When Opportunity Knocks

I worked last evening and into the wee hours this morning, composing an email for my radio station clients and prospects. When I was finally satisfied with its contents, I hit "Send."

This morning's incoming mail contained the usual amount of undeliverable mail (email addresses are frequently changed), eight "remove" requests from people who had no use for the ideas I presented, and almost as many "thank-you" messages from broadcasters who genuinely appreciated them.

One reply in particular, from a GSM in a large Florida market, was especially gratifying. It read:

Rod,
I really liked this email, and if you have no affiliate here in [city], I am very interested. This is exactly what our business needs, honest and bona fide approaches to securing new businesses with IDEAS, genuine ideas. I intend to utilize several of these thoughts in next Monday morning’s sales meeting.
I started this past Monday mornings meeting with my IDEAS FOR SALE lead, and there’s no doubt that even without ratings, advertiser’s are always looking for new ways, new ideas. They may not always be “gems” but at least the seller is making the effort, instead of just waving a package.
Thanks so much for sending. As my years in the business will attest, I am more than certain most of my counterparts will have already rolled their eyes and deleted this correspondence, at least I am hoping they have.
Thanks again,
(signed)

I replied that it was always a pleasure to meet a kindred spirit. In today's challenging environment, it's refreshing to meet another broadcaster who understands how important it is to invest the time, make the effort, and apply the resources needed to provide advertisers with the ideas and opportunities they need to succeed.

For the record, here's the first part of my email:

Every radio sales trainer and consultant I know is saying the same thing: Stay positive. Stay focused. Cover your bases.

It's certainly no small challenge for those of us who sell radio advertising for a living. We're racking our brains and beating the pavement, trying to help our clients as best we can, while "the news media" (a group that unfortunately includes our own national radio networks) continue to wallow in Bad News. More than a few thinking people have wondered out loud whether the news media aren't merely reporting, but actually contributing to our economic woes.

It's frustrating...

...even more so when we hear about big spenders like Anheuser-Busch and General Motors now demanding 120-day and longer terms for paying their advertising bills...

OK, so there's nothing we can do about the national economy.

But there are many things we can do in our local markets, with our own advertising clients and prospects, to make the best of it.

Many years ago, one of radio's most influential sales trainers taught me THE ONLY THREE WAYS TO GROW A BUSINESS - whether it's a radio station or a retail or service business:

1) Bring in NEW CUSTOMERS.
2) Cause existing customers to BUY MORE FREQUENTLY.
3) Cause existing customers to SPEND MORE PER PURCHASE.

Any growth in our personal billing, station billing, or advertisers' sales volume must come from one or more of these three sources. Everyone agrees it's more costly in time, effort, or money to win a new customer than it is to influence an existing customer. (The only exception is a new customer referred by an existing customer, a happy but unpredictable event.)

Here are a few specific steps you can take to make the most of every opportunity.

First, bring clients IDEAS. Ideas to help them stand out from their competition. Ideas to give their advertising greater traction. (I'll share a few good ones with you in just a moment.)

Second, assume the role of a trusted advisor. Practically speaking, that means staying in more frequent contact with your advertisers.
- Ask questions. What's working? What isn't? What can we do better?
- Share articles of interest that you run across.
- Use your telephone and email to supplement personal calls - not to pester, but to provide something of value.
- Do your homework. Demonstrate genuine concern.
- Write Thank-you notes.
- Take nothing for granted.

As promised, here are several good IDEAS you can take to your prospects, OPPORTUNITIES you can leverage right now to sell more advertising in March, April and May....

My letter went on to describe in some detail a dozen sales/promotional opportunities that can help advertisers and stations grow their business over the next few months.

As I look around, I see all sorts of opportunities for Radio to serve its clients.

Have you noticed how success seems to pursue the folks who know what to do when opportunity knocks?