7-Sigma Selling

Case History: A magazine written for owners & managers of Commercial Buildings had a competitor that had more circulation, but as a group they operated fewer buildings. By emphasizing that to advertisers, the magazine was able to re-capture lost advertising.
The moral: Bigger is better. Find & focus on the heavy users.

2. Ensure you've included all key buying influences
Case History: A leading supplier of Scientific Instruments sold through two national Scientific Supply distributors, and targeted three major markets: Education, Health Care, and Analytical Chemists in industry. Sales had stagnated for several years, but it was finally recognized that distributors were easily just as important prospects as the "major" buying influences they had been targeting. Once distributors began to be treated both as prospects and as partners in selling  and motivational programs were put in place for them, sales rose considerably and continued to do so.
The moral: Ensure you've targeted all key buying influences.

3. Consider related markets & buying influences where you can readily compete
Case History: Magazines written for managers who were involved in Industrial Finishing accounted for about 75% of the total market, but only about 40% of the total ad revenues. The magazines that served the producers of the coatings only served 25% of the market, but had access to the great bulk of the ad pages. By including the producers of coatings in the circulation, the magazines that served the finishers could increase their access to ad pages by 50%, just by increasing their circulations by only 1/3.
The moral: Consider related markets & buying influences where you can readily compete.

Case History: A magazine in Charlotte was written for owners & mangers of Commercial Buildings. It had gained strong ad support from that segment, but revenue growth had peaked. By shifting direction and focusing on business owners who were considering relocation, the magazine greatly increased its appeal to companies that provided products and services to businesses that were relocating - office furniture & equipment, interior decorators, movers, computer network specialists, etc.
The moral: Consider related markets & buying influences where you can readily compete.

4. Make it easy for prospects to find it, try it, buy it.
Case History: A major manufacturer of Quality Control measuring devices sold through a large number of Industrial Distributors nationwide. Because they had so many, they thought their prospect base was well covered. An analysis of their market coverage on a sectional basis showed many areas were under-represented. By focusing their efforts on specific geographical areas, they greatly improved their availability to prospects.
The Moral: Make it easy for prospects to find it, try it, buy it.

5. Objectively prioritize your prospects' want & needs
Case History: A digest-sized metalworking magazine had developed significantly greater reader coverage of US industry in order to compensate for its smaller size. Ad sales had not only peaked, but had begun to decline. Realizing that advertisers and ad agencies greatly preferred full sized ads, the magazine was easily able to increase its size, while its competitors could not increase their circulations anywhere as quickly or easily. The result: Revenues for the new up-sized magazine doubled in 18 months and profitability increased 80%.
The moral: Prioritize your prospects' wants & needs. Give them what they want most.

6. An area in which you have a minor edge, but is very important to prospects, will create more sales than areas where you dominate, but is less-important
Case History: See Case History #5.

7. Prospects rank "Prompt response to needs & requests" 2nd only to pricing
Case History: As Publisher of the metalworking magazine mentioned in Case History #5 above, I was asked by an Industrial Distributor's association to survey the market to learn what prospects most wanted. The questionnaire included over a dozen benefits. "Prompt response to needs & requests ranked far above all other benefits except price. It's an advantage that's so easy for companies to provide, yet very few do. Go figure.