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The business arena is littered with sales reps whose jobs have been eliminated or drastically reduced. Print media, Yellow Pages, and travel agents are just some professions that have seen significant declines.
You may be wondering, “Am I next?”
No! Broadcast radio sales reps don’t have to be next. Radio salespeople can survive and thrive in the evolving market by transitioning to digital-first offerings, studying to become true consultants, focusing on their niche, and leveraging existing relationships.
Radio Isn’t Perfect
The shift of advertising dollars to digital platforms, audience fragmentation, and the increased use of streaming have reshaped our world. Advertisers are attracted to the promise of digital targeting and the robustness of analytics, leaving us sometimes feeling left behind. But with these challenges come opportunity. It is by repositioning ourselves and this business as an integral part of modern advertising. It doesn’t have to be the end of radio; it can be the beginning of a new period.
We Are Strong
Radio continues to stand out in ways that newer platforms can’t replicate. The facts don’t lie. 70% of the audio listened to in the car is radio. We listen over 10 hours a week, and over 91% of U.S. Adults 18+ listen to radio monthly, making it one of the most accessible and far-reaching mediums. Advertisers can impact most of your community by being on during drive times. We are intensely local, with stations producing millions of dollars each month in charitable donations and providing advertisers with authentic and trusted connections to real local audiences. Google THAT.
Radio plays nicely with digital marketing by filling the top of the funnel, while digital media fights it out at the bottom. Streaming audio, podcast sponsorships, and social media ads power reach and effectiveness. Be innovative and deliver real results.
We Build Bridges
Radio sales reps aren’t just selling airtime—we’re creating partnerships. Most of us have local knowledge and deep relationships with clients, so we can help businesses navigate the complexities of today’s advertising. We must continue to evolve and study the new terms and tactics of advertising, specifically digital. To be a true consultant, you must know the business as well as you can navigate a ranker. We must understand our client’s business challenges, identify opportunities, and develop tailored solutions that leverage radio’s strengths alongside digital tools. It’s not about the drill; it’s about making holes.
We Are Evolving
Programmatic radio, podcast advertising, and zonecasting are changing how advertisers connect with audiences. Explore programmatic to offer your clients real-time targeting. Offer podcast sponsorships to reach niche audiences or use zonecasting to help local businesses stand out on THEIR side of town. Be proactive and bring these solutions to your clients.
Learn about dynamic creative, which allows ads to adapt to a listener’s location or preferences in real-time. Learn about these innovations to keep your clients engaged and attract new business for yourself. With the right strategies, radio can continue as a local and national advertising cornerstone.
Let’s Do It!
Embrace change and commit to lifelong learning. Be more like Don Draper. You will always be relevant. Try becoming an advertising technology expert. You will have no choice but to keep up. Secure your place in the future of advertising at the place that supports you and desperately needs you to evolve. The pain of staying the same is way worse than that of change. This week, commit to learning one new digital tool or advertising technique. Call two clients to pitch a fresh idea integrating radio’s reach with digital precision.
Take pride in your role as a radio sales rep but explore new opportunities and deepen your knowledge. Confidence brings energy. Energy + Urgency=Success. The future of radio isn’t just in technology—it’s in you. Never forget this: nothing happens until a sale is made.
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.
