If you’re an advertiser, beware. Monica Fresquez is coming for you—and she doesn’t miss.
The Account Executive for HQ is a certified platinum talker. As the former No. 1 sales rep for long-distance carrier MCI’s Bilingual Division and a veteran of the tough-as-nails construction industry, she’s honed her skills in some of the most competitive arenas imaginable.
But amazingly, she’s somehow more impressive than her record suggests.
It’s not just that she has the raw numbers, the client relationships, and a deep well of industry knowledge. She has a way of making arguments irresistible.
The Tiniest Ad
Maybe the most amazing thing about Fresquez’s career in counterculture is that it almost didn’t happen.
In the mid-aughts, she was content doing spec work for a lumber company, but the Great Recession upended the industry. In response, she embarked on a three-month European sojourn, only to find herself missing her husband, her dog, and her bed—in that order.
When she came back to the comforts of home and hearth, she realized she also missed work. That’s when a half-inch ad changed her life.
“I was looking in the newspaper, back when newspapers were relevant, and I saw this really tiny ad. I remember it exactly. It said: ‘Want to make a lot of money and have a lot of fun?’ and there was a local number listed below it. I’d seen those before, but it was always an 800 number, and it was a scam. But this one was local, so I called.”
Within a week, she’d met with HeadQuest founder Roger Kay, who hired her on the spot. Just what did he see in her?
“A heartbeat,” she says. “That’s all they were looking for.”
Learning the Ropes
Kay guided his new sales rep through the industry, and she proved an apt pupil. She soaked up his wisdom and insight, taking his sales strategies to heart and adding lessons from her own experience.
“Roger was a very important person in my life. He was one of a kind. He taught me that you have to be a chameleon, thick-skinned, friendly at all times, even in the face of adversity, and have a smile on your face,” she said. “And also to ask questions about my clients, to take down their wives’ or husbands’ names, their kids’ names, their hobbies, the sports teams they like, what they like to read. Any time they tell you something about themselves, write it down.”
If you need proof that the mentorship paid off, keep reading. You’ll see firsthand how Fresquez delivers the coup de grâce.
“It’s all about being personable and taking a genuine interest in people’s lives. How are you? Not just how are you, but really, how are you? How’s your wife, what are you doing, where are you going on vacation, how was your vacation? My clients are my friends—and my friends don’t tell me no.”
Playing the Game
Sales is a combat sport. There are winners and losers, the stakes are high, and competition comes to play. It naturally attracts a certain personality.
“Sales is sales. I was selling long-distance services. In some ways, that’s tangible, and in other ways, it’s not. Now I’m selling ad space. And you know, Americans want their instant gratification. They want to see an immediate return on their investment. But it doesn’t work that way. I’m always explaining that. A lot of my job is about educating my clients,” she says.
“I have to convince them that it’s worth the wait. And, you know, we have a lot of credibility because we have been around 25 years. And because I’ve been with the same company for almost 15 years, I have some credibility in the industry. Most people know who I am, and they definitely know the magazine. And if they don’t, well, shame on them because you should know who HQ is if you’re in the industry at all.”
When pressed to reveal more of her secrets, Fresquez changes topics. She asks about the reporter’s life, the weather, and the town where he lives. A full conversation develops and meanders before she stops it cold. “Did you see what I did there?” she asks.
Game: Fresquez.
When it Gets Tough
It’s not always that easy. Sophisticated business operators are savvy. Many like to keep the purse strings pulled tight. Some view the whole business as needless. And, as a female ad rep, Fresquez has faced her share of negativity.
But like everything else, the patriarchy tends to go weak in the knees when Fresquez starts talking.
“Not all of my clients like women, and I happen to be one who is . . . not a wallflower. So, I treat them just the way they treat me. I don’t think they necessarily like me, but they respect me,” she says. “I can tell because they’re always trying to offer me a job.”
Deftly navigating the complex currents of international business doesn’t come easy for anyone. But Fresquez has always made a habit of crossing borders and returning home again.
“It’s a fascinating industry on so many levels. I deal with people all over the world, with different cultures and ideas and more. In that aspect, it’s never a dull day,” she says. “I like to travel and go to trade shows. That’s always very interesting. I’ve made friends literally from all over the world. I’ve had clients come to New Mexico and stay at my house.”
And then, of course, there’s sales itself. It’s a game that keeps her coming back.
“It’s the thrill of the kill. It’s the chase,” she says. “Once you get it, when you finally get that sale, it’s euphoric.”
