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Convincing Clients to Do Radio Right With Peer Selling
Ever try to convince clients to do something on the air that’s out of their comfort zone, different from what their competition is doing, just a little bit adventurous? If you’ve been mostly successful at this, stop reading and call me immediately. If you’ve had some challenges in this area, here’s an approach that may work.
I call it “peer selling.” All the arguments an agency creative director, writer, radio salesperson, production director, or independent producer can muster will not be nearly as powerful as what their industry peers tell them, directly or indirectly.
Playing them examples of what their peers around the country are doing can encourage them to take the plunge and try a new approach to their advertising. Success stories from similar advertisers, spots from leaders in their field, especially from those comparable in size, location and target demographics can go a long way in breaking down the walls of resistance to change.
Put together spot compilations for various categories and make them part of your selling arsenal. The more you can get an advertiser to step out and be different, the more successful their radio can be.
Let ‘em hear what their contemporaries are doing. Sometimes that’s just what they need to give themselves ‘permission” to step out of the box. A little peer pressure can go a long way.
It was peers who convinced Jeffrey Hedquist to start creating radio commercials. It is
peers who can get him to stop. Contact him at Hedquist Productions, Inc. P.O. Box 1475 Fairfield, IA 52556. Phone 641-472-6708, Fax 641-472-7400, email jeffrey@hedquist.com or visit http://www.hedquist.com for more ideas and
samples.
© 1997-2010 Hedquist Productions, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tags: Hedquist”, advertising, commercials, copywriting, radio, sales, “Jeffrey
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Neil Holmes on -
Jeffery;
I think this is an outstanding idea, but I am a little uneasy at the same time. What are your suggestions when the prospect hears a spot from another market and decides to change the name and address, but run the same spot? How do you recommend dealing with copyright issues? And how about creating spots for the clients that reflect local traditions and idiosyncrasies?
Thanks for the great ideas!
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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Hedquist on -
Neil,
Good questions. The purpose of peer selling is not to sell the client on using a script done by someone else, it's to get them to open up to possibilities, to see the bold, outrageous, subtle, or innovative marketing being done by their peers. You still may get, "Well it won't work in our market. We're too big, small, sophisticated, urban, rural, etc." You may also hear, "Great idea. Let's do that commercial!"
In either case, you as their trusted marketing advisor, should point out the principles behind the commercials, suggest which principles would work in their specific market, for their store, their audience and their promotion, and offer to craft a custom message for them. Point out that simply co-opting a spot used in another situation may very well not work, in addition to being illegal.
For example, when we resell "Hedquist Hot Campaigns," which are successful campaigns we've created for advertisers in specific markets, we try to match the right client with the right campaign, and we rewrite the copy to work with the specifics of the new client. Just plugging in the new name doesn't often work.
I hope that helps clarify what peer selling can do.
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