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Losing in Media Sales Stinks

by | Feb 18, 2014

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Let’s face it — the world of broadcast is changing, and your team doesn’t have time to waste chasing outdated leads or second-guessing who the right contact is.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 Reps spend valuable time hunting down contact names, verifying titles, guessing email formats, and navigating outdated org charts — often just to be met with radio silence.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!
Don't just throw in the towel! Give it your best shot! Don’t just throw in the towel!
Tommy Gibbons, c. 1911. Bain News Service, publisher. Library of Congress.

My American Olympic team wins. My team ALWAYS wins. But if a game or competition is close, I pace, look away, or even change the channel for a few seconds. I have some odd superstition that if I am watching, they will fall and roll down the hill, or drop their skating partner. But we will always win another medal and the score will surely have changed in our favor by the time I come back. And then we win. We ALWAYS win.

Except when we don ‘t. The occasional loss results in my stomach being slightly upset, and I avoid Sports Center and the sports section of my landing page until a bigger story moves our losses off of the banner. But we would win the next gold. We always win.

Except we didn ‘t. More losses. More heartbreak. I trade posts on Facebook about how the team is not as great as we thought this year, but they will get it back. I can ‘t stay away from NBC and ESPN forever, and I hear the commentators talk about how these athletes know how to win, and they will be back, and more gold is SURELY in our future.

Except we lost again. Team USA is not medaling in the things they should be. I say, Oh well, life goes on, and we will be back with a summer team in just two years as I make weekend plans with friends instead of trying to avoid sports talk. I analyze my team ‘s performance with friends and think that this just won ‘t be their Olympics. Losing has quickly become accepted.

In media sales, we don ‘t take losing well either. We actually lose more than we win, if you look at what we get out of what we go after in the first place. But when you have that big presentation or renewal and you are feeling very confident about it, when you follow up and you get a no or, worse, now you can ‘t get them to return your calls, you get that same slightly sick feeling in your stomach. You don ‘t want to face your manager or your fellow sellers, who anxiously want to know what happened.

But you will get the next one. You are a great seller with a great media solution!

Except you don ‘t. Your own personal losing streak extends. You lose confidence in yourself, but worse, you accept the losses. You shrug and say, You can’t win ’em all and go out to lunch.

Don ‘t accept the losses. Don’t let it become your norm. Don ‘t get into a losing habit. Fight your way out of it.

Here are some suggestions to keep you hating losing:

  • Let go of the last loss. That was one unique situation with one unique client. Turn and look at the next one with a fresh eye and positive point of view. This client has a unique need and situation. Start fresh.
  • Watch the replay tapes. Analyze what happened for the future, but pay more attention to what you did right. During this season, even with the losing streak my team has won a record number of games. Focus on what went right, and do it again and again.
  • Don’t make losing a habit. Take a top client to lunch and sell them something a banner, a weekend or morning spot package you created, anything.
  • Don’t hide your feelings. Be a good sport in front of the client, but get mad! Get frustrated! Vent! Calculate the commission you lost! Just don ‘t become numb.
  • Work harder to win. Practice your presentation. Ask a few more questions to be positive that your ideas answer their needs. Make sure they clearly understand the ROI. Shore up the relationship through personal thank you notes for their time, for example.

Losing stinks. Expect to win.

By Kitty Malone, Efficio Solutions Manager of Client Services

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