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New School vs. Old School: Game On! Part Deux

by | Aug 27, 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Let’s face it — the world of broadcast is changing, and your team doesn’t have time to waste chasing outdated leads or second-guessing who the right contact is.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 Reps spend valuable time hunting down contact names, verifying titles, guessing email formats, and navigating outdated org charts — often just to be met with radio silence.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!
new schoolers in media sales If you’re a New Schooler, bring your A game, but appreciate the experience of veteran sellers.
The first day at school, Pocahontas County, West Virginia, 1921. Photo by L.W. Hine. Library of Congress.

My Facebook is filled with cute pictures of first days of school, be it kindergarten, middle school or high school. The start of the school year is an annual landmark occasion. Seniors are apprehensive about living up to expectations, while freshmen are wondering if they have what it takes, and hiding their nervousness about the unknown behind a glow of excitement and confidence.

There are similarities with your media sales organization. Senior sellers appear to know it all, having done it their way for like ever! But they need to let go and grow, and learn and embrace new technology and selling strategies. Last week ‘s blog addressed these Old Schoolers, so let ‘s check in with those who consider themselves New School.

If you are New School and proud of it, consider these thoughts:

  • Those who have been doing this for a long time didn’t get where they are by being stupid. They have been working hard and have a lot of knowledge about people and systems. You may have more formal education, and you may be quicker at grasping how to make technology work for you, but you might not be as adept at relationships or the inner workings of a station, agency, or big client. Experience IS education. Respect that your senior sellers may have been “schooled” more than you have over time.
  • Be a student. Learn the history of your accounts and the people who control your income. Learn the inner workings of your station. You probably have a teacher or two who would be willing to answer your questions at a desk near you.
  • Be a teacher. If you can zip around a software program, know how to manage contacts on an iPad, or send out killer e-marketing campaigns, help those who are still struggling to create a PowerPoint presentation or sort that Excel spreadsheet. It is good for your team to have everyone as efficient as possible, and you may learn something in return.
  • Prove yourself and pay your dues. Just because you went to school with the daughter of the owner of the big car dealer doesn’t mean you should be given that account. Like in school, seniority has some benefits. The freshman quarterback is being groomed to play after the junior QB graduates. Work harder and smarter to prove that you will be ready to take those big accounts, and the responsibility that comes with them, when the opportunity comes your way.
  • Don’t let negativity bring you down. Many media sales organizations have a level of negativity, partially because much of the selling is done one-on-one and sellers come back to the office and need to vent. There is also the aspect of But we have always done it this way Few people enjoy change and we are in a rapidly changing industry in a rapidly-changing world. Rise above any negativity and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t. Stick to your dreams, whether they are financial or career. Chances are, your GM and GSM were New School media sellers once, too.

You can pass the tests coming your way and, just like my Facebook friends who are posting the back-to-school pix are saying, you will find that time flies by very quickly. You will have the benefits of seniority all too soon, but please, hang on to the enthusiasm you have as a New Schooler when you get there!

By Kitty Malone
Efficio Solutions Manager of Client Services

Are you a new seller and need some great ideas for events and promotions? Check out Kitty’s Kalendar (just kidding…Calendar)!
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