(By Rick Fink) The primary difference between tangible and intangible is that tangible is something that a person can see, feel, or touch, whereas intangible is something that a person cannot see, feel, or touch.
Selling radio advertising has long been described as selling an intangible, and by definition, it’s a fair description. But it’s only intangible if you allow it to be. If the only tangibles your clients receive from you or your station is an invoice, you’ll soon become “intangible” to them!
Most small to medium-sized business owners wonder if what they are currently doing for advertising is the right thing, and they’re typically looking to try something different. At cutback time, the media rep with the most tangibles in their clients’ files, more often than not, escapes the chopping block. How thick are your clients’ files of your tangibles?
- Do they have more than just one-page proposals and packages?
- Do they have presentations that clearly define what you proposed to do for their business?
- Does it include photos of the events and scripts and/or audio copies of the ads that ran?
- Have you delivered articles about their industry that can help them grow their business?
- Do they have wrap-up reports, post-campaign analyses, or annual recaps showing what they purchased compared to what you delivered, or better yet, over-delivered?
King of Sales Jeffrey Gitomer says it best, “Dude, you’re going to lose all of your customers if you fail to reach them with a message of value every week.”
Become an asset to your clients and prospects by doing more than just selling them ads. Be the media rep that provides tangibles. Then, instead of being just a “salesperson”, you’ll be on your way to being a well-respected media rep that will survive the chopping block.
NEVER Stop Learning – Get Better Every Day!
Rick Fink from ENS Media (www.ensmediausa.com) can be reached by phone at 605-310-2062 or e-mail at [email protected]
