4-9-2014
It?s no secret that radio has reached the ?critical visionary point? in the business revenue lifecycle.
Of course, the enemy of critical vision is, ?This is the way we?ve always done it.?
As consultants, we introduce objective new ideas at the critical visionary point. No one hires us to keep doing things the way they?ve always been done.
The reasons some people reject consultants are quite simple; we represent ?change? and ?extra effort,? two factors that create discomfort for people who are in their comfort zones and simply sustaining existing models.
But lately, we?ve noticed increased resistance to change and effort at the critical visionary point.
On one hand, we?re hearing that the local-direct radio business is ?getting tougher? or is ?flat.? Yet on the other hand, when we introduce new visions or proven revenue development systems, we?re hearing, ?We don?t want to do that much work to increase local sales.? Huh? Really, I have had people actually say that! We?re often told, ?Reps are too busy? to utilize new revenue-generating strategies and tactics. Too busy doing what? If sales are flat, and we?re too busy to increase them, aren?t we simply replacing ?productive? with ?busy?? Part of the busy versus productive problem lies in the same old tired measurement and compensation methods.
?Busy? generally means we?re frantically focused on this month?s budget and, generally, this short-term thinking is fostered by our measurement and compensation systems.
Ironically, this month?s results are seldom a result of this month?s efforts, but rather the result of the work we did 90 to 120 days ago. Closing seems to be the only task in the revenue development chain that gets recognized and rewarded. Yet, we know that behaviours which get rewarded get repeated. Seldom is there recognition or compensation for completing new tasks which can lead to improved results 90 or 120 days from now.
With all due respect, most radio account executives do appear to be willing to do some ?extra work? in addition to closing, like collecting some generic research, facilitating a typical customer needs analysis, writing custom presentations, and some even put almost enough valuable insights in their creative briefs to produce some reasonably good copy.
But if your competitors are also doing these same basics, where is your competitive advantage?
What are you willing to do for your prospects that your competitors say is, ?Too much work??
Wayne Ens is the president of ENS media Inc. You can reach him at wayne@wensmedia.com
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