Hello, My Name is {Insert Name Here}, and I am a Hoarder

Nov 11, 2014 11:06:15 AM / by Chris Crawford

Get rid of whatever will not be useful. Old equipment from Amtrak passenger cars is piled in a warehouse. Some of it will be renovated; the remiander will be discarded and replaced with new equipment, Mira Loma, California, 1974. National Archives. Get rid of the junk.
Old equipment from Amtrak passenger cars is piled in a warehouse. Some of it will be renovated; the remainder will be discarded and replaced with new equipment. Mira Loma, California, 1974. National Archives.

Are you a fan of reality television? If you are, I am sure that while you have surfed the television channels looking for something interesting to watch you may have seen parts or all of a reality TV show focused on people who are hoarders — people who just can’t let go of ANYTHING!!!! 

I have tried to watch the show, but always end up feeling bad because I am so amazed that some folks will load their entire home with belongings that have been amassed throughout the years, keeping everything for years because it may be valuable or important sometime into the future. Many times there are even severe consequences or repercussions emotionally, financially, and even possibly physically to this person because they just can’t see any other way.

It is a sad situation that often carries very destructive outcomes, and I do not intend to make light of this situation for anybody who may suffer from this obsession, but I believe there are some lessons that we in media sales can learn from this difficult situation. I only bring my observations to light here because I think we can learn a positive lesson from the show’s premise.

So the question is: are you an account hoarder? Do you hang on to accounts forever because you believe SOMEDAY SOMETHING will happen that will result in a sale? Surely this will happen. I call it waiting for manna from heaven in the desert, and you want to be darn sure YOU will be the recipient when it starts to fall from the sky.

Notice the operative word WAITING. Good things come to those who WAIT…right? Wrong. This is not true in sales. Just like the television show, as I sit with Efficio clients throughout the country and go through the process of analyzing their account lists with them, I am amazed at how negative and cantankerous these sales reps get when I ask them why they are willing to take a space on their account list for an account for which they have no access to the decision maker, no credibility with same, and no real spending potential or listener or viewer fit for the stations they sell.

The first step towards a different outcome is to admit you have this tendency. Take the time to really look at your account list. Identify your best accounts that currently spend that you can grow and develop even more into the future. Then identify the accounts that seem to be positioned for solid potential revenues when you bring them to active client status.

  • To begin this reality check, employ a top-notch industry-specific CRM such as Efficio Solutions, or other tools that are available in the marketplace.
  • Then, make sure you have claimed and confirmed all the accounts on your business lists that you THINK you have. Manager approval helps here.
  • Thirdly, qualify the value to yourself and your station by the spending potential of the account. Can they spend enough that they will be a significant player?
  • Then look to see if you can gain access to decision makers, and do they see you as a credible possible marketing partner? If you can’t and they don’t, it may be a tough road to hoe.
  • Finally, are you EXCITED enough to get after it weekly, to pursue it with all your heart because you just believe this is a perfect fit for both you and the client?

If you can’t meet the criteria I covered above, yet you STILL want to keep the account, you may bit of a HOARDER. Be honest with yourself. Am I talking about YOU????

By Chris Crawford, General Sales Manager, Efficio Solutions

Need help deciding whether an account is worth hanging onto?


Tags: Media Sales

Chris Crawford

Written by Chris Crawford

Sales Manager

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