Video: Upfront Tipping Point - Warburton, Stimmel, Muszynski, Hutton, Reed

One of the most spirited exchanges among the executives occurred when discussing the inherent conflict between buyer and seller. For John Muszynski, the Upfront tipping point is fast approaching and sales partners need to do a better job of putting their clients’ needs first.

Muszynski said, “When the first question they ask is ‘Where’s your budget versus a year ago? If you’re not gonna show me growth, we’re not gonna have a further conversation.’ Well if that’s what you’re worried about is where your budget is, you aren’t really looking at my client’s business. You’re not interested in helping me grow. You’re interested in helping your business grow.” Check out Muszynski’s pointed response to that approach.

Shenan Reed agreed, “It is a challenge because the sales reps come into us on a regular basis with the commentary ‘I can’t afford to do what I do anymore, you guys are driving us down to the bare bone.'” Reed went on to share her favoritethreat from a sales rep during the negotiation process.

Catherine Warburton spoke of the need to evolve in order to create more productive relationships. “We have the sales organizations realizing at the higher levels that they can’t move on, when the ratings are falling, selling just on a plain age, sex demo. In order to increase their yield for the future, they’re going to have to get more sophisticated in that sell.” Click here for her thoughts on what buyers need to understand.

Jon Stimmel’s take on the Upfront is that future success depends on media owners leveraging the breadth of their assets. He said, “The Upfront is not TV – the Upfront is TV plus their extensions. We’re doing Google preferred deals in the upfront, we’re doing Hulu deals, so it is a video agnostic kind of approach to the Upfront.” Stimmel then spoke about media owners who are managing the Upfront best and what makes the difference in great buyers and sales people.  

Watch more of this insightful exchange here and view all the round table discussions with senior industry executives at www.LegendsLeaders.org.

The Legends & Leaders Video Series was made possible by a generous grant from Warner Brothers Media Sales and is presented by Jack Myers KnowledgeExchange and MediaVillage.

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Video: Upfront Tipping Point - Warburton, Stimmel, Muszynski, Hutton, Reed

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