For years, local media sales professionals could rely on the strength of their publication, station or brand to open doors. Today, those same advertisers have countless options to reach customers without ever speaking to a salesperson. According to Dream Local Digital founder and E&P “Ad Sales Life” columnist Shannon Kinney, that reality requires a fundamental shift in how media organizations approach advertising sales.
During a recent episode of E&P Reports, Kinney argued that success today depends less on selling inventory and more on becoming an indispensable marketing resource for local businesses.
Adding value is no longer optional
Kinney believes the biggest obstacle facing sales teams isn’t simply increased competition. It’s failing to remain relevant. “Adding insight and value in each conversation is really your ticket to the game now,” she said. “It’s no longer a nice-to-have.”
That means abandoning sales habits that once worked but no longer capture an advertiser’s attention. “Reps that have relied upon things like checking in and sending rate cards via email are really easy to ignore,” she explained. Today’s advertisers are overwhelmed with information, making their time more valuable than ever.
“They’re really spending time with people that add value,” Kinney said. “For sales professionals that can really become that trusted advisor, they can open doors, and weaker ones will get weeded out.”
She emphasized that media companies don’t have to offer every possible marketing service to succeed, but salespeople do need broader business conversations. “You need to become a lot more like a marketing consultant,” she said, bringing “real ideas that you can bring to the table about how to maximize effectiveness” within a client’s overall marketing strategy.
Thought leadership builds credibility
Kinney also challenged sales professionals to think beyond traditional prospecting by establishing themselves as trusted voices in their markets.
“The first one is you sell print because it’s great at frequency,” she said. “Well, you have to sell with frequency. You have to be in front of people all of the time so that you are top of mind.”
Visibility alone, however, isn’t enough. Advertisers increasingly research the people trying to sell to them.
“When they check you out, you need to show that you know what you’re talking about,” Kinney said. “They’re going to check out your media company, of course, but they’re also going to check out you.”
She encourages salespeople to consistently share marketing ideas, industry articles and campaign examples online because “by becoming a thought leader and sharing your ideas or articles that you read or campaigns that you love, you are staying top of mind and establishing yourself as someone who knows what they’re talking about.”
Maintaining that visibility also requires persistence. Kinney noted that “it takes between 5 to 12 touchpoints to get a client to move,” yet “only about 8% of salespeople ever make it to the 5th to 12th touchpoint.” Her own “Circle of Romance” system helps organize consistent follow-up without giving up too early.
AI should strengthen, not replace, sales professionals
Rather than viewing artificial intelligence as a threat, Kinney sees it as a tool that helps salespeople better fulfill their role as trusted advisors.
“Those people who use AI to become faster, smarter, better are the ones who are going to win,” she said. “On the sales side, I 100% support use of AI.”
She explained that preparing for meaningful client conversations once required significant research. “I used to spend on average about 15 minutes preparing for every sales call I did,” she said. Today, AI allows her to analyze a prospect’s website, social media presence and marketing gaps in just minutes, helping her arrive with relevant recommendations.
“When you deploy tools like that, you are coming to the table more prepared as a trusted advisor,” Kinney said.
At the same time, she warned against allowing AI to replace authentic communication. “You don’t automate all of your outreach,” she said. Instead, AI should help generate stronger ideas, better subject lines and valuable conversation starters while allowing the salesperson to remain genuinely human throughout the relationship.
“It’s not meant to replace you,” Kinney said. “I tell our readers that it’s a happy intern that’s there to help you.”
Sales leaders must create a culture of innovation
Kinney believes managers have an equally important responsibility in preparing their teams for the future.
“What worries me is… becoming irrelevant,” she said. “To avoid that, it’s even more critical today that people up their game.”
She argues that many of the concepts discussed today are not new, but the urgency has changed. “It’s time to stop complaining that your rate card has too many things on it and get ready to become a real sales professional.”
For sales managers, that means creating environments where new ideas are constantly shared. “Start creating a culture that shares ideas and innovation,” Kinney advised. She encourages leaders to have sales teams exchange AI prompts, successful email strategies and prospecting techniques while holding representatives accountable for maintaining the multiple touchpoints required to win business.
Ultimately, she believes AI finally gives salespeople something they’ve long needed: more time to do what matters most.
“What excites me is that when I train now, I show them five ways to do it really fast with AI,” Kinney said. “I feel like I can bring a solution to the table,” adding that she now knows “it can work, and that does get me excited.”
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