Direct Response Agency Stresses Making Radio Work For the Client
March 2nd, 2010 |
It’s the best professional advice I’ve ever received in nearly thirty years of selling radio advertising. If you own a direct response agency or are involved in any part of a radio campaign, pay attention. This advice was imparted to me back in the early 90’s at a sales seminar for radio advertising sales executives. The trainer for the day was Roy Williams, now the president and CEO of the Wizard Academy, truly one of the most progressive business training schools in the world. In his closing remarks, he froze in his tracks and peering into the eyes of this hungry group of radio advertising eps he saved his best for last.
As Roy was finishing his presentation, he turned to the audience and said this: “Ladies and Gentlemen. If you ever figure out how to make radio advertising work, you won’t have to be such a terrific sales person.” He then paused briefly to give his comment some “soak time”. Some in the crowd may have missed his wisdom but I shall never forget it. It was the profoundness of his statement that made an indelible impression on my mind.
The impact of Roy’s closing comment has stayed with me and today, it remains most profound. What Roy was saying in essence was that as a radio advertising representative you can learn how to prospect, how to greet people, how to ask good questions, how to prepare a compelling presentation and how to close, but if you never learn how to make radio work for your clients, you will have to do your schtick over and over again for the rest of your life. The fact is that if your campaigns routinely fail because you don’t understand the dynamics of radio, you won’t get a second chance to sell the same prospect and he’s probably not going to buy from you no matter how good a closer you are.
If however, you learn the fundamentals of persuasion in writing solid radio copy and learn to utilize all of the ways that radio persuades listeners, clients new and old will beat your door down to do business with you. Prospecting? You won’t need it because referrals will keep you busy. Renewals? You bet. Why wouldn’t the same person renew a campaign that generates customers profitably?
I dedicate this blog to all of my Christian radio advertising collegues and friends. If you make your living as a radio advertising sales executive, commit to learn how to make radio work, and you may never have to attend a sales seminar on closing again! What’s more, you will spend a lifetime satisfying customers’ needs profitably. Thanks Roy…you truly are the Wizard of Ads!
Tim Calcara is a national account executive with Salem Communications. He offers a free business report called “Five Secrets to a Six Figure Income.” To order your copy, visit http://givingforaliving.com/five_secrets_report.
