20 Under 40 - 1997 Profile: Robert W. Parker, The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, N.Y.

PRESSTIME

By Presstime Magazine

First Published: December 1997

Believe it or not, money is not the only way to motivate salespeople, says Robert W. Parker.

Empower your staff, advises the former advertising director at the Observer-Dispatch in Utica. N.Y., who was recently snatched by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to head its retail-advertising sales. Ongoing training "makes you prepared for any sales situation, even if someone throws you a curve," says Parker, who coached Utica's ad-sales team to a revenue turnaround and new confidence levels.

Ad-staff turnover at the Observer-Dispatch dropped from 52 percent in 1995 to 29 percent in 1996. More tellingly, that staff increased advertising volume by 10 percent and boosted ad frequency by 25 percent in one year.

Empowerment means involving employees in decision making, as Parker did when hiring a classified-ad manager. It also means providing the resources needed to help staff perform. For example, recognizing that his 70 percent-female staff puts in a second shift at home, he added professional house-cleaning and take-out food delivery as bonuses for top sellers.

"Bob did a remarkable job in an exceptionally tough economy. He built market share and grew new business," says Donna M. Donovan, the paper's president and publisher. "I hate to lose him, but I knew it was only a matter of time."

The training evangelist doesn't expect to work miracles as he moves from the 51,388-circulation Observer-Dispatch to the 313,594-circulation Post-Dispatch. "This is not a 'just add water' process," he says. "The staff has to learn to trust you. They'll figure out what talents I have, as I learn [their talents]," he says. "Then we'll go out and kick some butt."