Agency Exec: Radio Reps Lack Training, Some Are Lazy

Our week-long series on the love-hate relationship between radio and advertising agencies has stirred up quite a discussion. We’re hopeful it’s been fair and balanced and that each side is learning about the other. On Thursday, we reached out to Ashley Chase from Independent Brands, an agency in Oklahoma. Ashley’s been following the discussion and agreed to an interview.

First, some background on Independent Brands.

Independent Brands is a full-service marketing firm that specializes in local retail businesses. Currently, Independent Brands is retained by Route 66 Chevrolet, Route 66 Nissan, Bob Hurley Ford, Bob Hurley Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Bob Hurley RV, and Advance Alarms.

In existence since 2004, Independent Brands was started by Michelle Howard in Oklahoma City. Michelle has over 20 years of advertising agency experience in everything from media planning and buying to account service and management and all phases of commercial production services. At Indy Brands she fills the role of Chief Marketing Strategist.

In 2016, Ashley Chase joined Independent Brands as Senior Marketing Consultant. Ashley has over 10 years of sales and advertising experience. Her expertise is in developing brand awareness for customers who have little or none, leveraging media partners for multi-layered promotions to benefit her clients, media buying, scriptwriting and directing, new business, social media planning and management, and all aspects of digital marketing.

Here’s our interview with Ashley on the topic of radio.

Radio Ink: What are your thoughts on the ongoing debate you’ve been reading about on our website this week?
Ashley Chase: It’s been intriguing! I’ve been really tuned in because I understand both sides of it. The one thing I will always caution radio managers or owners to remember is that, there are always options out there. I don’t HAVE to buy your stations, there is usually a way to buy around anyone. So just as agencies are accused of buying on ratings only, I can accuse stations of resting solely on ratings. That won’t always get you the buy.

Radio Ink: Why is their such a disconnect between radio and agencies?
Ashley Chase: This is actually an easy question for me to answer, because I was guilty of it. I don’t think radio reps and managers understand what truly goes into running an agency. I think the idea that we get 15% commission for doing “nothing” is commonplace among radio stations. I was one of them! I used to think “Is it really that hard to call me back? Even if the answer is no?” The sad reality of my job is that, yes sometimes it really is that hard. If the answer is no, or I’m not doing business with you, then you are low on my list of priorities. I’m busy putting out client fires or placing buys on the stations I am doing business with etc. Especially with the way we run our agency, we do it all, so I’m always writing scripts, negotiating, working on cause marketing for my clients, placing buys, or pulling research. The list goes on and on.

I also think there is a common misconception that agencies don’t like radio and only want to run on TV because they make commission on TV production. If your agency is running on TV just to pad their pocketbooks, they are failing miserably. We only do what is best for our clients, end of story.

Radio Ink: Why do agencies ask for value added?
Ashley Chase: It is our job as the agency to get the client the most for their money, no matter what that looks like. This does not mean we don’t see the value in your stations, we absolutely do, but when I’m sitting in front of a client who is giving us hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend, I’m going to make sure I get them what they deserve. This also doesn’t always have to be spots! Too often a rep thinks that some bonus rotators are what I’m looking for, and that’s not always true, I just need to help my client stand out. How can you as a station help me do that?

Radio Ink: Are agencies only interested in ratings and buying CPP?
Ashley Chase: Absolutely not. Do ratings matter? Yes and no. I understand that when I’m looking at ratings it represents a very small portion of my market, so I look to many other factors when making my buying decisions. I like ideas and creative ways to make my clients stand out. I want large-scale promotions that integrate my clients with the market and the causes that are near and dear to the clients and stations alike. When I’m looking at ratings, quite frankly, I’m looking more at cume and TSL depending on the client. I’m trying to find the listeners in the most efficient way possible and then connect with those listeners.

Radio Ink: Why are agencies slow payers?
Ashley Chase: I can only speak for my agency, as this is a bit of a presumptuous question [laughs]. I usually get the station invoices by the middle of the following month and then begin the auditing process which can take some time. Once I am finished auditing and comparing to my buys, I then send the invoices to the clients to pay directly. We do our very best as an agency to make sure nothing is paid past 30 days. My guess would be, most agencies are waiting on the client to pay them first which would cause a delay, but that’s just a guess.

Radio Ink: You used to be in radio, when reps call on you, do you get the feeling they are properly trained?
Ashley Chase: Not at all. I’m fairly fortunate to have a few good reps, but I also have some pretty bad ones and have been called on by some pretty bad ones. The training process seems to be non-existent, honestly, and I can speak from experience on both sides of that fence. I believe that too often managers don’t want to train, they don’t want to put the time and effort into someone the way they should. I believe we lose new radio reps way too often because of lack of training. I saw it first hand at a station group, the AE would spend their first week watching training videos and was then immediately thrown out there to start selling. I’ve even seen managers get angry with new AEs when they make mistakes, mistakes that could be avoided with proper training. The turnover in radio could be much lower if training was a bigger priority. There’s also a horrible misconception that if an AE has been in the business a long time, they don’t need training. I think it’s the exact opposite. The radio world, the TV world, and the advertising world are ever-changing, so why wouldn’t you be training to keep up with those changes? I’ve also seen managers delegate the training to “seasoned AEs” and expect them to do the training for them, which would be fine, I suppose, if those AEs weren’t working a list and trying to hit budgets of their own. If I were a radio station owner or GM, I would have a dedicated trainer position for AEs.

Radio Ink: Should the radio reps go direct to the client and develop relationships there?
Ashley Chase: Absolutely! With the permission and respect of the client’s agency. I have no problem setting up meetings with reps to meet with my clients. I understand the importance of that, and I also understand that things change and if my agency (god forbid) was fired tomorrow, those AEs need that relationship. However, I expect my AEs to discuss with me first, let me set up the meetings so the client isn’t bombarded with reps, and to respect my relationship with the client.

Radio Ink: What is your biggest pet peeve with radio reps?
Ashley Chase: I absolutely hate it when a radio rep tries to sell me a “sales package.”  If in your Monday sales meeting your manager hands you a “package” to sell, before you come to me in the hopes that I will buy it, ask yourself if it makes sense for my client. I want a radio rep who really understands what makes my clients tick and what makes me tick as an agency.

Do your research first, find out what the client is passionate about or is already involved in and then come up with a unique idea that can complement what we are already doing well.

Handing me a “sales package” is just lazy. I also can’t stand scared sellers. If I come back to negotiate with you, don’t just drop the price $10 per spot, for one, that just makes me mad because you should have given me the lower rate to begin with.

Radio Ink: How do radio sellers develop a great relationship with an agency?
Ashley Chase: I think it all comes down to respect. Respect my time, respect the relationship I have with my client, and respect the end game. We ALL want our campaigns to be successful for the client or they won’t keep us retained or spending on your stations. We are not the enemy, we all have the same goals here. Listen to what our needs are, ask us what our expectations are of you, and then follow through on everything we need and expect out of our reps.

I will add this one thing that goes back to the training piece of radio. This could very well be just a Tulsa market issue, but I see it time and time again and even saw it when I was a radio seller. Radio stations have too many tenured employees. There are far too many lazy AEs that are just working a list, that is not growing. I used to tell my managers, can you imagine if you took a $800,000 billing list and split it into two lists… give each $400,000 billing list to a new HUNGRY AE and watch them grow those lists by $250,000-$300,000 in a year?

Can you imagine the growth of a radio group? I almost doubled my billing in my first year of radio by selling over $350,000 in new business and before radio I sold door hardware! I was always in sales but not media. I think managers are too afraid to look outside of the industry for the tenacious, hungry, hard workers. Don’t be afraid to lose an AE who has worked for you for 20-plus years but consistently goes backwards in billing. You will never grow if you are afraid.

Ashley Chase can be reached at [email protected]