Many felt Wishnow’s candor was blunt, honest and refreshing. For years, many of us have felt that even the best readership and marketing reports on our publications went unread. For the most part, we were right. Although the numbers, demographics and loyal readership figures were impressive to us, the major retailer wants something far less intricate and detailed. The retailer wants to know how your publication will drive additional profitable sales he is not currently getting through his current media selections.

Wishnow impressed upon those in attendance that a newspaper should involve its publisher in order to get an appointment with key players in the advertising department of a major retailer. Retailers take the relationship between store and medium very seriously, realizing that the medium has the power to help or hurt a business. The publisher represents the highest level of that potential relationship and partnership.

The retailer also wants to know about change within a market and the consumer’s perceptions of the retailer. What is the value of sales promotions? What are your impressions of the store’s customer service? How easy is it to shop there? Does the store carry what it advertises? What are competitors doing in the market?

Share your observations about the current advertising approach, both good and bad. What is wasteful? Are there competitive disadvantages with this approach? Can the retailer do better? Talk about missed opportunities.

Wishnow also encourages newspapers to structure a presentation in a way that will make it easier for the retailer to understand and consider the additional advantages to his store by using your newspaper. Most presentations are not focused and provide too much information for the retailer to bother with. Presentations should be brief and summarize key points.

Presentations should include: 1) A cover sheet with a summary of critical points of your presentation, in priority order, 2) A simple summary backup to each critical point from cover page, 3) A single sheet in bulleted form that sells the five or six key features/benefits that your newspaper brings to the table, and 4) One copy of your newspaper.

Anyone involved in basic newspaper sales efforts should know to emphasize the potential partnership and focus on the retailer’s sales. How can you provide more to them?

Of course, the retailer does not have an unlimited budget. There are some papers that will not get the business due to overlapping coverage, high rates and ineffective distribution methods. Even the best presentation and sales consultant can not change this.

The biggest problem facing the newspaper when it comes to delivery of a potential customer is that newspapers are perceived as not reaching the 35-under group. Since a lot of the retail focus has gone from career to casual clothing, newspapers are not looked at as a viable way to reach this growing market. Wishnow acknowledged that newspapers do reach this market very well, but do a poor job of countering these faulty perceptions.