Monday, May 7, 2012

John Potter from the RAB recently published an eye-opening piece in the RAB's Radio Sales Today Newsletter with the Top 5 Reasons you are not selling digital. Take a look:

1) "I forgot."

With every advertiser it is important to conduct ongoing CNA questions that include questions about their digital needs. When asking your clients about their ongoing marketing needs, don't forget digital.

2) "It's not worth my time."

Commissions are small for digital compared to broadcast. And broadcast is the low hanging fruit often easiest to pick. So selling digital alone may not be the answer. Add digital to generate incremental dollars. Add new prospects by calling on digital-only advertisers and use your digital assets to open the door to new categories using digital AND broadcast.

3) Missing the Clue Bus

If the buyer knows more about digital than the salesperson, chances of closing are thin. If you don't have a clue about interactive marketing, learn. Okay, I know this sounds self-serving, and it is, but sign up for RAB's digital training courses (deep link: http://www.rab.com/public/academy/classofferings_online.cfm) or look for other training courses to help you learn digital and integrated marketing.

4) Papering the town with packages

We do such a good job in radio sales of employing the consultant style of selling, yet far too often when it comes to selling digital, we drop a digital package or one-sheet on a client's desk on our way out asking if they'd like to add this to their radio campaign. It's no surprise clients don't buy it. Integrate your digital recommendations into your proposal based on the client's needs discovered during the CNA.

5) Riding it out

If you've had a successful radio sales career and are hoping to reach retirement before having to sell digital and integrated campaigns, know that many speakers at the NAB Show this year were telling managers to make a change of personnel if salespeople were unwilling to adapt. Embracing digital is better than the axe.