Selling Radio with Pat Bryson

We’ve all heard it: “My radio advertising doesn’t work!” My newspaper sales people hear their own version of “My newspaper ad didn’t work.”

A few months ago, one of my sales managers shared this with me…
  
He had a new client who wanted to quit advertising after three days of airing ads.  She was getting no response!  My manager worked with her, explained again why three days was not an adequate test of whether or not radio, or any form of advertising, would work.  He had built trust with this client, and she agreed to continue.  Several weeks later, he received this email from his client:
  
“I wanted to thank you for helping my business.  I have been getting a lot of phone calls and comments that my business was heard on ShineFM.  And, it’s landed me one definite client, and possibly two, so far.  They have told me that my ad is on the air “all the time” and they just had to call. Thank you!!!! I can’t thank you enough for being patient with me while I was freaked out at the beginning.”
  
  Most advertising is not designed for immediate results.  In the words of one illustrious broadcaster, “Advertising is education, and education is repetition.”  It simply takes awhile to penetrate the brains of potential customers and to implant our clients’ names in their file drawers.
  
When clients want to stop their advertising before it has had time to work for them, we need to explain how advertising works and why they should think “long-term.”  If you’ll look at your success letters from your clients, I believe you’ll find that many of them come from long-term advertisers.  Advertising simply works better if it is done consistently and with enough repetition.
  
This manager saved his client from becoming one of those who thinks that “radio doesn’t work” and instead turned her into a raving fan.  Good job! 

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You can purchase Pat Brysons Book A Roadmap to Success in High-Dollar Broadcast Sales here.

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.

This article was republished with permission from Pat Bryson’s Newsletter