Innholdsfortegnelse for October 16, 2023 i Radio Ink Magazine

DPARENTI@STREAMLINEPUBLISHING.COM We hear it all the time. Finding great people, especially potential sellers, is di!cult if not impossible in today's hotly competitive media environment. To some degree, that's true. But those who have been around long enough know it's always been challenging. The difference between then and now is that with time, the challenges have changed. We don't worry so much about Yellow Page or equipment sales (think IBM or NCR). Today it's digital, digital, digital. I asked some former and current sales managers and managers about some of the objections they deal with today and possible strategies to overcome them. Not Your Father's Medium! First on the list is a concern among prospects about the perception that traditional radio is outdated and digital platforms are overtaking its ability to…

STEPHANIEDOWNS@CSSCENTER.COM Is your company struggling to drive revenue growth? Crafting a mission statement that converts could be the key to unlocking your business's potential. Your mission or value statement is more than just a few words on a website. It is your reason for being. It should encapsulate the essence of your brand, express your unique value proposition, and inspire action. Regardless of your business, a compelling statement can be a powerful tool to attract and retain customers. But how do you craft a statement that truly converts? It starts with understanding your target audience, articulating your brand's purpose, and aligning it with your business goals. Here are some practical strategies and examples to help you create a statement that not only captures the attention of your audience but motivates…

In the 20th century, if you were a seller of radio, you sold radio. Radio was and is a great product. But here in the 21st century, things are different. Here radio sellers are doing what all kinds of sellers are doing. They are selling digital. Probably every advertiser you know talks about digital concerns and confusion, and you likely face digital pureplays in your local market today, in addition to a variety of add-on sellers of digital from other businesses (especially TV and newspaper). Encouraging Digital For You I encourage the use of digital products just like most everyone else in our business. But I also encourage a different attitude about digital for sellers, and a different way to think about digital for decisionmakers. I call this “The Brian…

Being a manager isn't easy. There's the constant pressure to meet and exceed long-term goals while dealing with the day-today realities of coordinating teams, assessing processes, hiring talent, coaching workers, and putting out fires. Each year, Radio Ink salutes our industry's top managers. These professionals ensure that stations stay on the air, providing the entertainment, news, and conversation that help millions of listeners across the country get through the day. This year, we asked our honorees three questions: 1. What do you do to facilitate strong relationships between team members, particularly those who work in different areas/ departments of the station? 2. What is radio's greatest strength? How can stations maximize that strength? 3. 2024 is a major election year. How do you prepare your station and staff to capture…

ROY@WIZARDOFADS.COM When I was growing up, I could never change the opinion of my mother by saying, “But everyone else is doing it.” My mom had the courage and confidence to believe that Everyone Else's mother was wrong. That's a high level of courage and confidence. I'm hoping you have it, too. When I speak to advertising professionals on the subject of advertising, I often find myself having to explain how certain widely held beliefs are wrong. I will patiently produce the evidence, the case studies, and scientific documentation. In most instances, the audience will concede that I am right. Then someone will say, “But everyone else is doing it,” as though it is impossible for “everyone else” to be wrong. Here's an example: most people believe in tightly targeting…

A CONVERSATION WITH “JINGLE JIM” REILLY For over 25 years, Jim Reilly and his team at American Music Concepts have created radio jingles for businesses across the country. These jingles harness the power of music to create and reinforce brands, encourage sales, and develop strong relationships between stations and advertisers. We sat down with Reilly to talk about how he got into the jingle business, the psychology of using music in advertising, and his strong belief in selling long-term contracts to advertisers. What's your origin story? How did you get started in jingle writing? I worked in New Jersey radio for nearly 15 years. We used to bring a jingle guy to town, and he would help me close all kinds of business and then fly off to the sunset.…

PAT@PATBRYSON.COM During my time as a sales manager, I hired a very talented young woman as an account executive. She was competitive to a fault: if we had an $80 rate, she would sell it for $85 just to prove she could. She prospected, built business, and grew her list to an all-time high. Then one day, it all began to fall apart. I watched as she sabotaged her business. She began to work erratically. She stopped taking care of her clients. I began to get calls from them complaining about a variety of situations. I eventually had to fire her. What happened? As I got more experienced and studied the psychology of salespeople, I learned to recognize the pattern. It all goes back to the “I” versus the “R.”…

This year's Radio Masters Sales Summit was held at the Cincinnati Airport Marriott September 13-14. In addition to an all-star lineup of industry trainers and thought leaders, including Anthony Iannarino, Roy Williams, and Jeffrey Hedquist, we had a special guest: Gary Sandy, the actor who played Andy Travis (everyone's favorite PD) on WKRP in Cincinnati!…

We're all hearing about how much 2024 political money is in play: BIA has predicted that amount to be $12 billion, just in rated television markets. Now, between us, there are at least one or two other, non-television markets out there, so I don't think it's out of the question to look at a total $14 billion pie. Sadly, many political analysts figure that radio, and radio digital, will only get crumbs: about 6% of the total political budget. Of that 6%, 80% will likely be spent on local races. Another thing to consider: there's no guarantee that radio will get that 6%, since other media is also pursuing it. Election season is a race: the first to reach and capture political clients will likely take the largest portion of…

MIDWAY BROADCASTING CHAIR MELODY SPANN COOPER Melody Spann Cooper started working for Chicago's Midway Broadcasting Corp. at 15 under the tutelage of her father, Midway CEO Pervis Spann. After spending time in every department of the company's flagship station, WVON, Cooper took on the role of Midway's president at 30. Since then, she has emerged as a community and industry leader, serving on the Illinois Liquor Commission, as Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council for the Obama Library Foundation, and on the board of directors for the Illinois Broadcasters Association. She is also the author of The Girlfriend's Guide to Closing the Deal, a book that encourages everyone, particularly young women, to find their voice and take their seat at the table of power. We had a fantastic conversation…