How Elsi Twombly of AMP (Sinclair Green Bay) overcame prospector’s block by shifting from data-heavy selling to creative storytelling with TopLine, turning stalled outreach into a $10K/month win and a stronger, more collaborative client pipeline.
When you step into media sales, nobody hands you a playbook that guarantees success. Every seller knows the grind: cold emails that go unanswered, phone calls that feel like dead ends, and presentations that fall flat. For Elsi Twombly, a Sales and Marketing Specialist at Sinclair’s WLUK-Fox 11 and WCWF-CW14 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that struggle had a name:
“We called it prospector’s block—those moments when you just don’t know how to effectively reach out to potential clients,” she said.
It’s the kind of block every AE, account manager, or seller has hit at some point. But Elsi’s story isn’t about staying stuck. It’s about how she found a way through, and how that shift from selling to storytelling is helping her close meaningful deals and build lasting relationships.
Starting Out in Sales: The Hard Truths
Elsi graduated in December and jumped right into sales at Sinclair. She brought with her a love of broadcast rooted in years of watching Fox 11 and an appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that makes marketing tick.
But being passionate and being effective are two different things. In her first months on the job, she found herself wrestling with the same problem many sellers face:
“I’d sit down to write an email and just freeze. How do I start this conversation in a way that doesn’t feel generic? How do I stand out from every other rep trying to get their attention?”
She’d been there before, back in her days selling college tickets, sending messages that went nowhere. Now, with real revenue goals and clients on the line, the pressure was higher.
That’s when she turned to TopLine.
Tools That Break the Block
TopLine didn’t just give Elsi templates or surface-level talking points. It gave her a way to reframe outreach as something more personal, more creative, and more client-focused.
Heat maps showed her where opportunities existed in the market and helped spark relevant, timely conversations.
SpotOn provided spec creative, including voiceovers, scripts, and ads, that she could bring to life for prospects.
Personality profiles revealed how a prospect preferred to be communicated with, taking the guesswork out of email tone, call openers, and presentation style.
“The personality profile tool helps us understand how prospects like to be communicated with—whether it’s through a certain email tone, call opener, or even how you lay out a presentation,” Elsi explained. “That personalization makes outreach feel less like selling and more like collaborating.”
What had once felt like pulling teeth now became a conversation starter.
SpotOn: Turning Numbers Into Possibilities
Elsi quickly learned that clients don’t get excited by numbers on a page. They get excited by vision.
“SpotOn gives us the right creative spark to get the ball rolling with a prospect,” she said. “Instead of talking CPMs or ratings right away, you’re showing them a concept. It shifts the conversation away from just numbers and immediately gets them thinking about the possibilities.”
One plumbing client stood out in particular. Instead of presenting a spreadsheet of data, Elsi shared a creative spec built with SpotOn.
“The client lit up. They could see themselves in the idea. It wasn’t about me selling them an ad package, but imagining their brand in action.”
That spark created energy that carried through the entire process, from pitch to production.
The Big Win: Lumber
Elsi’s favorite success story so far is with a local Lumber client, a family-owned business in Green Bay. Their goal was simple but ambitious: generate leads for construction projects like decks and renovations.
Armed with TopLine tools, Elsi went in prepared.
“Through the personality profile, I learned exactly how the owner preferred to be communicated with—short, direct, bullet-pointed emails instead of long paragraphs. That little change made a huge difference in how he responded.”
From there, SpotOn took over. Elsi presented a range of creative ideas that brought the vision to life, and the client was sold not on the numbers but on the story.
“We stopped selling and started storytelling. That’s when the deals started closing themselves.”
The result? A $10,000/month new business win. More importantly, a fun, collaborative process that made the client feel like a partner rather than a target.
Shifting the Sales Mindset
For Elsi, this was the turning point. She stopped thinking of her job as pushing ad schedules and started thinking of it as helping clients tell their stories.
“With TopLine, I don’t lead with a rate card. I lead with an idea,” she said. “If I’m not excited about the presentation, they won’t be either. But when I walk in with creative that sparks their imagination, the whole energy changes.”
It’s a lesson that resonates with sellers everywhere: the most effective sales conversations are the ones where you stop selling and start solving.
Balancing Prospecting and Account Management
Elsi also uses TopLine to strengthen relationships with existing clients, not just win new ones.
“For current accounts, I use it to find trends or digital opportunities—like awareness months or hashtags they can use in campaigns. It keeps the relationship fresh and shows them we’re paying attention to what matters in their world.”
This balance of prospecting for new business while deepening ties with current accounts has made her a trusted advisor for her clients.
Why Her Story Resonates
Elsi’s journey is relatable because it mirrors what so many salespeople face, whether they’re selling local broadcast, digital campaigns, or enterprise software:
The struggle to stand out. Inboxes are crowded, calls get ignored, and breaking through feels impossible.
The temptation to default to numbers. Metrics matter, but they rarely inspire. Without a story, data alone won’t sell.
The risk of burning out. When every outreach feels like pushing a boulder uphill, confidence erodes.
Elsi’s success shows there’s another way. By using tools that spark creativity, personalize outreach, and reframe the conversation, sellers can rediscover the fun in the process, and the results follow.
Lessons for Other Sellers
Elsi’s story is rooted in her experience at Sinclair in Green Bay, but the takeaways apply to anyone in sales:
- Turn “prospector’s block” into momentum. Use tools that give you ideas to start the conversation, not just reasons to ask for a meeting.
- Focus on the person, not the pitch. Adapting to a prospect’s communication style builds trust faster than any sales script.
- Lead with vision. Creative sparks like spec ads or visuals get prospects excited about possibilities. Numbers come later.
- Make it collaborative. When clients feel like they’re part of building the campaign, they buy in emotionally and financially.
- Celebrate the wins. Whether it’s a $10K/month deal or helping a family business grow, remember why you started.
A Career Built on Connection
At the heart of it, Elsi’s favorite part of her job isn’t the numbers; it’s the people.
“My favorite part is seeing small or family-owned businesses achieve their goals,” she said. “You start with a pitch, then a commercial shoot, and eventually you see their budgets grow. You feel like you’re part of their story.”
That’s what makes her story resonate with sellers everywhere. Sales isn’t about pushing product. It’s about making connections, solving problems, and telling stories that matter.
“TopLine gave me the confidence and the tools I needed. It turned prospecting from something I dreaded into something I look forward to.”
For Elsi, it’s a mindset shift. And for every seller facing their own version of prospector’s block, it’s proof that there’s a way forward.
Elsi Twombly is a Sales and Marketing Specialist at Sinclair’s WLUK–Fox 11 and WCWF–CW 14 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. A recent college graduate turned broadcast sales pro, Elsi navigates the demands of her role with creativity, strategic insight, and a flair for storytelling. In just a few months, she’s overcome “prospector’s block” and leveraged TopLine tools to secure her first major client. Elsi is passionate about helping small and family-owned businesses grow, using personalized outreach powered by empathy and smart creative.
