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The Salesperson 2-Step Boogie ...
January 22, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Bringing clarity and definition to the programming and sales departments are a constant chore on the part of an OM/PD. This kind of thing is delicate and a constant source of irritation at stations. The Market Manager/GM/etc. should set the bar and define the terms of sales and programming interaction. But if the upper-management chain of command falls short of the mark, you'll just have to be clever enough to fix problems without overstepping your authority
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Here's a situation familiar to a lot of stations: The superstar salesperson who breaks rules but is the "Top Biller." When programming was my daily chore, I worked at station with a salesperson who would prospect the dead accounts of other salespeople. Even though the account was still on someone else's list, she would chase down the client and make the sale. Every time she did this, there would be memos, meetings, and discussions on sales etiquette. But when no one was looking, the GM and Sales Manager would congratulate her on closing a deal with a client who never spent any money with the salesperson originally assigned to the account.
Some Things In Radio Are A Constant ...
I remembered this scenario while in a conversation over the holidays with an OM in a top-25 market. The OM was having problems with a salesperson going directly to the on-air personalities.
OM: This salesman brings in the bucks, but also gives me a lot of headaches. I just finished a heated argument with the entire morning show over a sales promotion that they insist was directed to them by sales and assumed I knew about it.
Coach: You've got my attention, keep going.
OM: I came in this morning and the group was trying to understand why only one of them was going to New York. When I asked what they were talking about, they told me that the sales person said the agency only wanted so-and-so to take the trip. I had no idea what they were talking about. Once I found who from sales, I went to the sales manager's office to find out what was going on. Once he knew which salesperson was involved, we both sighed at the same time. He got on the intercom and asked the person to come to his office.
Coach: This situation is sounding familiar.
OM: The salesperson comes to the sales manager's office and she tells us the sale had nothing to do with anyone taking a free trip. This situation turned into a "he said, she said" in which sales took the blame for causing the confusion. But I'm not foolish enough to believe half of what the salesperson was saying.
Coach: Does this sort of thing happen at your place a lot?
OM: Well, some kind of issue seems to happen several times a year with this salesperson. Problem is, she's our top money maker, so she's not going to get fired. The best I can do is to tighten up loopholes so she cannot put us in situations like this.
Coach: Doesn't management get on her about not following rules?
OM: Yes, but you know how it is. They slap her on the hand, and she keeps making budget and bringing in tons of money. But this going directly to the air personalities is a loophole I need to fix. I would love to know your thoughts on the matter.
Coach: My rule of thumb was to put out a memo a couple of times of year (I suggest once a quarter), spelling out the guidelines of requesting an air talent for a paid remote or an appearance of any kind. The only way was to request in writing to me, the Promotions Director, and cc the Sales Manager. I would also talk to the air personalities on the issue of talking to anyone in sales about appearing on the station's behalf or being a spokesperson for a client. I instructed the talent to come directly to me if anyone from sales approached them on the subject.
OM: And that's pretty much how I was going to handle this, but it never hurts to get some extra intel on a problem like this.
Conclusion ...
Bringing clarity and definition to the programming and sales departments are a constant chore on the part of an OM/PD. This kind of thing is delicate and a constant source of irritation at stations. The Market Manager/GM/etc. should set the bar and define the terms of sales and programming interaction. But if the upper-management chain of command falls short of the mark, you'll just have to be clever enough to fix problems without overstepping your authority.
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