Mad enough to turn down business if he thinks the buyer is trying to take advantage of the fact that everybody and his brother seems to be bad-mouthing radio.
http://www.rbr.com/index.php?news=5681
But this reader isn’t quite so ready to show any buyer the door…
As a long time veteran of radio wars, I feel compelled to comment on Ed Christian’s comment on a recent negotiation on a buy in Milwaukee. The only time a sales manager should absolutely walk away from a piece of business legitimately offered is when the manager firmly believes there is absolutely no way to get any part of the buy at the rates the station has offered AND the manager firmly believes the spots can be sold to someone else for more. In a large market the market changes daily given a reasonable amount of activity. It simply moves up and down with so many variables which can be described under the umbrella known as supply and demand. This is why TV went to preemptibility so many years ago. Maybe it is time for radio to do more of that kind of selling. The way to get a higher rate than your competitors is value beyond cost per point. Explaining all that would require a lot more than you have space for but most of your readers know what I mean. It is also true that you cannot get every order. Peter Coughlin, long gone from from the radio wars, and very pleased to be in Sebring,FL and Cohan Radio Group
Peter Coughlin
President
Cohan Radio Group Inc.
Editor’s note: Regarding your comment, Mr. Coughlin, that your ideas "would require a lot more than you have space for," we would like to say that if you have ideas that will help our readers make money, we’d make the space. We’re all ears…
