Happy Friday, everyone!
Here is this week's poll question:
In your radio sales career, what sales trainers/courses have you used? Which have you found to be most effective, and why? What sales training does your station currently implement?
Looking forward to reading your replies!
Done RAB courses... CRMC, RMP
Likes Dan O'Days CPCC.
Best for really selling Radio Airtime as the one week course with Mike Bersin on Creative Led Selling.
Not my blog... see here... http://completelyfreemarketingadvice.com/2012/11/22/the-biggest-mistake-advertisers-make/
Mike gives Sales real useful tools for selling more, selling longer and getting results for client.
Better that learning 20 closing techniques your client already knows!!
Though Roy lWilliams has certainly been a big influence on my work, and provides very useful material, far and away the most inspiring and practical training I've received came with Gerry Tabio of Creative Resources Group.
http://www.creativeresourcesgroup.com/
Gerry and his staff have developed a repeatable process, effective both for generating successful ad campaigns, and getting prospects/clients to buy into radio as a long term vehicle, which is how the medium works best.
I've also used his methodology to train many radio reps, most of whom have been very successful, and as they say 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating' !
My team is currently 4 weeks into the weekly sales training with Sandler - and it's very strong. http://www.sandler.com/solutions/sales-training
As you share your thoughts I'd be curious to ask if you feel a value exists in "radio specific" training as compared to overall sales training? I've never been through the Roy Williams training but have read Wizard of Ads and "used" his stories when I had none of my own! Very powerful. I was also lucky to be able to have an amazing training system from our station owner at the time, Norton Warner. He had created the Warner Concept System. Excellent training system.
I've gone through the F.I.R.S.T Training when I was first hired and am currently going through RAB courses. We were given a handful of books to read as well.
We are currently using P1 training. The Mississippi Association of Broadcasters originally made it available to members several years ago. We tried training without it and were not pleased with the results. There are programs for new sellers, experienced sellers and managers. Check it out at P1selling.com.
Conflict of interest disclaimer: I'm now a sales trainer.
Having said that, before I became one, I went through a lot of training -- Cd;s, books, videos, and in-person seminars. Here are three that really stuck:
Dale Carnegie Sales Course -- I took this when I suddenly wound up with outside sales responsibilities at my job, a long time ago. I realized that I had no idea what I was doing. The Carnegie course gave me a system to use, and informed me that my results would improve if I found out something about my clients before I started pitching. This was a huge leap forward for me.
Chris Lytle's seminar, followed by reading The Accidental Salesperson
Dan O'Day's How to Create Maximum Impact Radio Advertising CD set -- I realized after getting chewed out by our Production Director that I didn't know how to write copy. He turned me on to Dan O'Day. I soon realized that most of my colleagues and competitors had no idea how to write copy, either. Learning how set me apart from the competiton, and has made me a lot of money.
Joel, in case I haven't mentioned it to you before, there's a treasure trove of Jim Williams' stuff at our website, free for the taking: http://www.gracebroadcast.com/JimWms.htm.
Robert E. Lee replied to this question on the RSC Facebook page: "RAB is always an excellent source for me...Gitomer...and, of course, the local experience of our Sales Manager and senior account execs...many more..."
In the last 25 years I have enjoyed a lot of training tapes, vhs tapes, dvds, cds, etc. from Dale Carnegie trainers, and Zig Zigler, Dan O'Day and plenty more. The one that really stands out in my mind, that I would like to find an updated version of is from Chris Lytle called "How to Think On Your Feet...Automatically".
The recording I have is dated enough that he refers to things that were used in training during the first Iraqi war...Well not the first but the first one with the US Coalition against Mr. Hussein...The first Iraqi war was centuries ago and I don't want to confuse anybody.
But even as dated as some of the material is, the ideas behind it are as sound as ever and I have used them throughout my career with very good success.
Pat Bryson and Roy Williams
