7 Ways To Tell Which Sales Team You Are On

(By Loyd Ford) What sales team are YOU on for the Q4/2022?

I got to know five (5) local sheriffs several years ago because of a project I was working on, and they talked about how “you know, there are two teams.” They meant good guys and bad guys.

If you think about November and December as being your runway that gets you to a successful 2023 (as I do), then you can begin to think about good vs. bad for us.

I once worked with a sales manager who suggested that someone always gets sold on every sales call: You or them.

So, how do we identify who is on the good guy team and who is on the bad guy team related to radio?

1. Good is controlling the narrative. Nationwide radio has been moving at a speed that has largely left the telling of our story in the background for several decades; it’s time to push the radio story to the front of the store! What makes your radio brand or brands unique, special and what makes your relationships with listeners something that has value for individual clients and how do you share that story on individual sales calls?
2. Bad is allowing others to tell your story. We have a lot of pretenders. Ad agencies, the Spotify’s of the world, haters, digital and social distractions. Don’t buy their story about radio. Those distractions want what we have. Ask yourself: Do you have video assets you can share with clients that show the story of your local brand or brands? While there are a lot of distractions, radio is still the center lane of audio and mobile audio. Tell that story and the story of your unique brand or brands and the relationships with listeners that advertisers can “rent” for great value. Radio doesn’t have a good story; we have the best story for advertisers.
3. Good is bringing ideas to your client that allows them to capture more profile, frequency and imaging with the customers they most want to attract (your listeners). Advertisers have a lot of shinny things getting their attention. They don’t care about your spots. Surprise clients with something special that looks like it was created for their brand and their needs. Getting clients excited about what they can get at a great value is powerful.
4. Bad is relying on selling spots only or thinking of radio as only over-the-air. Don’t show up with a schedule. Show up showing them what makes you special and that showcases you have thought about their problems, their goals. Show your potential client you have creative solutions to help them punch through with important consumers/customers. See number 3 above.
5. Good is prepping your visits in advance. It’s amazing how your best on-air talent and your best sellers do their prep. They are prepared before they are asked to speak. They have done their research about their audience, and they are not “making it up as they go.”
6. Bad is “winging it” and seeing what can develop on sales calls. If you are going out and seeing clients with your only goal being to “sell them something,” you are doing your client and yourself a disservice. When are the battles of life often won? Before the first shot is fired.
7. Finally, the “ugly” is not bringing creativity to this fight. Local radio is powerful and offers the best opportunity to bring customers to local business owners for less expense. But radio has to develop unique creative strategy and bring ideas into meetings about effective advertising that helps clients reach their goals. People buy ideas from people they like. How much time do you spend working on ideas?

Use your creativity. Focus on doing the best prep you can do before you meet with potential clients (or even existing clients). As you finish the year strong, think about what you can do to be the go-to source for effective advertising and marketing solutions for your clients and future clients in your market.

You have as much opportunity as you have ever had, but you must go grab it. That all begins with being on the right team.

It makes a difference what team you are on and how you tell the story of your radio station and why it is excellent for your customers consistently.

Loyd Ford is president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC).  Reach Loyd at 864.448.4169 or