January 29, 2014 CNBAM Judges, I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Dori Jones since January 2013, when she joined the Vidette sales staff as an Account Executive. After working only one semester at The Vidette, Dori applied, interviewed and was selected as the 2013-2014 Advertising Sales Manager. Over the past year, I have watched Dori grow into an outstanding professional and leader on the Vidette staff. Most of Dori’s success is due to her high level of organization, excellent customer service and communication skills, as well as her ability to build trust and relationships with the other Vidette staff members, and clients. Dori has a strong passion for sales and The Vidette as an organization. She takes a tremendous amount of pride in the work that she does on a daily basis, as well as the other members on staff, and appreciates the sentiment of working at a student-run newspaper or media organization. Dori’s responsibilities as Advertising Sales Manager include recruiting, training and organization of advertising sales personnel, selecting an advertising production manager and overseeing employees in that department, coordinating sales campaigns and special promotions for the newspaper and digital products, maintaining deadlines, dummying the newspaper and formulating incentives in effort to motivate the advertising sales staff. As Advertising Sales Manager, Dori currently manages a team of 12 Account Executives and 8 Graphic Designers. Since June, when Dori officially first took office, her sales team has generated a total of 34 new accounts, totaling nearly $26,000.00 in new revenue. Due to the fact that The Vidette has experienced a significant decrease in spend from some of our largest customers, specifically realty companies, the new accounts and new revenue that Dori’s team has generated have aided in keeping The Vidette as close to budget as possible. She has held her sales team accountable by developing programs that incentivize hard work and the completion of sales activities, especially those focused around phone calls and face-toface visits. She has also gone on countless numbers of visits with new and returning Account Executives to ensure that they are making the calls necessary to be successful, and that they are well prepared and trained to do their job to the best of their abilities. My hope is that you will select Dori for this year’s Advertising Sales Manager of the Year Award. Dori’s high level of professionalism and organization, her maturity, understanding of college media and her nurturing character make her a perfect recipient for the award. Overall, Dori has a wonderful, positive attitude and is an absolute pleasure to work with. She is extremely hard working, motivated, works well in a team environment and is deserving of this award. Thank you for your consideration,
Erika Wilkerson Business Adviser
The Vidette
January 29, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, I first had the honor of meeting Dori Jones in the Spring semester of 2013, when we both started as Account Executives at The Vidette. From the very beginning, Dori excelled. Throughout the initial weeklong training, Dori immediately stuck out as an extremely hard worker. She put in countless hours at the office, scheduled numerous appointments, and formed relationships with clients that to this day are unparalleled by any other account executive. After training, Dori continued to excel in sales, reaching an astounding 178% of her monthly quota within her first semester. Not only was Dori able to increase sales, but immediately gained the respect and acknowledgement of her employees when in March of her first semester, her co-workers ranked her Account Executive of the month for her performance. After her first semester, Dori applied for the position of Advertising Sales Manager. Not only is this the most prestigious position within the advertising department of The Vidette, but also requires an immense amount of time and effort from whomever is chosen. This position is one of the most demanding student jobs on campus, requiring everything from sales training to scheduling. After numerous interviews with the executive board, Dori was chosen to serve in this position for the upcoming year. When Dori became Advertising Sales Manager, The Vidette was going through some very difficult transitions. After over 30 years of publishing 5 papers per week, this would be our first year going down to only 4 papers. In addition, we were made aware the previous year by some of our larger accounts, that they would be cutting back their advertising within the coming year. On top of everything, Dori had the task of keeping such a large, reputable paper alive and operating in an era where newspaper profits are down. During Dori's first semester as manager, I served as a team leader. In this position I aided in assisting Dori with training and motivating employees. Here I saw first-hand just how dedicated Dori was both to the staff, and to the success of The Vidette. I saw her spend countless nights in the office working on different sales techniques in order to better train the staff, often going in the early morning hours of the next day. I saw her sacrifice all of her free time to go on client visits with the account executives, far beyond the amount of hours expected of any Advertising Sales Manager. Dori was consistently creating innovative incentives and awards to motivate employees - incorporating figures such as sales revenue, client visits, phone calls, and many others. Not only did Dori have the task of managing sales and revenues, but also had to deal with many uncontrollable circumstances with clients in her first semester as manager. On one specific instance that I can recall, I had a member on my team who was responsible for handling the account of one of our larger realty companies. Due to poor communication on behalf of this employee, one of the advertisements for this client ran incorrectly, frustrating the client, and in turn jeopardizing The Vidette's relationship with this client. Given the client's anger, I myself was unsure how to handle the situation. Dori instantly acted, handling the situation both professionally and effectively. Dori immediately met with client and apologized on behalf of the The Vidette. From there, she worked with him to figure out a solution to make up for the mistake in the original advertisement. From there, she consistently checked in and met with the employee who had originally made the mistake, and went along with him on visits to the client, making sure that all their needs were met and everything was handled properly. Due to Dori, we have restored our relationship with this client, as they continue to advertise in and support The Vidette. Losing this client would have been detrimental to The Vidette, and without
Dori's quick action to fix the problem, which has been specifically noted by the client, the result would have been devastating. Dori has a passion to improve the staff like no other manager I've ever seen. She's consistently checking in with every employee, both during their office hours, or through text messages or emails. While never sounding threatening, she was always able to encourage and motivate employees just by checking in on their progress with different clients, and offering them suggestions on ways to improve. I myself, was able to see this firsthand. During the last semester I was involved in many activities on campus. While trying to manage both my senior course load, a job, and all my extracurriculars, there were times I myself would make mistakes, or be late to the office. While Dori and I have always been co-workers, her concern for me as an employee reached beyond anything expected by an average manager. I specifically remember her sitting me down, addressing the problem of me being late, and making it clear that this would not be tolerated nor acceptable. But after that, expressed how she wanted to help me, and expressed her confidence in my abilities to do my job. She then offered her own time to help me go on client visits, help me better organize my time, and offered me multiple suggestions on how to handle everything I had going on. Not only is Dori concerned about raising revenues and increasing profits, but also about the well-being and personal growth of her own employees. Her dedication to her staff, is like no other manager I have ever had. She truly cares about each specific employee and sacrifices her own time to help better them. In conclusion, after witnessing Dori first-hand as an account executive, and then later serving as the sales manager, I can wholeheartedly say there is no better applicant for the award of Best Advertising Sales Manager. Even when Dori was given a task that seemed almost impossible, she managed to motivate, encourage, and train a staff to continue the legacy that The Vidette has had for over 100 years. She's cultivated a much higher professional atmosphere in the office - such as by requiring business casual be worn during staff meetings - while also increasing the sense of family that The Vidette has, by constantly scheduling Vidette socials, movies nights, and employee gatherings outside the office. While no one can predict the outcome of what could have been, without Dori, I truly believe The Vidette would have suffered over this past school year. The amount of passion, time, and effort that Dori Jones has poured into The Vidette is unmatched by any other employee within the building. As a Marketing/Professional-Sales major myself, I only hope that one day I can have half the passion, concern for my employees, and dedication to my job as Dori Jones. Thanks, Isaiah Roberts
January 29, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, As a student leader at The Vidette, I believe that the newspaper industry is not dying, but it is dynamically changing. My goal this past year was to create a positive change. I no longer saw myself as a “manager”, but I saw myself as a “leader”. I strive to lead the staff by example, with a strong work ethic and a positive attitude. My personal philosophy is that I would never ask my staff to do something I wouldn’t do or haven’t done in the past. As a staff, we call ourselves a “Vidette family” because of our closeness. I believe in The Vidette as an organization and my goal is to graduate from Illinois State knowing that I made a difference. When applying for the Advertising Sales Manager position I was terrified. Could I really learn to manage my peers? Would I be able to lead our sales staff to increase revenues? At the 2013 CNBAM San Diego Conference, I gathered a lot of useful resources from speakers and colleagues; I made connections with other college newspaper sales representatives, and was able to bring invaluable ideas back to the office. My passion for bettering the future of The Vidette grew tremendously. If you look at my productivity records, sales to date are unfortunately down, but I truly believe the positive attitude in the office is immeasurable. The Account Executive job is far more than just a part-time job for the students. Working at The Vidette is where students are finding out their true passions and they are developing into young professionals. In the past year, I have had the pleasure of leading 2 full semesters of 12 Account Executives. By far the most rewarding part of my job is watching each individual grow professionally and personally. As a leader, I believe respect is a two-way street. I entrust a number of responsibilities to my team leaders and I have full faith in them. I would not be as successful as I am today without the structure here at The Vidette. I am excited to continue on with The Vidette during my senior year and see it grow even more. I am thankful for The Vidette family and everything it has done for me, professionally and personally. Thanks, Dori Jones
Advertising Sales Manager
The Vidette Cell: (708) 610-0097 Fax: (309) 438-5211 E-mail: dv_dljone2@ilstu.edu
Appendix
1. Advertising Sales Manager Job Description 2. Productivity Records 3. Resume
Advertising Sales Manager Job Description
Coordinating sales and promotion activities: The advertising sales manager will coordinate sales campaigns and promotions in order to create interest in the community for The Vidette and to increase sales. Examples of these activities include: hand delivering supplements, creating tailgating activities, running creative house ads, involving students by passing out promotional items, etc…
Monitor and supervise members of sales staff: On a daily basis, the advertising sales manager will interact with staff members as well as the business advisor. They will check the advertising reports and help to educate the staff on sales tips. The ad sales manager will keep track of the staffs points and dollar quotas and help each staff member to achieve their goals.
Recruit, train and organize advertising sales personnel: Each semester, the advertising sales manager will create a recruitment campaign in order to hire new marketing consultants. This will include running house ads, setting up tables, hosting an open house, and anything else in order to create awareness. They will interview and make the final decision in hiring marketing consultants, as well as the advertising production manager. They will then create a training program in order to prepare their marketing consultants to interact with clients. The advertising sales manger will also be responsible to put staff members on probation or termination.
Achieve advertising sales deadline and dummy the newspaper: The advertising sales manager is in charge of making sure the staff reaches the financial goals set for each month. They will work with each staff member to make sure this goal is obtained. They will share the responsibility with the business advisor to blueline the paper on a daily basis.
Formulate sales incentives for the advertising sales staff In order to motivate the staff members, the advertising sales manger will create sales incentives for the staff members. For example, creating trade agreements with local businesses to use as prizes for staff members, and creating games to keep the staff involved. The advertising sales manager will work with the business manager to set a budget for sales incentives.
Attend and orchestrate meetings The advertising sales manager will have to attend monthly publication board meetings and weekly manager meetings. They may also have to meet with clients if certain circumstances arise. They will coordinate weekly sales staff meetings and meet with their team leaders on a weekly basis as well.
Stay up to date with revenue growth opportunities With the newspaper industry advancing dramatically, it is vital that the Ad Sales Manager understand and practice sales development
Productivity Records
Month
2012/2013 Academic Year
2013/2014 Academic Year
Summer
$32,925.05
$23,255.97
August
$73,987.15
$58,572.89
September
$141,517.96
$110,836.01
October
$116,365.58
$71,009.95
November
$46,913.26
$21,677.53
December
$22,950.00
$16,588.62
New Accounts in fall 2013: 18
Dori L. Jones 8600 W. 144th Place Orland Park, IL 60462
(708) 610-0097 dljone2@ilstu.edu
Education
Illinois State University Bachelor of Science in Marketing with Sales Sequence Expected Graduation: May 2015
Normal, IL
Experience
Illinois State University – The Vidette Normal, IL Advertising Sales Manager August 2013-Present Recruit, select, train, and supervise a sales team of 14 Account Executives Manage and lead a national award-winning advertising sales staff of 14 students with total expected annual sales that exceed $700,000 Develop incentive programs and goals to ensure success of individual staff members and staff as a whole Supervise a staff that has obtained 27 new accounts in a span of 6 months, totaling $25,546.02 in new revenue for the 2013 summer and fall semesters Work with my business advisor and staff to evaluate training and programming and improve retention Act as a liaison between The Vidette’s Advertising Production and Advertising Sales staff Implement innovative sources of revenue in digital and print media Marketing Consultant January 2013-May 2013 Responsible for prospecting, preparing proposals and speculative ads and maintaining client relationships Maintained sustained sales activities; phone calls, marketing letters, appointments, and assessments Generated 2 new accounts during the spring 2013 semester Ranked number 1 out of 14 on The Vidette sales staff for total inches sold and points earned in March 2013 Achieved 178% of my assigned quota in March 2013 Illinois State University Telefund Center Normal, IL Caller II August 2012-December 2012 Caller I November 2011-May 2012 Caller Trainee October 2011-November 2012 Responsible for driving monetary gifts from Illinois State University alumni to support Illinois State University’s College of Business Ensured that clients were knowledgeable on current events related to both Illinois State University students and the Bloomington-Normal community Ranked as a Top 5 Caller on the ISU Telefund Center staff for total dollars raised Influenced over 500 Illinois State University alumni to impact academia with their donation Ended my career at ISU Telefund Center raising over $20,000 for the College of Business Jewel-Osco Front-end Cashier Front-end Bagger Provided quality and timely customer services to Jewel shoppers Consistently maintained an accurate till Conducted product demonstrations in effort to increase sales Marketed and promoted customer engagement with Jewel’s Preferred Card Services
Orland Park, IL August 2012-Present October 2009-July 2012
Achievements
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Certificate of Award: Award of honor for citizenship, scholarship, and attendance in May 2007 Cook County Sheriff Youth Service Medal of Honor Award: For outstanding spirit of volunteerism in November 2009 Jewel-Osco: Scholarship recipient in summer of 2012 The Vidette: Earned Sales Representative of the month in March 2013 Nominated to attend College Newspaper Business & Advertising Manager (CNBAM) workshop in San Diego, California in spring 2013 College Newspaper Business & Advertising Manager (CNBAM) Fellowship: Nominated to attend College Newspaper Business & Advertising Manager (CNBAM) workshop in Austin, Texas in spring 2014 Worked with the Vice President in Convention Planning while assisting in a variety of roles during the convention including assisting in developing copy for the program, introducing session speakers, vendor setup, and other hospitality duties