{"id":310,"date":"2007-12-05T22:19:59","date_gmt":"2007-12-05T22:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wensmedia.com\/\/salesarchive\/permalink\/2007\/12\/5\/171959.html"},"modified":"2007-12-05T22:19:59","modified_gmt":"2007-12-05T22:19:59","slug":"a-companion-spec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/uncategorized\/a-companion-spec\/","title":{"rendered":"A Companion &#8220;Spec&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size: 11pt; font-family: Tahoma\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: black\">Lately there has been much written in the trades and in various newsletters about the importance of spec creative. But I haven&rsquo;t seen or heard much about the other &ldquo;spec&rdquo;&hellip;..spec calendars.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One of the reasons spec commercials are so important is that clients need to see and hear what they are buying and what they are saying. <br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In my seminar, Making Radio Tangible, I demonstrate that the same holds true for spec calendars. Many clients can&rsquo;t envision what they would do or say if they did invest in a 52-week schedule. Often when we say &ldquo;consistency&rdquo; or &ldquo;long term&rdquo; they believe we are only trying to sell them on a long term bill or consistent invoice.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The spec calendar gives them week-by-week sample objectives for their creative. A car dealer, for example, can&rsquo;t imagine what she might be saying in her commercials next June. When you outline back-to-back strategic objectives for her, she has the opportunity to revise or agree to the campaigns you are proposing. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><b><span style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: black\">Date&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Objective&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Strategy<\/span><\/b><\/font><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-indent: 36pt\">\n<table style=\"width: 447.3pt; border-collapse: collapse\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"596\" align=\"left\" border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 19.35pt\">\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Week 1 &amp; 2<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Sell More Trucks<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">A Truck Event<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 19.35pt\">\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Week 3 &amp; 4<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Staff Morale\/Promote Service<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Praise Service Manager&rsquo;s Awards<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 19.35pt\">\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Week 5<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Highlight Used Cars<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 19.35pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Promote Used Car Warranty<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 20.45pt\">\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 20.45pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Week 6 &amp; 7<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 20.45pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Promote Body Shop<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 20.45pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Interview body shop manager about importance of OEM parts<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 20.45pt\">\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 20.45pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Week 8<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 20.45pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Recruiting<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: #ebe9ed; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; border-left: #ebe9ed; width: 149.1pt; padding-top: 0in; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; height: 20.45pt; background-color: transparent\" valign=\"top\" width=\"199\">\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Arial\"><span style=\"font-size: 9pt; color: black\">Highlight the kind of people customers can expect<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: black\"><font face=\"Arial\">Even though the weekly themes you propose in your spec calendar take time to develop, getting agreement in principal on each of the strategic objectives will help make what you are selling more tangible as clients see the merit in each of the&nbsp;objectives you propose.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Asking someone to commit to selling more trucks next February is much easier than asking them to book more spots for next February.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; By weighting the various objectives to align with the client&rsquo;s various profit centers and objectives you will also clearly exhibit your knowledge of the customer&rsquo;s business.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Laying out a spec calendar also gives your creative team the opportunity to think ahead and develop the basic creative idea for each campaign well in advance. While the actual prices and items may not be pre-determined, having time to develop the theme or idea is a huge advantage.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Like spec commercials, seldom will your spec calendar remain in tact as proposed.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/font><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: black; font-family: Tahoma\">Getting agreement on the various strategic objectives allows you to build strong brand-building ideas into the plan for the client, rather than always being dependant upon special events or sales for creative.<br \/>\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Try the ENS Media 52-week spec calendar. You&rsquo;ll find it a strong companion to your spec spots when asking for a 52-week commitment.<\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lately there has been much written in the trades and in various newsletters about the importance of spec creative. But I haven&rsquo;t seen or heard much about the other &ldquo;spec&rdquo;&hellip;..spec calendars. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One of the reasons spec commercials are so important is that clients need to see and hear what they are buying and what [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=310"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ensmediausa.com\/ens-on-sales\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}