Radio Sales Café

I'm looking for suggestions or successes for say a back yard makeover where the client would buy a schedule as well as include an item.  Many times I run into the response, "I'm giving you the grill...why should I buy ads to go with it or pay for a sponsorship. 

When a client wants to give you a prize in lieu of a buy, someone is being sold but it is not the client. When he brings up a prize say "We have to first work out the ad schedule and then see what flexibility we may have given your financial investment."

It's more like I want to do the back yard giveaway ...so I approach the business for an item...but want to make it clear for them to participate they have to buy a schedule and give the item. I am starting the conversation with the request for the participation with the explanation it must include the buy and the item and that the client would be included in the promotional for the giveaway itself.

Leslie,
You may want to review your presentation.It should never be about what you want. You should answer the question the prospect has: what are you going to do for me? There are many ways to include a giveway item as part of a station promotion.If you ask for the giveway item first, the prospect will think you need his item to make your promotion.He then feels he has leverage.

Thank you for the insight... now I need to figure out my new approach

One of the good things about radio is that there's not anything new. Station giveways always have the same basic elements. Check your station files for past giveways.One thing that I find useful is to have a client incentive.I once traded out two flat screen tvs, one to give to a station listener.The other to use as a raffle item,all sponsors got a chance to win a flat screen.Sure helped the sales effort!!

That's great advice...and will remember that by changing my approach when it is appropriate...

The event marketing that we are now doing is where the original quiestion came from..for example...a Kick off to High School Sports Dinner...need food, tent and also want to make some $

Not sure what you mean by a kick-off, a HS Sports Dinner ie Lettermen Banquet- were in those that participated in HS sports receive their school's letter is a great event for your station to take part in.Be careful not to get greedy. There are many ways to make money on this event,including the use of you internet site.Packageing and pricing are key to success with events like this... you are on to something good with this... it should be a annual thing for your station.

We are so fortunate to have some of the best clients on earth. Thy are always happy to help with any promotion with food, product or services. I have never had any of them ask the question "Why should I buy a schedule". Most have been clients long enough that they "get it"!
What I would say to the client who does ask that question is, "your business name is going to be all over our station during the --- days or weeks of the promotion. Once it is top of the mind with our listeners your schedule will continue and build on that momentum to bring you in previous customers who may have not been in your location for a while and it will bring in new customers. If the client has a storefront you might consider an in store registration to bring people into his location. If not, assure the client that during the promotion it will be all about him. Promise something like a minimum of xxx number of promos each day valued at xxx each. Let him see the value in what he is getting and make sure that number at least equals the value of the prize he is giving.

This client I am thinking of is already on an annual...I believe this event is big enough for more revenue on their part as well as food donation???

I love the idea of sponsors receiving the school letter...so, if I may be so bold, your sage advice on packaging and pricing? And not being to greedy???

Leslie,
I don't know how much of a sage I am, most everything I've learned is by trial and error.I adhere to some basic rules of thumb when packaging and pricing events that promote civic pride.
Upmost is the commerical success of the sponsor.Anytime the station gets money, the sponsor must get advertising results.All packages should include a sked that will provide results.Normally pricing the advertising sked to be the total cost. Another words, the sponsor pays for a sked that will provide results, you give them the event for free.When preparing a proposal I always give a dollar value to promo spots. The package includes ad sked, promo spots and sponsor ID's during the event.Pricing should relect what the station gets for a solid ad sked.Normally I allow the sponsor to run their ad sked for a period of time before and after the event,but have a payment plan.By doing the packaging this way you may find a car dealer or furniture store that runs at the end of the month buy into your event and use the sked when it best suits them. This also helps the stations sales effort with the sponsor after the event. I hope I've been able to write this in a manner that you find useful. Feel free to contact me if you would like a sample proposal at vic@sunbeltsynergisticsinc.com
May We Prosper,
Vic Carr CRMC

When our station asks our advertisiers for give-aways, we give them additional ads equivalent to the retail value of the item they are donating in addition to the schedule of ads. Seems to work.

You've already gotten some great advice. When you go in and the first thing you want to talk to the client about is product for promotion you've changed the focus from them to you. That's not a good negotiating position. Show the client how you propose to help their business, show them the VALUE of what you're proposing, show them what you're offering it to them for, then break out the cash & trade. This way you're solving their problem and permitting them to use trade to pay for part of the schedule.