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Offer Creative Alternatives

Once you have an understanding of why the client wants to cancel, help them explore alternatives to the cancellation process. For example, the reason for the ad cancellation is often simply a matter of a looming art deadline, a budget short-fall, or even a traveling staff member. The questions you ask can help you get to the bottom of things. Knowing what you're dealing with, your policy or plan of action can then provide suitable options that don't involve cancellation. It's amazing how many ad cancellations can be avoided by granting an extra day or two to submit creative, offering a payment plan that allows advertising cost to be spread out over some time, or sending an email to the traveling staff member. Keep in mind, the best options are not provided on the fly; be sure that your cancellation policy provides your sales reps with alternative options to suggest.

Stand Your Ground

A cancellation policy provides your sales team with something to stand behind. Several of my cancellation inquiries have ended with a one word answer: "No." Politely explain that your association's advertising policy will not allow you accept cancellations. Let the policy itself be "the bad guy." Beware of the all-too-common promise from advertisers to make it up to you in the future. For example, an advertiser trying to back out of a contract may say: "We want to pull out now, so we can start again next year," or "If we are not allowed to pull our advertising, we will no longer be doing business with your publication." Neither of the comments should deter your team from sticking to the cancellation policy; after all, there may never be a "next year" for this client's advertising, and sadly, that is often the case. Most importantly, expand your sales team's comfort level with the cancellation policy by explaining why it is in the best interest of the publication. At the end of the day, the sales person's business responsibility should remain with the association he or she sells for‹not the advertiser looking to cancel.

Don't Take it Personally

No matter what the cancellation situation might be, try not to take it personally. Once you have explained the publication's cancellation policy and explored all options with the client, it is time to politely end the conversation. Make a graceful exit. (Role-playing can help your sales team practice its technique.) Building relationships is an important part of any association's mission, and keeping this fact in mind will help you deal with an attempted ad cancellation as just another part of the job. With an established cancellation policy backed by a well-prepared sales team, the advertising relationships you have fostered can be protected, nurtured, and based on mutual respect for years to come.

Sean Soth is a vice president, sales, of Network Media Partners.