Over the years, I’ve seen many radio station GMs get frustrated with the lack of return from their younger sales staff. They’ll hire a new sales rep, and after just a few months -sometimes after barely making a sale or two – that new hire leaves for something else. The GM chalks it up to another young kid from this new generation who doesn’t understand the value of hard work.
When I first started in sales, I showed up to my desk and was handed a set of sales tools—all straight out of the ‘90s, nearly 20 years old at that point. I didn’t dismiss them entirely, but I quickly realized I’d have to find my own way and make do with what I had. And let me tell you, that wasn’t easy.
During that time, I watched several young sales reps – many fresh out of college – come and go. And every time someone left, the blame always fell on the seller. I’ve seen this pattern repeat in many other media groups. But what if the issue isn’t always the salesperson? What if the real problem is the product they’re trying to sell?
Now, don’t get me wrong, it could be a work ethic issue. I’m not saying that never happens. But I’ve seen talented young salespeople come and go, not because they lacked effort, but because they were trying to sell something outdated using an outdated approach.
Radio can win, but it has to take a hard look in the mirror. Don’t dismiss podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, or SiriusXM – those platforms are examples of adaptation. Have your stations adapted at all? I’m not saying you need to overhaul everything, but your 28-year-old sales rep is facing a much different landscape than you did in the early ‘90s.
Before you give up on sales, ask yourself some hard questions. How do your stations look and feel? How do your proposals present? What does your billing process look like to the client? How’s your social media game? If your answer to any of these isn’t, “They’re current and built for 2025,” then it’s time to reevaluate.
I believe there’s a massive opportunity for radio as we move deeper into 2025. But success depends on setting your sales team up to win. If you’ve been struggling to bring in ad dollars, consider taking a step back to reassess. Hire great people—but make sure you’ve got a great product, too.
