If the first two books are any indication of what’s in store for 2021 at Audacy Memphis, market manager Dan Barron and program director Brad Carson have to be ecstatic about what they’re getting out of their sports station, 92.9 ESPN. The station has a reason to celebrate, it just delivered its biggest ratings book in station history.
The spring numbers once again found 92.9 ESPN dominating the market. The sports radio powerhouse finished in 1st for the full week with a 10.4 share among Men 25-54. Another 1st place finish was captured in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) thanks to an impressive 11.5 share. To put a cherry on top, 92.9 popped a Top 5 finish with Adults 25-54 too.
Turning to the weekday shows, four of the station’s five local programs finished 1st with Men 25-54. Geoff Calkins won his 9a-11a timeslot with a massive 15.2 share. Jason & John secured a top 3 finish from 11a-2p with an 8.5 share. ‘The Giannotto & Jeffrey Show’ handled their business from 2p-4p delivering a 12.2 share. Gary Parrish did what he consistently does, producing a market best 16.9 share between 4p-6p. ‘The Six Show’ wrapped things up with an 11.5 share from 6p-7p.
What’s even more impressive is 92.9’s June numbers saw even bigger gains. Parrish for instance soared to a 17.4 in that month alone. Calkins was up too at a 15.6. If the station can carry over what it generated in June, the summer book could be another record setting quarter. Truly an outstanding job by all involved with the brand.
Sports radio listening in Denver has been down compared to last year. Which is odd when you consider a few factors. First, we were in a pandemic last spring operating without sports. Secondly, the Nuggets just turned in a strong season, advancing to the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs led by league MVP Nikola Jokic, the Colorado Avalanche played into the 2nd round of the Western Conference playoffs, the Colorado Rockies returned to the diamond (the MLB All-Star game was just held here too but that’s for the next book), and interest in the Broncos remains a year-long obsession. You’d think the Nielsen gods would be shining brighter on the city in 2021 vs. 2020, but such is life in a PPM world.
Despite shares being down from where they’ve been previously, the quarter still produced a number of positives. For 104.3 The Fan, the station finished 5th with Men 25-54 in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a 4.9 share. KOA, which features a mix of sports and news was 19th in prime with a 2.1 share. Altitude Sports Radio was 24th with a 1.6.
In mornings, Mark Schlereth and Mike Evans ranked 1st with a 6.8 share for The Fan. They outperformed the radio station’s overall number. The station’s midday team of “Orlando and Sandy” were 9th with a 3.5, the second midday show featuring Brandon Stokley and Zach Bye performed better with a 4.6 share, good enough to secure 7th place. Afternoons saw “The Drive with Tyler Polumbus and DMac” finish 8th with a 4.4 share, and during the evening hours, “Nick and Cecil” were 23rd with a 1.2 while “The Fan Late Night with Shawn Drotar” was 16th with an 0.8.
For KOA, their weekday prime sports programs were in the same neighborhood as far as share and ranking positions are concerned. “Logan and Lewis” were 25th with a 1.2 during their midday slot, “Big Al and Jojo” finished 24th with a 1.3 share during the afternoon. The station’s best sports talk ratings performance for the quarter came in evenings. The combination of Colorado Rockies baseball and “Broncos Country Tonight with Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright” ranked 20th with a 1.8 share.
Meanwhile, Altitude Sports Radio enjoyed two great stories this quarter. First, the station beat The Fan and KOA at night (M-F 7p-12a), finishing 9th with a 3.0 share. Altitude also got a nice boost from the afternoon team of Nate Kreckman and Andy Lindahl. The PM drive program produced a 2.3 share to finish the book in 16th place. Similar to ‘Schlereth and Evans’, ‘Nate and Andy’ outperformed their radio station’s overall prime number. “Mornings with Moser, Lombardi, and Kane came in 25th with a 1.1 share during 7a-10a, and middays (10a-2p) with “Harris, Hastings and Dover” finished 28th with a 1.0.
What’s been interesting to follow so far is how the brands have performed between the 2021 winter and spring books.
For 104.3 The Fan, their weekday prime, morning show, afternoon show, and one midday show were all lower quarter to quarter. Stokley and Zach bucked that trend picking up one tenth. The positive for The Fan, they were playing with higher numbers than the others so they could afford some slippage. With football season around the corner, and the station typically strong in the summer and winter books, they’ll be counting on ears returning to the dial to lift them back up.
For KOA, their daytime sports talk shows remain relatively unchanged from the winter book. Evenings though gained ground, which is expected when live baseball play by play returns to the dial. If the Broncos turn in a good season and the station can carry over some of that cume to its weekday shows, it could help add a few positives for the final two books of the year.
Wrapping up with Altitude, they’ve got a few stories to feel good about. Kreckman and Lindahl added 1.5 shares from winter to spring. Moser, Lombardi and Kane picked up three tenths, middays tacked on one tenth, and nights held steady with the same share and ranking leading the market. Prime grew too by seven tenths of a point. The challenge, the evening number will likely dip during the summer due to no Nuggets and Avalanche games. If the station’s shows can lure some ears during football season and add back Avs and Nuggets fans when each team’s season starts, they could continue growing.
An NBA Finals run by the Phoenix Suns is more than good for business. The 2021 spring ratings book for Phoenix produced results which are sure to keep 98.7 Arizona Sports’ leadership team of Scott Sutherland, Ryan Hatch and Rod Lakin very happy. The market’s leading sports station ranked 5th overall in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) for the quarter with a 4.7 share among Men 25-54. The station’s performance improved three ranking positions and seven tenths of a point from the winter book.
Among the station’s weekday shows, Burns and Gambo produced the best numbers for the quarter. The afternoon show, which features Dave Burns and John Gambadoro, delivered a 5.7 share, strong enough to capture 3rd place. That was a 1.3 share increase and three ranking positions climb from the winter.
Evenings generated the second best numbers for the quarter, with the combination of Suns basketball, Diamondbacks baseball and The Rundown with Luke Lapinski popping a 5.5 share. That number was enough to rank the station 5th at night.
Next was the midday show hosted by Dan Bickley and Vince Marotta. The popular tandem finished the spring book in 7th place with a 4.5 share. Bickley and Marotta’s show added two tenths of a point and two ranking positions from the winter book.
Closing things out was the morning show, ‘Doug and Wolf’ led by Doug Franz and Ron Wolfley. The AM drive team recorded a 3.7 share which placed them 12th from 6a-10a. Their performance improved from the winter book by seven tenths of a share and two ranking positions.
Fox Sports 910, 1580 The Fanatic and KDUS 1060 were either not rated or too far back to write about.
Seventeen months ago, we wrapped up one of our best events to date in New York City – the 2020 BSM Summit. After the conference wrapped up, I took some photos with our team on the stage at the Ailey Theater and couldn’t have felt better about what we had produced over a two to three day period. Talent, executives, agents, programmers, producers, sellers, and affiliate and PR reps all were represented in the room, and as someone who lives and breathes this business and wants to see it thrive, I felt we did our part to help.
Little did any of us know that just three weeks later none of it would prepare us for what we were about to experience. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the sports world stopped, the industry began losing revenue and audience rapidly, and the business I had spent five years building was suddenly in danger.
Fortunately, the world of sports returned a few months later, most of my clients remained loyal and we weathered the storm together, and nearly a year and a half later BSM is doing well. I’m blessed to work with stations and companies all over the nation but whether I work with someone or not, I’m always thinking about how we can bring industry people together, elevate the business, and ultimately secure our careers while improving the brands we represent.
Which brings me to today’s announcement.
I am pleased to announce that the 2022 BSM Summit will take place once again in New York City. The dates will be Wednesday March 2nd and Thursday March 3rd, and our location will be the Anne Bernstein Theater on West 50th Street, a few blocks away from Times Square. Tickets will go on sale on August 1st. We’ll start announcing some of our speakers, awards ceremonies, and events around that time too, and we’ll continue adding to the schedule leading up to the event just as we’ve done the past few years. For folks who live in the northeast or work in the big apple, be advised that as of today, we are planning to move our 2023 and 2024 events to the west coast.
Many months were spent contemplating whether or not we should even do another conference. The information about the pandemic kept changing so what seemed like a great idea in March, suddenly became the wrong idea in May. I was all set to host the event virtually in late September, but then the country started to open up. Soon live crowds were back and it just didn’t feel right to do a two-day show online when so many had spent over a year on Zoom calls, unable to interact in person with friends, colleagues, and industry professionals.
So, rather than rush an event, I decided not to do a Summit in 2021. I didn’t launch this conference to fatten my wallet, I started it to create a fun, informative and productive two-day event to help folks better understand the business and grow as professionals. I’m excited to welcome two hundred industry friends to NYC in March for our next show, but there is also one difference this year compared to year’s past. For the first time ever, we will also make the event available live virtually for folks who prefer not to travel. A huge thanks to NuVoodoo Media Services for serving as our virtual partner on this event.
As fun and productive as the Summit is, the process of putting it together is stressful. There’s no booking committee securing speakers, sales team selling sponsorships, producers creating sessions and the powerpoint presentations that support them or handlers taking care of things such as ordering the awards, programs, badges, cutting up video, etc.. It’s me, a few members of my family, and Demetri. I don’t share that seeking sympathy, only to remind you that when I reach out for one of the reasons mentioned above, please be supportive if you can. Bringing a format together is not easy so anything you can do to make it less complicated is a huge help.
Time now to put the wheels in motion. I’ll see you in the city that never sleeps in March.
Crafting a unique, on-air sound is something Ryan Hurley has aspired to do since starting his career at 98.7 ESPN New York. A Hofstra University graduate, Hurley was interested in radio from the time he was young, and now is an integral part of the industry that helped shape his interests.
“I grew up a control-room rat,” said Hurley. “I loved the content and creative side of radio; it’s still the most intimate form of broadcasting there is. The relationship you create with the audience keeps me motivated.”
Hurley was initially offered an entry-level marketing and promotion position at 1050 ESPN-AM out of college in 2004, something that, while it was radio-related, he had no interest in. The niche areas of sports radio programming and production were where Hurley’s interests truly lied, and after declining the initial job offer, he was afforded a second opportunity.
Courtesy: Johnny Cigar Sports
“After I hung up the phone, I was immediately kind of kicking myself because everyone tells you to say yes to everything no matter what the position is,” said Hurley. “I got another call a couple of days later, and they took my résumé at programming. I spoke with someone there, and got an entry level production/board operations position.”
Upon starting at 1050 ESPN New York, Hurley produced various talk shows and worked directly with on-air personalities and commentators. Eventually his responsibilities grew as he became the lead producer of The Michael Kay Show. Since his first days at the station in 2004, sports talk radio has drastically changed, something that Hurley had to embrace in order to be successful.
“The platforms have changed especially the way it’s consumed from terrestrially to streaming and digital platforms,” said Hurley. “[Smart devices] are used by many people, especially over this last year-and-a-half, and over the pandemic, we saw that usage increase a ton.”
These changes in consumption habits and platform distribution have had a consequential impact on the ratings system, a primary measurement to determine the profitability and popularity of radio stations. As a program director, Hurley has had to alter the way he qualitatively analyzes the numbers, since they are not currently reflective on all of the methods by which people immerse themselves in sports radio.
“[The] measurement [of ratings] has certainly been questioned over the last years about accuracy in how many people have meters and how much of the audience is represented,” said Hurley. “[Additionally], there is not a way to measure… [consumption] through their phones and devices… so there’s an adjustment made to how that is measured. Ratings still play a big part in our business and how we plan in terms of strategizing with the shows and our sales teams. It’s the same for everyone for now, whether or not people believe it is necessarily measuring [them] properly.”
Hurley acknowledges that sports talk radio has become based more on entertainment than it has on reporting and analyzing the latest scores, stats and news. Targeting the content to the listening audience keeps people engaged and ostensibly-indebted to the shows, institutionalizing it as an essential part of listeners’ days.
“We are here to entertain people and provide content that will keep them coming back,” affirmed Hurley. “When trying to get an audience and develop programming, you want those shows to be like hanging out with your friends every day; you don’t want to miss out on what everyone is saying.”
As a program director, one of Hurley’s jobs is to scout and cultivate air talent, a task that is done both externally and internally. In an age where the demand for quality content is higher than ever before and where people have a plethora of choices as to what to listen to, finding on-air talent that is impressionable and entertaining remains a challenge.
Courtesy: YES Network
“I have a great deal of people who reach out to me and… send me examples of their work,” said Hurley. “We have also had people on our staff internally come up through the production side, or [do] some part-time hosting that have ended up being on our staff and doing full-time work. Entertaining people is the number one thing I look for, as well as different, unique takes and angles, and the potential to have some inside knowledge and information on things that other people can’t bring to the table.”
Some of these changes occurred before the COVID-19 pandemic, but many were catalyzed by the sudden shift in lifestyle and need for adaptation which occurred after it was declared a national emergency, causing sports, entertainment and much of the industrial world to completely shut down.
“People needed an escape or some sort of outlet from all of the reality of what was going on in the world,” reminisced Hurley. “We had to get creative in the way we programmed in what content we created and what we discussed. On the other end of that, the way we operate also changed drastically; we had to figure out a way to get everyone on-the-air basically from their homes.”
98.7 ESPN New York placed its focus on working together as a team during the pandemic in order to withstand a seminal moment in modern history altogether. It’s something that Hurley is especially appreciative of his staff for being able to do.
“It was all hands on deck during the last year and a half between engineering, production, figuring out ways to make everything work,” said Hurley. “With all that has occurred and changed, it’s been pretty impressive to see what we were able to pull off and keep together for our audience, staff and programs.”
As a result of the widespread financial hardship endured by radio stations through the COVID-19 pandemic, the presence of content driven by sports betting platforms, such as FanDuel, Bet365 and DraftKings became distinctly more prevalent through advertising.
“It’s a huge opportunity to work with different sports-betting companies and clients, as well as for on-air content,” said Hurley. “All around, it’s a big part of what’s going on in the landscape of our industry in not just radio, but television as well.”
During the extended period without sports in the early stages of the pandemic, Hurley and ESPN New York had to work to maintain relationships with professional sports teams they broadcast. Once they resumed play, they had to adapt to new guidelines mandating broadcasts.
“Relationships are key… and working with not only the P.R. staff, but as a team at the station,” said Hurley. “You have to coordinate with programming, team interviews with coaches and players, setting up potential shows, getting liners from players in the pre-season, etc.”
ESPN Radio New York is unique among its competitors, as it has both FM and AM frequencies to which it can broadcast its programming. Those assets allow them to air multiple games at a time. The station currently has relationships with the New York Jets, the New York Knicks, the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers.
“Certain broadcasts will take priority over others,” explained Hurley, “and the good thing is that we have 1050 ESPN that we can use as a place for people to listen if there’s a conflict. It’s crucial to have relationships with teams and people behind the scenes; it’s not just the games that air, it’s a lot of the ancillary stuff as well.”
Another unique aspect of ESPN Radio New York is that it is a part of the ESPN parent brand, something Hurley says helps the radio station attract talent and guests. Moreover, the conglomeration of distribution platforms helps the station facilely produce other sports-related content and air national games, including enticing contests throughout the M.L.B. postseason and N.B.A. playoffs.
“We have good working relationships with the television producers at the networks, and are in communication a good amount,” said Hurley. “There’s been great collaboration between the television and audio side. The ability to have… [the] resources to use and work with… [is] one great thing about our company.”
Through times of extreme challenge and unforeseen hardship, ESPN Radio has endured, and Hurley remains motivated to elevate the station to the next level, even in an age of changing audio consumption.
“I want us to be the greatest station there is,” said Hurley. “To see where we have come from as 1050-AM, to where we are now at 98.7-FM, and the way we’ve grown product, talent, programming and relationships — it’s amazing. Seeing that progress is what keeps me driven.”
The spring book was kind to Atlanta’s sports radio ratings king 92.9 The Game. station finished in the Top 3 with Men 25-54 in both weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) and full week (M-SU 6a-Mid). The weekday prime share was an 8.6. The full week produced a 7.5.
Among The Game’s weekday shows, Dukes & Bell recorded the best numbers. The afternoon show, which features Carl Dukes and Mike Bell, delivered a 9.3, strong enough for 3rd place during the hours of 2p-7p ET.
The next highest share came from the midday show. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael generated an 8.3 during the hours of 10a-2p ET. That performance also earned them a 3rd place finish.
The Game’s morning show had the lowest share among the three weekday programs, however, it snagged the best ranking for the quarter. John Fricke and Hugh Douglas put up a 6.6 share, which was enough to lock up 2nd place during the morning drive hours of 6a-10a ET.
Compared to the winter book, The Game had to be pleased. Mornings gained 2.1 in share and moved up four ranking positions. Middays added 1.6 in share and held on to the same ranking, and afternoons jumped a full two points while also holding steady in the same ranking slot.
Meanwhile for 680 The Fan, the news was also positive. The station tied for 10th in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a 3.2 share. The Fan was also tied for 12th for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with a 3.1 share.
The Fan’s best showing for the spring book came in middays during the hours of 10a-2p. A 7th place, 3.9 share performance was recorded by a combination of Chris Dimino, Nick Cellini, Hutson Mason, Buck Belue, Brandon ‘Hometown’ Leak and Joe Hamilton. Afternoons produced the second best share for the quarter with a 3.0 securing an 11th place tie during the hours of 2p-7p ET. Those hours featured an hour of Mason and Belue and the drive time team of Chuck Oliver and Matt Chernoff. Mornings had the lowest share at 2.5 but John Michaels and Brian Finneran did deliver an 8th place tie during the hours of 6a-10a.
Though 680 produced some solid stories this quarter, the station has to even more intrigued and focused on future results. The Fan took a bold step last week, announcing a number of changes to its programming lineup. The main headline was the morning show switching to a 5-man crew of Mason, Leak, and Hamilton alongside Michaels and Finneran. ”The Locker Room’ as it’s now called is being counted on to create a bigger sounding morning drive experience, and if those five can find a collective groove to deliver a high quality and well rated show, other stations could look at the model to determine if they should do the same. Rounding out the rest of The Fan’s lineup now are Belue from 10a-11, Cellini and Dimino from 11a-2p, Chernoff & Oliver from 2p-6p and The Audio Funbag with Brian Hoyt and Carlos Medina from 6p-8p ET.
The Bay Area’s sports radio scene remained healthy in the 2021 spring book, led by the sports leader, KNBR. Among Men 25-54, the San Francisco sports station secured Top 3 finishes in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) and for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid), producing a respectable 4.5 and 4.3 share.
KNBR got its best quarterly performance from its morning show ‘Murph & Mac’. The team of Brian Murphy and Paul McCaffrey finished 1st overall from 6a-10a with a 5.5 share. Their performance was up eight tenths of a point and five ranking positions from the winter book.
Middays also experienced growth as the team of John Lund and Greg Papa wrapped up a 5th place showing thanks to a 4.2 share. Papa and Lund went up two ranking spots from the winter book, adding three tenths of a point in the process.
Afternoons enjoyed similar success. Tom Tolbert, Larry Krueger and Rod Brooks also popped a 4.2 share. That placed them 4th from 2p-6p. They were up six tenths of a point and five ranking positions from the winter book.
Thanks to a strong San Francisco Giants baseball team and Mark Willard, KNBR once again enjoyed great success during the evening hours of 7p-12a. The station was 2nd overall with a 5.0 share, up from a 2.0 share and 13th place in the winter book.
Meanwhile, for local competitor 95.7 The Game, the winter and spring books produced similar stories. The station was 11th in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a 3.2 share, up two tenths of a point and two ranking positions from the winter. The Game was also 14th for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with a 2.6 share. That was the same ranking position from the winter book, but they did pick up one tenth of a point.
In AM drive, ‘The Morning Roast’ with Bonta Hill, Kate Scott and Joe Shasky delivered a 2.4 share. That was the same number the show produced in the winter book. The positive, the program gained three ranking positions from book to book.
Middays with Matt Steinmetz, Daryle ‘The Guru’ Johnson and Dan Dibley gained one tenth of a point from winter to spring, improving from a 3.1 to a 3.2. The show held steady in 11th place.
Afternoons were where The Game made its best progress. Damon Bruce, Ray Ratto and Matt Kolsky claimed a 6th place finish with a 3.8 share. That was up five tenths of a point and three ranking positions from the winter book. They were also just four tenths of a point behind Tolbert’s show, and that’s without having the benefit of a few Giants day games.
At night is where The Game took a step backwards. The station was ranked 19th with a 1.7 share, down three tenths of a point and six ranking positions from the winter book. A strong Warriors playoff run next year at this time could change things quickly.
Similar to recent stories told in New York and Philadelphia, San Francisco has one program director signing off, and another coming in. For Jeremiah Crowe, this is a great way to say goodbye. Every daytime show finished the quarter in the Top 5. The Giants are playing great and pumping in audience. That puts incoming PD Kevin Graham in great shape as he gets acclimated to a new market.
For The Game, the afternoon show has some great momentum. With football season around the corner, that should lead to a few more ears tuning in. If the station can get mornings and middays to pop the way PM drive is right now, we could have a tight sports radio race once again in the Bay Area.
The spring book in Philadelphia produced a lot of positives for the market’s two sports radio brands, WIP and 97.5 The Fanatic. The two stations were both ranked in the Top 5 for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with WIP locking up 2nd place with an impressive 11.6 share. The Fanatic took 4th place with a 6.5 share. All numbers in this piece are for Men 25-54 and include both radio and the stream for each brand.
Among the key weekday shows for WIP, Angelo Cataldi & the WIP Morning Show once again owned bragging rights as the market’s top rated show. The WIP icon produced a massive 13.4 share, earning the program a 2nd place finish between 5:30a-10a. The Fanatic’s John Kincade had reason to feel good too. The Philly native, who returned home at the start of 2021, recorded his second straight Top 3 finish with a 7.4 share between 6a-10a.
In middays, WIP’s Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie popped a 9.4 share, also securing a 2nd place position. The Fanatic’s Anthony Gargano performed well too, coming in 4th with a 7.6 share.
The high profile afternoon battle between Jon Marks and Ike Reese and Mike Missanelli was won this quarter by WIP. Marks and Reese were 2nd, thanks to a strong 10.8 share. Missanelli was only one ranking position behind in 3rd with an 8.4 share, the best share for the quarter on The Fanatic.
Wrapping up at night, the combination of Joe Giglio and Philadelphia Phillies baseball carried WIP to a 1st place finish with a 14.1 share. The Fanatic’s trifecta of the Sixers, Flyers, and Devon Givens grabbed 5th place with a 5.6 share.
For Spike Eskin, this is the way the way you want to end a memorable run as the station’s program director. To leave WIP for WFAN and know that the station you’re leaving behind is in the Top 2 during mornings, middays, and afternoons and #1 at night is outstanding. Those type of performances should make the WIP PD vacancy attractive to industry candidates. Kudos to the talent for a job well done.
On the other hand, The Fanatic should feel great too. Top 3 in both drive times, 4th in middays, 5th at night, and 4th for the full week is an excellent showing. Too many times in sports radio we focus on which station won the quarter, assuming the runner up has problems to fix. That’s not the case here. Aside from the obvious of wanting to get better and beat their competition, 97.5 is performing. The brand can make money with this type of consistency.
Philadelphia has shown for over a decade that it’ll support two strong sports radio stations. That’s what it has right now in WIP and The Fanatic. When shows in each timeslot are combining to grab 17-20 shares with Men 25-54 and snag two ratings positions in the Top 5, it shows how well the format is supported in the city. WIP is in the driver seat, but The Fanatic isn’t far behind. If both brands can keep it going, they’ll have great stories to share with listeners, advertisers and their corporate employers.
Our perceptions of how to be successful at sales are our reality. But, what are the facts about what is working for a cold call? How about in follow-ups and sales training? Whether you are new or old in this business, I have found some inspiration in what Brian Williams, a former University of Georgia professor, now a sales consultant, has to say. The Brevet Group has some great facts to keep in mind about our sales profession. I found these 8 to be the most helpful. I have added my thoughts on how we can make this work in radio.
#1 The best time to cold call is between 4 pm-5 pm.
I have thought this through many times and try to place myself in the clients’ shoes. I am not a big fan of Monday morning or Friday afternoon cold calls. People’s minds are elsewhere. Some experts think Thursday is the best day to prospect, followed by Wednesday. I also tend to lean more on cold calls after 10 am, allowing clients to get their day started with their tasks. I have had success with cold calls later in the afternoon after clients have worked their day through and are maybe even looking for something to do for the next few days or bring to a staff meeting with them.
Our new sales promotion could be the trick. Remember, smile and dial.
#2 80% of sales require five follow-ups after the meeting. 44% of sales reps give up after one follow-up call.
DON’T QUIT!
The best way to make sure you stay on the hunt is to make sure the idea is perfect for the client! You will stay on top of an excellent idea way more diligently than a lukewarm idea.
#3 You are unique. Only about 2-3 million of us sell B2B.
Take pride in it. If we do our job well, we save our buyers time by finding solutions or opportunities for them. Sell those first, and your passion will come with it.
#4 In a typical firm with 100-500 employees, an average of 7 people are involved in most buying decisions.
Ensure you package your one sheet with some bullet points that your ad buyer can use to sell upstream. They are going to have to do your selling for you. Help them help you! Ask about who else will see this and get a sense for how your buyer feels about it.
Courtesy: Shutterstock
#5 Salespeople who actively seek out and exploit referrals earn 4 to 5 times more than those who don’t.
With some of our station groups, we can now sell ads all across the country. If it will work in Detroit, why wouldn’t it work in Chicago or New York? Some of the best sales I have made were rinsed and repeated. Only 1 out of 10 salespeople even bother to ask for referrals.
#6 Almost half of us aren’t appropriately trained or don’t have the skills to make it.
Bet on yourself. Do training on your own if you don’t like what is provided by the station. Investing in you is the best investment you could ever make.
With continuous training, you could make 50% more money. If you don’t like to train to get better, get out. Sell something you love to learn about.
#7 Give yourself a year.
The 2nd time around, representatives will be better at seasonal selling, sales contests, etc. New reps will take at least ten months to be fully productive. Older reps who are getting more involved in digital sales may take the same amount of time. Make a plan and stick to it.
#8 Retaining current customers is 6 to 7 times less costly than acquiring new ones.
Courtesy: Medium
Don’t ignore those clients who are best for you. Be proactive in everything you do for them. We will all lose about 30% of our billing each year, always be prospecting! Call them, email them, THANK THEM!
The spring numbers are in for Chicago. Similar to the winter book, 670 The Score led the way among local sports radio brands. The station finished 4th overall in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a 4.7, and 5th 5th overall for the full week (M-SU 6a-12a) with a 4.1. Both sets of numbers represent listening among Men 25-54 and include the station’s radio and streaming numbers. All numbers to follow for The Score throughout this article will include the combined radio and streaming performance with Men 25-54.
Starting with mornings, Mully & Haugh led the station to a 7th place tie with a 3.5. The show was up two rankings and down two tenths of a share from the winter book.
In middays, Dan Bernstein and Leila Rahimi popped the best number for the quarter for The Score. Their 9a-12p program delivered a 6.1 share which elevated them to 3rd place. Their performance improved by one ranking and three tenths from the winter book. The Score’s second midday show, The Laurence Holmes Show, finished 5th with a 4.8. That was up one tenth from the winter but down two rankings.
Shifting to afternoons, Danny Parkins and Matt Spiegel captured another top 5 finish. The talented tandem produced a 4.9 which was a nine tenths of a point improvement from the winter book. The afternoon show also gained three ranking positions.
Closing things out at night, The Score ranked 5th between 6p-Midnight with a 3.9. Chicago Cubs baseball and Joe Ostrowski contributed to the station’s strong evening performance.
For ESPN 1000, the quarter was a bit more challenging. In weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) the station was ranked 21st with a 1.7. The full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) produced the same exact share but a lower ranking at 23rd.
In morning drive the story was more frustrating. Between the hours of 5a-9a, which features two hours of ESPN Radio’s Keyshawn, J-Will and Zubin and two hours of David Kaplan and Jonathan Hood, 1000 was tied for 27th with WGN at just under a 1 share.
The 9a-12p timeslot which includes an hour of Kaplan and Hood and two hours of Carmen DeFalco and John Jurkovic, the station finished 21st with a 1.5.
There was one brighter note for the station during the midday hours. From Noon to 2p, Mike Greenberg’s national show ‘Greeny’ ranked 6th with a 4.3 share, just five tenths of a point behind The Score. Greeny’s show was ESPN 1000’s top rated program for the quarter.
Turning to afternoons, Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman were off from where they usually performer. They generated a 1.5 between 2p-6p, placing them 24th for the book. Finishing up at night between the hours of 6p-Mid, the combination of Chicago White Sox baseball and Chris Bleck & Adam Abdalla earned a 2.2 share to rank 23rd.
After losing a little ground last year, The Score has settled back in. The consistency from Parkins, Holmes, Bernstein, Mully and Haugh, combined with the additions of Rahimi and Spiegel to the weekday lineup have helped the station improve. Having Cubs games back is also a big positive.
Meanwhile for 1000, a meter issue appears to be stunting the station’s growth. If a show drops a few tenths of a point or dips during specific times of the year that’s understandable, but the same hosts on 1000’s airwaves all performed in the 2019 spring book prior to the pandemic. Looking back thru a few other market ratings reports since, the station’s shows are usually in the top ten or the teen’s not the twenties. Even the first place White Sox, one of baseball’s best first half stories, didn’t get the ratings credit they deserved.
Regardless, these are the things you deal with in PPM. It’s a peaks and valley’s system. The Score right now is doing everything they have to do to serve their audience. In return, the meters are sticking with them. They deserve a tip of the cap for informing and entertaining their listeners.
For 1000, their team is far too talented to not be closer in the competition. A market like Chicago should have two thriving sports brands, and for most of the past six years, they’ve had that. If anyone can figure out how to get things back on track and make it a fun two horse race again, it’s Mike Thomas. But while he goes hunting for meters, it’s Mitch Rosen who gets to toast his team this quarter for a job well done.
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