Inside The Mind of A Superstar Radio Seller

1-19-15

Managers all over the country deal with it, worry about it, and work on it every day. The challenge to find great salespeople. Where do they come from? How do you manage them? What's the trick to keep them motivated? In the January 19 issue of Radio Ink that mails to subscribers today we spoke to seven superstar radio salespeople. They are generating results for their clients and revenue for their stations. Without superstar sellers in every radio station in every market across America, radio would not be a $17 billion industry. Brenda Brown works for iHeartMedia in Indianapolis. She was selling life insurance before "stumbling" into radio, an industry she's been thriving in for the past 14 years. Here is why Brenda Brown is one of radio's superstar sellers.

What are three traits successful salespeople must have?
I would say that to be successful in sales takes many things, but the first things that come to mind are passion, commitment, and courage. To have passion for what you do drives and motivates you, and helps to make clear your purpose. Commitment stems from knowing your purpose, but is more about the daily behaviors and habits it takes to be successful. Every day doesn't always end with a glorious new sale, unfortunately. That would be great, don't get me wrong. However, it probably wouldn't mean as much if it did. It takes a strong personal commitment every day to suiting up and showing up, and doing the things every day that bring about that end result or successful sale. And sometimes the most successful salespeople I've seen are the ones that simply have the most courage. They aren't afraid to be bold.

What do you do to stay sharp, to keep learning, to stay on top of your game?
In today's world of emerging technologies and a changing media landscape, that alone could be a full-time job. I am fortunate enough to work for a great company, leading the charge on many recent advances in our industry, so it definitely helps that I have a vast amount of resources at my fingertips. I have access to information and support at all times ? whether it's educational, like training on emerging technologies and competitive new media ? research, business trends and articles, best practices, even client case studies and repeatable campaign concepts. All of that allows me to stay sharp and in the know, and to be seen as a resource by my clients, delivering high levels of ROI.

What do you see as your biggest challenge of 2015, and what is your plan of attack?
I prefer to focus my energy on the things I can control. I always start each year with a specific and intentional plan for the year, broken out monthly, as well as quarterly, by client and by opportunity. One of the critical points is to revisit each of my client's goals while making sure that they are receiving the targeted ROI. The plan always includes developing new and smart business and expanding and strengthening current client relationships, while maximizing all available assets. Focusing on the things I can control is always the fundamental approach.

Are your clients still believers in radio?
Absolutely! My clients are loyal because radio works. They wouldn't still be clients if they weren't getting results from our campaigns. Part of this is making sure I truly understand their needs
from the beginning and develop ROI programs that make me their partner vs. a vendor. It's typically those that haven't tried radio, or didn't use our medium effectively the one time they tried it, that don't believe in it.

Tell us about a sale that you're most proud of.
The sales I am the most proud of are the ones that required the most effort or presented the most challenges along the way. They're not always the biggest in terms of dollars, but the ones I had to work the hardest to win. The ones you chose because you knew it would work if given the opportunity to partner with that person or business. Those always feel different. Every campaign brings a sense of pride and accomplishment when you know you're delivering results for a client. When the client is excited and wants to immediately begin a new project, that makes it all worthwhile.

Reach out to Brenda for representing the radio industry so well brendabrown@iheartmedia.com
To subscribe to this issue of Radio Ink magazine go HERE

(1/19/2015 5:32:19 PM)
I told you when I hired you....if you sell life insurance....you can sell radio!! Go Brenda!!

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(SALES) Young Seller, Old-School Broadcasting

10-11-2013

I have been approached several times in the past couple of years by younger broadcast sellers who feel uncomfortable because they don?t personally use all of the products they are selling. In other words, they (and their friends) don?t listen to traditional radio. They (and many of their friends) find traditional television so old-school they don?t even HAVE one in their living rooms. Their moral dilemma seems to be, ?How can I sell something I secretly don?t really use or even like??

A few years ago, I went into radio because I loved rock music. I wound up working at a Country station and a Beautiful Music station. My dilemma then was, ?What a shame. I like rock but I have to sell Beautiful Music and Country Music formats (sigh).? Frankly, that attitude lasted about two months, when I realized how easy our formats were to sell and HOW MUCH we could charge to play our clients' commercials on our stations.

I have a male friend who made a fortune opening stores that sold women?s clothing. As far as I know, he never wore the clothes he sold (?) but he knew what women wanted and he catered to them and made a lot of money.
There is no question that we are rapidly moving into a new digital world. New technologies are, and will continue to have, an incredible impact on how people watch us and listen to us. But the bottom line is that right now, at this point in time, 90 percent of the U.S. population still listens to broadcast radio and watches traditional television each and every week. What?s not to like about that? You can?t sell that? Sure you can. Package it up with mobile texting, streaming, social media, and whatever new digital opportunities come your way and will continue to land on your plate. But remember, right now traditional broadcast is still the entr?e.

With this fact in mind, when you hear from clients, ?Boy, I?ll bet (satellite radio, Pandora, Google, Hulu, iRadio, DVR, Roku, whatever?) is kicking your a**!? do your job and remind them about the 90 percent thing. It?s your job to dispel myths. As Daniel Moynihan famously said, ?Everybody is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own set of facts.? And again, the fact is that an overwhelming percentage of Americans still enjoy traditional radio and television.

Did you know that the average age of a car on the road right now is 12 years? Never before in history have Americans hung onto their cars for that period of time. And the driver?s dash still has a radio in it. Television viewing increases with the brilliant new HD and 3-D products that are now affordably available to us. DVRs actually cause MORE people to watch television than ever before. Engineers are developing very nice new interactive products to ensure radio?s place in the dashboard of the future.

Now is a great time to be in the broadcasting business. Additionally, for the first time, traditional Yellow Page customers are up for grabs. Direct mail devotees are looking at alternative ways to advertise. The formerly most-adamant newspaper advertiser is now looking for new media venues.

You?re in the catbird seat. Sell the new technology as it becomes available to your stations. But don?t ignore the elephant in the room. Traditional broadcast stations still have 90 percent population penetration. And that is really better than a slap across the belly with a sack full of wet mice.

Paul Weyland is a broadcast sales trainer, author, and speaker. You can reach him at paul@paulweyland.com  or by phone at (512) 236 1222. Find Paul?s books, CDs and software at www.paulweyland.com or on www.amazon.com.

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(SALES) Searching For The "Natural Born" Seller?

8-1-2012

By Wayne Ens

Are great salespeople born or are the top performers groomed and trained to be the best at their craft? It's an age-old question that's bound to spark debate and a wide variety of opinions.

But increasingly, the hue and cry of struggling sales managers is, "Where are the good salespeople?" or "How do I find good salespeople?"

My experience has been that top performers are not "born" that way. They may be born with the right attitude and work ethic, but the skills that separate them from those who fail at selling are more acquired than inherent.

In an industry as complex and rapidly evolving as media sales, it boggles my mind to think that many people who have been hired with the right attitude and work ethic, are deemed "failures" in a relatively short period.

When we're selling advertising, we'll tell our advertisers that the desire for instant gratification is one of the causes of advertising failure, yet we often expect a return on our investment in salespeople in 120 days, 90 days, or even less.

Advertising sales is a profession. Other professions and trades give their recruits years to learn the tricks to the trade. A carpenter who hammers nails in blanks can take four years to serve their apprenticeship, and lawyers and doctors require 10 years of education and interning before they are recognized as practicing professionals.
Our profession is no less complex.

For example, to master something as apparently simple as making a presentation to a locally owned and operated business we must:

-- Get past the gatekeepers and make an appointment.

-- Complete a CNA (Customer Needs Analysis) or SWOT Analysis (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats).

-- Learn the strengths and weaknesses of our various competitors.

-- Understand how to communicate with various buyer styles.

-- Learn and identify the correct creative and scheduling strategies for each client.

-- Create a customer-focused presentation that stands out from all of the other    presentations the prospect sees.

-- Learn how to handle objections, negotiate, and close.

I could make the list much longer, but you get the point. Everything our sales professionals do requires knowledge, preparation, follow-up, and an ever-changing skill set that takes time to master.

In case you haven't noticed, it's a lot tougher to sell radio today than it was when most radio sales managers began their careers. Most sales managers only had to compete against newspapers, yellow pages, and perhaps television during their formative years.

And most local advertisers believed they had to advertise.

Today, the appeal of free exposure on "earned media" over paid advertising is luring many away from paid advertising altogether.

Today, new recruits face all of the same traditional competitors their managers faced, plus shiny new players in search engines, online directories, Web malls, social media, daily deal sites, Web designers, mobile apps, and more.

If you are having difficulty finding and keeping good people, don't automatically blame your recruiting skills. More often than not, the cause of new-recruit turnover or perceived failure is not in the raw material you acquired, but rather in the tools and time you didn't invest in polishing that raw material.

Ask yourself: "Is it reasonable to pit my new recruit against a seasoned competitor with the time and training I've given them?" When they hit the street, are they equipped to compete against someone with the same experience and skills you have?

If not, you are destined to have the continuing high costs of sales rep turnover, and the accompanying faltering sales.

I once heard a manager say, "What if I make an investment in time and training for a new recruit and they leave my company?" My answer was, "What if you don't invest in creating better salespeople and they stay with the company?"

For more articles from Wayne Ens go HERE
Wayne Ens is President of ENS Media Inc and can be reached via e-mail Wayne Ens wayne@wensmedia.com

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View the original article here

(SALES) Searching For The "Natural Born" Seller?

8-1-2012

By Wayne Ens

Are great salespeople born or are the top performers groomed and trained to be the best at their craft? It's an age-old question that's bound to spark debate and a wide variety of opinions.

But increasingly, the hue and cry of struggling sales managers is, "Where are the good salespeople?" or "How do I find good salespeople?"

My experience has been that top performers are not "born" that way. They may be born with the right attitude and work ethic, but the skills that separate them from those who fail at selling are more acquired than inherent.

In an industry as complex and rapidly evolving as media sales, it boggles my mind to think that many people who have been hired with the right attitude and work ethic, are deemed "failures" in a relatively short period.

When we're selling advertising, we'll tell our advertisers that the desire for instant gratification is one of the causes of advertising failure, yet we often expect a return on our investment in salespeople in 120 days, 90 days, or even less.

Advertising sales is a profession. Other professions and trades give their recruits years to learn the tricks to the trade. A carpenter who hammers nails in blanks can take four years to serve their apprenticeship, and lawyers and doctors require 10 years of education and interning before they are recognized as practicing professionals.
Our profession is no less complex.

For example, to master something as apparently simple as making a presentation to a locally owned and operated business we must:

-- Get past the gatekeepers and make an appointment.

-- Complete a CNA (Customer Needs Analysis) or SWOT Analysis (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats).

-- Learn the strengths and weaknesses of our various competitors.

-- Understand how to communicate with various buyer styles.

-- Learn and identify the correct creative and scheduling strategies for each client.

-- Create a customer-focused presentation that stands out from all of the other    presentations the prospect sees.

-- Learn how to handle objections, negotiate, and close.

I could make the list much longer, but you get the point. Everything our sales professionals do requires knowledge, preparation, follow-up, and an ever-changing skill set that takes time to master.

In case you haven't noticed, it's a lot tougher to sell radio today than it was when most radio sales managers began their careers. Most sales managers only had to compete against newspapers, yellow pages, and perhaps television during their formative years.

And most local advertisers believed they had to advertise.

Today, the appeal of free exposure on "earned media" over paid advertising is luring many away from paid advertising altogether.

Today, new recruits face all of the same traditional competitors their managers faced, plus shiny new players in search engines, online directories, Web malls, social media, daily deal sites, Web designers, mobile apps, and more.

If you are having difficulty finding and keeping good people, don't automatically blame your recruiting skills. More often than not, the cause of new-recruit turnover or perceived failure is not in the raw material you acquired, but rather in the tools and time you didn't invest in polishing that raw material.

Ask yourself: "Is it reasonable to pit my new recruit against a seasoned competitor with the time and training I've given them?" When they hit the street, are they equipped to compete against someone with the same experience and skills you have?

If not, you are destined to have the continuing high costs of sales rep turnover, and the accompanying faltering sales.

I once heard a manager say, "What if I make an investment in time and training for a new recruit and they leave my company?" My answer was, "What if you don't invest in creating better salespeople and they stay with the company?"

For more articles from Wayne Ens go HERE
Wayne Ens is President of ENS Media Inc and can be reached via e-mail Wayne Ens wayne@wensmedia.com

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(HIRING) You've Hired A New Seller, Now What?

7-26-2012

You did your homework, you posted, interviewed, reviewed, re-interviewed, checked references, made the offer and now after four months of searching, it is time for the new seller to start.

What are the next steps you take?:
-- Show them their desk and the phone with a pat on the back wishing them good luck
-- Turn them over to their department head and hope for the best
-- Put them in a conference room to train themselves
-- Check in after 30 days to see how they are doing

I can assure you, that if you are doing any of the above, your hard work in finding and hiring them will probably be wasted as they will not be effective and may not stay with you for long. With the investment of time and money, your turnover costs will remain high. That is good money that can be spent on training to make sure your managers are hiring the right person and getting them ramped up to start earning sooner rather than later.
As we encourage hiring managers to take their time to build the right recruitment tools such as descriptive job profiles, strategic interviews, and probing references, we often see that they don't follow up with some key steps: training the manager in how to handle orientation, formal training for the new hire, and monitoring them to ensure they are moving in the right direction.
Having a strategic plan in place to expose the new seller to the team, the processes, the actual selling of radio, how to position your station(s), how to prospect and overcome objections, these key essentials of success are not things that are learned immediately, even for a seasoned seller. Commit your plan to paper and share it with all team leaders so that all of your managers are on the same page. By all means, spend time regularly with the new hire to ascertain where there are before it is too late. Consider having a daily recap at the end of the day for the first few weeks and as they progress, move it to once or twice a week. Remember, to learn new skills repetition and support are crucial. 
Laurie Kahn is Founder and President of Media Staffing Network and can be reached at 480-306-8930 or via e-mail at laurie@mediastaffingnetwork.com. Visit the Media Staffing Website www.mediastaffingnetwork.com

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(PODCAST) How to Become a Rock Star Seller

Download this show

6-7-12

In this weeks sales meeting Podcast we interviewed Wayne Ens who is an international marketing consultant and author, specializing in helping locally-owned and operated businesses grow against emerging multi-national competitors. As the former Vice-President of Client Services for TOMA Research, Ens has interviewed successful entrepreneurs across the continent and he shares their success secrets in a short weekly tip called SoundADvice, which he discusses in the Podcast. Ens also hosts advertiser seminars and he shares helpful information from those seminars in our interview.

Download the Podcast HERE
Download it from our iTunes page and take it with you.
Listen to our sales meeting with Sean Luce HERE
Listen to our sales meeting with Matt Sunshine HERE

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