The Marketing Department Makeover
Greg Murray for Radio Ink Magazine 

It’s undeniable; we all want to do business with those in which we feel most confident handing over our money.  This is especially true for advertisers when dealing with an intangible product like radio.  Do you really think decision makers want to buy our medium or your station based primarily on Arbitron ratings or rates?  If that is the sole basis for their decision, then you’ve missed the mark by not positioning your people and materials as the most professional in your market.  To get their business, you must first win their confidence.

The time has come to begin treating your sales department as an entity of its own.  That means account managers trained to represent your product with professionalism and integrity, presentation materials so good they unconsciously impact the decision making process, and the creativity to position and market your sales department to decision makers. 

The thought of a marketing department makeover first made an impact on me by observing reps in the highly competitive field of pharmaceutical sales.  A world of well scripted, well-dressed, and well-resourced professionals.  It didn’t take long to realize if our sales department implemented an approach similar to pharmaceuticals, we could dramatically outperform other media reps in the market.  And they do!

You too can dramatically enhance your revenue and reputation by implement the following strategies:

Don’t Wing it!

Developing a brief, well thought out opening script leading into the needs/marketing analysis and presentation meetings is essential.  Pharmaceutical reps leave nothing to chance during this stage of the sales process, neither should we.  Pick thirty-minutes a week and go around the horn practicing your scripts.  Make the process as fun as possible.  But get it done quickly.  If Tiger Woods still finds it necessary to spend time on the range mastering his game, then we can spend thirty-minutes a week doing the same.

The Marketing Analysis

The classic CNA (customer needs analysis) is the most important step a rep can take for gaining trust and credibility on their first appointment with a prospect.  After a rep has role played several times, and performed it in the field several times, the key questions that must be asked will become part of a conversation and not an uncomfortable interrogation.

The Marketing Plan and Demo

The Marketing Plan is a cut & paste template presentation that covers information gathered in the marketing/needs analysis, as well as your recommendations for the advertiser.  Every Marketing Plan has two main ingredients; the request for a multi-month commitment and a demo commercial.  If you don’t have both…you don’t have a plan.  The demo makes the campaign instantly tangible for the prospect.  The multi-month campaign commits the advertiser over a twelve-month period, giving them an best opportunity to achieve top-of-mind-awareness and their best chance for advertising success.   

First class presentation materials

Branding yourself though your collateral materials plays an unquantifiable, but important role in a makeover.  It makes a statement about who you are versus all the other media choices in the market.  From flip charts to leave behind folders, get the best quality you can afford.  And leave the station logos to a minimum.  Think business and audience-focused artwork/graphics.  Your clients are not buying your radio station; they are buying the people who are listening.

Self-imaging/branding 

Once the staff, training, and materials are up to par, it’s time to tell potential decision makers about the new you.  By utilizing your radio stations, targeted print opportunities, and creative direct mailings, you can begin to share your new image to the business community.  Now you’re building positive top-of-mind-awareness for your own sales department and its professional system for helping advertisers.

Your marketing department’s web site!

We all use the internet as a research tool.  Having your marketing departments information available to prospects on the web will soon become the norm for successful media outlets.  Get on it now…and be the first in your market!  Make available access to your media kits, your major sales promotions, and your philosophy on successful advertising strategies.  Then, get that web site address out through your self-promotion and advertising.  If a fully dedicated web site (wvradioadvertising.com) is not possible, add some pages of substance through your current station sites.   

A radio sales department can become the most professional and well-organized media sales organization in any market.  And the more markets we can be perceived as the best, the more esteem we will gain as an industry.  Insist on being the undeniable leader in your market for professionalism.  Your prospects and clients will reward your efforts!

Sales Imaging's, Greg Murray is a Radio Ink Columnist, RAB Speaker, CRMC Diamond, and Microsoft Certified Specialist.