Comments on: How to fail at radio advertising http://thedentalmarketer.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fail-at-radio-advertising/ Dental marketing to get the ROI you need Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:20:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Ed Ridgway http://thedentalmarketer.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fail-at-radio-advertising/#comment-197 Ed Ridgway Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:22:50 +0000 http://thedentalmarketer.com/?p=151#comment-197 There's good and bad in every profession. My years as a radio rep showed me that radio sales is no exception. As a general rule, I'd say most dentists would benefit from using a media buyer, from both the perpective of conserving their valuable time, and for the objectivity. There’s good and bad in every profession. My years as a radio rep showed me that radio sales is no exception. As a general rule, I’d say most dentists would benefit from using a media buyer, from both the perpective of conserving their valuable time, and for the objectivity.

]]> By: Bill Wayland http://thedentalmarketer.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fail-at-radio-advertising/#comment-196 Bill Wayland Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:11:02 +0000 http://thedentalmarketer.com/?p=151#comment-196 I'm with Ashley. My suburban station is likely to be overlooked by the media buyers. Its a numbers game and the numbers are a lot less reliable. In my 40+ years of broadcast sales I have watched the buying community shrink to "too few trying to do too much". When I worked Boston and New York, buyers and sellers actually got to meet face to face. According to my son, a TV spot salesman, he has buyers with whom he deals day to day who he has never met. Phone, Emails and stress. On a more local level I encounter people who claim to be "full service agencies". Often they come from a particular medium, usually print, and that is all they know...or care to know. I’m with Ashley. My suburban station is likely to be overlooked by the media buyers. Its a numbers game and the numbers are a lot less reliable. In my 40+ years of broadcast sales I have watched the buying community shrink to “too few trying to do too much”.
When I worked Boston and New York, buyers and sellers actually got to meet face to face. According to my son, a TV spot salesman, he has buyers with whom he deals day to day who he has never met. Phone, Emails and stress.
On a more local level I encounter people who claim to be “full service agencies”. Often they come from a particular medium, usually print, and that is all they know…or care to know.

]]> By: Ed Ridgway http://thedentalmarketer.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fail-at-radio-advertising/#comment-142 Ed Ridgway Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:32:55 +0000 http://thedentalmarketer.com/?p=151#comment-142 Sounds like a good system. I'd still recommend a media buyer to my clients so they can see what your competitor, from a non-affiliated station, has to say. That way I get the benefit of your wisdom AND theirs (and my media buyer's). Thanks for the input! Sounds like a good system. I’d still recommend a media buyer to my clients so they can see what your competitor, from a non-affiliated station, has to say. That way I get the benefit of your wisdom AND theirs (and my media buyer’s). Thanks for the input!

]]> By: Ashley http://thedentalmarketer.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fail-at-radio-advertising/#comment-141 Ashley Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:10:09 +0000 http://thedentalmarketer.com/?p=151#comment-141 In my organization we get DOUBLE compensation for working with a client, keeping them on for a certain amount of time at a certain dollar level and bringing them through the necessary steps to develop an effective campaign for them (many different requirements as proof that you've done this...and if the client is not deemed a good fit for the station by the GSM and VP/GM, it will not make the cut)...It's not until you get them to that level that you're compensated "doubly" but after that point, you continue to receive twice the amount...(which means A LOT of money...) Because of that we really have no incentive even based on compensation to sell a schedule that will not work...because we'll never get to the double commission level (and therefore not the best use of time.) Also, we're allowed to sell other stations...So if I find a client who's a good fit for another station I sell the other station...I would just much rather be seen as a marketing resource in the community. I don't want EVEN ONE person going around telling others that what I sold them did not work and work well (producing THE BEST ROI)...I would much rather have someone I never sold to go out and tell 3 of their friends that I am a marketing expert and that they need to call me than make a quick buck and ruin my reputation...So selling the right client the right station is going to make you more money, even if the answer isn't always your station. In my organization we get DOUBLE compensation for working with a client, keeping them on for a certain amount of time at a certain dollar level and bringing them through the necessary steps to develop an effective campaign for them (many different requirements as proof that you’ve done this…and if the client is not deemed a good fit for the station by the GSM and VP/GM, it will not make the cut)…It’s not until you get them to that level that you’re compensated “doubly” but after that point, you continue to receive twice the amount…(which means A LOT of money…) Because of that we really have no incentive even based on compensation to sell a schedule that will not work…because we’ll never get to the double commission level (and therefore not the best use of time.) Also, we’re allowed to sell other stations…So if I find a client who’s a good fit for another station I sell the other station…I would just much rather be seen as a marketing resource in the community. I don’t want EVEN ONE person going around telling others that what I sold them did not work and work well (producing THE BEST ROI)…I would much rather have someone I never sold to go out and tell 3 of their friends that I am a marketing expert and that they need to call me than make a quick buck and ruin my reputation…So selling the right client the right station is going to make you more money, even if the answer isn’t always your station.

]]> By: Ed Ridgway http://thedentalmarketer.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fail-at-radio-advertising/#comment-140 Ed Ridgway Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:37:54 +0000 http://thedentalmarketer.com/?p=151#comment-140 I used to be a radio rep, so I don't have a grudge against them. There is good and bad in every profession. A good radio rep will can be a valuable resource. However, by the nature of their job, and the way they are compensated, they can never be completely objective on their radio recommendations. With a good radio rep and a good media buyer, you can have the best of both worlds. I used to be a radio rep, so I don’t have a grudge against them. There is good and bad in every profession. A good radio rep will can be a valuable resource. However, by the nature of their job, and the way they are compensated, they can never be completely objective on their radio recommendations. With a good radio rep and a good media buyer, you can have the best of both worlds.

]]> By: Ashley http://thedentalmarketer.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fail-at-radio-advertising/#comment-139 Ashley Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:20:16 +0000 http://thedentalmarketer.com/?p=151#comment-139 Haha, I love it! I agree with everything other than #8...While I may be biased because I'm a radio rep I don't think that it takes a genius to identify which stations may or not be a good fit. You don't have to entertain every meeting or take every call...That's what gatekeepers are for. What you're referring to is a BAD radio rep. A radio rep with any intelligence whatsoever would 1. not call on a company that didn't have a good demographic match with their station 2. not sell their station to the company if they found out through the proper analysis that in fact their station was not an effective fit for the client...They would refer the client to the station with the right fit and remain a marketing expert with high respect in the client's eyes. A successful radio rep is not going to sell you something that is not effective...They are going to sell you something that works and build their business on creating results for clients, return clients, and referrals. 3. they would develop a marketing plan for the client which could also be used on other stations and in other media and help them to implement this plan (buy cable, produce direct mail, produce the television ads, create their website, do a PPC campaign for them, etc.) 95% of the agencies that I work with and know of are COMPLETELY focused on CPP, efficient schedules, etc. That's EASY...Numbers are EASY! and that alone is not going to produce results!!! The right marketing mix & creative targeted at the correct audience (which is NOT A25-54 but is a list of about a 2 page list of demographic and psychographic characteristics) is what's going to work...This is nothing against agencies in general though (just as you shouldn't be "against" radio reps in general)...just BAD agencies. The good agencies are truly focused on client results just as the good radio reps are. Haha, I love it! I agree with everything other than #8…While I may be biased because I’m a radio rep I don’t think that it takes a genius to identify which stations may or not be a good fit. You don’t have to entertain every meeting or take every call…That’s what gatekeepers are for. What you’re referring to is a BAD radio rep.

A radio rep with any intelligence whatsoever would 1. not call on a company that didn’t have a good demographic match with their station 2. not sell their station to the company if they found out through the proper analysis that in fact their station was not an effective fit for the client…They would refer the client to the station with the right fit and remain a marketing expert with high respect in the client’s eyes. A successful radio rep is not going to sell you something that is not effective…They are going to sell you something that works and build their business on creating results for clients, return clients, and referrals.
3. they would develop a marketing plan for the client which could also be used on other stations and in other media and help them to implement this plan (buy cable, produce direct mail, produce the television ads, create their website, do a PPC campaign for them, etc.)

95% of the agencies that I work with and know of are COMPLETELY focused on CPP, efficient schedules, etc. That’s EASY…Numbers are EASY! and that alone is not going to produce results!!! The right marketing mix & creative targeted at the correct audience (which is NOT A25-54 but is a list of about a 2 page list of demographic and psychographic characteristics) is what’s going to work…This is nothing against agencies in general though (just as you shouldn’t be “against” radio reps in general)…just BAD agencies. The good agencies are truly focused on client results just as the good radio reps are.

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