Who Is Simone Rowson?

We figured with the success of Auto Glass America, thanks to Tampa CMG Senior AE Simone Rowson, our readers would want to know exactly who she is and her secrets to success. So, we asked her. Rowson has been in sales since 1985 and selling radio since 1995. Here’s how she developed a great relationship with a client who loves using radio to grow his business.

Radio Ink: Why do you love being a radio salesperson?
Simone: I like to refer to myself more as a media or marketing consultant because it is so much more than selling radio (I have clients for whom I handle their digital and event marketing as well). Radio is the core of what I do but I have had to become knowledgeable on all media so that I could be an advisor to my clients who wanted to use other forms in addition to radio. Radio is my true love. I spent many years growing up listening to the radio and realized that it had a huge impact on me growing up. Radio touches people’s lives in ways that other mediums cannot, so helping my customers reach those listeners who have made radio “their friend” is extremely important to me. When a business is associated with a popular station or on-air personalities (through endorsements) they can connect with a potential customer in ways that other mediums simply are unable. I also enjoy the radio life. It is in my blood! Radio and I will be together forever. What makes me successful and contributes to my longevity is the genuine passion I have for the medium, our products here at CMG, and the support I receive from not only my managers here locally, but CMG leadership as a whole. As we say #cmgproud!

Radio Ink: How did you meet Chuck, especially if he has no actual physical location?
Simone: Our business was conducted over the phone for the first almost year-and-a-half because he resides outside the state of Florida. (Luckily I am quite good at communicating via phone thanks to my National Sales Manager experience). Chuck had to come to Tampa for an auto glass convention and we finally met. Since then I have met Brad, Chuck’s son who is the Operations Manager and comes to Tampa often, and I have gone to see Chuck and Brad where they are located. Every year on our anniversary of doing business I send chocolate covered strawberries. Their office staff loves those!

Radio Ink: How did your first meeting go?
Simone: Our first meetings were on the phone due to long distance proximity. When we first started working together there were times we spoke every day. It was an education for both of us — for me to learn the auto glass replacement industry along with the laws in the State of Florida, and for Chuck to learn radio and the best ways to use it.

Radio Ink: What are you doing to maintain his business?
Simone: He can’t leave me, I am the voice of his commercials, ha ha!!

Listen to the commercial HERE…

Radio Ink: How do you keep the relationship with the client, all your clients, strong?
Simone: I bring fresh ideas to Chuck (as well as other clients) for on-air interaction, events, and ways to reach audiences digitally, we keep in touch often. Chuck is also very interested in how my daughter is doing in high school and I appreciate that. I try to find a common interest with all of my clients if possible so that I can build relationships in some way other than just “selling them something.” If they are local I like to take them to concerts and happy hours. It is great when you work with people who you actually would like to spend time with after five. I’ve worked with so many clients in Tampa during my tenure in the market at all three major radio groups, many whom are clients of other reps now but we continue a friendly relationship even though we do not work together.

Radio Ink: How do you know he’s seeing success from radio and your station(s)?
Simone: I know that Auto Glass America is seeing great success because Chuck has expressed the year-over-year growth percentages. Besides a very tiny amount of TV on one station (which he said does not really work), and organic optimization of his Website, he is not really using any other mediums. In addition to his regular radio ads on my stations (all six) he is the studio-naming sponsor of 102-5 THE BONE as well as the Bone TV page. He gets a lot of interaction from our site to his.

Radio Ink: What advice do you have for other salespeople across the country?
Simone: Have a wide variety of business both direct and agency-driven. Balance is good. A good amount of local direct business you can control is worth its weight in gold in many ways besides the obvious in your paycheck. 1. Once developed and continues to be successful, you likely have a client for life as long as you maintain the relationship and never take it for granted. 2. You get personal satisfaction by literally helping a client build his business. You have the power to really affect how well a business does if the relationship with the advertiser is solid. 3. Whatever the company “initiatives” are, learn and embrace them. 4. Be honest with yourself and others.

Reach out to congratulate Simone on her stellar radio selling career. One of radio’s truly professional representatives. [email protected]