How confident are you that your sales team can meet your KPIs this quarter? If you’re like the 70% majority of sales managers, there’s some doubt in your mind. Meeting key objectives and sales targets seems more unattainable by the day, but it doesn’t have to be. To meet objectives consistently, keep your salesforce satisfied and striving, and give senior leadership reports that have them singing your praises, you need one crucial thing: A sales leadership framework.

As media inflation cools across the U.S., local media sellers mdash;across newspapers, magazines, billboards, TV, and digital mdash;are entering 2025 with a more stable pricing environment. The latest ECI Media Inflation Report projects just a 2.5% increase in media costs, with radio ad rates rising only 1% and digital video (CTV) seeing continued price declines. For local media sellers, this presents a key opportunity: while national and global uncertainties persist, local advertisers may find more room to buy and plan confidently. Stability in pricing can help unlock conversations with cautious advertisers, especially in sectors pressured by tariffs and consumer belt-tightening.

Sales managers, let’s be honest… it’s hard to watch a salesperson that seems to be flailing in shallow water when they are on a prospect or client call. However, if you take a step back, you realize they are probably going to find their feet and be able to stand up and be fine.

Radio and music listeners and advertisers have more choices, which has led to industry consolidation and renewed efforts at the federal level to de-regulate ownership rules. A major consolidation announced during February 2017 was the proposed merger of Entercom and CBS Radio, which would make the combined company more competitive with #1 iHeartMedia. These consolidations will affect local markets

Fred Smith, founder of FedEx, turned a college paper into a global logistics powerhouse. After serving in the Marine Corps and earning multiple honors in Vietnam, Smith launched Federal Express in 1973 with a bold idea: overnight delivery via a hub-and-spoke model. Despite early financial struggles—including a legendary blackjack win to cover fuel costs—Smith’s vision and discipline helped FedEx become the first U.S. startup to reach $1 billion in revenue within a decade.
He pioneered real-time package tracking and built a culture rooted in service, accountability, and innovation. Smith’s leadership style, shaped by military experience, emphasized clarity and empowerment. Personally, he was a devoted father of ten, aviation enthusiast, and philanthropist, turning down a second offer to serve as Secretary of Defense to be with his daughter in her final days.
Smith’s legacy offers timeless lessons: trust your instincts, build scalable systems, lead with empathy, and stay mission-focused. His story is a blueprint for entrepreneurs and sales professionals aiming to deliver impact with purpose.

Weekly Newsletter January 26, 2026

The Founding Fathers were quite progressive for their time when they declared that all “men (and women) are created equal.” Living in the 18th century, it’s not surprising that they didn’t take the next step and realize that although all are equal, all are also different. Since then, especially during the late 20th century and the first decade and a half of the 21st century, people have come to understand that inclusiveness, or societal diversity, is a strength.

Sitting there, sipping on your fourth coffee, staring at your CRM like it’s about to magically sprout leads. Hitting refresh on your inbox like the sales gods are about to drop a golden opportunity straight into your lap. Your pipeline? Drier than a gas station turkey sandwich. Your sales team? One bad month away from collective burnout. Your boss? Asking why leads aren’t flowing in like the Nile while you try not to throw your laptop out the window.

Essential Lessons for Today's Local Media Sales and Agency Professionals
From Privileged Child to Scrappy Entrepreneur: The Early Years That Built a Sales Mindset
Ted Turner, born into privilege but shaped by personal tragedy, transformed a small billboard business into a global media empire by pioneering innovations like the superstation WTBS and the 24-hour news network CNN. Despite facing skepticism, industry resistance, and the eventual loss of control over his company, Turner consistently rebounded by pivoting into philanthropy, environmentalism, and global advocacy. His bold decisions—like donating $1 billion to the United Nations and creating Captain Planet—reflected a deep commitment to purpose beyond profit. Turner’s life teaches media professionals the power of vision, resilience, and values-driven leadership. As he famously said, “You should set goals beyond your reach so you always have something to live for.”

I hear this a lot from business leaders — and it’s always kind of sheepish: “Chris, how do we actually make a sales process?” And I get it. Sales processes don’t just happen. They don’t just appear out of thin air. Instead, growing companies realize that they don’t actually have a sales process in place, so they either let their sales reps do their own thing — or they cobble something together that pleases no one.

Gen X—and soon older millennials—are redefining what “50-plus” looks like, and the market opportunity is enormous: this group drives a disproportionate share of spending and expects modern, respectful portrayals. For local advertisers, agencies, and media sellers, the practical move is to drop “beige” stereotypes, assume cross-platform tech adoption, and segment by life mode (caregiver, late-career, downsizer, active empty-nester) rather than age alone. The action plan is to audit creative for accidental ageism, build trust-led local + streaming bundles, and anchor messaging in outcomes this cohort values—clarity, competence, time-savings, and confidence.

A new study suggests that AI disclaimers on political ads may reduce trust in the message even when the ad itself contains little or no AI-generated content. For local media sellers and agency professionals, that creates a new planning issue: AI may improve speed and efficiency, but required disclosures could weaken credibility and audience receptivity. The takeaway for radio, TV, cable, print, outdoor and digital professionals is that AI use in campaign creative should be evaluated not just for compliance and cost savings, but for its effect on persuasion and trust.

The U.S. Latino economy now produces roughly $3.6 trillion in annual GDP, making it one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets. Within that growth, Latinas (Hispanic women) contribute about $1.3 trillion in economic output and drive most household purchasing decisions. Younger cohorts— Gen Z and Gen Alpha—are highly bilingual, racially mixed, and expect brands to demonstrate authenticity and cultural relevance. Hispanic households show wide diversity in country of origin, language use, and multigenerational structure, demanding more nuanced marketing than one-size-fits-all campaigns. For local media sales teams and ad agencies, tailoring content and ad packages to these demographic, cultural, and technological shifts is critical to capturing a rapidly expanding share of consumer spending.

Every season has its attractions and unique vibe, but the summer is particularly appealing. Nature is alive and green and the sun is warm, providing the perfect landscape and climate for endless fun, family gatherings and opportunities to relax and drain some stress and anxiety from our complex, busy lives. Some might think watching TV is the antithesis of summer compared to being physically active, enjoying the abundance...

Malicious online ads have become a leading route for malware, and the risk is rising fastest inside programmatic buying—where complex supply chains make accountability hard and bad actors easy to hide. For local media reps and agencies, the issue is immediate: when something goes wrong, clients don’t blame “adtech,” they blame the people who planned, placed, and approved the spend. The opportunity is to win renewals and trust by selling “safe reach”—and by leaning into the local publisher advantage: controlled environments, fewer intermediaries, and faster accountability.