Claire Potts
Student Advertising Manager University of South Carolina The Daily Gamecock
Student Media
Advertising Manager
January 14, 2014 Dear CNBAM Judges: It is my great pleasure to nominate Claire Potts for the CNBAM Advertising Manager of the Year. She has been in this role since June 2013 and has done an amazing job of elevating the position to a level that it has never seen before. Claire started her career in Student Media as a New Business Development Representative in January 2012. She was quick to learn the importance of building relationships and creating a sense of trust with potential and existing clients. Early on she identified the Campus AE position as something she was interested in and applied when it became available. She held that role for a year but already had her sights on the Ad Manager position. She has been, by far and away, the best candidate for every position she has sought out. The student Ad Manager position is relatively new to our department. I created the role in the summer of 2011 and Claire is the 5th person to hold the title. In our brief history, each student has brought something different that has enriched the role. Whether it has been organization or management style each student has built on the success and contributions of their predecessor. Claire has raised the bar to a level that, quite frankly, makes me nervous. Claire’s dedication to this position is phenomenal. She has made this job her number one priority, turning down prestigious internships and other opportunities through our journalism program. Her commitment is extraordinary; she is in the office during every free moment between classes. She is constantly thinking of ways to improve our systems, generate revenue and bring in new clients. Her head is always in the game.
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I never doubted Claire’s ability to move into management as she demonstrated leadership abilities in her previous roles in Student Media. She is very good with people and made the transition from peer to supervisor seamlessly. She has the ability to identify opportunities for improvement with our sales staff and works with them in a way that gets results. We had a tough fall and did not make a monthly goal all semester. Our nationals were significantly down and our largest client made drastic cuts to their budget. Claire really got into the numbers and created reports for our staff showing where our losses were and where opportunities existed with past advertisers. She gets it in every sense of the word. In my 14 years of working in Student Media, I have not worked with a student who is so consistently on point. Having been an active member of CNBAM for 12 years, I have seen the caliber of students who rise to the top within the organization and I can tell you without a doubt that Claire is more than worthy of being named CNBAM Advertising Manager of the Year. This award would be a fitting honor for a very talented and deserving student.
Sincerely,
Sarah Scarborough Advertising Manager Student Media, University of South Carolina
Student Media
Advertising Sales Rep
January 14, 2014 Dear CNBAM Judges: I am writing to you today to nominate Claire Potts for Advertising Manager of the Year 2014. I have had the pleasure of working with Claire for over a year now and have gotten the chance to know her on both a personal and professional level. I can safely say there is no one more hardworking, motivated and deserving of this award than my incredible Advertising Manager. Claire has earned the respect of all her advertising representatives and manages the ad room with discipline and guidance. She pushes representatives to stay on track, reach goals and find resolutions to problems that arise independently, while lending a helping hand. She is constantly giving us advice, crafting emails for clients, sending out deadline reminders and creating incentives to increase revenue. Claire is patient when she needs to be, but driven at the end of the day to get the job done.
productive environment. Claire is the best advertising manager our ad team could’ve asked for. I admire Claire’s work ethic, innate leadership qualities and look up to her as a role model and inspiration. In my opinion, she is incredibly deserving of this CNBAM 2014 award for her accomplishments. Thank you so much for your time,
Michele Dressler Advertising Account Executive Student Media, University of South Carolina
Claire has helped me personally, in so many ways, to develop the advertising sales skills I have today. She took the time to train me throughout the summer of 2013 before I stepped into my position as Campus Account Executive. Claire described my client list and their history in detail, brought me along for meetings, taught me how to organize my paperwork and so much more. Her guidance really enhanced my experience at Student Media and I continue to learn from her every day. I strongly believe there is no one better qualified to win this award. Claire goes above and beyond with every task she takes on. Creating a BINGO game to drive special publication sales is just one example of the many activities Claire has brought into the office. She makes our jobs fun, while maintaining a
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Personal Philosophy
Dear CNBAM Judges,
I
would first like to thank you for this opportunity to apply for the Best Advertising Manager title. When I started my position with USC Student Media, I was a little unsure of my abilities when it came to sales. During my time as a sales representative, I was trained by three student advertising managers that came before me. Each bringing something different to their management position, I believe I was able to learn what it takes to be a leader of peers and to command greatness from them. Working closely with my staff as a sales representative, I was able to try new sales tactics, boost my confidence in front of clients, and figure out organizational skills that work best for me. However, I noticed that many members of our staff did well at their jobs in different ways. Transitioning into my leadership position, I thought very hard about what each member of our staff’s strengths and weaknesses were. I attended the CNBAM Student Advertising Manager workshop over the summer where I learned that a successful manager must tailor their approach to each member of the staff, praising them appropriately and helping them where they need it most. In all previous years, the Student Advertising Manager position at USC Student Media has lasted for one semester. However, I would be the first student to fill this position for a full academic year. Knowing that this would require significant planning and a long-term focus, I started my position by training and managing two new sales representatives to help with summer and August sales, and training the third rep as she entered my old territory. Summer was a whirlwind, and this was the first time I was responsible for holding the staff accountable for office hours while still going out in the field with them to put their training into action. I’ve always loved being busy and involved with what everyone is doing, so this summer was perfect to try new management styles and learn what I was comfortable doing. Throughout my first semester of being an advertising manager, I was able to figure out what I needed to do to make our staff more productive, and what that meant for each individual representative. Since the day I started my position at Student Media, I have been dedicated to my staff and growing our potential. This experience has led my to my management philosophy that I am fortunate enough to continue for an additional semester.
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Personalized Attention The way I see it, some people just like to be hugged. I think about this simple fact many times throughout the day as each staff member appreciates praise in their own ways. Since I am very close with the staff, I am able to understand each members’ needs and put their praise into action when they make a hardearned sale or execute an amazing pitch. Depending on the member, I make a conscious effort to leave encouraging Post-It notes on their desks, send a mass text of appreciation, give a high five, or even a hug when it’s deserved. Knowing how to praise and challenge the staff on a personal level is important to let them know of their progress and areas for opportunity. For improving productivity, I have also found that it is important to know who appreciates the cold hard numbers of where their sales are down, and who learns from going out in the field and trying new ways to start conversations with potential clients. This part of my management philosophy helps to keep us strong as a staff and strong as peers. Continuous Training No sales representative is “seasoned” in all aspects of the job. Each week, we meet to discuss sales figures and talk about upcoming publications. At each of the weekly meetings, I have designated a time where we can work as a team to overcome an obstacle or share an experience we have had with a client. In the beginning of the semester, I gave an objection that a client might give and we each wrote down a response and read it to the staff. From this exercise, new representatives could learn from older staff members, but older members were refreshed on ways to steer the conversation to help the business-owner evaluate their spending with advertising in the college market. This semester, we brought in Vince Coultis from McClatchy Newspapers to speak with the staff about professionalism and entering the “real world.” We also talked about working as a team and teaching others instead of showing others how to complete tasks. I believe that a commitment to constant training and learning is what sets people, not just sales representatives, apart from the competition. Sales representatives could take this training and knowledge to speak with clients and work to establish a strong relationship.
Accountability It’s easy to sit at your desk and ask your staff to work hard. As a goal-setter, I am also completely accountable for the productivity of my staff and want them all to learn, make money, and succeed in what they do. Since day one, I have been eager to go out on client meetings to help the staff feel confident in explaining our products. As we expect and encourage representatives to make goals and bring in new revenue, I want them to expect me to be there with them. Holding the staff accountable for their sales and time with clients is just as important as them holding me accountable to help them fine-tune their sales skills. The Big Picture The great thing about sales representatives is that they are driven by the thirst for “more.” With so much going on between classes, work, meetings, and production orders, sometimes it can be hard to remember that what we sell directly affects the office of Student Media as a whole. Working closely with the production team, I try to make sure that the staff understands how their sales affect the production team, ad designers, professional staff, and editorial staff. As our Creative Director says, “We don’t work in a vacuum,” and I try to make sure everyone is aware of how their sales affect our work community. I believe this is important for the staff to understand since this can be applicable in any job. This advertising staff is my life. I have grown alongside this group and mentored over half the staff into their current positions. My philosophy outlined above is based off of my experiences with the select group of individuals that make our staff fun, productive, and one of the best in the nation. I have been incredibly honored to work for them and to mold them into the professionals that they will soon become. Thank you for this opportunity to share my management philosophy with you.
Thank you again,
Claire Potts 5
Appendix Job Description Staff Sales Records Examples of Work Awards & Self Development Resume
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7 8 9-12 13 14
Job Description TITLE: Student Advertising Manager DEPARTMENT: The Daily Gamecock Advertising Department SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The Student Advertising Manager is a student position and is responsible for special section sales among other duties. The Student Advertising Manager will assist in setting goals for special sections, creating sales incentives and overseeing all sales contests. The Student Advertising Manager will be responsible for creating programs within the Advertising Department to create an atmosphere of healthy competition among the sales staff. The Student Advertising Manager will work with the Advertising Manager to build our local advertising base by promotions within the Advertising Department. The Student Advertising Manager will also work with lead generation for the retail sales reps. The Student Advertising Manager is a leadership role in the Advertising Office. The Student Advertising Manager will assist the Advertising Manager with planning and project implementation as needed. COMPENSATION: The Student Advertising Manager will be paid $10 per hour, not to exceed 18 hours a week. All sales through the end of August will be paid at 9% commission. All other sales generated by the Assistant Advertising Manager will be paid 5%, with 4% going to the rep. The Assistant Advertising Manager will be on the following bonus structure. Special Section Performance: If the total special section goal is met the Assistant Advertising Manager will receive 1% of total sales. Monthly Performance: If the monthly goal is met the Assistant Advertising Manager will receive 1% of the revenue. If the monthly goal is not met the SAM will receive .05% of total revenue. Garnet and Black Performance: If the total sales goal for each individual issue of Garnet and Black are met the Assistant Advertising Manager will receive 1% of that issues revenue. If the total semester goal is met the Assistant Advertising Manager will get a $200 bonus. SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: • Assist Advertising Manager with setting special section goals and individual goals for all special sections. • Oversees production of all sales materials for special sections. • Creates and oversees all sales contests. • Serve as liaison to production to ensure daily paperwork is complete. • Meets regularly with Advertising Manager to review projects. • Assists Advertising Manager with prospecting lists for all Account Representatives. • Creates and develops contests tied with conference attendance and generating new business/revenue. • Responsible for creating an environment that fosters a healthy competitive spirit in the Advertising Department. • Attends and co leads all sales meetings.
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Sales Records MONTH
2012 SALES
GOAL
2013 REVENUE
% MADE
August
$85,511
$85,000
$72,527
85.3%
September
$65,746
$60,000
$46,015
76.7%
October
$69,619
$75,000
$68,095
90.8%
November
$50,600
$58,500
$48,463
82.9%
December
$13,855
$21,500
$15,887
73.9%
After an unexpected spike in our Fall 2012 sales, our staff was selling against some of our highest numbers in history. We were able to use our special publications to increase overall sales, and introduced our first Coupon Book in summer of 2013. This served as a surprising revenue-booster that we were able to use to help in making up for losses.
SPECIAL PUBS
2012 SALES
GOAL
Coupon Book
2013 REVENUE
% MADE
$10,000
Welcome Back 2013
$33,846
$30,000
$26,972
89.9%
Football Tab
$11,054
$12,000
$11,145
92.9%
Parents Weekend
$12,684
$15,000
$13,288
88.6%
Welcome Back 2014
$12,897
$14,250
$14,569
102.2%
TOTAL
GOAL
2013 REVENUE
% MADE
$294,500
$253,513
86.1%
Garnet & Black
$12,800
$7,792
60.8%
Mobile
$10,200
$2,817
27.6%
Online
$10,200
$10,215
100.1%
Social
$6,900
$5,778
83.7%
Noticing the steady decline of print sales, Fall 2013 was the first semester that we saw growth in our digital sales including Mobile, Online, and Social Media Management.
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Examples of Work BINGO
BINGO Sell an ad in Semester Spotlight Sell a Football Friday deal Sell a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal in Welcome Back
Welcome Back/ Semester Spotlight deal
Make a sale Sell a Gain a new off of a Football business Spec Ad Friday deal
Sell 1 week Take Claire Sell an ad of web ads on a sales in Semester call Spotlight Sign an Early Bird Deadline (Welcome Back)
Sell a Sell an ad Football in Welcome Friday deal Back
FREE Sell an ad SPACE in Welcome (do a dance) Back Sell a banner on the app
Sell a banner on the app
Gain a new Sell an underwriting business package
Sell a Buy 2 Sell 1 week Make a sale Sell an Get 1 Free of web ads off of a underwriting deal in Welcome Spec Ad package Back
Student Media
Welcome Back/ Semester Spotlight deal
University of South Carolina
Sign an Early Bird Deadline (Welcome Back)
Having missed several monthly goals in the fall semester, we knew we needed to end strong and keep the staff motivated. We were selling space for several special publications and offering different bundling discounts and early-bird deadlines. I created a Bingo Board that covered all of the special publications, bundled special publications, online advertising, mobile app advertising, underwriting packages for the radio station, and gaining new businesses. The squares on the bingo board were shuffled around so that in order to win, sales representatives would be required to sell space for more than just print. For the Bingo chips, everyone’s face was printed, cut out, and placed in a jar so there was additional excitement in wondering whose face you would be choosing. This sales incentive was very successful and created lots of buzz around the office. Our new hires were able to compete and even get further on their cards than the territory representatives! Cards were placed on each representative’s wall so everyone could see who was in the lead. Overall, this sales incentive helped boost morale and get representatives out in the field for the chance to win $100 (and bragging rights!).
Trick or Treat Our coupon book deadline fell on November 1, so on Halloween I gave everyone candy on their desk with this fun message.
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Examples of Work
Missing Revenue During the fall semester, we began to realize that our previous fall (2012) was an abnormally strong semester. Since our 2013 goals were based off of this growth, we quickly realized that we needed to bring in missing revenue to account for this unexpected decline in sales. In September, I created a document comparing our 2012 to 2013 sales-to-date. I calculated 10
the amount of missing revenue per client, then organized per sales representative so they could see the amount of revenue their own clients were under. Through this, I found that we were over $57,000 under from the current date one year previous. Representatives could then take this data and have conversations with their clients about these declines.
Examples of Work
Tag Team Tuesdays Many of our representatives are more comfortable meeting with new clients with the help of a peer. To get the staff going on client calls with different staff members, I enacted Tag Team Tuesdays where sales reps can go out as teams, and whoever returns with a signed
insertion order gets to split a $50 bonus. This incentive has helped to build camaraderie within the staff and get our representatives to effectively plan time to be out in their territories.
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Examples of Work
Friday Scenarios After our meeting every Friday, I designate ten minutes for the staff to practice handling objections on-the-spot. After posing the objection, each member takes a few minutes to write down their response and then share them with the staff. From this exercise, new representatives can learn tips from more 12
experienced ones and everyone is able to see how their responses might differ from other representatives’. Along with the objections, we have taken time to think about what makes a great sales representative and start to think about our own personal selling philosophies.
Awards & Self Development AWARDS Third Place Recognition - Sales Representative of the Year – CNBAM 2013 • Awarded based on Personal Selling Philosophy, Sales Growth, Recommendations from a supervisor and client, and examples of work. Washington Media Scholars Case Competition Semi-Finalist – Spring 2013 • Created a multimedia advertising campaign for a fictional client that worked to increase general awareness of the construction of a new baseball stadium while requesting support from the community and fans. Silver Student Addy Award – May 2013 • Awarded for execution of a class assignment created in Fall 2012 for Morton Salt. Dean’s List (all semesters) • Awarded to students achieving a 3.5+ GPA. SELF-DEVELOPMENT Attended 2013 CNBAM Student Advertising Manager Workshop – Chicago, IL • Learned successful ways to manage a college staff and drive sales results. • Practiced managing styles and brainstormed new sales incentives. • Identified effective ways to inspire continued success on staff. Attended 2013 CNBAM Conference – San Diego, CA • Learned strategies to increase digital sales as print declines. • Identified new potential revenue streams. • Practiced learning how to identify personality types and how to praise and coach members of the staff individually. Attended 2012 CNBAM Conference – Miami, FL • Practiced new sales pitches and tailored them for specific types of businesses. • Collected information from mobile-app vendors and identified how to introduce the Daily Gamecock mobile app to the USC market. LEADERSHIP Vice President of Student Advertising Federation at USC – Aug. 2013-Present • Identified advertising professionals to speak at bi-weekly meetings. • Scheduled trip to Atlanta for students to visit agencies and network with professionals. 13
Resume
Claire Potts
309 East Springs Road, Columbia, SC, 29223 (803) 608-6134 • clairepotts@gmail.com
EDUCATION University of South Carolina, School of Mass Communications Major: Advertising Minor: Sociology, Class of 2014 GPA: 3.794
Columbia, SC
WORK EXPERIENCE Student Advertising Manager, The Daily Gamecock - Columbia, SC May 2013 - Present • Coach a staff of 10+ student sales representatives to encourage sales growth, teach sales tactics, motivate staff to reach goals • Introduce sales incentives: Weekly categorial bonuses, Friday “BINGO” games, Margarita incentives for exceeding monthly goal by $5,000 • Responsible for leading staff meetings and corresponding with professional staff to plan and budget for upcoming academic year • Responsible for interviewing and hiring potential sales representatives, creating packages, bundles, and deals for staff to offer to clients • Enforce daily deadlines for space reservation and artwork submission • Train Student Marketing Director on hiring and managing a new staff • Currently preparing a focus group to track freshmen readership rates and involvement with the daily newspaper, mobile app, website, and Twitter Jan 2012 - May 2013 Advertising Account Representative, The Daily Gamecock - Columbia, SC • Maintained relationships with 90+ clients for media consulting and to schedule advertising for multimedia campaigns in a daily newspaper, quarterly magazine, website, and mobile app • Met with clients to prepare and update artwork, pre-schedule advertising, and strategically plan semester-long promotions • Signed seven $1,000 and higher contracts • Exceeded Fall 2012 goal of $78,000 and Spring 2013 goal of $85,000 • Increased territory revenue by 13.5% over year-to-date sales Oct 2013 CreateAthon @ USC - Columbia, SC • Worked with team members to create an all-inclusive, multimedia campaign for Edgefield County Theatre Company, a nonprofit in SC including: new website, template for play production posters, logo redesign, press release package, and social media packaging with instructions for engaging followers to increase online presence • Coached presenters on effective ways to pitch the new campaign • Created sitemap for navigation on the website and wrote copy for posters, press releases, and website content Aug - Dec 2011 Intern, Post No Bills (Creative Agency) - Columbia, SC • Collaborated with account executives on creative marketing strategies for clients including: SC State Fair, TNT Crime Scene Novel Package, Famously Hot New Years Eve celebration • Participated in guerilla marketing for clients and researched Client Relationship Management systems Intern, SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce - Columbia, SC • Maintained membership renewals for the Chamber • Redesigned HTML website for improved navigation and user experience
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May - Aug 2011