This week’s Peeps of the Web profiles Shane Norman, Manager of Interactive Sales & Marketing for New York Fox television stations. Shane shares with us his thoughts about the current state of interactive sales and tips on how he overcomes them. Enjoy!

BlackWeb2.0: Tell us a little about your background?
Shane Norman: Well I started in print in college… I restarted a college newspaper in St. Louis at Maryville University. It was a respectable venture and I have always been endeared to media. In high school I launched an in-house television program with fellow students. I moved back to Memphis after 2 years in St. Louis to finish up my degree in Philosophy at Rhodes College. I worked a few odds and ends jobs until I started working for a local Spanish newspaper called “La Prensa Latina.” After a fairly successful run, I was presented with the opportunity to work for the historic Tri-State Defender. At both of these newspapers, I sold advertising.
Shane Norman: I stayed in sales and after college joined the NBC affiliate in Memphis, TN as an account executive this is what really began my career. I had the opportunity to go out generate new business, and for a time I was pretty successful…
Shane Norman: When my “success” ran out, I left the company to go on the mission field for what I thought would be a year, but only turned out to be 5 months in the Dominican Republic. I came back to no job, and no money to start my own business. Fast forward… my agency was catapulted by one of my former TV clients, one who had garnered a lot of success with the work I had previously done for him. This was an Inc500 Fastest Growing Companies in America class of 2005. My agency placed their advertising, created commercials and maintained websites and I served in a semi-full time roll as the Director of Marketing.
BlackWeb2.0: Wow that is a lot! I bet you were busy!
Shane Norman: Very. We launched a national trade publication; The Review of Allergy as well as national ophthalmic organization called SOSA, all under my watch and direction. Fast forward again, I had established strong relationships with all of the TV stations, particularly FOX and heard of the progress that NewsCorp was making towards internet development; particularly investment in local websites. I found myself ‘landlocked’ in my business ventures. I was stretched as could be, and couldn’t ‘grow’ anymore than I already had.  But I was getting married, and needed to consider my future financial outlook. So I interviewed and signed on with FOX to what has been an incredible career.
BlackWeb2.0: So how long have you been at Fox?
Shane Norman: 3 years in June.
BlackWeb2.0: What is your role there and what is a typical day like for you?
Shane Norman: June of 2006, I started out as the Internet Sales Manager in Memphis, and made several innovations that helped shaped how we do business…
There I sold the local websites in conjunction with TV schedules…
but did so by creating new platforms such as the 60 Second Test Drive, and other interactive programs… I not only sold new platforms, but created them…
Shane Norman: Fortunately/unfortunately there is not typical day. I spend a lot of my time in creative development, coming up with new ideas, and pitching them to clients.
BlackWeb2.0: LOL
Shane Norman: After a successful run in Memphis, I was called to New York by people who had become familiar with my work. So NOW I manage the interactive sales efforts for the Fox Stations here in New York (WNYW/WWOR). I’ll give you the best example of what I do. I realized the sales potential of cross platform traffic sponsorship, so I created and launched NYTrafficAuthority.com. It’s an online site, a mobile site and part of what we use on air… We were able to secure a sizable investment for something that started as just an idea of mine…
BlackWeb2.0: Very cool
BlackWeb2.0: Sizable investment in terms of revenue generated from the site?
Shane Norman: Yes. It’s all about building and creating value… the extent of your ability.
BlackWeb2.0: With the decline of the economy what unexpected hurdles have you come across when selling? Any tips for over coming those?
Shane Norman: Great question. I’m just now starting to see the hurdles that I think some others have… but it goes back to my days to selling at the newspapers I told you about…
Shane Norman: I came up with a saying then that “It’s difficult to sell dirt”
Meaning that I can’t sit in front of you and pitch something that you and I both believe doesn’t have any value. Sellers in this economy must prove and validate the value of what they are presenting…More than ever, specifically in the online world, we will have to ‘prove’ our value. That’s challenging, because it naturally puts you on the defensive. Realizing the fact, you start off with that mindset rather than reacting to it.
BlackWeb2.0: Right but isn’t it hard to sell regardless if people just don’t have money to spend on advertising?
Shane Norman: Absolutely. It makes the opportunities that you have that much more critical. Instead of just moving on to the next prospect, you have to make sure the one you thought was dead cannot be resuscitated. I came up with a saying last week that you can be the first to break:
“My job is to make money, not excuses”
BlackWeb2.0: We have spoken a lot about the industry and what you do, lets get to some fun questions!
BlackWeb2.0: Top 3 sites you visit daily?
Shane Norman: foxnews.com, nytimes.com, myfoxny.com
BlackWeb2.0: In your opinion most valuable metric (pv’s, uniques, etc.)?
Shane Norman: At this time I’d have to say time spent. Pageviews & Uniques can give you a false sense of success…I really think the best evaluation that can be made would be a combination of how many people visit the site, how long did they stay, and how often do the comeback.
BlackWeb2.0: Best time for work, early riser or night owl?
Shane Norman: I used to be a night owl. But with two kids, all of that changed.
BlackWeb2.0: LOL, I hear ya!
BlackWeb2.0: Ok, last one…
BlackWeb2.0: Most listened to playlist in your iPod?
Shane Norman: I have a collection of what I call Hype Gospel (Canton Jones, Kirk Franklin etc.)
BlackWeb2.0: Cool!
BlackWeb2.0: Thanks for taking the time to chat w/ us!
Shane Norman: Anytime, thanks for having me!