I am a proud member of the RAB and a huge proponent of any effort to sell radio’s preeminent role in the new media landscape rather than selling one station or cluster against another.

In a recent RAB newsletter, the headline read, “One in Three Social Marketers Dissatisfied with Results.” It was a great read and I always enjoy keeping my finger on the pulse of the advertising industry with these articles.

But I do have a fear that some over-zealous new radio rep will take that article, or one like it, and hit the streets in an effort to engage in negative selling or bashing other media.

The truth is that ever since John Wannamaker quipped “I know half of my advertising is wasted, I just don’t know which half”, a large number of advertisers in any media are “dissatisfied with results.”

Don’t shoot the messenger, but there is probably a survey out there somewhere that claims half of radio advertisers are “dissatisfied with results.” Poor copy, bad strategy, ineffective scheduling and a long list of other factors can contribute to that dissatisfaction.

There is no such thing as a media which does not work. There are only messages which don’t work or, expectations or measurements which are misguided.

Here is my point. Those who try to elevate themselves by putting down others are never as successful as those who elevate themselves through positive selling; that is, selling their positives rather than focusing on competitors’ negatives.

It is important to know that other media have dissatisfied advertisers, but taking the positive approach through the use of testimonials and validating radio’s R.O.I. will win more advertisers than opening the “dissatisfied with results” can of worms.

Click here to inquire how our Radio R.O.I. (Return on Investment) workshop can help account executives sell more by positioning radio’s positive R.O.I.