The A-Suite: Unlocking self-awareness to drive ad sales

The A-Suite concept empowers sellers to navigate objections, respond to cues and build trust with clients by bridging the gap between self-awareness and effective communication.”

Richard E. Brown, director of engagement growth and innovation, Wisconsin Watch

I love the dynamics of the news media world, especially interactions and communication with people on various levels. Over time, I’ve learned that these interactions offer valuable insights into sellers’ strengths and how to leverage them effectively. I’ve always found this compelling and crucial because understanding and leveraging individual strengths can significantly boost performance for a revenue development organization. After years of observing numerous sellers, sales teams and managers grapple with traditional personality profile tools, I realized a more straightforward, actionable concept was needed.

This led me to develop the A-Suite, a concept tailored for sales environments. Drawing from my experiences managing and training sellers and general principles from established profiling tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and DISC assessment, I identified four primary profiles — the Aggressor, the Analyst, the Actor and the Ally. I wanted an outline that salespeople could quickly use to identify strengths and areas for improvement, not only for themselves but also in understanding the business owners and decision-makers they work with. This concept enhances client communication, driving higher conversion rates and improving team dynamics and sales outcomes.

Developing the A-Suite concept tailored for sales environments was a natural progression in sales development. I recognized the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence in news media sales, which are key yet often overlooked traits for top-performing sellers, and aimed to provide sellers with a simple yet powerful toolkit for self-reflection and introspection.  The A-Suite concept empowers sellers to navigate objections, respond to cues and build trust with clients by bridging the gap between self-awareness and effective communication. While traditional profiling tools offer valuable insights, their complexity may sometimes be challenging to apply directly in sales contexts for sales leaders. The A-Suite concept distills key traits from these models and enables sales professionals to identify strengths and communicate effectively, ultimately leading to successful sales.

The Aggressor

The Aggressor embodies assertiveness, drive and goal orientation, wielding the ability to swiftly close deals with their high energy and direct communication. However, their forthright demeanor can sometimes border on pushiness, potentially alienating clients. Balancing assertiveness with empathy is critical, ensuring their communication remains concise yet considerate, ultimately bolstering trustworthiness and effectiveness in sales.

The Analyst

The Analyst is meticulous, data-driven and methodical, excelling in preparation and leveraging credibility through information. Yet, their penchant for detail can lead to analysis paralysis and hinder decisive action. Simplifying presentations and enhancing decisiveness can amplify their communication effectiveness, enabling them to substantiate their points succinctly while fostering rapport with analytical decision-makers.

The Actor

The Actor is charismatic, persuasive and adaptable, masterfully building rapport and engaging audiences with their emotional intelligence. However, their tendency towards inconsistency may dilute their message. Grounding presentations in solid information and maintaining consistency in delivery can reinforce the impact of their pitches, ensuring alignment with communication objectives and value propositions.

The Ally

Finally, the Ally embodies empathy, support and relationship focus, cultivating strong client relationships akin to trusted advisers. Yet, their aversion to “asking for the sale” may hinder closing deals, risking passivity or over-accommodation. Balancing empathy with assertiveness and leveraging automated processes for closing deals can empower Allies to navigate the sales process confidently and capitalize on their strengths of building lasting client partnerships.

Implementing the A-Suite concept in real-life scenarios within news media ad sales and revenue development teams can significantly enhance performance. Conduct internal team self-assessments and small training programs so sellers can identify their personality profile, fostering ownership and self-reflection on their strengths and communication styles. Practicing tailored communication tactics equips team members to approach opportunities with confidence. Guiding sellers through questions helps them understand how their dominant traits manifest in their sales approach, empowering them to communicate effectively.

As a sales or revenue development leader, understanding and leveraging the diverse profiles within your team — including recognizing each profile’s strengths and weaknesses — is invaluable for fostering a cohesive departmental culture and driving higher rates of closed sales. Applicable examples or case studies showcasing the successful navigation of sales conversations by different personality profiles provide additional valuable insight into the practical application of the A-Suite concept. Fostering self-awareness and emotional intelligence through the A-Suite framework enables sales teams to enhance communication, improve performance and excel in the competitive landscape of news media ad sales.

The A-Suite concept serves as a tailored tool born from personal experiences and offers invaluable insights into the diverse profiles of sellers in news media ad sales. Each profile within the A-Suite framework holds significant value, with specific strengths that should not be overlooked. Encouraging your team to recognize and embrace their strengths sets the stage for a dynamic group of sellers equipped with a strong foundation in emotional intelligence and a heightened level of comfort in their natural styles. By harmonizing the skill sets of different individuals, we can elevate the vibrancy and effectiveness of our revenue departments. Ultimately, sales thrive when we understand ourselves and each other, cultivating a culture of trust and forward momentum, resulting in unparalleled synergy and success.

Richard E. Brown is a monthly columnist for Editor & Publisher and contributing writer for Digital Content Next. He currently serves as director of engagement growth and innovation for Wisconsin Watch. Previously, he held positions at LPi, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gannett and The Daily Beast. He also serves on the foundation board for the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, is a coach for emerging news leaders for CUNY and is a member of NABJ-Milwaukee.