Radio industry experts gathered to talk about the future of radio sales and the industry’s future sellers. RAB CEO Erica Farber led the talk on how to attract new faces to radio sales careers. The session started with a brand-new recruitment video from RAB that is available to broadcasters soon on the RAB site.
The video showcased the benefits of a career in radio sales, highlighting the problem-solving and customer-facing aspects of the job, and the rewarding experience of helping businesses achieve their goals. It also emphasized the importance of building relationships and finding a niche in your market.
The session went on to discuss several ways in which the radio industry can reach potential sellers. They suggested that more business and marketing classes should be offered at colleges and that radio should be positioned as a creative field. They also suggested that radio stations should attend career fairs and reach out to high schools more to promote radio as a career choice.
One of the largest issues about hiring and retaining talent that was emphasized was the importance of culture and compensation in retaining talent. Farber suggested that radio should do better in terms of compensation, as it is currently one of the worst-paying sales jobs. The session also recommended that radio stations provide clear and transparent pay terms, and offer incentives such as insurance, reimbursement of expenses, and student loan repayment.
Young hires have stressed the importance of work-life balance and lifelong learning and Farber offered up that radio stations should offer perks such as unlimited paid time off and bring-your-dog-to-work days to attract and retain talent.
The experts discussed the crossover between sales and on-air positions and suggested that radio stations should offer opportunities for career growth and development. They also recommended that radio stations use team members as ambassadors, especially on social media, to promote the industry and attract new talent.
The session closed on the idea that radio sales is still very much a rewarding and fulfilling career, but that it is up to the industry to promote itself and attract the next generation of radio sales superstars.
