Radio’s Challenge: Communicate Its Strengths.
Radio might have a good story to sell, but getting the word out to advertisers and media buyers is always challenging. Sales reps need to seize on radio’s positive stories and drive the message home with clients and prospective advertisers.
But radio salespeople also need to be educated, says Pierre Bouvard, Cumulus Media’s Chief Marketing Officer. After a stint in television, Bouvard recently returned to the radio industry and says he is surprised how many radio salespeople don’t know about changes in media consumption. “They were unaware of the erosion going on in television,” he says.
To help educate the sales force, Bouvard’s team circulated a presentation to more than 1,000 Westwood One and Cumulus staffers illustrating changes in media consumption and radio’s strong position. “It shows radio’s consistency in audience and reach, and that radio is now going to be highly valued,” he says. The presentation highlight’s radio’s ability to reach the largest total audience, as well as younger demographics.
It also drills into TV’s losses, and shows how radio stacks up strongly against streaming music heavyweights Pandora and Spotify. One important fact: More than half of radio listening occurs out of the home, where consumer purchases are made. That’s a huge strength of radio, any day of the week. As radio looks to grow its business, that’s just the kind of information that needs to get conveyed to media buyers and clients.
And since radio stations are masters at promotion, and Horizon Media’s SVP of Research Brad Adgate says the stations would be wise to take advantage of that expertise. Says Adgate: “The industry has to work a little bit harder in letting advertisers and buyers know just how big radio really is.”
More than half of radio listening occurs out of the home, where consumer purchases are made. That’s a huge strength of radio, any day of the week. As radio looks to grow its business, that’s just the kind of information that needs to get conveyed to media buyers and clients.
Taken from Inside Radio, August 3rd, 2015
