Home Blog Page 2523

Let the Client Decide How Much They Want to Spend

Dave Greene
-
0
Let the Client Decide How Much They Want to Spend

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in media sales is to decide what it is our client or prospect can or cannot spend on advertising.  That is their job and only their job to decide as the person who will eventually stroke the check.  We’re to listen and offer solutions based on our knowledge of marketing and our specific products.  If we’re not given a budget to work with all we can do is present at levels we believe will deliver the best results based on their needs.

Managers often have to deal with reps who refuse to ask for more money.  In their mind, for whatever reason, they don’t think the client can or will pay “that much” for advertising.  If we’ve done a good CNA and good research, we should have some idea, but ultimately that number isn’t for us to decide.

I want to share with you the story of the last time I almost let an AE talk me out of asking a client for more money.  It happened several years ago in St. Louis when I was asked to attend a meeting with a local union, but that I should know going in the client had said, “our budget is mostly tapped for the year” (the meeting was in early September) and this was to talk about opportunities for next year.

Image result for empty pockets

As the meeting went on, most of the ideas we ended up talking about revolved around the Rams football season (remember the St. Louis Rams?) and the Cardinals baseball season, but the client repeated over and over again that the Rams would have to be for next year as “our budget is mostly tapped for the year.”  It was a really good CNA meeting and there were a lot of good ideas shared.  As we wrapped up our AE scheduled a follow up meeting for the next week to go over a proposal for next year “since you said your budget was mostly tapped out for the year.”

As soon as they left, my first thought was to put something together that included the football season that had just begun.  The AE thought I was crazy and that I hadn’t listened to a single word said in the meeting. “Didn’t you hear what they kept saying? They are tapped for this year.  I don’t want to look like an idiot and present something when they just told us over and over they couldn’t do anything for this year.”

I said what I had heard was that they were “MOSTLY tapped out” and we failed to dig deeper on what mostly meant.  The AE reluctantly worked with me on a package where one option included starting this season and another which was just the following year.  The morning we were to polish it up and present it, the AE came in and pleaded with me not to bring up anything for the current year.  He said things like “they said they don’t have the money” and “they can’t afford to do something this year,” as well as “I think there is a big opportunity here and I don’t want to blow it by looking like we didn’t listen to what they said.”

While I still didn’t agree with it, he was passionate and adamant about it, so I decided he could handle the client the way he thought was best.  I told him it was his decision and he should present to them whichever one he feels most comfortable with.

The follow up meeting came and before we had the opportunity to present, the head of the union said once more how he really liked the ideas we had come up with and that they especially were excited about the program around the Rams, “just wish we could do it sooner, but my budget is mostly tapped out, I bet I don’t have fifty grand left for the year.”

Image result for record scratch

(Insert record scratch)

Whoa. Hold up. I’m sorry, sir, did you say fifty grand?  As in ten grand a month for the rest of the year?  Allow us to go back and sharpen our pencils here, but what if we could make something work this year for that dollar amount?

To make a long story slightly shorter, we sold a deal right there at the table without the presentation ever coming out as the AE had only brought the proposal for the following year.  To this particular group, $50,000 left for the year in marketing was not a lot of money, it was the equivalent to being “mostly tapped out.” For our rep, it became one of his highest billing monthly accounts, and one of the best lessons he (we) could’ve learned: Always ask for more.  The amount of money the client has to spend on advertising is their decision to make.  Not ours.

 

Sports Radio’s Summer Ratings Report

Jason Barrett
-
0
Sports Radio’s Summer Ratings Report

The Summer ratings book was released in early October to sports stations across the nation, and we do our best here at BSM to provide a snapshot of how brands are performing in the format. Although we make attempts to track down information, not every station or market is cooperative. We’re always happy to help stations share their stories, but whether they choose to do so or not is their prerogative. Those interested in being included in future columns can reach us via email at JBarrett@hvy.tcp.mybluehost.me.

The reason we create this piece each quarter is to help educate members of the industry, and advertisers of some of the great success stories taking place inside the sports format. Since this format launched, many have perceived it as ‘niche’. Yet the local content can’t be duplicated, the personalities have stronger ties to their audiences than many in other formats do, and in every other form of media, sports is seen as a must-buy.

This matters because these stations and individuals have an ability to move product. That should make them top of mind for any business who’s looking to reach sports fans, especially those who are Male between the ages of 25 and 54. Why sports radio doesn’t receive a larger chunk of the advertising buy is up for debate, but if we can help change one or two minds by showcasing the format’s success, then it’s work worth doing.

Lastly, though we work with some brands on a professional level, numbers don’t lie. If a station performs well, it’s our responsibility to share that with you, regardless of our personal or professional allegiances. We also try to steer clear or praising one brand while damaging another. If that’s not your cup of tea, so be it, but that’s how we believe in presenting our information.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here’s a look at how a number of sports radio brands performed during the summer book.

New York:

Usually when the ratings get released they’re in the New York newspapers within a matter of minutes. This quarter though for some strange reason not much was written about WFAN or ESPN NY’s performance. Nonetheless, we were able to gather a little bit of data to show how both are executing.

Starting with WFAN, the legendary NY sports talker finished 3rd in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p). The station produced the same share as it did in the spring, and was up seven tenths of a point year to year.

In mornings, Boomer and Gio delivered just under a 6 share to finish 2nd for the quarter. The show was up seven tenths from the spring book, but down a full point year to year.

Middays with Benigno and Roberts (despite Joe missing significant time during the book) tied for 5th with a 5 share. The program added five tenths of a point from the spring book, and three tenths of a point year to year.

The trio of Carlin, Bart, and Maggie received some positive signs this quarter. The ten month old show placed 5th with a 6.2, up three tenths of a point from the spring, and nine tenths of a point year to year. Their share was the best on the station for the summer book. One additional item worth pointing out, if you removed the Yankees games this quarter that affected CMB’s show, they only lost three tenths of a point which is pretty solid.

And last but not least, The Fan’s longtime cleanup hitter Mike Francesa finished the summer the same way he did the spring, in 3rd place. Francesa registered a 5.8, down two tenths from the spring, but up five tenths year to year. Once again if you pull away the Yankees games that cut into the show this book, there wasn’t much of a drop. The show goes from a 5.8 to 5.6 which is still very healthy.

On the other side, ESPN NY had to feel encouraged by the performance of Golic & Wingo. Though it’s harder to win in market #1 with a national show, Trey and Mike hit the top 10 this quarter with a 4 share. The show gained four tenths of a point book to book, and were up eight tenths of a point year to year. If they can hold steady in the top 10 in the nation’s largest market, that’s a good sign for the show.

In afternoons, The Michael Kay Show finished 7th with a 5 share. TMKS was down four tenths of a point book to book but up six tenths of a point year to year. Without an advantage from baseball play by play, that’s a nice showing from ESPN NY’s top rated show.

Overall, The Fan remained in front this quarter, but ESPN NY stayed in the hunt. What will be interesting to watch is how the two stations close out the fall. The Yankees should provide a little boost early in the book for WFAN due to advancing to the first round of the playoffs. Both stations carry NFL, NBA and NHL play by play so they’ll be close to even in that regard.

It was at this time last year that Francesa began his farewell tour, and The Fan was mired in controversy with Craig Carton’s exit. WFAN wound up finishing last fall 1st in mornings, and 2nd in afternoons. Michael Kay’s show despite no additional press or public sendoff placed 3rd, just one ranked spot away from the NY ratings king.

Los Angeles:

The nation’s 2nd largest market isn’t known for producing big sports radio numbers, but you’d think that the news of LeBron James joining the Lakers, the Dodgers landing Manny Machado and competing to win the NL West, and the Rams, Chargers, USC, and UCLA all returning to action would help.

Unfortunately it didn’t.

That raises two possibilities, either local people aren’t interested in sports or the market is under served from a ratings measurement standpoint. We’re betting on the latter.

Regardless, ESPN Los Angeles held head to head advantages over AM 570 LA Sports in mornings, afternoons, and 12p-3p among Men 25-54. 570 prevailed between 10a-12p and during evenings.

It’s worth noting that during this quarter, ESPN LA underwent changes in both drive times due to Marcellus Wiley leaving to join FOX Sports 1. How that will impact the fall book remains to be seen. What should help both stations during the fall is the advancement of the Dodgers to the NLCS, LeBron making his Lakers debut, and the Rams becoming a high powered attack and one of the best teams in the NFL.

Chicago:

The race between 670 The Score and ESPN 1000 has been tight over the past few years, but for this quarter, The Score enjoyed a comfortable win. The bad news for Adam Delevitt, that means he has to pick up the next lunch tab with Mitch Rosen.

Chicago Cubs baseball certainly helped The Score, but that’s not all of it. The Score took some shots for changing the majority of their shows during the spring. The moves weren’t popular, and the audience could’ve easily fled in other directions. Instead, they stuck with The Score during a period of transition, a testament to the trust the brand has built over the past few decades.

Starting with mornings, Mully and Hanley, and one month of Mully and Haugh, finished 2nd overall, cruising past ESPN 1000’s Golic and Wingo 7.5 to 2.8. Bernstein and McKnight continued the surge winning the 9a-1p timeslot 4.2 to 2.3. A similar story occurred between 1p-6p where Dan McNeil and Danny Parkins were 4th and ahead of 1000’s shows 5.5 to 4.1.

An important point to remember, the two stations structure their weekday lineups differently, thus the reason for not being able to list simple head to head comparisons.

Taking a look at things from 1000’s point of view, Kap and Company had a down quarter. The 9a-12p show produced an unusual 2.1, nearly 2 points lower than the first 3 hours of Bernstein and McKnight. Is that a meter issue or a case of the summer blues? It’s too early to tell. Kap’s certainly proven before he can generate numbers.

Things were better in afternoon drive for ESPN 1000’s Waddle and Silvy. The station’s top rated show finished in the top 5 with a 4.4. Though their performance was strong, they trailed McNeil and Parkins by a little more than a point.

With the fall book including one month of Cubs baseball, the return of the Bears and arrival of Khalil Mack, and Bulls basketball and Blackhawks hockey, both stations should expect to see positive gains to wrap up the year.

San Francisco:

KNBR earned another quarterly victory, beating 95.7 The Game in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) by nearly a point and a half. They also prevailed for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) by just over a full point. However, it was the month of September which provided cause for concern for the Bay Area’s Sports Leader.

Before we get into that, let’s take a look at the weekday show comparisons. KNBR had to feel good about their collective performance, led by Murph and Mac who topped The Game’s Joe, Lo, and Dibs 5.2 to 3.9 in morning drive. Gary and Larry continued that momentum holding off Matt Steinmetz and Daryle “The Guru” Johnson 4.6 to 4.1. And similar results were achieved in afternoons by Tom Tolbert and John Lund finishing ahead of Damon Bruce 5.2 to 3.4. The Game’s Greg Papa and KNBR’s Fitz and Brooks battled to a draw during the hours that they matched up.

Although the majority of head to head matchups favored KNBR, the interesting part of the summer book that likely has both brands pushing even harder were the September results. The two stations tied for 5th for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid). KNBR also finished one spot in front of The Game in PM drive. However, The Game got the upper hand gaining victories in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p), AM drive, 10a-12p, and 12p-3p. That’s something KNBR isn’t used to.

Looking ahead to the fall, neither station is likely to gain a huge ratings boost from the 49ers or Raiders. Each team plays once a week and are in the midst of bad seasons. In baseball, both the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s were eliminated from postseason play, so there’s no advantage there either. But The Game is poised to gain a few ears from the return of the defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.

If the September trend continues for The Game, and the addition of Warriors basketball delivers the usual spike that it has the past few years, The Game may finally have enough to pass KNBR in the ratings. Though The Game has reason to be optimistic, winning a book vs. a month is a tall order, and KNBR didn’t earn the name “the Bay Area’s sports leader” by accident. Best of luck to both brands in their pursuit for 4th quarter victory!

Dallas:

This is a market where both 105.3 The Fan, and Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket perform well. It’s easy to get caught up on who finished in front of who in the ratings, but each station has great talent, strong ratings, and should be on the radar of advertisers looking to reach male sports fans in the Dallas market.

For the summer book, The Ticket held steady in both drive times, winning the head to head battles, thanks to the stellar work of The Musers and The Hard Line. The Fan though had nothing to apologize for as both Shan & RJ and Ben & Skin were both inside the Top 4.

Where The Fan gained an advantage was in middays. G-Bag Nation prevailed this quarter over Norm & Donovan, and BaD Radio. It was the first head to head win for The Fan against The Ticket for a full book this year.

Overall, The Ticket is down a point and a half year to year, and has experienced a drop since May when they were in double digits. That said, they still won the overall book with Men 25-54 with a mid 7 share performance. The Fan holds the edge with Men 18-34. ESPN 103.3 has been a non-factor with ratings in the low 2’s.

Regardless of your rooting interest, it’s hard not to appreciate what both of these stations continue to produce on a consistent basis. Expect more of the same when the fall book rolls around.

Philadelphia:

Sports Radio 94 WIP was once again the primary choice for sports radio listening for the summer book in the city of brotherly love. The station placed 3rd with Men 25-54 with a 7.7, 3 full points ahead of 97.5 The Fanatic. Another positive sign for WIP was its nearly 5 and a half point lead over The Fanatic with Men 18+.

As usual, Angelo Cataldi dominated mornings, finishing 2nd with Men 25-54 with a 9.7. Cataldi was also 2nd with Adults 25-54 with a 6.7, and 3rd with Men 18+ with a 9.2. The Fanatic during the summer book featured Anthony Gargano in mornings, who registered a 5.2 with Men 25-54, and a 3.2 with Adults 25-54. He’s since moved to middays, leaving the gigantic task of taking down Cataldi to Marc Farzetta and Tra Thomas.

In middays, Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie led WIP to another win. The popular pair were ranked 4th with a 7.6 with Men 25-54. Year to year the show is up 20%. The Fanatic’s team of Harry Mayes and Jason Myrtetus generated a 5.1. Mayes has since left the station, replaced by Gargano.

Afternoon drive is where The Fanatic gained an edge, although the gap isn’t as wide as it once was. Mike Missanelli reigned supreme with a 7.4, besting WIP’s team of Jon Marks and Ike Reese who delivered a 6.7. The two shows finished tied with a 4.1 with Adults 25-54.

Houston:

The competition remained close between the market’s three key brands this period, but this time bragging rights for the full week belonged to SportsTalk 790 who won the quarter by six tenths of a point over Sports Radio 610 KILT, and by eight tenths of a point over ESPN 97.5 FM. In the weekday prime hours of M-F 6a-7p, 790 won again, except with a slightly larger lead.

Looking at the key weekday shows, it was another positive story for 790 as they prevailed in mornings, middays, and afternoons. KILT picked a win during evening hours.

The Houston Chronicle listed all of the top performing sports talk shows for the quarter which you can see by clicking here. We’ve posted the Top 5 below. Be advised that some programs may increase or decrease their standing depending on streaming and simulcast numbers being included. It is surprising to see none of 610’s programs cracking the top 5.

1. Fred Faour/A.J. Hoffman (4p-7p ESPN 97.5)
2. Sean Salisbury (3p-6p SportsTalk 790)
3. Josh Innes (6a-10a SportsTalk 790)
4. Matt Thomas (12p-3p SportsTalk 790)
5. Greg Koch/N.D. Kalu 10a-12p SportsTalk 790)

Atlanta:

Winning baseball by the Atlanta Braves, and the August buildup to the NFL and College Football seasons helped the market’s two top sports brands deliver a successful quarter.

92.9 The Game remained the top performer, finishing the summer book in 3rd place with a near mid 7 share. That ranking was the same, but the number was slightly higher in mornings thanks to John Fricke and Hugh Douglas.

The Game’s Carl Dukes and Mike Bell produced the station’s biggest number this book, finishing 2nd in afternoon drive with just under a 9 share. They were also 1st overall for the final month.

Nights on The Game also produced positive results. The station was 2nd in the timeslot with a low 6 share.

Meanwhile for The Fan, they enjoyed their best quarter in years. Most of the station’s weekday programs were in or near the Top 10 with Men 25-54. Their 55+ numbers also provided some positive signs.

Washington DC:

106.7 The Fan continued to establish itself as the market’s dominant sports voice, led by an outstanding summer book. The momentum gained from the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup during the spring book carried forward, as The Fan grew from 7.4 to 7.5 M-SU 6a-Mid with Men 25-54. For weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) the station dipped slightly from an 8.8 to 8.3.

Where things were especially positive for The Fan were in their weekday dayparts. Grant and Danny delivered the best ranking on the station finishing 1st in middays. The Sports Junkies remained strong with a 2nd place finish in mornings. And Chad Dukes secured 3rd place in the highly competitive afternoon drive timeslot.

A few other interesting tidbits to pass along.

The Fan is up over a full point year to year with Men 25-54 M-SU 6a-Mid. They’re also up seven to eight tenths of a point during that same period with Adults 25-54 in M-F 6a-7p and M-SU 6a-Mid, as well as with Men 25-54 M-F 6a-7p.

The biggest ratings gainer over the past twelve months has been M-F 10a-3p (Grant & Danny + 1-hour of Chad Dukes) which has increased from a 6.9 to 9.0. The Fan has also received an impressive 6.3 number from the Junkies in mornings with Adults 25-54.

Boston:

The story remained the same in New England where 98.5 The Sports Hub won the overall week, and WEEI emerged victorious in a few head to head battles. In M-SU 6a-Mid, The Hub produced an 8.4 with Men 25-54, which was enough to finish first. WEEI placed 2nd with a 7.2. The station also received a .4 from WVEI which broadcasts WEEI’s programming out of Providence and registers in the market.

In mornings, WEEI’s Kirk and Callahan finished 1st with a 8.9. The Hub’s Toucher and Rich came in 2nd with an 8.4. An interesting note to point out, Kirk Minihane missed a number of programs during the summer book. He took an indefinite leave from the station in September so that should make the fall book interesting as well.

Turning to middays, WEEI’s combination of OMF (moved to PM Drive in August) and Dale and Keefe bested The Hub’s team of Scott Zolak and Marc Bertrand 8.8 to 7.5. That allowed WEEI to finish 2nd in the daypart. The Hub placed third.

The Hub bounced back claiming victory in afternoons where Felger and Massarotti doubled WEEI’s Dale and Keefe and a few weeks of OMF 13.3 to 6.5. The Hub also won the 6p-7p hour when both stations typically host baseball pre-game shows, 10.8 to 5.0.

Closing things out at night, WEEI’s combination of Boston Red Sox baseball and Mut at Night earned a 9.5 to emerge victorious over The Hub’s Adam Jones who generated a 6.5.

Phoenix:

Arizona Sports had reason to celebrate, finishing as the highest rated spoken word station in the market for the quarter. Leading the way were the station’s drive time programs, Doug and Wolf, and Burns and Gambo, which both ranked 4th overall with Men 25-54. Doug and Wolf also finished 8th for the quarter with P25-54.

Turning to middays, Bickley and Marotta came in 7th during their daypart. The station’s combination of Diamondbacks baseball and The Rundown with Luke Lapinski also received a 7th place ranking during evening hours.

One additional positive for the brand, among Men 18-34, Arizona Sports finished 6th.

Seattle:

The quarter once again belonged to Bonneville’s 710 ESPN. The team of Brock and Salk enjoyed three straight months inside the To 10 to earn bragging rights as the market’s preferred choice for sports in morning drive.

Switching to middays, John Clayton, and Bob, Groz, and Tom saw their numbers increase during the three month stretch from the high 2’s to the mid to high 3’s. With football season now underway, that momentum should help their programs gain even more ground during the fall book.

Finishing up in afternoons, the trio of Danny, Dave, and Moore had the best overall three month performance of the station’s key weekday shows, finishing between 5th and 9th for each month of the book. The only timeslot to perform better was evenings, led by Seattle Mariners baseball, which ranked between 4th and 7th.

Tampa:

There may not be a ton of sports radio competition in the market for WDAE, but Tampa’s leading sports station did what it’s supposed to do, build upon its own success.

For the summer book, Ronnie and TKras led the way in mornings, gaining a full share increase with Men 25-54. JP Peterson doubled the station’s share in PM drive, a huge feat given that Peterson has been holding down the fort for Steve Duemig who’s been battling health issues.

Also worth noting, all of WDAE’s weekday shows recorded Top 8 finishes with Men 35+.

St. Louis:

Another quarter, another dominant performance from St. Louis’ leading sports brand. 101 ESPN remained powerful, crushing the market’s sports competition and establishing a stronger presence against top brands from other formats.

The station finished 3rd with a 9.1 M-F 6a-7p, and 3rd with a 7.0 M-SU 6a-Mid.

Looking at the weekday shows, Bernie Miklasz produced an 8.1 to place 3rd in morning drive. Kevin Wheeler and The Turn also finished 3rd in middays. In fact, The Turn was just four tenths of a point under a ten share, which is especially remarkable considering Chris Duncan was away from the show for the entire quarter.

Rounding things out in afternoons, The Fast Lane cruised to another 1st place finish with a 12.1. Randy Karraker, Brad Thompson, and Chris Rongey have been at or near the top of the ratings ladder for nearly two years.

Baltimore:

It was another strong quarter for 105.7 The Fan. Baltimore’s sports voice was above a 10 share in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p), helping the station finish 1st in the market for its third straight book. That’s the first time in station history that The Fan has accomplished this feat.

A few other notes worth sharing.

The Big Bad Morning Show with Rob Long, Ed Norris, and Jerry Coleman continued to dominate with Men 25-54, while also moving into the top 4 with Adults 25-54.

The station’s midday show featuring Bob Haynie and Vinny Cerrato came in 1st with Men 25-54, while registering a 6th place finish with Adults 25-54.

The afternoon show with Scott Garceau and Jeremy Conn provided a similar story, generating above a 10 share with Men 25-54.

Charlotte:

The transformation of WFNZ in Charlotte over the past eighteen months has been fun to watch, and the summer book continued to highlight the way the brand’s programming has connected with local listeners.

For starters, Mac and T-Bone climbed from a 2.1 last year to a 2.7 this year in morning drive, a performance which helped them jump 7 positions in the summer book. Even more noteworthy has been their appeal to Men 18-34 where they produced a 6th place ranking for the month of September.

Middays also provided some positive signs thanks to the arrival of Nick Wilson and Josh Parcell. Though the new midday crew didn’t start until August 6th, their first month in the ratings produced a Top 10 finish (3.8). The overall quarter for middays was lower (2.8) due to the station going thru a search for a new show. With Wilson and Parcell now firmly entrenched, further growth should be expected.

In afternoons, the talented team of Kyle Bailey and Frank Garcia kept things steady, delivering a 2.7 to remain just outside of the Top 10. The show began to see excellent growth signs with Men 18-34 in September, leading all shows on the station with a 5th place finish and 5.6 share.

Considering that the summer months in Charlotte are devoid of local sports driving frequent listening occasions, WFNZ had a pretty good book, and is set up well for the fall ratings period when Panthers Mania floods the airwaves.

Memphis:

92.9 ESPN has been on quite the roll over the past year. During the past twelve months, the radio station has generated a 9.1 rating. That’s been good enough to lock up 2nd place in the market during that time period.

As far as the summer book was concerned, it was more of the same. Memphis’ leading sports brand received its best performance from Jason & John who finished the quarter 1st overall with a 10.7. During the month of September alone, the program produced just under an 11 and a half share.

Second on the list was Geoff Calkins who came in 2nd during his mid-morning slot with a 10 and a half share. Calkins’ September performance was even more impressive, registering a low 13 share.

The rest of the lineup saw Gary Parrish soar in with just under a 9 share to place 2nd in afternoon drive. Eric Hasseltine’s midday program was ranked 6th during its daypart with a low 8 share.

Don’t be Afraid to Walk Away

Dave Greene
-
0

Let’s talk about one of the hardest things to do in our line of work: walking away.

Yes, believe it or not, there are reasons why it makes sense to NOT take the business.  In fact, some of the time you actually need to fire the account forever.

I hired a seller once who was the proverbial “ball of fire.”  He had no fears whatsoever and would call on or walk in on anyone you would throw his way.  He hated being in the office and much preferred being out on calls, so he would map out his day and go on appointment after appointment while stopping in other places to make an introduction.  He loved the station he was selling and usually came up with pretty good ideas to pitch instead of the “package du jour.”  He was also someone who would never take no for an answer.

Sounds like the perfect salesperson, doesn’t it?  Well, the problem was…he wouldn’t take no for an answer. You hear that, and you initially think of a person who pitches something and believes in it so much that they won’t let you say no. 

In this case, the bad habit was every time he tried to close the deal, the price went down.  He might’ve started with a $5,000 or $10,000 per month package, but by the time he was done, he had sold a small starter package for little money that had very little chance of working.  I even recall a time he came back and was so dejected he couldn’t close a guy, he wanted to know if he could go back and offer him a free trial with a promise to buy if it worked (because what client would ever do that and then lie?!?).  He had to have the win and he was never willing to walk away.  

Image result for slashing prices

A bad habit we also see in a lot of sellers is not being able to judge whether or not the client is a “maybe yes” or a “maybe no,” and they end up spending way too much time on an account that probably wasn’t qualified in the first place. 

In my experience, female sellers usually deal with this more than male sellers.  I can recall an auto dealer once who would have one of our reps get in her car and drive 45 minutes to his dealership so he could “learn more about what she was presenting,” over and over and over again.  The potential was certainly there as this dealer had been known to spend a lot of money in the market, but after a few times of the same story, it became clear he just wanted her attention and had no intentions of buying, he was most definitely a “maybe no.” 

Time is money.  When you’re selling sports radio for a living, one of the challenges is knowing how much time to spend on certain accounts.  Everyone should have minimum criteria for the accounts they want to go after, and if that hasn’t been set for you, set it for yourself.  Make sure it’s going to be a number where your commission is going to equal a number that will make you happy based on the effort you’ll put in.  I get it, sometimes it’s hard to pass it up, and a lot of times we think it will be a “quick deal” only to end up chasing them down for copy the day before it starts while the business office is telling you the credit card declined.  

What could you have done with that time?  Could you have prospected a more qualified opportunity?  Could you be working to get in front of a restaurant group instead of the corner bar or the dealer group instead of the one location used car lot? 

It’s your valuable time at stake, so use it wisely.  If the payoff isn’t there, don’t be afraid to walk away.

Selling Advertising Starts With Selling Yourself

Dave Greene
-
0

In my office hangs a small sign that (in part) reads: “You are not in the sales business, you are a marketing consultant who sells ideas and solutions.”  Regular readers will know I quote sales guru Dave Gifford a lot, and this is another one from “Giff.”

I believe, in order to be “a marketing consultant who sells ideas and solutions,” you must first sell your prospects on two things – one is a partnership and the other is YOU.

Image result for sell yourself

We hear this all the time, the concept of selling ourselves, but I often wonder if people are aware what that means.  I heard one person say recently, “you first sell the trust in you,” and I asked him if that’s really possible.  It sounds good, but do you ever really build trust in someone quickly?  To me, trust is something that builds over time.  Some things you can show someone quickly is demeanor, a passion for what you’re selling, professionalism (were you on time and prepared?) and the ability to listen.

I often advise sports media sellers to step back and turn the tables around.  If you’re the business owner, thinking about your business and what you want out of a “marketing consultant,” what types of things would you look for?  I’d want someone to ask me good questions that make me think about my business, someone who did some homework and made themselves at least dangerous enough to hold a conversation about the business or industry that I’m in and I’d want someone who I can learn something from without them being a know-it-all.  

Nobody goes in to a sale thinking about earning a short-term, one-time advertiser.  We think, or are supposed to be thinking about, long term clients willing to make long term investments in their business.  So, if that’s the case and this is to be someone you’ll have a working relationship with for a long time, there needs to be compatibility, the personalities need to mesh.  My best clients over the years became great friends, and I’m certain that has been the case for many of you.  Did that happen because they really liked the radio station I represented?  More likely, it was because we had common interests and/or personalities and liked to hang out together.

One of my favorite words to use in our business is “partnership.”  If I have met with 5,000 clients in my days, then I have said 5,000 times that I am interested in “a mutually beneficial partnership” and that I am “not interested in a short term opportunity, I am most interested in bringing you measurable results for your business as I know if I do that, we will be long time partners.”

Image result for mutually beneficial relationships

It’s quite the powerful word, “partnership.”  One of the actual definitions is “joint interest.” You have an interest in learning about the prospective client’s business and sharing marketing ideas and solutions and they have interest in investing in their company and your marketing expertise with the joint interest of growing the revenue of the business.  

Selling the idea of this being a partnership and not just a sale or the package of the week is a point I try and drive home throughout the presentation to a client once I have all of the information needed to put it together.  This even works as a close, being able to reiterate what each of you is bringing to the table while gaining their confidence, “With your expertise in your field and my expertise in mine, along with our mutual interest in growing your business, how can we lose?  Are you ready to move forward?”  

Sell the partnership and never forget they’re buying you.  Make it so that whatever the investment is, they know your services being included has tremendous value, because now you are THEIR marketing consultant who sells ideas and solutions. 

Beasley Media Enters the eSports Arena

Jason Barrett
-
0

Beasley Media is getting into the eSports business. CEO Caroline Beasley announced today at the 2018 eSports Business Summit in Las Vegas that the company is launching BEASLEY XP, a new eSports initiative. To give the new division the boost it needs, Beasley has acquired CheckPoint Radio, the only internationally syndicated Esports gaming lifestyle radio show.

Since launching in February 2017, CheckPoint Radio has delivered a weekly two-hour show to 60 markets across the United States and Canada on Westwood One. Beasley’s top two sports stations, 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, and 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia are among the stations to carry the show. The program which features co-hosts Nathan Bender, Norris Howard, Robbie Landis and Joe Sloan is also found on the Twitch platform.

“Beasley Media Group is committed to great content creation and content acquisition,” said Executive EVP of Strategy & Innovation Buzz Knight. “Adding CheckPoint to our roster brings us into the innovative world of Esports.”

What I Learned at The 2018 NAB Radio Show

Jason Barrett
-
0
What I Learned at The 2018 NAB Radio Show

Each year I attend the NAB Radio Show, and after a few days of meetings, attending sessions, and celebrating individual and brand achievements, I’m re-energized. The amount of wisdom shared in each room to help fellow broadcasters, and the private conversations conducted throughout each hotel, serve as a reminder that we’re working in an incredible business, one which remains important and exciting to those earning a living in it.

There is this public perception often presented that radio is lagging behind, failing to adapt, and not built for the future. I’ve called out the industry myself a few times because it sometimes can be its own worst enemy, and stand in the way of progress. Though there are issues to be solved, and competitive challenges have increased, rapid innovation continues, and each time we set our feet it feels like we’re forced to pivot, it’s also an exciting time because the demand for our content and personalities is as high as its ever been.

The majority of people I’ve spent time with in 2018 continue to believe in the present and future of the radio business. They see fields of opportunities rather than landfills of misery. During my conversations in Orlando, I heard similar feedback. The difficulties facing brands aren’t ignored, but most are optimistic, open to new ideas, eager to find solutions, and recognize the limitless options that exist to reach audiences thru multiple platforms.

A great example of this was last Thursday’s session on smart speakers featuring Fred Jacobs of Jacobs Media, Jeremy Sinon of Hubbard Radio, and Charles Steinhauer of Westwood One. All three gentlemen talked about the surge of smart speakers, the challenges they provide, and their importance to the radio industry’s future. Sinon in particular did an excellent job of playing some examples where Alexa created headaches for a few stations, and then showed how to develop skills to overcome those challenges. The message for the room was to understand the opportunity this new technology provides and not forget that it still requires investing time and resources to develop skills so your brand can perform its best.

As I sat there listening and processing the information Fred, Jeremy, and Charlie supplied, I thought about how it relates to the big picture of the radio business. Every brand, personality, and executive has problems to deal with, but solutions are available if you’re willing to invest the time to identify them, and take action.

Another session I attended that peaked my curiosity was on artificial intelligence. Traug Keller of ESPN, and Hartley Adkins of iHeartmedia were featured along with a few other broadcasters, and one of the best parts of the session was when an ESPN sample video was shown featuring Scott Van Pelt as a voice assistant. It gave the room a peak into the future. Keller delivered one of the best lines of the conference when he said “here we are talking about artificial intelligence and I don’t think any of us really know what it even means.”

He was right. Too many times in radio we hear of the potential of new technology, and immediately rush into it because we’re hoping it’s the magic bullet. Maybe AI will be a powerful tool to assist our business. But what if it isn’t? I’ve been to a number of shows since launching my company in 2015 where VR was touted as the future of TV watching, Nielsen was in danger of being replaced by other forms of measurement, and radio was read its last rites, and here we are in 2018 and all seem to be doing fine.

Don’t get me wrong, I see the projections. Radio is viewed as a flat to down business, while mobile and social media are seen as golden tickets to greater fortunes. Not only are both a huge part of each person’s daily routine, but they also offer better metrics to judge audience interest and advertising results. Meanwhile, radio lingers with an antiquated measurement system that doesn’t capture the true impact of each brand.

There’s also the reality that smart speakers are now owned by nearly 25% of Americans, and that number is expected to increase in the next few years. Larry Rosin of Edison Research did a stellar job of highlighting this during his session. I especially agreed with his data to support why music and sports brands would be wise to eliminate traffic. I did that as PD of 101 ESPN and 95.7 The Game and both stations turned out fine. The most important message though is an obvious one that can’t be stressed enough. As voice-enabled technology takes over the inside of our vehicles, brands lacking strong recall, local content, and recognizable talent will be in for greater challenges.

We also heard a bunch about the unstoppable force known as podcasting. That seemed to be a heavy focus of this year’s conference. Norm Pattiz, Darren Davis, and Suzanne Grimes offered their insights and optimistic views of the space during an action packed session which included Jewel, Mario Lopez, Elaina D. Smith, and Kaitlyn Bristoe, and I share their enthusiasm for it. It allows talent to showcase creativity, brands to introduce original content and new voices, and the biggest winners are the listeners since most content options are ad free or significantly lower than what they’re exposed to on terrestrial airwaves.

However, until radio operators share an equal confidence of earning income in the space similar to their terrestrial properties, I think it’s going to be an uphill climb. Should we be selling podcast subscriptions? Video shows? Will people continue to listen if we include more ads in our podcasts? There’s no shortage of content or promotion for podcasting, but monetizing it is the largest issue. Measuring it in a way that satisfies advertisers is another big challenge.

Last but not least, I attended the Snacks, Suds, and Stories session which included Mike McVay, Mike Golic Jr. and Chris Oliviero. McVay always does a great job hosting these sessions because his personality, humor, and passion grab your attention, but what really stood out this time was something Oliviero said.

When Chris was asked to describe the best moment of his broadcasting career, he said he’d answer by sharing his best and worst. The worst he said was the day he learned Howard Stern was leaving terrestrial radio, He said it felt like a piece of the industry died that day. His best moment, was his final day with Entercom.

Now before you read into that last response, Chris’ explanation was that it meant he had written the final chapter on a successful 20+ year career. He was proud to represent CBS as an executive, and when the company sold, he stayed on to help Entercom navigate thru the merger. He felt he did what he set ought to do, the job was complete, and it was time to walk away.

I knew exactly what he meant. When I left San Francisco in 2015, I did so with zero regrets. I knew the station was built for future success, the same way I left 101 ESPN in St. Louis in 2011. I wasn’t interested in moving to NY and doing the same thing. I proved to myself and my bosses that I was a strong PD, and I was ready for a new challenge. I didn’t know it’d become BSM, but had I not left SF, I’d never have realized how much I love this.

After three days of meetings and attending sessions, I left Orlando with the understanding that not all is rosy in radioland. There are many mountains to climb, and it seems that just when we reach the top of one, another pops up. Challenges are to be expected though, which is why I don’t see the industry as laying in a hospital bed on life support as some others do. When I add it all up it comes down to this, some see challenges as problems, others as opportunities. The way you view it will determine how you respond, adapt, and ultimately perform.

How Do You Define Digital?

Jason Barrett
-
0

Ask a few different people what the word ‘digital’ means to them. After you do, take note of the variety of responses that you receive back. What you’re likely to discover is that the definition changes from person to person. This makes it challenging when trying to articulate vision and focus to advertisers, account executives, program directors, and talent.

Yet for many media folks, digital has been presented as the elixir for future growth opportunities. But what exactly is it? Is it podcasting? Is it streaming? Is it your brand’s mobile app or website business? Maybe it’s social media. Or smart speakers. Perhaps it’s video. More than likely, it’s all of the above.

When you combine each of these areas, and consider how they factor into your business model, ask yourself how well versed and prepared your people are to take full advantage of opportunities in each space. As you think about that, I want you to remember how much easier things were in years past.

Previously, the radio, television and newspaper businesses were easy to define. Advertisers knew what each provided, and made their decisions on how they’d divide their advertising dollars to reach each audience. But in 2018, the lines are blurred. Radio, TV and print are all present in the same arenas. Some may perform better than others in specific areas, but most brands now have an audio, video and written strategy, and talent capable of performing across multiple platforms.

And there’s a good reason for it.

Every revenue projection I’ve seen over the past two year’s points to increased opportunities for digital, and either flat or declining revenue for radio, television, and print. This has led media groups to place a higher premium on digital content creation and distribution, while challenging their teams to find ways to further monetize it. But if those we trust to create and sell content in these space aren’t given a clear focus of what matters most to audiences and advertisers, can we fully take advantage of all of these wonderful brand extensions?

As I’ve spent time this week at the NAB Radio Show, I’ve been thinking long and hard about this. By definition, digital means available in electronic form; readable and manipulable by computer. But does that truly capture everything it stands for to folks on the programming and sales end of sports media operations? I’m not sure it does.

I’ve listened the past few days to sessions about the explosion of podcasting, the future of artificial intelligence, and the financial climate for radio, and all of it connects back to the word ‘digital’. That’s both exciting and confusing. It’s easy to embrace lines such as ‘this is where the future growth of our industry lies’ but the ability to offer a clear description, provide a picture of what deserves focus, teach staffs and clients how to maximize digital opportunities, and explain what success should look like is a very different story.

If you go by industry perceptions, podcasting and social media are vital to our success. Yet revenue in those spaces remains challenged. Mobile advertising has reportedly improved, and a robust future is expected, but that too is an area that has yet to be fully maximized. Streaming, and smart speakers offer hope for expanding the reach of our brands, but monetizing them is still difficult, and many who rely on radio ratings to generate business remain unsatisfied with the current standard of measurement.

There’s no question that brands have more ways than ever to connect with people. That means there are ample opportunities to deliver results for clients. However, maximizing all of these layers of digital media is very difficult.  Between mobile, social, web, smart speakers, podcasting, and of course, radio, we’ve got numerous platforms to produce solutions to our client’s problems, except let’s be honest, we’re not going to break records in each space.

What we should be able to agree on is that our future path to prosperity depends on excelling in the digital realm. The likelihood of our content and sponsor associations owning space inside the consumer’s head thru terrestrial radio is going to be less. The only question is when, not if. That doesn’t mean audiences won’t continue receiving our content, they’ll just do so thru multiple channels.

Inside each building, it’d benefit every market manager and programmer to ask their staffs how they define digital media. Once all of the feedback is received, you’ll have a better idea of how to define it, and present it, internally and externally.

If we can reach a consensus of how to define digital, and show our teams where the biggest opportunities are, how to create impact for clients, and which areas to focus their efforts in, we could end up becoming a bigger part of that digital growth story that everyone’s buzzing about. And the last time I checked, success was a word that required little explanation. Certainly a lot less than digital.

 

 

Agenda Driven Reporting Doesn’t Open New Minds

Jason Barrett
-
0
Agenda Driven Reporting Doesn’t Open New Minds

On Thursday night, I did what most football fans did, I tuned in for the Jets-Browns game. The first half was sloppy, boring, and uneventful until Isiah Crowell wiped his ass with a football, and Tyrod Taylor left the game, paving the way for the Browns to introduce Baker Mayfield to a national audience.

As I sat there asking myself “why am I still watching this garbage” before Mayfield entered the game, I had a chance to catch up on some reading. I scrolled thru Twitter, and discovered a story from Wednesday written by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. The headline of the article read “It’s Come to My Attention That Some Nobody Robert Silverman of The Daily Beast is Writing a Hit Piece on Me 5 Years in the Making.”

I admit, I wasn’t familiar with The Daily Beast, but Portnoy’s headline made me curious. As I started to read the article, which showcases Portnoy’s brash style which some will love, and others won’t, I began to think about a bigger issue – how brands decide on assigning reporters to specific stories.

If you read Portnoy’s piece, you’ll discover that Silverman is not a fan of Barstool Sports. His feelings about the company’ and its cast of characters are visible on social media, and that barrage of negativity calls into question his ability to report on the brand in a fair way. Silverman may have legitimate examples to share about Barstool conducting themselves poorly, but the problem is his biased opinions on the brand make it difficult to convince anyone who’s in the middle or Pro-Barstool that he’s presenting facts from a neutral position.

The distrust towards reporters and media outlets has grown because we now have greater access to these kind of details. Last week you may recall the video of the weatherman showing how powerful the winds of Hurricane Florence were, only to look silly a few seconds later when two local people calmly walked in the background. You also likely heard about the back and forth between Anderson Cooper of CNN and Donald Trump Jr., and the list goes on and on, especially when it comes to political coverage where both sides often fuel their base without reaching anyone new.

On the other hand, social media has become a battlefield by which media members fight back. After learning of Silverman’s quest to paint Barstool in a poor light, Portnoy went on offense. Not only did he fire back with some choice words in his blog, but he also posted the reporter’s phone number (later taking it down), giving his fan base the opportunity to harass Silverman.

I don’t think that’s right either. It goes against what many media executives tell their people “steer clear of getting personal.” Portnoy has a right to respond to Silverman thru video, audio, and his blog. He can even do what he did on Twitter, and challenge him to a publicly recorded debate. But putting someone’s private number out is a minor league move. Given that Dave has led Barstool from Single A to the major leagues, he’s better than that.

 

Though it’s not my cup of tea to out someone in the fashion that Portnoy did, this has been a growing trend in recent years. You may recall Clay Travis posted the phone number of former Tennessee Athletic Director John Currie after the University hired Greg Schiano. Heck, the President himself once posted Senator Lindsey Graham’s digits and told American to “give it a shot.”

One thing I’ve noticed about each of those situations is that each personality and brand has adopted this “us against them” approach. That resonates with people. It’s not how corporate media outlets operate, and that’s an advantage for guys like Portnoy, Travis, and Trump. Their approach has only strengthened their position with their fan base. On the other hand it’s fair to question why they feel the need to get personal when faced with criticism or not given the answers they want. If you’re going to be in a position of power, it comes with the territory.

As it relates to covering teams, athletes, executives, and media types, we’ve got to think long and hard about who we have reporting on specific beats and stories. Do you have a reporter covering a subject or individual that they’re familiar with? Can they foster respectful relationships with people, and tell stories objectively even if at times it creates friction? Are they so desperate to be liked and accepted that they’re easily influenced and likely to shield those they report on? Have you given someone a platform who’s goal is to advance their own agenda, and harm those who don’t subscribe to their point of view?

It may sound complicated, but these are all questions that have to be answered by a brand manager before deciding who to assign to report on a story. If a reporter’s bias influences the coverage, their credibility is compromised. You can’t put someone on a beat who’s intentions are doubted by the audience. Eventually the content will be dismissed.

In this particular case, Mr. Silverman’s disgust towards Barstool and Mr. Portnoy, raises concerns about his ability to be fair and accurate when reporting on the company. Agenda driven reporting doesn’t changes minds, it just fuels those who already feel a certain way. It’d be like Richard Deitsch doing a story on Skip Bayless, Sean Hannity reporting on Barack Obama, or Keith Olbermann providing a piece on Donald Trump. They’re all talented and capable of doing great reporting, but it’s unlikely they’d separate their personal dislike, and convince an audience of their objectivity towards the individuals in question.

If The Daily Beast wanted to tell a story about Barstool, and open eyes to the company having legitimate issues, they should’ve assigned someone to the story who wasn’t emotionally attached to it. It doesn’t help that Silverman has contributed to Deadspin, a brand known for publicly feuding with Barstool.

This doesn’t mean Barstool hasn’t done something foul. For all we know, Silverman could have uncovered something powerful. However, if the information gathered by a brand is delivered by someone who’s connection to the story raises doubts about their ability to present it fairly, then the quality of that work is not going to produce the result that it should. And that will leave most brand managers feeling like they missed their shot on a wide open net.

 

A Pen and a Piece of Paper Can Change Everything

Dave Greene
-
0

I love technology.

As I write this, I have a baseball game on a television, in a different city, that is being “cast” from my phone, which is getting the broadcast off my satellite dish at home.  That blows my mind.  And, for the most part, technology has done some great things for us in media sales.

This column, however, isn’t meant to be about technology.  It’s really about something that is the exact opposite, which is what I still like to do with good ole’ pen and paper.  Sometimes I just like to write out and see a good list on paper.  When I have things written down on a piece of paper, that I can feel in my hands, make changes to or cross items off, it helps me dissect things and figure out next steps.  I often make this suggestion to reps when they are struggling or in a slump.

Image result for pros and cons list

I had a situation once with a rep who was very upset during an annual review of her business.  She was aware of the dollars that had not returned from the previous year, but in the review, we disagreed greatly on the reasons and why the year, taken as a whole, hadn’t been great.  

I realized throughout the conversation that she was using a lot of generalizations such as, “every account went the wrong way for me,” “ratings just killed my agency business,” and “nothing I did seemed to work.”  So, I stopped the meeting and asked her to look over her list of billing and clients and write down the problems.  I wanted to know which accounts went the wrong way, which agency business walked because of the ratings and what, exactly, she had done that didn’t work.

When she finished, the point I had been trying to make during the initial parts of the conversation, had been made but was now on paper, in black and white.  First, we went through each account and eliminated the ones which we had no control over or didn’t really have a lot of impact.  Secondly, there were two less agency accounts on the overall list from year to year.  Lastly, there wasn’t much of anything in the “nothing I did seemed to work” column, and that was the root of everything.

Only a few really strong ideas were pitched, no noticeable change in prospecting or selling habits, and most of the successes came from growth of current clients (which is fantastic, but can’t be the only source of growth).  Having the list in front of us, while discussing, proved to be one of the main factors of this particular seller seeing a little different picture than they had originally perceived.

I’m also a big believer in writing out a list when you’re feeling overwhelmed with too many things to get done.  For me, the process of having that list with me wherever I go and being able to cross things off or make changes, by hand, is a big part of keeping me focused on it.  I do have the habit of emailing myself lists from time to time, and to be honest, I often find myself never looking at them again because they aren’t right in front of my face.

Image result for to do list

In the end, whatever works for you to step back and take a good glimpse at the whole picture when things aren’t going your way.  Really think about what isn’t going well and what might be a common theme in your answers or pay attention to what might be missing.  The goal is to identify the problem so you can come up with the solution, no matter if it came from writing an old fashioned hand note or voice-texting an email.

Hubbard St. Louis Ready For ‘Buds & Bourbons 2’

Jason Barrett
-
0
Hubbard Radio in St. Louis is hoping to capitalize on the first year success of its Buds & Bourbon promotion by bringing it back a second time. The company has announced plans to host the event on Thursday, November 8, 2018 at RYSE Nightclub at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in St. Charles, Missouri.

As part of the event, attendees will have an opportunity to sample the finest bourbons from distilleries such as McKenna Henry, Rittenhouse Rye, Bernheim, and more. Heavy hor d’ourves will also be featured, as well as a variety of interactive experiences, meet and greets with the on-air talent from 101 ESPN, and LIVE music from The Tommy Halloran Trio.

Tickets are $35, and provide attendees with access to bourbon samples, a complimentary cigar, and a commemorative glass. A special “Higher Standard” ticket can be purchased for $50, which includes early access to the event and a special bourbon tasting.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.101sports.com.

1...2,5222,5232,524...2,610Page 2,523 of 2,610