Radio Sales Café

I am working at a smaller station with a small staff in a medium sized market. Because of our dimuitive staff, I am working both as the morning show host and sales. I have spoken with a few friends who work in radio and they feel that it would be a bad idea to work as announcer and a sales rep.
I was just wondering if anyone had an opinion on the question.

Cheers!

I think it depends on how much energy you have. If you are outgoing and full of energy you can do it!
Unfortunately it has not worked well with our station. In the last 22 years we have tried it several times. Usually one position or the other is not given the proper attention needed.

I have done both. I was lucky to start out working for Don Keyes, who had been with Gordon McLendon in the golden days. What I learned from him on the air, I was able to carry over into sales. The creativity, the ability to do better than just "read" copy. It all is still valuable to me now as the Regional Sales Manager for the Astor Broadcast Group. Do I miss being on the air? Yes. But only a handfull of jocks like Dees, Stern and Seacrest get to the top. For the rest, if we are broadcasters at heart, sales is the way to go. Besides, except for those guys, the money is in sales. If you do it right, the ego return is still there.

in the early days of independent stations in small markets it works as long as the work load for the on-air is not too stressing. If he/she is on two to four hours a day they could handle a small number of accounts if they do not need a lot of hand holding..... ie copy changes every week or frequent meetings with the client. We have a morning show producer who has a number of accounts, mostly religious programs that need little or no attention.....

Don Bennett

In my experience, it depends on the individual.

If the person on the air has both the aptitude and attitude for a direct sales position...is willing to invest the time and effort to learn what is needed to succeed in this particular field...and diligently applies what he learns, then why not give him the opportunity to spread his wings? I'd tend to err in this direction. One can always start with a few clients and add others down the line.

All other factors being equal, if as an air personality the individual is already well known, he might find it easier to receive a hearing from the decision-maker.

Well Shawn, my Station Manager would LOVE it if everyone did sales! Unfortunately, I agree with those who say it's not a good idea, because something has always got to give, and it's hard to put your heart into both. Also, I often find that people and businesses approach on-air personalities for "freebies" or mentions about their events or business during the DJ's air shift. It puts them in an awkward position. My station has been working with an advertising consultant this year, and he always has every new employee spend one week with every person that works in the radio station - traffic, office manager, on-air, sales, etc. It gives everyone a good idea of what each person's responsibilities are, and it especially helps everyone understand the importance of sales, and how those sales drive the radio station, and pay everyone's wages. Sometimes on-air staff and sales just don't seem to communicate and are always at-war. This is a good way to let everyone walk in another's shoes for a week at a time, and appreciate their unique duties.

I appreciate the input everyone!
I brought this up because my main concern was that something was going to suffer. I feel that sales is a position that requires alot of attention and personal contact with the clients. I worry that I am not able to devote enough time to sales and still be expected to keep up with other responsibilities. My passions lie with my on-air duties but I am very interested in doing sales. I am concerned that a lack of time results in a lackluster performance in both areas.

We have several of our clients that work as an announcer and a sales rep. I personally think it would benefit you. You have the brand. Your name! It's already out there, you have your listeners. Pairing them together makes since. Why not use your name to your own advantage. Sales reps spend every single minute trying to introduce themselves via appointments, or phone calls. You have the power of the radio. When you call a client and say, Hi this is Shawn. Immediately, they already know who you are.

With all of this being said, of course it's going to take more our of your daily schedule. But it will have it's benefits. Check out a gentleman named Jason Younger. He is at JasonYounger.com. He was in the same position. He did on-air and and sales. He built a great brand for himself in Hutchinson Kansas.