Radio Sales Café

Any ideas, tips, advice on how radio sales people can avoid the summer doldrums? Ontargetjobs Inc. writer seeking possible comments for story. If you are an experienced radio sales person, broadcast exec or sales consultant I'd like to hear from you. Let me know contact information, please. Need before Friday.

 

Thanks,

Joyce Routson

Ontargetjobs Inc.

RegionalHelpWanted.com

[email protected]

Make sure your Q3/Q4 business from 2010 is coming back.  Secondly, have a strategic plan in place for the back half of '11. How will the AE grow accounts?  What categories are hot (no pun intended) during the summer.  Prep for Q4 or beware.  Is the AE investing in his or herself?  What training is available? Are you @ budget?  There's plenty to do.  Key is putting those strategies into play now.

I personally dealt with this for years as well as manage sales execs through the "dog days".  I've found that the best way to beat this is to have a well executed plan that recognizes that we need to enjoy the season as well as move our business forward.  Summer is an excellent time to build more long term contract business as you have more time to have meaningful meetings with clients.  Have great meetings, build marketing strategies, with spec spots, and do it early in the week.  Once you have hit a short term goal for the week...plan to take an occasional Friday afternoon off and reward yourself for a good week.  Always keep in mind that the work production of today will have a direct impact on your sales figures in 60-90 days.

 

I have always found it tough if we aren't well positonied coming into summer.  My belief is they are avoided by being proactive. Selling business when the clients are more actively focused on their business rather then the relaxed pace that often happens in the summer on our area.   If our sales aren't in place before we reach July & August it's a tough road to hoe.  So sell well ahead.  Make the follow up calls from last year early and get the events on the books early.  Doing longer term contracts also gets your base high enough to postion for a stronger summer of sales.  Then you can have fun growing new business.

One thing that I have found effective is to visit clients and take treats such as ice cream or popsicles. Remember your clients have the summer blues as well. Taking them a treat without the latest package or schedule will often remind them that they need to advertise, and you have created top of mind awareness for your self!!

 

Millie Katzen

WRBO WGKX WXMX WKIM

MEMPHIS, TN.

 I worked at WCOZ and WRKO in Boston. Our hottest months were in the good old summertime. Had to tell Budweiser they couldn't have an exclusive. Now I 'm with a news/talk station but, so far, the summer doldrums don't effect me.

But this past winter? The snow over the top, the icy wind. I'm going to try to forget it. Wonder how that snowbank at a local mall is doing. Two weeks ago it was 40 feet high. Good idea for a contest: Can you guess how high the snow will pile up at "The Loop"?

I'm thinking already.

Summer is a super busy time for us in ND. We are usually running live remotes on almost a daily basis. And we always have a fun summer giveaway promotion to get sales reps and clients excited about summer sales. ND summers are way too short to not enjoy every minute.

Would you be willing to share any of those summer giveaway promotions that were successful?

I use the summer months to target clients that I may not have time to see at busier times of the year.  I also concentrate on sales training and reading sales books.  My recent favorite is by Sean Luce...The Liquid Fire.  It is one of the best sales books I have ever read.

Summer is a robust time for a lot of businesses! Business is booming! People are out spending money and the truth is hit it while it's hot! ( meaning get the business while the business is good ) While we may feel the urge to take the afternoon off and go play in the sun... the best thing we can be doing for our budget and more so for our clients is to help them capitalize on the spending done in the summer season! Be creative come up with events and promotions make it fun and beneficial ... for your station, for your clients and for your listeners! 

The dog days of August and the holiday scramble of December are both a prospecting and sales bummer. Don't fight a losing battle. Use those times to get organized, build your social media business contacts and learn new presentation, design and branding skills during the most brutal slow times. Then, make it rain once with your new skills and strategies once more decision-makers are back in the office. 

Gregg's Bio | Inbound. Digital. Design. Marketing Junkie. '80s Moonwalker. I create advertisers for radio stations. | Creator of The Award-Winning Radio Sales Website.

I would be interested to hear what you do for your summer giveaway promotion to get sales reps and clients excited about summer sales.

Please email me at [email protected]

Thanks,

Melissa Strutz

Account Executive

Seehafer Broadcasting.