Radio Commercial Sales Tips from American Music Concepts

The Greatest Radio April’s Fools Joke Ever

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:19:36 +0000

I have the ultimate April’s Fools Joke for you but you’ll need some time to prepare it and a Program Director up for some fun.

This April Fool’s Day roll out a market wide station concert complete with a live broadcast, client sponsors, promo spots and live cut-in’s with station personalities interviewing concert goers and city officials including your hometown Mayor. If you’re a rock station, feature Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, The Allman Brothers Band … might as well include Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. The day long radio broadcast is coming from the stage at Fantasy Park in the downtown section of your hometown … Trust me, if you do this the right way you will be freaking out a large portion of your audience and advertisers that aren’t making the connection that it’s April Fool’s Day.

Sell major sponsorships to local Banks, Auto Dealers and Home Builders … Have the major sponsors record interviews so it sounds like they are talking live on the radio from the radio station VIP Booth at the concert. Don’t forget sub sponsors for band updates, time/temperature reports and weather issues throughout the day. Finally, there’s real revenue potential with your web site on this event too.

The live music is naturally taken from some of the greatest live albums in your station’s library. Involve the local press to cover the concert and don’t cut corners …go all out. I promise this is a real money maker and will prove to be a yearly event on your stations.

Odwalla – Your Next Big Client

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:14:30 +0000

Odwalla Fruit Juice is on the move in all 50 states and they are looking for your help. Significant marketing money is now in the hands of local distributors to promote the Ultra-Endurance Race Across America, Bonnarro Music & Arts Festival and most recently their new program, State Parks Across The Nation For A Greener Future … Planting trees in State Parks all over the USA.

Any program you can come up with that has to do with planting trees will interest the people at Odwalla. They will pay to get in front of large crowds like your County Fair, local sporting events, parades, concerts, etc. Odwalla is a perfect promotional partner for giveaways and/or couponing programs, too. Remember that to tap into NTR dollars make sure you focus on the needs of Odwalla …. and what they want is 1) increased sales 2) prime display space or 3) programs tied to planting trees.

Here’s one more idea to help your local Odwalla distributor increase sales and score a nice big “juicy” order for yourself. Odwalla is a Coca-Cola product so I’m sure you already have a relationship in place. Offer to help promote Odwalla in your local market with a very simple gift-with-purchase program … Buy six or more bottles of Odwalla Fruit Juice, mail in the proof of purchase and your radio station will send back two free tickets to your local State Park ,,, they will love this one.

Local grocery stores are always looking for ways to ride on the coattails of NTR programs like this and I’m sure they’d be willing to stock up extra Odwalla product with an end isle display for lots of free on air mentions this Summer … Best of luck. Go get ‘em!

Lawyers Will Love This Idea

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:12:11 +0000

We are creating musical jingles for Law Firms all over the country. May I share a an idea that your toughest Law Firm prospect will love?

This idea comes from New York City Radio Station, WCBS News Radio 88 … WCBS runs a feature called “Looking At The Law” with Neil Chayet. Legal news and analysis reports running throughout the week in fixed positions. You can easily put a program like this on your station and you’ll have your local attorney prospects signing up on a waiting list for sponsorships.

Law Firms are one of the hottest new business categories for Radio/TV and you should have at least one Law Firm client on the air at all times. This week’s sales tip is all it will take for you to crack the category wide open.

Big Commissions In Pool Chemicals

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:09:57 +0000

There is big money to be scooped up this Spring in Pool Chemicals from some of the top names including BioGuard, HTH, Baquacil and Pace.

A few years back I met a distributor representation for HTH Pool Chemicals at our local home center. Our casual conversation turned interesting when I suggested that I could help him move more product with a local Radio promotion. I offered to broker some prime point of purchase display space with the hardware stores on my account list for some on-air mentions. Much to my surprise, he offered me $9,000 to promote HTH Super Socket for pool openings in the month of May. The promotion continued through June, July, August and September for a grand total of $45,000. Check out the radio spot by clicking here or download it here.

Pool Chemicals are sold through Pool/Spa distributors also know as rack-jobbers. Ask your local Pool/Spa dealer to introduce you to their distributor rep and then offer a program that will help them increase sales. Remember the key to a successful NTR program is based on two factors … 1) Securing additional display space and 2) Moving more product with promotion!

Radio/TV’s Hottest Business Categories

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:06:41 +0000

There are three key categories for Radio/TV Sales in 2010 and it’s my pleasure to share them with you this week.

Heath Care continues to be the number one business category and it’s a wide open field … there for the taking. When you first approach Health Care think in terms of the body … Head to toe. Hair Replacement, Eye Care, Dental Firms, Audiology, Ear Nose & Throat, Snooring, Chiropractic Centers, Pain & Balance, Physical Rehab Centers, OBGYN’s, Neighborhood Doctor Centers, Hospitals, etc. You can make a great living … even become the top biller in your sales department by selling only to the Health Care industry.

Professionals are the second hottest business category … Law Firms, Financial Planners, Real Estate, Home Builders, Mortage Providers, Tax Accountants, Drug Testing Centers, etc. Professionals are into marketing and they are open to any ideas that will increase sales.

Home Repairs are third on the list … Roofers, Siding, Doors & Windows, Fence Companies, Painters, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbers, Swimming Pool Service, Storm Damage, Garage Doors, Landscapers, Lawn Care, etc. The Home Repair industry is very competitive and print oriented. When they hear from a rep in Radio/TV, they’re not only flattered but truly interested in electronic marketing. Play them a few jingles in their specific field and they will love your proposal.

Offer Web Design Service To Your Clients

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:11:53 +0000

I meet hundreds of local direct business owners every month and Web Sites are a common topic. There are three scenarios: 1) Client Has A Web Site and loves it 2) Client Has A Web Site and is not happy with it or 3) Client does not have a Web Site but would love one.

There is great opportunity in building stronger relationships with your clients if you can help them with Web Site Design service. If you can’t do it yourself, you should have a Web Designer on your team that can cook up a great new site for your clients. The simplest Web Site will inspire your clients to market that Site on your Radio/TV Station. Add a few bells and whistles like electronic couponing and some audio … and your client will think you’re a genius.

Your local direct clients want and need this service … and you should be the one delivering the goods. If you don’t know where to turn for a great Web Site Designer, we have an excellent one on our team here at American Music Concepts … If you need our Web Designers name and number, please let me know.

Next week we’ll look at the power of adding video to your site.

Turning Client Knowledge Into Increased Sales

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:06:57 +0000

Knowledge is power and the more knowledge you have about the clients on your list the better.

Do you use index cards, manila folders or electronic data base software to keep and store information on your accounts? Any system will work but the idea is to have a system and keep it current. Every little tidbit of information should be recorded and filed away. Birthdays, anniversaries, spouse names, children’s interests and your client’s hobbies including golfing, hunting and music are valuable opportunities to take your relationships to higher levels.

The next time you drop off two free concert tickets to a client try this … Leave the George Straight tickets at the station and deliver two tickets to Lady Gaga for your client’s 14 year old daughter and you’ll have a client for life. When your client least expects it, arrange dinner and a limo ride for their wedding anniversary. A subscription to Golf Digest will set you back $14.95 but is a very nice thank you gesture for your new 52 week order. People have passion for the oddest things like collecting frog statues, exotic empty beer bottles, Christmas ornaments, baseball cards … My thing is Frank Zappa. I love anything and everything about Frank Zappa.

I’m sure there are no reps in your sales department doing this let alone your market … It’s a very powerful sales concept and a valuable tipping point in establishing you as a class act that really cares.

Selling 52 Week Schedules with Financial Features

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:01:21 +0000

Like it or not, it’s tax time again. Hit the phones this week and get in front of as many tax specialists, financial planners, money managers and accounting firms as possible. The key to working with this business category is to propose long term schedules not just a quick six week flight. These professionals are in business 52 weeks a year and they’ll relate to your long term proposal. I am a business owner and schedule at least four sessions per year with my finance professionals.

Features like Tax Time, Let’s Talk Money & Taxes and a Morning Money Minute are great opportunities for your clients and the station as well. You should also have sponsorship opportunities for Real Estate, Mortgage Loans, IRA Managers and College Financing, too. These are important topics and deserve attention throughout the year not just in first quarter when you’re scrambling for new clients.

Make room on the program schedule for these features at 7:20 AM, 12 Noon, 5:55 PM, Midnight and Saturday & Sunday mornings. These are valuable prime spots that can generate high rate new dollars. Your audience will enjoy the information they hear on these fixed position features and the long term billing will come in handy long after April 15th.

The Power Of Hand Written Thank You Notes

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Here’s an idea that’s easy to implement and will make a favorable impression with your prospects and clients … sending hand written thank you notes. How many of them did you write in 2009? Sure, you send thank you notes via email all day long but so does every other media rep in your market. Hand written thank you notes will speak volumes about how much you care and adds a very professional touch to the way you do business.

Put this simple project on the top of your To Do List, head to your local printer today and order up a box of creative Thank You Cards. 2010 is going to be an amazing year … you better make it two boxes.

Conduct a monthly Speakers Series for your clients and prospects

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:24:08 +0000

Your Speakers Series can take place at your local Chamber Of Commerce, local conference center or even your stations board room. I’ve done meetings at the Kentucky Broadcasters Hall of Fame, a civil war era hotel in New York State and even a haunted restaurant in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Each month you feature a guest speaker like a tax accountant, web designer, fitness expert, time management specialists, etc. The key is to make sure your guest speakers offer useful information for local business owners. The goal is to have your current accounts and prospects coming back month after month to your Speakers Series.

Need a few more ideas for speakers? Computer tech to discuss wireless networking, Banker to discuss credit card processing, US Post Office rep to discuss shipping issues, Ad Specialties expert, and even your favorite jingle guy from New Jersey are all potential presenters for your Speakers Series.

This practice will surely position you as a sustaining resource to your accounts … offering them useful concepts to better their business and their lives. I urge you to run with this idea starting in January … Please call me if you need help kicking off your program!