Radio Sales Café

I have recently started sending proposals to state and local colleges and no matter when I send them, I am always too early or too late, but they never volunteer info as to when I should send the proposal.

Can anyone offer any ideas on what is the best time to approach colleges?

Thanks!

While it can be difficult and require multiple attempts on your part, you really need to establish a relationship with the marketing department. Try and set up a lunch meeting just to shoot the breeze. Find out their birthday and send them a card and/or flowers (sometimes you have to spend money to make money). Do anything to get yourself noticed and show them you're NOT just another salesperson. If all else fails, and you're at the end of your rope, here's a trick a lot of folks have used. Send them a pizza with a slice taken out of it and a note saying "You're missing a piece of the pie." and your contact info. At the very least, you'll usually get a call saying thanks and it could start the conversation. It works more times than not.

To piggy back on David...especially when its too early you should set a meeting anyway just to introduce yourself and what you have to offer. Most schools' fiscals years go from July-June, and I feel like the majority of decisions happen anytime between March and September...but all schools do it a little bit differently. Most schools will tell you the timing as to when they start planning as well. If they refuse to meet with you in advance, call them just a little before when they said they would be starting to plan.

The easiest way to get started is to determine what fiscal year Virginia uses. Is it January - December, July - June - whatever? In South Carolina, we use a July - June fiscal year, and, we are issued state approved purchase orders. Once you determine that, you'll be able to work ahead to get in front of the different schools you're speaking with. If you have digital platforms available with your station(s), I urge you to make them a big part of whatever you present your clients.

When I was in DC I worked with colleges in VA, most (if not all) did July-June.