If you’re a business owner, you know that it is harder and harder to break through the clutter and make an effective brand for yourself. There are so many options and suggestions backed by compelling stats and information from the sales person presenting it, that it can be overwhelming to decide what’s best for you. These days, picking one form of marketing, be it traditional or otherwise, likely isn’t going to take you to that next level alone.

I’ve been to several social media and networking events as of late, and some people expressed that they thought radio is an old medium that just doesn’t work anymore. Ironically, they then continue to tell me about that one commercial playing right now that just drives them nuts, the one that makes them laugh, and “oh hey, did you hear that Gazelle is having a huge sidewalk sale this Saturday? I can’t wait to get some new tennis shoes, my feet have been killing me!.”

The fact is, radio is still the one (legal) place to get free music with a mix of local information relative to the demographic of the station your listening to. Unlike TV, production is free, and it is MUCH easier to make a professional, expensive sounding radio spot than a local TV spot. Have you ever been watching your favorite show, when a national spot like Toyota airs, next to a locally made spot for Joe’s Used Car Shop? The difference is, well, embarrassing to the local business trying to make a name for itself. What’s more, over 70% of homes own a DVR, reducing your viewing audience to a mere 1/3 of what you’re paying for. /Stepping of soapbox now…

To stay cutting edge and relative, our radio stations are making a constant effort to evolve and grow in today’s technological world. From the I Heart Radio app for smart phones, live streaming from a station’s website, banner ads, and pre-rolls ( a :15 second audio / visual clip that plays before the streaming player begins), radio is now an audio and visual medium at your fingertips instantly!

Our newest toy is the Clear Channel Chroma-Key screen! It’s the green screen that weather men and women (to be politically correct) use to give the forecast. We’ve taken that technology, and merged it onto our websites. Now your favorite jock can walk across the website with a bottle of Vitamin Water, or plop into an Art Van sofa. Want to make your ads stand out among the rest? Here’s a damn good way to reach the listener again in a memorable and impactful way! Click here for a quick example of that I’m talking about!

If your a business owner, how could we make this a unique and breakthrough tool for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Now-a-days we have most everything at our fingertips. During my vacation last week (hence the hiatus), I transferred money beteen accounts , checked into my flight, made a hair appointment and updated my Face Book status while taking a leisurely walk in the Colorado sunshine. The thing is, it’s easy to expect getting everything we want when we want it, and in sales, that can become a huge handicap.

I’m shocked at how many times I’ve been in a situation where someone is trying to sell meon something, and after they give their big speech and statistics, they stop. Forgetting to do the most important thing; ASK FOR MY BUSINESS! It seems so simple, but it’s arguably the most important step that is most frequently forgotten. Admittedly, I almost did it myself.

Just this morning, I was sitting with a client who I could easily spend hours chatting with, talking about a special opportunity. I gave her all the details, and could tell she was excited when I just completely changed the subject. Luckily, I “remembered” to ask just before we parted ways, and inevitably got the sale. It was a program she was really excited about, and that I knew would be great, but if I hadn’t remembered to ask, she would have walked away and nothing would have came of it. 

We might be surrounded by instant gratification, but if sales were that easy, everyone would be doing it.  So whether you’re trying to get a good deal on that shiny new car, or asking for a million dollar agreement, remember the simple talk of asking.

-Radiominx

Hello again! I could kick myself for slacking so bad on the blogs, but summer is radio’s busiest season, and I have been one busy little minx!

Have I mentioned how fun and “on the go” my job is? Well, if this is your first blog, than I will reiterate that while I work long days, I am managing to have a fantabulous time doing it! I think it’s largely due to the constant client  and coworker relationship building, AKA “drinking with cool people” that occurs.  As of late, this aspect of my job seems to be getting a little out of hand, and my poor little liver is suffering for it. I think tonight is the first time I’ve been home before 8:00 since June 1st! The real sleep deprivation started the weekend of the B93 Birthday Bash!

My coworkers and I stayed in an RV on the concert grounds from Friday night until Sunday evening so we could “sleep in” and not have to deal with traffic. Well it’s a good damned thing we got to “sleep in” (I still was up at 5:30 both mornings), because God knows there was no going to bed early! Over the entire weekend, I got a whopping 6 hours, which isn’t much when you’re logging 15 hour days working!

My primary job was transporting the bands from their hotels to the venue and to the airport. During my travels, a few bands made some pretty crazy requests. The simple task of driving quickly turned me into Radio Minx; event planner and go-fer extraordinaire! To explain a little…

When Laura Bell Bundy’s band missed their flight, I had to find a hotel, book a tee time, go to the liquor store…twice, and look up the nearest restaurants and bars. Even better than that, Darius Rucker’s band had me drop them off at their hotel to shower and then go pick up a liter of Jim Beam and a special birthday cake that said “Eat Me Will”. Who knows what the poor old lady at the register must have thought! All I know is, if there were an “above and beyond” award given out, I definitely would have taken the cake!

On Saturday night, after a long day and little sleep, I was just about to turn in for the night when who else but headliner, Blake Shelton shows up at our RV and asks for a beer and a place to plug in his ipod! The party was in full effect from that point on. Before you could say “hangover” the B93 team, Laura Bell Bundy, Jarrod Niemann, Blake Shelton and Frankie Ballad were all hanging out together having a complete blast. On Sunday, I was left with a killer headache and a memory of one of the funnest nights I’ve ever had! 

In any event, it was a complete and total trainwreck blast that I would do all over again in a heartbeat! The Bash itself was a huge success and our title sponsors, Maple Hill Auto Group, not only walked away very happy, but have quickly become an integral part of the B93 Family! What great people they are! A few pictures are attached below, as wll as a link for the B93 photo galleries. http://www.b93.com/pages/bash/index.php/bash18lineup

Kami, Jarrod Niemann and Minx!

Darius Rucker's Band Cake

Having a brew and checking out the view from atop the RV.

To end it all, June panned out to be my best month ever in my 5 years in radio. I almost feel guilty for having so much fun….almost.

Until next time,

Minx

It’s Friday afternoon and I am hours away from embarking on the biggest concert weekend ever to hit the good state of Michigan! It’s the B93 Birthday Bash; a 2 day FREE concert, with some of the biggest acts in Country Music and over 80,000 of our closest listeners! I will be shacked up in an RV with my fellow sales staff  for 3 days working my Country-Lovin’ tail off from about 6:30pm Friday until 11pm Sunday.  Live music, sunshine, and late night campfires….talk about FUN work!

We’ve got headliners, Blake Shelton and Darius Rucker (former lead singer for Hootie and the Blowfish), along with some GREAT up and comers like Laura Bell Bundy and Jarrod Niemann! Below is Laura signing her latest single while  tap dancing to it on a conference room table. Talk about talent!

More to come after the show, and if your going, have a great time!

Laura Bell Bundy \”Giddy on Up\”

Like most  littlegirls, my mom always warned me not to talk to strangers. And like most little girls, I rarely listened. In fact, I spent a good deal of my childhood chatting up randoms off the street (or playground). Maybe it’s because I’m an only child, or maybe because I’m a weirdo. Either way, I guess my lack of fear in that department is what drove me into sales.

I was always selling something. In third grade, I caught a bunch of frogs and animals from the woods and charged people to visit my “zoo”. In middle school, my friend and I would pick the flowers from her neighbor’s yards, tie them into pretty arrangements and then sell them door to door for $5 bucks in the neighborhood over. Perhaps not something I should be proud of, but pretty entrepreneurial none-the-less!

So here I am a few years later, making a living off of talking to strangers. If you’re in sales, you know what I’m talking about: the illustrious Cold Call.

I, for one (and I may very well be the only one), find cold calling to be pretty amusing. There is something very entertaining about calling up a complete stranger, asking them their name, and convincing them in 1o seconds or less that their lives will be better off if they meet with you. Now that I think of it, it’s very similar to speed dating. I know this scares a lot of people, but what do you have to lose? They could tell you to piss off and hang up, which would leave you in the very same position you were in before, or, they could in fact agree to meet with you which gives you a great opportunity!

I’d have to say cold calling is one of my stronger suits. I learned from the best, that if you’re kind, quick and have a relevant reason to meet, you’ll likely get the appointment. That is, after you actually get a hold of the person who makes the decisions! That alone, can take several calls, so it’s time to go full ”Chicken Hawk” on them, and keep calling!  If you are in sales, or do any type of cold calling, I’ve attached the form I used to keep track of all my calls and progress. I hope it proves useful to some of you! Below are some bullet points that I’ve learned along they way.  cold calling tool

1: Always have a reason for the call that directly relates to their business

2. Write down the gate keeper’s (receptionists) name. He / She may not put you through right away, and if you remember their name on the second call, you’ll be more likely to get somewhere

3. If the gate keeper tells you (business owner / decision maker) isn’t available, ask to leave a message, and get a name. Write that name down, and ask for him/her directly the next time you call. (Now you know the Gatekeeper’s and decision maker’s names, you will sound like you’re SUPPOSED to be calling! “Hey Sarah, is Bill available?”, sounds a lot more welcoming than, “Hi there, what’s your name? Can I talk to the decision maker?”)

4. Keep your into and reason quick. Don’t over speak. The only goal here is to GET THE APPOINTMENT, not hard sell.

5. Always be on time for your meetings, and hand write a “Thank You” note after meeting with them. These business owners probably get 20 cold calls a day, so thank them for their time. It’s valuable.

That’s all I have for tonight. Sorry it’s been over a week, but I’ve barely had time to use the restroom let alone blog.  

Oh, and by the way, THANK YOU to everyone who reads! I get dozens of comments each day, most of which are male enhancement spam mail, but also some very kind and encouraging words. If you have any topics or questions about the radio industry that you’ve been dying to know about, let me know and I’ll make a post about it!

-Radiominx

Back when I was a seller in Albany, NY, a good friend and client of mine emailed my boss to tell him that his sales rep (yours truly) was a serious Chicken Hawk. I assumed it was some sort of twisted compliment, but I didn’t quite understand.

The email came after about my sixth time coming back to him with an idea. Each time I’d propose my idea, he wasn’t happy about something. So, I went back to the office, changed what he didn’t like, and returned with a revised proposal. Each time there would be something new, until finally, he signed the damned thing! That, he explained, is why I am a Chicken Hawk. He went on to say that I was “pleasantly annoying” and wouldn’t stop bothering him until he finally gave in. He’s no dummy, and wouldn’t have signed something he didn’t see valuable, but none-the-less, I know if I hadn’t been so “pleasantly annoying” about this idea, he never would have given a second (or sixth) thought.

I am proud to say, that the Chicken Hawk has prevailed again! I was given a lead when I first started in August, that truley was the perfect fit for the stations I sell. This particular client was looking for an educated, upper income audience, that was looking to go back to school to pursue a different career path. Since August 10th, I have emailed, called, and mailed fine wine and witty Hallmark cards to  her at least every other week, until finally, on May 24th, she caved and gave me a chance!

Unfortunately, this client’s office is about 7 hours away from me, or she would have had to see my pleasantly annoying ass every week, which likely would have sped up the process. However, I am happy to say that I have been given my 15 minutes (or :60 seconds) of fame, and will get to show her what kind of results I am capable of achieving for her.  

This was definitely the highlight of my first day back from vacation. If you’ve ever taken a vacation, than you know how crazy it can be when you return. Let’s just say I was running around like a chicken(hawk) with my head cut off!  But I didn’t let that ruffle my feathers! It’s kind of nice to be back, to get back into a routine. It’s even nicer to have a job that you look forward to going back to. After all, it shouldn’t be any other way, right?

While on vacation, there was plenty of hand holding,margerita drinking, craps playing and gluttony, but I was also able to read a fantastic book that I believe we will be doing a radio promotion around… It’s called Eat, Pray, Love. I’d highly recommend it.  If you read it now, you’ll likely be super excited about the event we’ll be doing in August. Details to come…

Before Signing off, Please enjoy the brief video below to see Chicken Hawk in all her glory.Chicken Hawk gets her way…(skip ahead to 1:30)

Well, as chicken hawk’s fellow Loony Toon would say, “That tha that tha that, that’s all folks!”

Well, I’m officially on vacation.  The only interaction I will have to the radio station this week  is when I am listening to it on my way to the airport! Getting ready for a vacation is always a bit stressful. Between trying to make sure all of your clients are aware you’ll be out and have everything they need, to writing out an “in case of an emergency” checklist for your back-up while your gone, there’s never a time that you are in need of a vacation more than after you prepare to go on one.

That said, it has started off wonderfully so far. Right before I set up my Out Of Office on Friday, an angel from my favorite ad agency sent over a fanstaticly large order that  put my May billing from average to well, above average just like that! She’s lucky her office is in Florida, or I’d plant a big wet one on her for that!

  Friday night we had a Ladies’ Night Out at Celebration Cinema where Star 105.7 and 250 of our (favorite) listeners joined us for some wine, chocolate, spa services, and the premier showing of “Letter’s” To Juliet”. Everyone had a great time, and left with a healthy dose of Estrogen to last  through the summer. Saturday night brought on a pleasant change of scenery with beer, “burgers” and some good old fashioned  inappropriate conversations.  All in all, a perfect start to what should be the perfect vacation.

When I come back, it’ll be “round objects” to the wall with Birthday Bash and summer events. I’ll be out almost every night at a remote, and won’t have time to think until about June 20th. It’s going to be a good mix of crazy and fun all summer long. Speaking of crazy, if you see a crazy blond driving around in a bright yellow hummer with a giant Bee on it looking like she’s going to run you off the road, smile and wave; it’s probably me! And if I flip you off, it’s because you suck at driving and I have road rage from living in NY for 5 years, so don’t take too much offense! Hey, maybe that’ll get me out of vehicle duty!

In any case, have a fantasic week, and know that I will have at least one Miami Vice for each of you while I am away. I know, I’m such a giver.

-RadioMinx

First, I want to thank all of my readers for your comments and support. I’ve been pretty blown away by the number of unique visitors I have, and you’re repeat visits. I hope you continue to enjoy my humble view of this business. With that said…

My friends and family comment all the time about how I “have the best job ever”, and get to “do the coolest things” for my job. Sometimes, I’d agree. As a radio rep I often get to go to the greatest concerts, meet my favorite artists, and attend the best local parties. Martinis are a socially accepted beverage for most sales meetings, and there is even the occasional trip to Vegas or designer swag for a job well done. I make my own schedule, and after 5 years with the company I get 3 weeks vacation. All in all, yea, my job is pretty freaking stupendous. 

Let me take you now, on a journey to the dark side. A place behind the scenes, where the mics are turned off and the suits have turned in for the night. It’s the radio station; after dark.

This weekend was full of live remotes which require me, the sales rep, to go into the God forsaken basement where the station vehicles are at (among other things), and drive to the event in a big flashy minivan with stickers and lights.  I’m still recovering from the New York Road Rage I’ve acquired, and have to remember not to flip people off while driving a van that says “Your family music station” on the side of it. 

The first remote on Saturday morning went off without a hitch, but things took a turn for the worse when I returned Saturday night for round two.

I arrived at the radio station and was greeted by a giant pool of vomit right in the entrance. The culprit was kind enough to “cover” the smelly mess with a single ply paper towel. I almost tore a hammy jumping over it, and thanked my lucky stars that I didn’t slip into the dirty mess. By the way, I know who did it. I won’t divulge, but if you can guess correctly, I’ll hook you up with some movie passes!

I thought my rendezvous with human bodily fluids were over, that is until I got into the basement.  Here I am lugging two huge entry boxes, several posters, pens and registration slips and my giant handbag when I just about dropped everything in an effort to miss the big steamy pile of human feces strategically placed right in the middle of the stair well. Classy folks, real classy. Oh, and if you’re wondering how I knew it was human poo and not a dog or some other large animal, you not only need a key card, but a 3 digit code to get into the basement, which would require thumbs and at least half a brain.

With a sigh of relief, and a very hot shower I got through Saturday unscathed and unsoiled. Lucklily, my Sunday remote, while full of goats, was free of any conspicuous bile.

So here we are, Monday night. The weekend wasn’t much of a weekend at all, but I guess that’s the price you pay when you are an events based company. Sometimes you’ve just got to put a smile on your face, wipe the crap off your leather pumps, and make the best of it! After all, nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm (and a little sarcasm)

Radiominx