(By Rick Fink) Most commonly used in medicine and law, malpractice is defined as, “a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one rendering services which results in injury, loss, or damage.”
But malpractice is no stranger to the advertising world either. You can Google marketing malpractice and find many interesting stories, mostly regarding fraudulent advertising claims.
The words in the definition of malpractice that I want to focus on is “ordinary degree of professional duty or learning.” First, so we are on the same page, the definition of dereliction of duty is, “the shameful failure to fulfill one’s obligations,” and I would add to this definition, “that we know should be done.”
If they are derelict in their duties, is it the media rep’s fault or management’s fault for not training them properly? The answer can be either or both.
As a media rep selling advertising, what is your job? Is it to sell ads? Is it to help your clients get results from their advertising investment? Is it to service the account so they have the best chance of achieving success? The answer is, “Yes!”
Once you convince a prospect to do business with you, they become your client. It’s then your job to service that client so they have the best chance of getting a return on their investment. Anything less is Media Rep Malpractice.
The most common cause of MRM (Media Rep Malpractice) is not updating copy. The only excuse for not updating copy regularly is that your client asks to keep the same ad running. Even then, you’re responsible for advising them that airing the same ad over and over isn’t in their best interest. When you do, you are no longer negligent. Equally as common is once the sale is made, we don’t show up again until the schedule ends.
As a manager, if you are not training your reps to, at minimum know and do the things that professional media reps are expected to do, then it is you who is committing MRM.
Media reps and managers are just like doctors and lawyers; there are good ones and bad ones. Are you doing what you should to make sure you’re a good one? Always provide solid and truthful information, never over-promise, and always over-deliver. If you do, you’ll never be accused of Media Rep Malpractice!
Rick Fink from ENS Media can be reached at 605-310-2062 or [email protected]. Read Rick’s Radio Ink archives here.
