You can learn a great deal about the way a company does business by reading their help wanted ads. I saw an ad last week seeking an Account Executive for a station that required “a carnivore, not a grazer.”

I have the good fortune of working with media companies across North America, and I can tell you from what I’ve observed, I’ll take the grazer over the carnivore any day… especially if you want to build a sustainable business.
The dictionary defines carnivore as “A predator who attacks, kills and devours its prey”. How many renewals will you get out of prey that has been killed?
The grazer, however “feeds on organisms which when eaten, are not killed and continue to grow.”
Your prospects and clients can spot salespeople who are out for the kill versus those who want to help them grow. I think you know which they prefer to do business with.
As I wrote this ENS on Sales I checked several recruiting ads for media salespeople and was encouraged to see the tone changing to attract the kind of account executives that your customers’ want to do business with.
I saw phrases like;

• Creativity and marketing smarts to develop profitable campaigns
• Driven to help our customers succeed
• Nurture a business by creating profitable solutions
• Develop long-term relationships

The stations I’ve seen that continue to grow in spite of increased competition are the ones that recruit and train with a view to creating successful campaigns for their clients rather than those that focus on hard-sell closing techniques or this month’s budget.

Our SoundADvice radio e-marketing system helps radio account executives grow stronger advertiser relationships and increase their local-direct sales. Contact  [email protected] to arrange a free demo of how SoundADvice can work for you.