2.        soundBAIT can help develop local direct $$$ and non-traditional revenue.

3.        soundBAIT offers Managers, AE’s and clients a structured sales process.

4.        soundBAIT can help radio stations diversify and expand their prospect list.

5.        soundBAIT can make the opening and closing of Annual Contracts easier.

6.        soundBAIT can help pre-select, pre-approve and pre-qualify prospects.

7.        soundBAIT can eliminate the uncomfortable aspects of cold calling.

8.        soundBAIT can be used as an icebreaker, talking point and reason to meet again.

9.        soundBAIT isn’t just for traditional advertisers; it’s all about NEW prospects.

10.     soundBAIT isn’t just for new business: it can be used for existing accounts as well.

11.     soundBAIT is a part of long-term strategy, not quick-fix solution…and it will show!

12.     soundBAIT can deliver BIG IDEAS that justify a long-term commitment.

13.     soundBAIT helps identify radio’s strengths…and ability to partner with other media.

14.     soundBAIT helps demonstrate how to combine reach, frequency and creative.

15.     soundBAIT can demonstrate the difference between branding and direct response.

16.     soundBAIT forces AE’s to set up a strategic plan while prospecting.

17.     soundBAIT forces clients to follow a plan and not skip important steps.

18.     soundBAIT builds a bond between AE’s, clients and eventually…listeners.

19.     soundBAIT is a great way to surprise prospects with the gift of audio!

20.     soundBAIT introduces your commitment to writers, producers and voice talent.

21.     soundBAIT implements “on-the-go” training without delay or interruption.

22.     soundBAIT can help market your sales department as the “Creative Experts”.

23.     soundBAIT will offer an immediate buying signal from a client.

24.     soundBAIT can introduce additional sales tools, strategies, ideas and concepts.

25.     soundBAIT can bring all kinds of new and unique industry categories to radio.

26.     soundBAIT can be offered as a reward to VIP clients who support your station.

27.     soundBAIT will challenge clients to open up, talk and think long-term.

28.     soundBAIT campaigns can be written, recorded and produced fast

29.     soundBAIT allows your sales team to put their best foot forward.

30.     soundBAIT will take your creative services to a new level.

31.     soundBAIT is much more cost-effective than Jingle Services.

32.     soundBAIT demonstrates that you are willing to invest in your clients.

33.     soundBAIT is much more relatable to your clients than seminars or books.

34.     soundBAIT is like the 5^th member of your sales department.

35.     soundBAIT makes your clients understand the value of their purchase.

36.     soundBAIT can help say things that most advertisers have difficulty explaining.

37.     soundBAIT can regurgitate theories from the most trusted Radio Sales Consultants.

38.     soundBAIT is a great service to offer agencies that are lacking radio creative services.

39.     soundBAIT campaigns are flexible and easy to revise, change or update.

40.     soundBAIT puts you in control…early in the game.

41.     soundBAIT demonstrates your ability to do something that your competitors are not.

42.     soundBAIT can be offered as an incentive to do business with your station.

43.     soundBAIT can inspire AE’s that are looking to generate new business.

44.     soundBAIT will prove the power of sound to non-believers.

45.     soundBAIT gives AE’s and clients a better perspective of what they are selling.

46.     soundBAIT let’s you paint a picture for an advertiser in a way that other media can’t.

47.     soundBAIT is the first chapter of your long-term partnership.

48.     soundBAIT is the ultimate customer service experience for new prospects.

49.     soundBAIT gives your station a big market sound at small market rates.

50.     soundBAIT can be used to help correct existing marketing mistakes.

51.     soundBAIT makes you look like you are doing more than just selling airtime.

        52.   soundBAIT: Creative Weapons of MASS Distraction

The Pre-Selection, Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval:

Before you even think about picking up the phone, dropping by a retail location, faxing out an offer or talking rates and ratings, sit down with a Sales Manager, Business Manager or Promotion Manager to investigate the history or viability of your prospect. Have they done business with your station in the past? Did they pay their bills? Were they easy to deal with? Will they appreciate your efforts or are they just looking for cheap spots?

The Introduction, Promotion and Invitation to do business with your station:

How are you introducing the benefits of radio advertising to your clients? Are you sending out introduction letters, invitations to get together for a 1-hour Needs Analysis Interview or are you using your unsold inventory to run a series of commercials that introduce local business owners to what you can do, what you can offer and how to get in touch with you? Once a client agrees to meet with you, are you willing to play the role of a consultant or partner with the needs of their business (not yours) at heart?

The Follow-Up Appointment, The Marketing Plan and The SPEC Spot:

This is when things should start to come together! If you were able to withstand the temptation of pulling out your rates, ratings, charts and graphs during the first fact finding interview and spend more time asking questions, picking up brochures, website info, old radio scripts, copies of yellow page and newspaper ads, you were probably able to gather enough info to develop a customized marketing plan that was backed up by a originally written, recorded and produced SPEC Spot. Don’t be afraid to address, explain and identify the strengths, weaknesses and benefits of your competitors. Believe it or not, the Newspaper, Internet, Yellow Pages, Television, Magazines, Direct Mail and Point-of-Purchase displays don’t always need to be your enemy. Radio is not always the answer for every client and if you think that our industry needs another unhappy client out on the street saying that “radio doesn’t work”, you are very wrong!

The Broadcast Offer, The Asking of the Order and the Closing of the Sale!

Nothing compliments a Marketing Plan and series of SPEC Spots better than a well thought out broadcast schedule that will offer the reach, frequency and creative message that it takes to deliver a specific message to the listeners of your station. There will always be transactional business in the radio industry, but as long as we are doing the right things, asking the tough questions, suggesting long-term thinking and providing well thought out creative ideas, we will do just fine.

To quote the Market Manager that inspired me to create my business, it is very important for all of us to remember that “advertisers buy ideas, not “spots and dots”! Thanks, Jim.

D.J. Williams is the creator of soundBAIT and the President of The Jetset Media Workshop. He can be reached at info@soundbait.com or 404-291-9452.

Would you mind if we just pushed “pause” for a moment and took a look at the big picture? This is a very common situation that is going on in almost every radio market as we speak and the only way that it is going to change is if we re-evaluate how prospective advertisers are introduced to radio advertising and what they need to be aware of before their campaign starts.

Radio commercials need to be considered the glue that holds a format together. The difference between a good commercial and a bad one is not always the final draft of copy, the voice, the music or the level of production. It’s how you got there that matters! Was there a system in place when you first decided to call on the client? How did you pre-select, pre-qualify, pre-approve, introduce, invite, interview, present, pitch, and close the deal? Do you have a plan for how you will maintain and renew the client?

Although the phrase “ better creative” is starting to creep up into the ranks of current industry issues such as spot loads, spot lengths, digital signals, rates, ratings, FCC policies, ownership, consolidation, training and recruiting, it is still a dirty little secret that many broadcasters are afraid to address. It costs money, slows down the close, is difficult to explain and in many cases, will be taken out of an AE’s commission to justify the cost.

The development of a creative message is usually started after a client has purchased a broadcast schedule, which can be a problem right off the bat. When we are all trying to jam as many spots as possible into this calendar month, we skip steps that will only hurt us down the road. Shouldn’t radio be using a properly executed Client Needs Analysis Questionnaire (CNA) as an application to advertise, rather than just a form to gather copy points. Do you realize how many business owners out there would enjoy sitting down with you and walking through a “CNA” if they knew it was part of the process of making their campaign work? Believe me, many advertisers would be more than happy to pay a little extra if it meant that their commercial would be successful.

When clients participate in the creative process, it gives everyone a better chance of being part of a success story that was a team effort. If creative commercials are properly presented, they can force advertisers to think longer-term, they can demonstrate your direction, commitment and strategic plan that can be as long as you want it to be. Don’t let the experience that you had with the gatekeeper hold you back from what is best for the decision maker that you are dealing with. Selling cheap spots is really not that hard to do, but making a contract stick when the client is not seeing results is a whole different story. Successful campaigns that come out of a solid CNA can actually save clients money by thinking longer-term and avoiding the need for quick hit packages. It will help spread the word about the service that you and your station provide and if nothing else, may even generate some referrals from the positive PR that you will receive for your efforts. Some of the most exciting commercials out there are just a regurgitation of a well-executed Needs Analysis Questionnaire.