Selling Radio Direct with Pat Bryson
I am so glad I hire people who are smarter than I am! And, I often learn more from them than they learn from me. Or, so it seems.
Recently I was training a new hire who had previously spent 15 years selling newspaper. He was new to radio, but not new to sales. One of my first modules covers how to close sales. We talk about “managing the tension level” to make our clients comfortable enough to say, “Yes”.
One of the ways we do this is to use words that bring down the tension level when we are asking for the final agreement. Words like: authorize, results, agreement, approve, let’s, proven, easy, save.
Words we should eliminate from our closing vocabulary: contract, sign, deal, cost, decision, price, obligation, liable. These tend to spike the tension level.
As we talked about these words, my new hire told me how he had used them in the past. When in a closing situation, if his prospect was currently advertising with a competitor, he used the “bad” words when referring to that competitor. He used the “good” words when referring to his own product.
“Mr. Client, I see you have a CONTRACT with XXXX. Our AGREEMENT states…….”
“Did you have to make the DECISION to SIGN their DEAL? You would AUTHORIZE ours to begin SAVING money today.”
Well, perhaps a bit diabolical, but effective. The student became the teacher that day. I hope I never get too old to learn something new!
About The Author
Pat Bryson is the founder of Bryson Broadcasting International, a consulting firm that works with radio stations around the world to increase revenue by raising the skill level of their sales staffs. Her client list spans from the United States to Canada, Europe and Central Asia.
Pat has spent her entire career creating a culture of over-achievement for her stations. She began her career in radio sales, becoming one of the highest billing sales people in her market. Her career advanced to General Sales Manager, and then to Market Manager. Since starting BBI 7 years ago, she has helped hundreds of radio stations to find, train and grow great quality sales people and managers.
Pat was the recipient of two prestigious educational fellowships from the Educational Foundation of the National Association of Broadcasters: a fellowship to the Executive Development Program and a fellowship to the Broadcast Leadership Training Program.
She publishes the Bryson Broadcasting International Newsletter twice monthly and is a contributor to Valerie Geller’s latest book, Beyond Powerful Radio: A Communicator’s Guide To The Internet Age.
You may contact Pat at [email protected] or visit her website at http://www.patbryson.com.