Selling Radio Direct with Pat Bryson.

60 or 90 days ago, if you asked a client what their Number 1 concern was, the answer was probably “finding enough staff.” That’s still an issue, but in the last 60 days or so, it has slipped to Number 2 or 3. It’s been replaced by “the cost of fuel and products.”

Each day our clients wake up and try to successfully navigate an ever-changing business landscape. They juggle having the right products at the right time, taking care of customers with skeleton staffs, competing with hundreds of places to buy what they sell, and trying to make a profit to stay in business. It’s a balancing act!

Enter the world of rising fuel costs. Any product that moves anywhere, whether by air, truck or train is affected by rising fuel costs. The cost of containers full of merchandise stranded at ports has risen ridiculously.

As the cost of goods goes up, only a portion of that cost can be passed along to their customers. The only way to safeguard their profit margin is to raise top-line revenue. That’s where advertising comes in.

Advertising creates traffic. If we produce more warm bodies into stores, and the store converts them into sales, revenue goes up. Smart business owners know they must invest money to make money. High cost of doing business is EXACTLY why they need to advertise.

I’d like to point out that we need to constantly be asking the question, “What’s the Number 1 problem you are dealing with today?” Their answer will change month to month, sometimes even week to week. What should their message be? The answer to this question may tell us.

Keeping pace with the shifting business landscape is a never-ending job: for us and for our clients. Keep asking questions. Help our clients to find answers. Higher revenue awaits for our clients and for us!

Happy Selling!