, 2013

Why waste time on cold calls when you can make 25 warm, value-driven touches in the time it used to take to make five cold calls?

Let’s face it — the world of broadcast is changing, and your team doesn’t have time to waste chasing outdated leads or second-guessing who the right contact is. Every call, every email, every outreach should be strategic, and that starts with having the right data.

That’s where Data Enrichment, powered by the ShareBuilders Assistant, comes in.

The Hidden Cost of Cold Calls

Cold outreach is the least efficient part of the sales process. Reps spend valuable time hunting down contact names, verifying titles, guessing email formats, and navigating outdated org charts — often just to be met with radio silence.

It may not be that your pitch is wrong. It’s that your data isn’t working hard enough for you.

Data Enrichment solves this by doing what no spreadsheet ever could: it intelligently fills in the blanks, updates stale records, and gives you the confidence that your message is reaching the right person at the right time — with the right message.

Smarter Outreach Starts with Enriched Data

Imagine opening your CRM and instantly seeing:

  • The correct contact with title, email, and phone number

  • A full DISC assessment of the contact you are reaching out to

  • Pain points and insights for every account

  • Brand logos, colors, and taglines

  • Past activity and pending revenue, all in one view

That’s not a dream — it’s data enrichment done right.

Powering Personalization with Purpose

Today’s buyers don’t respond to generic outreach. They respond to personalized, value-driven conversations that prove you’ve done your homework. That’s why Data Enrichment doesn’t just clean up your CRM — it powers strategic VBRs (Value-Based Reasons) that connect to real challenges and opportunities.

Whether you’re prospecting new business, upselling, or renewing, your team can confidently engage with messaging that resonates.

With the Data Enrichment Assistant, your team can:

  • Identify Relevant Contacts: Stop guessing and start connecting with decision-makers and influencers.

  • Keep CRM Records Up to Date: Automatically capture changes in leadership, ownership, or structure across brands and stations.

  • Craft Stronger VBRs: Leverage insights to tailor outreach based on real business context and market dynamics.

  • Accelerate Sales Cycles: Spend less time researching and more time selling.

  • Drive Higher Response Rates: Personalized, relevant outreach cuts through the noise and earns replies.

More Than a Tool — It’s a Revenue Strategy

Data Enrichment, powered by the ShareBuilders Assistant, is more than just a feature. It’s a sales enabler designed specifically for media sales teams who want to get serious about performance.

For national reps juggling dozens of accounts or local sellers trying to stand out in a competitive market, data enrichment means every touch is smarter, faster, and more likely to convert.

Built for Media Sales. Backed by ShareBuilders.

At ShareBuilders, we’ve spent decades helping media companies grow smarter and sell better. We know how fragmented ownership groups can be. We know the importance of timing, trust, and targeting. That’s why our Data Enrichment is purpose-built for the unique needs of your industry.

So whether you’re working in television, radio, out-of-home, or digital, we’ve got your back.

Ready to Activate Warm Leads at Scale?

Reps shouldn’t have to choose between volume and value. With ShareBuilders, they don’t have to. The Data Enrichment Assistant transforms your sales outreach by turning disconnected data into connected opportunities. Click the button below to learn more or book a demo!

Let's Talk Data Enrichment!
Dance With the One Who Brought You Dance with the one who brought you.
Couples in historical costumes. New York City, c.1900. Underwood and Underwood, publisher. Library of Congress.

There was a lot of grumbling at my gym earlier in the year: No parking places! My regular locker area is full! The showers are full and I have to wait!

Lots of grumbling, eye rolling, and sighs about the so-called Marchers. They are so called because those of us who are at the gym year-round know that the place fills up with those who have made this-is-going-to-be-the-year New Year ‘s resolutions.

We also know that they will be gone by March. We will have our parking spaces, lockers, and showers back. But during that time, the regulars talk of having a parking areas and lockers reserved for us those of us who pay every month, get results from our workouts, love and are loved by the staff, and who give great referrals.

They are forgetting to dance with the ones who brought them, grumbled one regular.

We regulars are no different than top accounts in media sales. And all too often in media sales, we get that annual order, thank them very much, and promptly turn our attention either to our newest prospect or to the on-again-off again account that needs revisions, doesn ‘t pay on time, and is never happy with their copy.

We have tickets to the game next week? Let ‘s dazzle the person who has never spent a dime with us (but MIGHT). Do we have a killer sponsorship opportunity available that will get a lot of exposure for whoever buys it? Let ‘s go after everyone who has turned us down in the past so maybe, just MAYBE, they will find the love for us in the future.

Or, should we offer those perks and great exposure opportunities to the client who spends money with us, who we can count on, and who already loves us?

Southwest Airlines does a great job taking care of their customers all of them. But they recognize who their top customers are and give them preferential seating, periodic drink coupons, and other goodies. They also upsell those customers by giving them guaranteed check-in for a fee. Top customers don ‘t mind paying a little more, because it is perceived value and gives them something special. Southwest ‘s top customers sing their praises and hate to fly any other airline.

So, how can we in media sales get our top customers to sing our praises and not grumble about feeling slighted?

1) Identify your top customers.

Sort your customers by last year ‘s billing from the top down. See if there is a logical cut-off point, or just determine how many customers are among the top 20% of the total number you have. You may be surprised that some you may think are top are not. They might just be vocal and needy, but not a top paying customer.

2) Know their needs, listen carefully for dissatisfaction, and address it.

Have regular appointments with them. Don ‘t be afraid to ask how things are going. Come up with ideas to help change their advertising approach, if needed. If something isn ‘t right with your station, ask them how they would like you to handle it, and then do so. Most times things will be fine, but if not, they often just want to know you care enough to listen and help them.

3) Continually build the relationship.

It is hard not to buy from people you like. Give your top clients the tickets and the extra spots. You can really get to know someone outside of business over lunch. Learn about their business category. Maybe even volunteer to work there for a few hours! And be sure to offer them the premium sales opportunities first. They may not always take them, but they will know you value them (and this opportunity). Remember, they already see value in you and your station. And it doesn ‘t hurt that you sold that opportunity more quickly.

4) Don ‘t focus on the renewal, focus on the continual upsell.

Don ‘t kid yourself that your customer doesn ‘t know that renewal time is right around the corner when you suddenly show an interest in them after they haven ‘t seen or heard from you for nine months. But, if you have regular appointments, are continually building the relationship, and offer them the perks and opportunities for doing business with you, the renewal will be a natural step.

Don ‘t let your top customers get bumped aside by a Marcher. Make the one that brought you to the dance ask you to dance again and again!
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