(By Pat Bryson) One of my sales managers sent me this example of how the message can make all the difference in whether or not we get, or keep, the sale. Many of my markets are being affected by inflation. Clients are hesitant to spend money. Having the right message becomes even more critical in difficult economic times. Here’s his story:
“Ours is a small market (less than 10,000 people). One of our long-term advertisers is a local office supply store. They have been under pressure for the last few years from Staples. Recently, they informed their account executive that they were going to cut their monthly advertising in half beginning in January. They were only spending $400 a month, and the reduction to $200 a month would have made it difficult to have enough frequency to be effective.
In the past, even though the account executive would ask them to update their ad, they ran the same generic message for months. Each December, they would run an ad reminding people to get their new desk calendars. Since less and less people actually USE a desk calendar, this ad became less and less effective.
This year, the owner asked their account executive to help them sell a ‘new’ product that they had over-ordered. It was the pocket protector! We rose to the challenge, and the AE and the copywriter came up with a humorous approach using language like, “Laugh if you want,” and ending with the word, “Seriously.” Our morning show host played the ad and commented that, “He was going to get a new one for Christmas.”
On the next visit to the client, we were told that he had been getting all kinds of positive response from the ad. He liked the response so much that he did not cut his budget. He also recognized the need to have the right message.
And that’s the story of how a 79-cent pocket protector saved a $400 a month account.”
People buy their messages: Our stations are just the vehicles used to deliver them. Great ideas sell for us and for our clients!
Happy selling and happy creating!
Pat Bryson is the CEO of Bryson Broadcasting International, a consulting firm that works with sales managers and salespeople to raise revenue. She is the author of two books, A Road Map to Success in High-Dollar Broadcast Sales and Successful Broadcast Sales: Thriving in Change available on her website. Read Pat’s Radio Ink archives here.
Wow just wow.
Stories like these should be adapted by IHeart. That will put a dent in that 981 Million loss last quarter.
I don’t know who Pat Bryson is or has done, but Radio Ink is printing this as a success story?
Her sales manager called her with this as a “win” and she was impressed enough to write this without embarrassment?
Come on Radio Ink…
I remember when radio would just fore this client. The station made $400 a second… now, we tie up sales teams and morning show hosts to save that? Shocking reality.
$400 a month? Selling desk calendars and pocket protectors? When was this, 1982?
I guess a sale is a sale but this is hard to read as an industry…