From kimmy henglefelt: I wonder why would they risk their sales team when they are doing their job! Is it greed? Unappreciated? Taken for granted?
From Mj Hart: Something similar happened at our stations. We used to get a flat 20% on both agency and loca... moreFrom kimmy henglefelt: I wonder why would they risk their sales team when they are doing their job! Is it greed? Unappreciated? Taken for granted?
From Mj Hart: Something similar happened at our stations. We used to get a flat 20% on both agency and local. Then we got a 10% paycut in 2009. That changed to commission to 18%. Then our agency commission got knocked down to 9% about 5 years ago. Cost savings for the station. Not good for morale especially since we have two sales people who are the pillars of revenue for the station that have been here 9+ years bringing in the majority of $. But.... the pennies get pinched where they can to keep the doors open. less
From Mj Hart: We probably get at least 1 a week. It used to be our salespeople took turns getting them. Now the station owner takes all of them and does not give them to our salespeople.
New Owners can do whatever they want if they change the companies legal entity. You are know working for a different company and have to play by the new company rules,etc.
Non-compete agreements have to be able to stand up in court and what's enforc... moreNew Owners can do whatever they want if they change the companies legal entity. You are know working for a different company and have to play by the new company rules,etc.
Non-compete agreements have to be able to stand up in court and what's enforceable varies from state to state. Usually they are used more as an intimidation to prevent good people from leaving. I once had a G.M. who had everyone sign a 90 day one-way non-compete. If you left, you were prohibited from working for a competitor for 90 days. However, if you were fired, you were welcome to work across the street right away.
Companies can change compensation anytime they want, depending on what they have in writing in your personal employment agreement.
All that being said....
The new owners need to make money and sometimes they make demoralizing decisions. That happens without ownership changes too. Years ago, I had my most successful year ever (at the time) so the next year, they ... less
We get them on a regular basis, at least weekly is my guess, since I am not the manager who screens them. Our station has been around over 90 years and has a good reputation.
Our GSM then decides who on his staff is best qualified to handle the lead... moreWe get them on a regular basis, at least weekly is my guess, since I am not the manager who screens them. Our station has been around over 90 years and has a good reputation.
Our GSM then decides who on his staff is best qualified to handle the lead. He also knows that not all call ins (or emails) are qualified, so he's looking to see who will really flesh it out.
He also "rewards those that help themselves". Meaning sales people who are creating their own leads and signing new clients. less
Every couple of weeks we'll get some here and there. I get a couple qualifying question and info out of the way and I pass them to the appropriate sales person.
Fri at 12:46 PM
Rod SchwartzGreat angle for talking to prospects: radio is the medium of choice for reaching the *employed* - people who have money to spend.
By Andrew Curran, President and COO, DMR/Interactive BIA Advisory Services reports that in 2017, revenue for AM/FM radio “experienced a 0.2% drop from 2016 to end the year at $13.87 billion.” This…
Like Bob said - check your state laws before signing ANYTHING.
Here's an unanswered question - does 'anonymous' already have a signed contract with the outgoing ownership? Generally speaking, new owners have to honour the contracts they inheri... moreLike Bob said - check your state laws before signing ANYTHING.
Here's an unanswered question - does 'anonymous' already have a signed contract with the outgoing ownership? Generally speaking, new owners have to honour the contracts they inherit when they take over. Otherwise, by that same measure, any long-term contract clients can sever their agreements without repercussion. Or are the new owners going to go to all of the station's existing clients and tell them they've nullified (aka breached) their existing contracts with the station and will be changing the terms to, say, hike their rates by 15% and include a clause that they can't advertise with any competing station in the market? (Yes, we've seen competitors offer 'exclusive' rates on the condition they don't advertise with us during the contract period, it's sleazy, but it's out there. And yes, every one of them has come back to us after it was up!)
They may not have any legal grounds to cut the commission you are receiving,... less
This is a fairly typical scenario when new owners come in. Cut overhead by reducing expenses. I'm sure the sales manager did not want to do it but had no choice. And it's obvious that the new owners are not worried about finding someone else to do the job... moreThis is a fairly typical scenario when new owners come in. Cut overhead by reducing expenses. I'm sure the sales manager did not want to do it but had no choice. And it's obvious that the new owners are not worried about finding someone else to do the job for less. As to non-competes, check your state employment laws. If you did not have one in place prior to new ownership, in most states, they cannot force you to sign a non-compete agreement as a condition on continued employment.
Fri at 7:24 AM
Robert VillonesDo it for your self..Do it for your family...Do it for your best guy or gal...Just do it!
Happy Friday, everyone!
Sales trainers Phil Bernstein and Mike Brooks both discuss how to handle call-in leads, emphasizing the importance of not missing key steps in the sales process because the customer has called you first. Click below to read th... moreHappy Friday, everyone!
Sales trainers Phil Bernstein and Mike Brooks both discuss how to handle call-in leads, emphasizing the importance of not missing key steps in the sales process because the customer has called you first. Click below to read their articles:
Converting Call-ins: Don't Miss the Lay-up - by Phil Bernstein
The Proper Way to Handle a Call-in Lead - by Mike Brooks
So for this week's question, we'd like to know:
How often does your station get call-ins from businesses interested in radio advertising? How does your team handle these calls?
Looking forward to reading your answers! less
Fri at 1:28 AM
Mj Hart
We probably get at least 1 a week. It used to be our salespeople took turns getting them. Now the station owner takes all of them and does not give them to our salespeople.
An RSC member who wishes to remain anonymous would like to know what you think of this scenario:
The station for which the member works recently changed hands. When the sales manager - who had been with the station for a long time - took over, certain thi... moreAn RSC member who wishes to remain anonymous would like to know what you think of this scenario:
The station for which the member works recently changed hands. When the sales manager - who had been with the station for a long time - took over, certain things were changed, one of which was that commissions made by the sales reps were docked to 15%, down from 20%.
Keep in mind that two reps had been there for years, one of them for nearly ten years. And one of the sales reps had had a record year the year before.
The RSC member would like to know if this is any sort of "normal" practice, to risk losing salespeople over, and added that the sales reps were told they had to sign a non-compete clause when the station changed hands.
What do you think? Please share your feedback! less
Fri at 12:04 AM
kimmy henglefelt
I wonder why would they risk their sales team when they are doing their job! Is it greed? Unappreciated? Taken for granted?
Fri at 6:42 AM
Mj HartSomething similar happened at our stations. We used to get a flat 20% on both agency and local. Then we got a 10% paycut in 2009. That changed to commission to 18%. Then our agency commission got knocked down to 9% about 5 years ago. Cost savings for... moreSomething similar happened at our stations. We used to get a flat 20% on both agency and local. Then we got a 10% paycut in 2009. That changed to commission to 18%. Then our agency commission got knocked down to 9% about 5 years ago. Cost savings for the station. Not good for morale especially since we have two sales people who are the pillars of revenue for the station that have been here 9+ years bringing in the majority of $. But.... the pennies get pinched where they can to keep the doors open.
From kimmy henglefelt: I wonder why would they risk their sales ... moreFrom kimmy henglefelt: I wonder why would they risk their sales team when they are doing their job! Is it greed? Unappreciated? Taken for granted?
From Mj Hart: Something similar happened at our stations. We used to get a flat 20% on both agency and local. Then we got a 10% paycut in 2009. That changed to commission to 18%. Then our agency commission got knocked down to 9% about 5 years ago. Cost savings for the station. Not good for morale especially since we have two sales people who are the pillars of revenue for the station that have been here 9+ years bringing in the majority of $. But.... the pennies get pinched where they can to keep the doors open. less
From Mj Hart: We probably get at least 1 a week. It used to be o... moreFrom Mj Hart: We probably get at least 1 a week. It used to be our salespeople took turns getting them. Now the station owner takes all of them and does not give them to our salespeople.
New Owners can do whatever they want if they change the companie... moreNew Owners can do whatever they want if they change the companies legal entity. You are know working for a different company and have to play by the new company rules,etc.
Non-compete agreements have to be able to stand up in court and what's enforceable varies from state to state. Usually they are used more as an intimidation to prevent good people from leaving. I once had a G.M. who had everyone sign a 90 day one-way non-compete. If you left, you were prohibited from working for a competitor for 90 days. However, if you were fired, you were welcome to work across the street right away.
Companies can change compensation anytime they want, depending on what they have in writing in your personal employment agreement.
All that being said....
The new owners need to make money and sometimes they make demoralizing decisions. That happens without ownership changes too. Years ago, I had my most successful year ever (at the time) so the next year, they ... less
We get them on a regular basis, at least weekly is my guess, sin... moreWe get them on a regular basis, at least weekly is my guess, since I am not the manager who screens them. Our station has been around over 90 years and has a good reputation.
Our GSM then decides who on his staff is best qualified to handle the lead. He also knows that not all call ins (or emails) are qualified, so he's looking to see who will really flesh it out.
He also "rewards those that help themselves". Meaning sales people who are creating their own leads and signing new clients. less
Every couple of weeks we'll get some here and there. I get... moreEvery couple of weeks we'll get some here and there. I get a couple qualifying question and info out of the way and I pass them to the appropriate sales person.
