Why Shannon Shaffer Was Named Radio’s Best Salesperson

There have been less than thirty people who’ve walked up the steps at a Radio Show to accept the Radio Wayne Award as the best salesperson in the country. Shannon Shaffer is one of them. The Beasley Media Group Augusta AE accepted her award last week in Dallas, taking home the Radio Ink award in a category that receives the most nominations every year.

Shannon has been in the radio industry for 19 years, the past 7 years working for Beasley Media Group in Augusta. She has consistently grown her book of business, climbing to the top position in the market based on overall sales revenue. In addition to her overall success, Shannon continues to excel with developing new business with 25% + increases in each of the last three years, as well as event marketing sales (representing nearly 25% of her total sales). She is only the third seller in Augusta to pass the $1.1 million thresh hold in total sales.

Here’s our interview with Radio Ink’s Radio Wayne 2019 Streetfighter of the year.

Radio Ink: What were you thinking when your name was called in Dallas last week?
Shannon Shaffer: If I remember correctly, I was ready to congratulate the winner and I don’t think I even heard my name called. It still has not sunk in almost a week later. I am so thankful that I get to work in a job that I truly love, with a company like Beasley Media Group that allows me the ability to express my creativity and help my clients grow their business. “Thankful” is the best word to express how I feel.

Radio Ink: Tell us about the relationships you have and how you develop them with clients?
Shannon Shaffer: Relationships are built on trust, attitude, and communication. As a marketing executive, you are the considered the expert in your field. My clients look to me to help build business solutions based on goals, strategies, and challenges they face as a company. Under promise and over deliver is a mantra I implement on a daily basis, helping me to exceed the client’s expectations. I have had many of the same clients as partners for over 15 years and each relationship is amazing in its own way.

Radio Ink: How do you stay sharp? What are you doing to stay on top of your game to make sure your clients always rely on you first?
Shannon Shaffer: The industry has changed a great deal over the past 19 years, and I expect it to continue to evolve as technology progresses. Making sure I am “in the know” when it comes to current digital trends, event marketing, and my clients’ ever-changing needs has allowed me to stay several steps ahead of the competition. The right combination of marketing platforms is what delivers the most effective results.

Radio Ink: What are your clients perceptions of radio and how do you keep them focused on the fact that radio works?
Shannon Shaffer: Our team discusses often what makes a radio campaign successful: Reach, Frequency and Message. It sounds simple, but if you are missing one of these steps, the overall chance of success decreases greatly. Target the right audience, build a program that delivers frequency through traditional media and digital strategies, then develop creative that engages the consumer and drives sales. I am fortunate that our group of radio stations has delivered results for businesses throughout our market for many years. As we continue to partner our digital offerings and event strategies with the mass reach that traditional radio delivers, my clients will continue to look to me to help them reach their goals.

Radio Ink: What advice do you have for salespeople across the country so one day they might walk up those steps and win a Radio Wayne?
Shannon Shaffer: My advice for other salespeople is to work hard, become a marketing solution for your clients, stay ahead of the latest trends, learn your products, learn your clients’ products, grow with the changes, and most importantly, never give up! Receiving this award has been such an honor and I am proud to share it with my clients, coworkers, and my sales managers who push me every day to be better than I was the day before. I am now a Radio Wayne Streetfighter!

Reach out to Shannon to congratulat her at [email protected]