Be Prepared for “NO”
There are three things you need to know about business owners. They are savvy, they are extremely busy, and they are nice… most of the time! Oh, and they are extremely busy!
Because they are nice (most of the time) but busy, over time they have evolved and come up with four of the “most common” ways to stop radio reps in their tracks by saying…
1. “My budget is set for the year. Come back next year.”
2. “We are so busy we can’t handle any more business.”
3. “Send me your media kit.”
4. “I tried radio once. It didn’t work.”
…and because they are savvy and can adapt and evolve faster than the average human, their latest and greatest objection, post-COVID is, “We can’t get any product, so there is no reason to advertise”.
Number one is rarely ever true. If you’re talking to the right person who establishes the budget, they can change that budget whenever they want to. Don’t buy this objection.
What he/she is really saying is, “I don’t know you. I don’t trust you and I have no reason to believe that what you offer will get me an adequate return on my investment”. If they did trust you or believe you, they would agree to see you. Or, if you were presenting to them and asking them to buy, they would either revise their budget or pay for the schedule with the additional business your idea would bring to their business.
Number two is also rarely ever true, as most business owners will always say, “doing great is never good enough”. They ALWAYS want more. If in the rare case it is true, you now know a category where there are one or more competitors that you can approach and help capture the business “Mr./Mrs. Busy” can’t handle.
Number three, the media kit, is just a polite way of saying “Get lost”, “I’m not interested”, and/or, “you’re a nice person, I just don’t believe you’re here to help me”. Besides, no one has ever bought advertising based on a “pretty” media kit.
When a prospect asks for a media kit, a seasoned professional will respond by opening the door to more productive questioning. The professional media rep will be prepared and tell their prospect that they don’t want to bombard them with irrelevant information and then dig into what they would specifically like to see in the “the media kit”. The questions and answers that follow can result in delivering a customer-focused presentation instead of a generic media kit.
…and number four, “I tried radio once and it didn’t work!” There are several reasons why it may not have worked. You need to be prepared to walk them through why it may not have worked.
If you would like to learn how to build a positive, professional relationship, and build trust with your suspects and prospects so they won’t say “NO”, reach out to us. We can help show you how. The investment to do so is much less expensive than one “NO” a year!!!
Your Patience Will Pay
You’ll know it when you see, or should I say, feel it… a business owner with a true passion for their business!
There’s at least one or more in every business category. They come in all shapes and sizes… an attorney or a veterinarian, an autobody repair shop, a roofing contractor, an accountant, a dentist, or an auctioneer.
You’ll know they have a passion for their business because they speak at a more excitable octave. Their eyes are open wider and brighter. They’ll explain their business in more vivid detail, and there is simply a different aura in the room.
You’ll know it when you feel it!
When you do, have patience. Take your time. Don’t try to sell them too quickly.
These are the businesses that really want to grow. Ask deeper questions and do more research so you can create a presentation with a strategy that includes better ideas and solutions that will produce positive results. Then, you’ll have a client for life!
Nearly all of us are in sales, and sellers want to sell. But when you meet a business owner with a passion for their business, slow down!
Your Patience will Pay!
What If…
Here’s something for you to ponder…
What if radio stations never mentioned Facebook on the air… How popular would it be today?
What if radio never mentioned Amazon, other than the paid ads we ran for them… How big would they be today?
What if radio never mentioned Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, or any of the other social media platforms… How big would they be?
How fast would podcasts be growing if radio never mentioned them?
Think about it… What if we never mentioned them?
The answer, and I am only guessing, is…Not nearly as big.
How powerful is radio?
Turning “No” into Magic
One of the most frightening words for a media rep to say to a prospect or client is, “No”!
“No, we cannot offer that rate for that time frame.” “No, I can’t get you on tomorrow. We are past the production deadline!” “No, I can’t get you on this week. We are sold out”. “No, we can’t match the price of our competitor!” “No, No, No, and No!”
The natural fear of a media rep is that if I say “No”, they won’t ever do business with me again.
However, when it’s justifiable and the timing is right, saying “No” can be extremely powerful and almost “magical” in helping establish a more credible and professional future relationship with your clients.
Here are a few other times when saying “No” can have a great positive impact:
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When the client calls and says that they want to see you yet today or tomorrow. Saying “No” and that you can’t make it then will suggest that he isn’t your only client and that your other clients have value to you.
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When the client wants to run a schedule or do something that you are confident won’t have much chance for success. Tell them, “No, Mr./Mrs., I wouldn’t feel comfortable suggesting you do that, as I’m not at all confident it will work”.