July 11, 2013
The new book just released. Programming is celebrating as the station has shown growth with its AQH share. Just down the hall, the sales team may be looking at the same book with little emotion or excitement. How can these two groups, who are both rooting for higher audience levels, have such different reactions to the same outcome?
This dilemma is a result of how sales and programming judge audience growth. While both teams focus on Average Quarter Hour (AQH), they look at different benchmarks. Programmers look at AQH share, while sales people look at AQH ratings. So what is the difference?
Read More…
June 27, 2013
Is it the eyes? The hair? … Wait, that’s a different blog.
When your monthly PPM numbers roll off the computer – what is the first thing you look at? The easy answer is overall share. If it’s good, everyone’s happy and we tend to wait for the next round. If it’s bad, we look for answers.
Either way, a closer examination of both your numbers AND Arbitron’s performance can help you predict the future course of events for your station. More importantly, it can prevent you from knee-jerk reacting to some bad news.
Read More…
June 20, 2013
Your station’s audience may extend well beyond the defined limits of the radio metro. Including these listeners in advertising proposals may add value to your advertisers’ media buys.
Why learn about TSA audience?
Most radio presentations discuss your audience within the radio metro. There may be additional value in your TSA (Total Survey Area) audience. TSA listeners are consumers who hear the advertiser’s message on your station but for whom media buyers generally do not give any credit for having heard that message. These are potential consumers who are exposed to the advertiser’s message but have not been calculated into the cost-per-point or cost-per-thousand. Placing a value on these listeners can help justify higher rates and show an advertiser the true value of your audience.
Read More…
June 13, 2013
Most of us who have worked at a radio station were keenly aware of one of radio’s two sales teams. These are the folks who wear suits (or at least they used to), met with advertisers, and sold commercials. But there is a second team of sellers at a radio station, whose sales job is much more difficult – the on-air personalities.
Why do I say that?
In theory, the advertising sales folks can close any piece of business they really want by simply offering the advertising for free. How many advertisers would say no to a free ad schedule? In other words, their most difficult objection to overcome is price.
Conversely, an on-air personality’s job is to convince (sell) the listeners to tune in often and listen for long periods of time. At the same time, your competition is trying to do the same thing with other potential listeners. Unlike the advertising sales people, price is not an issue here, since both are offering their product for free.
So how does a jock or personality sell to the listener?
Read More…
June 6, 2013
No matter how affluent, talented, or successful we become, time is the one thing we can never get enough of. The top radio sales performers are very aware of the value of their time. In fact, all successful sales people practice disciplined time management. As a result, they spend the most time doing those activities that make them the most money and little time completing those tasks that earn them little or nothing. When it comes to radio sales, there are three main components where your time should be focused: Prospecting, Presenting, and Closing. Notice that all three of these activities involve customers. That’s because you sell more when you spend more time in front of your customers, whether prospecting for new business, presenting solutions to problems, or closing business.
Read More…
