Ask the Experts: Supercharging Publisher Sales Enablement with Sean Arnold

As publishers, your sales team is the backbone for your growth efforts. If they aren’t equipped to bring in new customers, it can impact more than just revenue targets. For instance, optimizing yield based on existing business becomes much more challenging when the overall pie isn’t growing. That is why it’s vital to ensure that you are doing everything you can to keep your client-facing teams ahead of the game – and your competition.

Empower Sales Teams with Deeper Data Opportunities

One of the best ways to increase the effectiveness of your sales teams is to ground their narratives in quality and performance data that is complete, accurate and shareable. Not only does this demonstrate your ability to deliver on buyer KPIs, but it also reveals new opportunities that you may not be leveraging.

Optimize Based on Audience Attention

When it comes to attention, I usually see one of two things happening. Either a publisher simply isn’t thinking about it, or they’re working reactively to respond to buyer demand. Attention is a relatively new KPI, but in my experience, it’s one that advertisers value thanks to its correlation to campaign outcomes at every level of the funnel. 

Attention offers a rare opportunity to position your inventory closer to desired advertising outcomes. Keep your teams operating proactively and give your company a competitive advantage by becoming an early adopter. Even something as simple as adding attention benchmarks to your pitch decks can help you stand out from the crowd.

Discover Untapped Verticals

Most publishers I’ve worked with have at least some idea of where they are most compatible. But a closer look at your data can reveal opportunities in industries where you might not have as many direct relationships. Plus, the right tool can make those opportunities even easier for your teams to act on. DV’s Inventory Compatibility Score is an excellent example that ranks verticals from most to least compatible based on their content preferences and the inventory you offer. Even less compatible verticals may contain high-potential pockets of demand that your team can pursue.

Stand Out on a Local Level

Many publishers are less inclined to invest in media quality locally. There is a perception that these deals are less sophisticated, or that local partners only care about reach. But local agencies are attracted to inventory quality because it enhances overall campaign effectiveness. Delivering on that value makes it easier to secure more ad budget and optimize ad spend to the highest possible level.

💡DV Attention for Publishers offers robust insights on trusted attention metrics like engagement and exposure.

Commit to Media Quality as a Sales Enablement Ally

Advertisers have come to rely on media quality metrics to justify their spend and quantify the success of their campaigns across partners and channels. Even more simply, it builds trust. The more effectively you position your offering around media quality, the more attractive your inventory becomes.

Protecting the Open Web

It’s impossible to discuss the importance of media quality without mentioning the value of the open web. No other channel can match its measurement transparency or capture user attention. However, the wide range of content that makes the open web so appealing is precisely what makes media quality measurement essential. It ensures that publishers and advertisers alike can have a balanced, complete view of their campaigns and avoid negative outcomes.

💡 Working with Premium Publishers is a DV guide that helps publishers and advertisers establish a common language and improve alignment on brand suitability goals.

Keep the Conversation Going

Lastly, I think it’s also important to maintain a two-way dialogue with your sales team. Both teams often operate in their own silos, but there is value in cross-pollination. Plus, your sales teams’ experience speaking with buyers can ensure that your resources align better with their expectations. Some of the more direct ways you can help your sales teams improve their game are:

• Arrange off-the-cuff training sessions to discuss how performance is measured and how to include it in pitch decks
• Encourage sales teams to have deeper conversations about brand suitability alignment with media buyers
• Identify vendors that can help you take more control in direct deals and partnerships

With an active and ongoing dialogue in place, there isn’t much that a well-resourced sales team can’t accomplish!

If you would like to learn more about DV Publisher Suite, reach out today to request a demo and receive a 30-day inventory test!