It's painful being on the other side of the desk. Because I have a
passion for radio and I want radio to succeed, it's hard to see radio
people failing. As I've mentioned before, I handle the marketing for a
friend who owns a local business. In the year we've been advertising,
we've used only one radio station -- and business is soaring. We're now
on two stations in the same chain, with double the budget.
During the past year, the business owner and I between us have
received only one phone call from a rep at another radio station. A
year on the air, and only one other station has phoned to try to get
our business.
What's wrong with this picture?
That call was today, from a young, nervous-sounding AE:
Rep: Mr. Rhoads, my name is Joe Salesguy, and I'm from K123.
Me: Yes?
Rep: I spoke to your client, and he told me you handle his radio.
Me: Yes?
Rep: I wondered if you had considered K123.
Me: Nope.
Rep: But K123 is number one in the market.
Me: It is? Really?
Rep (pause): Well, with adults 45-plus.
Me: So....
Rep; Well, I wondered if you would like to change stations or consider K123.
Me: No, thank you.
Rep: But we have the XYZ Sports Team and all these sports packages.
Me: So?
Rep: So you're not interested?
Me: No, thank you.
Rep: Is it OK if I send you a media kit?
Me: No, thank you. Don't waste the postage. I'll just throw it away.
Rep (flustered): But ... you don't want a media kit?
Long pause.
Rep: But we're number one.
Me: No, thank you.
Rep. Ah. Oh ... OK, thanks. Goodbye.
I was not unkind, but I was playing coy because I wanted to know
how the salesperson -- who sounded to be around 20 -- would respond. I
wanted to know what it's like to be on the client side, and get
pitched.
This kid's sales manager should be shot for sending a rep out on to
the street with no preparation whatsoever. He had no engaging
questions. He did not ask me what I was trying to achieve. The only
answers he had for me were about features, not benefits. He pushed
features -- and I don't care about features. Little did he know that I
have more budget to spend. He never asked.
This poor kid will probably be fired for not getting results, and it's not his fault. It's his boss's fault.
Clients care about one thing: results. Engage me. Speak my
language. Do your homework before you call. Find out my needs, my
issues, my frustrations, my vision. I don't care if you're number one.
I don't care who you have on the air or the reach of your transmitter
or the size of your audience. Solve my problem, and my money is yours.
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