If I'm the buyer, and for 17 years I was, and the sales rep doesn't do anything to fight to keep as much of the budget as possible the message is loud and clear: I was being ripped off.
To me, a statement like "I want to cut the budget in half" is an opening for an honest discussion about what you're doing and why. Sometimes, clients just want to shake things up.
That's nice. So you would happily sell the client something that wouldn't work for them?
You would happily take more money than the need to spend just to hit your target.
That's a great way to build trust in your clients.
Do it!
This has been an extremely lively discussion with lots of good input from all over the country. We need more of this! I am not somewhat retired but do some consulting to stay fresh in the business and read the trades to try and keep up to date. This discussion board is really good and feel there are still some smart broadcasters out there that have not been tainted by the big guys! Have a great weekend all.
Respectfully Rod, I I don't think that was what I was saying. I was questioning the morality of selling a client 1 spot a week just to get money out of them... or selling them 4 or 5 times more spot advertising than they need... (and could end up harming the client because people begin to find them irritating and intrusive).
Simon,
I understand your meaning. And if the salesperson is deliberately deceiving or misleading a client for personal gain, he/she ought to be banished from our business.
That said, my intent is simply to convey that no advertiser is likely to continue for very long doing something that is not working for him. If he's getting good results from his advertising, whether from one spot a week (difficult to imagine) or 3 spots an hour (much easier to imagine), I'd be inclined not to stand in his way.
Best,
Rod
