National Agencies

What’s So Different About
National Agencies?

           Why is it that we think customer-focused selling is only for our local accounts? Agencies care more about their customers than they do your station!
          After a while, all station rankers, ratings, market statistics and other data begins to look the same to overworked and weary agency buyers.
          Why not take information to agencies about their customers. Take photos of remotes you did for a charitable fundraiser in front of the agency’s client’s business, or photos of the local store manager with your morning man to demonstrate that you have a relationship with their client that they won’t want to jeopardize.
          Calling on an agency for government spending? Why not take a testimonial letter from the local politician outlining what you’ve done for them or the community?
          Testimonial letters from the agency’s client’s local manager or a brief competitive analysis showing how many competitors the client has in your market tell the agency that you recognize it’s all about them, not you!
          If you’ve done a local promotion for the agency’s client, ALWAYS deliver a full, written wrap-up report with photos demonstrating the promotion’s success.
          For the most part, a good agency buyer already knows about your ratings and data. Take them relevant information about your station or the local economy that they may not have seen, or information that makes them feel further informed about what their client is doing or should be doing in your market. 
          And like local customer-focused selling, ask more questions. Your call on a national agency should be more about them and their needs than it is about you and your rankers. 

P.S. Don’t forget to research or ask what other accounts the agency has that could be doing business with you.