I always kick off my ad sales seminars by asking participants what objections they encounter most frequently. This month, I ran two three-part newspaper ad sales training programs via Webinar with a number of publications of various sizes participating. Almost every one brought up the "print is dead" objection.
You'd think overcoming this objection would be as easy as proving that your publication is still reaching plenty of the right readers in the right places. Traditionally, this would be done by showing readership and market studies, audits, publisher statements, print run reports--whatever is available.
But ad reps are finding that even after they provide proof of superior circulation, readership, and demographics that many prospective advertisers are still too skeptical to risk investing any serious money on a medium that appears like it will get results but too often doesn't. Without a good reason why this is happening, they blame the print publication itself when too often it's they way they used it. But since they can't see that, "print is dead" is a convenient explanation.
To truly overcome the "print is dead" objection, you'll need to make a case to the prospect that "it's not us, it's you" without actually saying that, of course, and then be able to move on to prove how a new approach would work beyond a doubt.
I'd encourage any publication interested in learning how to do that to watch my free Webinar on selling response.
We all know print isn't dead. The objection is simply an attempt by local businesses to explain why print isn't working for them (if it was they wouldn't say it). If you haven't already, watch my Webinar and you'll see how to overcome this and most other objections in the process.
