We have all been in a position where we don’t know what to sell to a client, so we try to let them decide by showing them EVERYTHING we can do.
That’s a mistake.
According to ‘choice’ expert Sheena Iyengar from Columbia University, a sports radio seller needs to be deliberate when laying out the choices for a potential buyer. We can sell traditional spots in stop sets, live spots in studio and on location, pre-recorded commercials, play-by-play sponsorships, segment sponsorships, NTR, and digital opportunities.
It is mind-numbing how many choices we have for advertisers. But, we need to limit those choices in order to actually get the buy.
According to Iyengar, the choice overload will only make our buyers less engaged, more likely to make a poor decision, and less satisfied with the opportunity. Maybe we need to take the lead from grocer Aldi. Most grocery stores can carry up to 45,000 products, but Aldi has achieved great success in the US with only 1,400. Less can be more. Here are the 4 C’s when it comes to making it easier for clients to say yes to our proposals:
- Cut: Less is more. I like the classic three proposals of Least, Most, and Average Money. The idea is to get the client to select the average proposal which will get the job done. But, by limiting their choices to only 3, you have their attention and decision. Read all about the ACB method here.
- Concrete: Make them visualize the choices. Will a remote at an on-premise event bring a crowd? Show them a photo. Will a recorded spot make you laugh? Play one. Make the proposal something they can see, feel, hear or touch.
- Categorize: Buyers can handle more categories than choices. Put a proposal together with live or recorded spots, Sales promotion or public service, google or streaming advertising. Iyengar makes the case that we think we have more choices and will go forward easier when we see categories of what to buy.
- Condition: To keep your buyer engaged throughout the buying process, start small with choices before you go with too many. Before you ask the buyer how many spots they want to run a month, start with the message and decide if ten, thirty or sixty seconds is what’s needed. This will reduce buyer fatigue and hopefully lead them to purchase a schedule.
Mitigating the problem of choice overload will result in more closed sales. The key to getting the most from choice is to be choosy about choosing.
Jeff Caves is a sales columnist for BSM working in radio and digital sales for Cumulus Media in Dallas, Texas and Boise, Idaho. He is credited with helping launch, build, and develop Sports Radio The Ticket in Boise, into the market’s top sports radio station. During his 26 year stay at KTIK, Caves hosted drive time, programmed the station, and excelled as a top seller. You can reach him by email at jeffcaves54@gmail.com or find him on LinkedIn.
