Thank you for your concern My place faired ok. I have none of that experience either! I do call on clients that no one else is calling on, or at least I think I am and then I come to find out that someone has called or is calling. It has been a bit tough. One of my biggest walls I have been running into is my marketplace north guy has been calling a ton of people! Once he calls on someone, it's pretty much over for straight cash. It is a trade type thing. I don't mind messing with the little budgets. I like to nickel and dime it, and it's nice to help them build their business and create the relationships. It's just with the cost of our stations It is hard to get something to work for a budget less than $500.
If you have tips on how to work with a $200 a month budget, please let me know!!!
Thanks for the website, and all the advice is appreciated!
You MUST always give the prospect a reason to want to talk with you. For example, look at your total listening audience and pick a well known venue in your city that your audience will more than fill up. Ask the prospect, "If I could put you in front of a sold out crowd at the Fox Theatre would you be interested in talking to me? What if I could do that twice a day every day for a year?"
You are not in the advertising business. You are in the problem solving business. Solve a problem the customer has and you will become a hero - an indespensible resource. The more you talk about advertising the less you will sell. Advertising is simply a means to accomplish the customer's goals.
Don't be afraid to think big and ask for big dollars. You are the expert. Tell the customer what they need and why and show them the ROI. When people say no it's because they're not convinced the ROI is there.
If you're willing to take trade, the customer will look at you as some one not deserving a piece of their cash budget. I learned this the hard way. Now, I never include trade without a significant cash investment. Then, it just helps get a signature.
I like this, Jack.
I am going to do this. It makes sense for a Radio Rookie such as I.
HAH!! I absolutely LOVE when someone tries to tell me another station has a rock bottom rate. I just tell them you get what you pay for. There is always a reason when someone sells ANYTHING for below market rate. The quality isn't there, the listeners aren't there, the service is not there, you name it. Believe in your product and your listeners buying power and rate becomes a non-issue!
Thanks!!
This is more simple than you would imagine.
Step one, get everyone's "list"
Step 2, go to your retail district and go into every business no one wants
Step 3, go see every dentist in your market
Now, start educating yourself. Search google for information. But when you do your searches, do them as if you are THAT business looking for help. "How do I market my dental practice" etc. This way you get the words! From that start looking at what you can do with that information to start the conversation. Does your station have a CNA form? Start filling it out BEFORE you get there. Know what you are going to say before you walk in the door.
If your company is giving you lousy sales training, go to youtube.com and enter radio sales training for a search. You'll find help.
Remember too that "Rate" is a throwaway objection... like "We rely on word of mouth", "We don't need any more customers", etc. Acknowledge the objection and get back to the point. Ex: You get the rate objection. "That's great. I am glad they can sell for that. But in terms of us meeting your ROI by selling 3 more snow shovels a week, we need to concentration on the message that will get people to think of YOU first when THEY need a snow shovel. Remember, they don't care about you or your store, they care about their needs which is why............".
I tell the sellers I train that when you get hit with a rate or other throw away objection, what they are telling you is that they do not believe your idea will help them reach their objectives.
I have started working on the dds-es here! I have 1 proposal out and working to get more CNA's. Still working to build my list from scratch. I am working with a down right snake which is kind of a pain. I have 2 months until I am off of salary, and that is very scary to me because I need to be billing $12000, and am barely hitting $5500! That's $7000 more dollars if that snake doesn't steal away anymore my account to put onto marketplace!
Thanks for the advice!!
Kyla
Well where do we start...have you got a sales manager would be my first question? second is do you have a training program? and thirdly...welcome to radio sales.
1. prospects with outstanding proposals- call them up and ask for the business
2. call your 52 weeker and ask for a testimonial and if he/she can recommend you to 5 of their business friends that might need advertising
3. Go to all the old reps and asked for all of the clients they do not want anymore.
4. Keep joined up with RSC
5. Read anything on sales by Dan Kennedy
6. Listen to advice from experienced sales people
Work hard for 2 years..have fun, get the odd FREE movie ticket from promotions...
keep the faith...
Mike
Thanks Mike!! I am doing better! I am getting good at coming up with ideas! I have gotten together with a tattoo removal shop and created a promo called Undo your Tattoo where our listeners send us pics of their unwanted tats and we post them then whoever is voted worst tat gets a free tattoo removal!! It's a form of NTR and it brought in $1000!!
I'm just pluggin' along and filling my funnel so eventually I will be at a comfortable level!
Most welcome...
Mike
I am pondering radio advertising sales, thanks for the guidance! PHJ
I am new and having the same issues. Scared! Maybe we do not have great training in this business,huh?
This is the best line I have ever heard! I will be using this on repeat! Thanks so much!
Norton Warner's "Radio Ad Pro" website offers a training package that's been working for decades. Check out RadioAdPro.com
