It was early December 2001 and Jim Wareham, vice president and general manager of WLAJ-TV in Lansing, Mich., was looking to put some billing on the books. When sales are a little lackluster there's not much one can do, short of locking up the sales team ... locking up the sales team ... now there was an idea.
"It actually was done a few years ago," Wareham said. "It was successful then, and the sales team loved it. It's exciting to watch too. It builds confidence, not only in the seniors, but in the younger execs who did well. It gets everyone motivated to go forward."
Phone-athon preparation began the night before when the sales staff assembled to fax out informational pieces that detailed the forthcoming sale. Substantial discounts and commercials that aired both the night before and morning of, piqued the appetites of advertisers ready for a great deal.
At 7 the next morning, the excitement began. Breakfast and lunch were brought in, management was in place to address any negotiation hurdles, and bonuses were awarded to keep the momentum high. At the 6 p.m. cut-off time, the team had registered $188,000 in sales. Reps Marcy Rzepka ($80,000) and Cathie Vollmar ($40,000) logged the highest totals. A late advertiser added $12,000 the next day for a total of $200,000.
Stories of Success Listing | Table of Contents | 2001 Annual Report | Freedom Communications, Inc.