(By Loyd Ford) So, what do you sell? I say, that’s a question. Is it radio? Is it air? Is it digital? Is it email or data? Is it events? I hope not. No one cares about your stuff. They want action.
How about selling these items?
- Solutions
- Ideas
- Temptations
- Value
Of course, you regularly sell these items if you’ve been selling radio for a while. Top-flight sales pros know that it takes balance, energy, ideas, and bringing unique solutions to advertisers and that’s what makes championship sellers.
We’ve talked about this before. Often in our business, people are rewarded with sales jobs because they talk well. Well…… That might get you in the door.
Meryl Streep talked recently about how acting is actually not acting at all. What does she say she does?
… she reacts.
That requires great listening skills. And I am going to suggest that you will be more successful as a seller if you focus on learning how to listen better to potential clients and existing clients. Not talk the best. We are in the business of helping clients sell their products. We are in the business of helping advertisers and buyers connect with our audience (consumers who already trust us).
Often that means the best sellers are skilled at listening for what advertisers may not offer up. They listen for what is really happening and act upon it. We are also in the business of helping listeners connect to the things they want and value in their lives.
Things are changing. Humans don’t change. They never complain about price when they see the value of what they are getting is more than what they are paying. That’s our job. Show the value.
New technology gets developed, but we still want to trust before we act. That’s our job. We build the trust.
Show thy value. Show you can be trusted.
Our job is to, as often as possible, know what radio advertisers fear. Not just what they say. We must develop real eye-to-eye relationships. If you are familiar with me at all, you may be aware I am not a fan of the saying “Live & Local” because I know it is missing the important key that makes local radio work.
That ingredient is being relational. Be all the live and local you want, but miss the relationship and you’ve missed it all.
We don’t sell air. Or radio. We sell access to relationships. That’s the strength of local radio and the best sellers sharpen those skills daily.
Loyd Ford is president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC). They help local radio with ratings and revenue. Reach him anytime at 864.448.4169 or [email protected]. Read Loyd’s Radio Ink archives here.
