Finding and getting that first appointment with the "Decision Maker"

Again, this series of articles is dedicated to AE’s with less than one year experience and those that have put in “their time” but are feeling very disillusioned, especially in this economic environment. 

Before you even think about finding the advertising decision maker of a particular company, start with knowing “The Radio Station” that you are representing.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many AE’s do not know what is on the air when, let alone anything about their morning show(s) or other on air personalities.  Make an appointment with and get to know your station(s)’ on air people also get to know the “unsung heroes” of the station(s) “The Traffic Dept”.  Radio now more than ever needs to be a family team effort.

Jocks have hobbies, ideas about the community, pet projects, likes and dislikes.  Having this knowledge about your on air staff can come in handy when trying to create a commercial or plan an event for a client. 

Knowing how your traffic dept. works is also beneficial.  Knowing what days and times have the heaviest loads, what the traffic specialist has to go through to undo one of your mistakes, what companies advertise in which hours or how many times they have to guess because an AE didn’t fill out the order correctly. 
If your station runs a lot of syndicated programming then know something about the show(s), the host(s) and if it is aired on your station in real time or delayed. 

All of the above is called knowing the” features” of your station and how they can “benefit” your client.
     Now let’s get that first appointment! 

First and foremost have a “current” Client to AE list from your Sales Manager. This is a must have! Armed with a current AE list you can then go through the yellow pages, newspapers, shoppers, T.V., other radio stations to make notes of advertisers.  Divide your list into three sections A, B and C. This is a bit of a gut-feeling list.  Your “A” list might be made up of businesses that you may already know a little something about.  Making this list also helps to organize your thoughts and hey! Remember the jock that had a passion for “cycling”? Maybe he could help with an idea for “City Bicycle”. Get the idea here? 

Call any of the businesses on your list and say “I am just trying to find out who would make any advertising decisions for your company? Can you give me that information”? 90% of the time the person on the phone will tell you who that person is and where you can reach them. Many times they may just put you through to this person “BUT WAIT”!!! Don’t let them. What? Please, read on.  All you want at this point is the name and contact info for the decision maker.           Spend some quality time and focus on compiling this information.  Then of course integrate this into your weekly activities. (Always Be Looking)  Then get a map of the city and plot out a route to drive so that you can stop at each business and take a “customer” look at their establishment or offices

When you enter a retail shop hopefully a clerk will approach you and ask if you need help.  You should reply “No thanks, I’ve never been in here before” or “a friend told me about this place and I just wanted to see what you have here”. 

From the moment you step into a prospect’s business you have to be 100% sincere and honest about what you’re doing. You want to be a bit “stealthy” but you do not want to misrepresent or lie.  You are there to see what goods and or services the business offers. (Kind of like a Secret Shopper) Take notes. Be creative. Ask yourself, how can my radio station help this company sell more?  (Believe it or not, in some cases your radio station may not be able to help this particular business… Did I hear someone yell? Blaspheme!)

After you have finished with your “secret shopping adventure” tell the clerk, that it’s a nice store and you didn’t know about all the variety they carried.  The point here is to give a “sincere” compliment before leaving. 

A word about the C.N.A., over time your C.N.A. will contain info from the store hours of operation to birthdays and anniversaries to what your client’s favorite meal is.  Obviously in the beginning you what to find out basic things such as product lines, store hours, The “correct address” or how they like to be positioned in a commercial like “across from Safeway”.  Find out their challenges not their “problems”.  Find out their 1 year, and 3 year goals. Find out what successes they have had, annual sales etc.

(If your manager has not given you a copy of a Client Needs Analysis form go ask for one or send me an email and I will get you one)

Now take the info back to the station, don’t go to your cubical go to the conference room where you can have some quality time or go to a library and focus on the task at hand.  By the way, turn off that freak’n cell phone too. Focus man! As you go through your newfound treasure of information match some things up. Think of creative commercial ideas or promotional ties, what about a charitable event keep asking yourself “How can I and my radio station help this business?  “Write your thoughts down” even if they are scribbled notes and start a file folder on that business.

You are now ready to “try” to get an appointment with the decision maker.  Remember the clerk?  Whether it’s a clerk, receptionist, bookkeeper, etc. think of these people as the “Gate Keepers”. They can make that appointment or break it if they perceive bad karma from you. The compliment you paid in your first visit will be remembered.

I suggest you try to get the appointment in person rather than trying to do it over the phone. (It is too easy to say no over the phone).  With your notes and ideas in hand go to the business and ask for the decision maker by name.  Don’t be surprised if they say he / she is out. No problem, you simply leave a giant “while you were out” message. (Hint: Take a regular sized “while you were out message paper” and blow it up on the copy machine as big as it will nicely fit on one sheet of copy paper…make several) Write in red sharpie that you had visited the store had a great idea but need a little more information about the business and would like to make an appointment for about 15 minutes of their time “as their busy schedule allows”.  Leave it with the gatekeeper then follow up with a phone call within 48 hours.  The compliment you left the clerk / receptionist on your first visit combined with the giant message will give you some “Top of Mind Awareness”.  You need Top of Mind Awareness as much as the client!  The point here is that you don’t need the giant memo; you need to leave a friendly positive professional impression and something more than a business card. Again, be creative! This is your starting point for laying down the foundation of a long term working relationship with this company. Don’t forget, six other advertising sales people were already at this business today!

If you are lucky enough to have a brief conversation with the decision maker you can set up an appointment right then, You are there unannounced and don’t want to interrupt their busy schedule, you just want to set a time to meet with them, try to pin them down to within a week. If you are really lucky they may take you in the office and meet with you right then.  That’s where you’ll look good because you brought your ideas and notes.  Remember, “you just have some random thoughts and ideas” at this point you want to find out more about the decision maker and about the business while at the same time showing them that you have already done some homework. You are not there to sell them anything at this point.  Always, Always be mindful of the clients valuable time.  After 15 to 20 minutes let the client know your awareness that they have a business to run, you don’t want to take up anymore of their time. You’d like to go back to the station and brainstorm with your GM or Sales Manager. (Remember, Getting complete information for your C.N.A. takes several visits)

Make the next appointment by asking “when is a good time to see you next week so I can share my manager’s thoughts and a couple of possible ways my station can help you sell more”?  Never leave a meeting with a client without making another appointment…never! Always have a specific reason for coming back. Do not let yourself become a “Professional Visitor” Lastly, spend 50 cents and send your new prospect a Thank-You note for his/her time at your recent appointment.  Very few AE’s do this.  You will stand out big time and gain Top of Mind Awareness. (Send through the U.S. Mail…. NO EMAILS!) Personalization has power; emails don’t have the same impact.  There will be plenty of time for emails later. Right now you’re trying to win over a client. Be sincere, “Hi, how ya do’in” I got a package of ads phonies are spotted a mile away.

12 steps to successfully getting the appointment and retaining a client
1. Get to know the people that work in your building
                (You’re supposed to be a team)
2. Have a “current” station account list
3. Create your account list from yellow pages, etc.
4. Get the name and contact info of the decision maker
5. Map out your prospecting route (save gas and time)
6. Investigate your prospect from a customers view first
7. Take notes, ask yourself “How can I and my station help”
8. Make the appointment
9. Start the C.N.A. process, get to know your client
10.  MAKE THE NEXT APPOINTMENT!!!
11.  Send a Thank You note
12.  Go to step one and repeat this on going process                                                                      

Building a client list and relationships take time.  The money will come if you follow these steps.  Always be learning about your clients and their business.  Solid veteran AE’s know this. Why do you think they are veterans?  Some Sales Managers do not get this, they pound out packages and want you to sell, sell, sell  now, now, now.  The President of our country is pushing forth with the Reinvestment Act.  Perhaps reinvestment in and care for clients is in order for radio.  Too often the priorities of the station come before the needs of the client. And that’s a fact Jack!
Questions and comments are encouraged!

--Dennis Heinz, Radio’s Sales Trainer, resultsradio@hotmail.com.