Coaches Corner by Sam Weaver
Money & Sound Advice …
Commercial radio is about making money. Sales and programming are tied at the hip, sometimes in sync, sometimes like an awkward three-legged race. Sales sprints towards the money, while programming tries to keep the station from sounding like an audio flea market. Working with sales is necessary but so is protecting the station’s sound.
Shame On You, But Congratulations…
I once worked at a station with a “superstar” salesperson who had a habit of breaking the rules—but she was also the top biller. She would prospect dead accounts from other salespeople, revive them, and close the deal. Every time she did, there were memos, meetings, and heated discussions about sales ethics. Yet, behind closed doors, the General Manager and Sales Manager would congratulate her for bringing in revenue that other salespeople couldn’t.
Short Money, Big Problems…
That same salesperson was known for bundling cheap deals for clients and flooding the airwaves with their ads, matching the frequency of top-billing advertisers. It was quick money in the short term, but in the long run, it was a mess. If a big client or agency caught on, they’d demand renegotiations, arguing that their high-dollar contract wasn’t worth as much if others were getting a similar exposure for pennies on the dollar. Worse, if the word spread that this was company policy, it could make future budget projections much harder to hit.
Juggling Act…
Programming and sales will always be a balancing act, and clarifying programming priorities for the sales department is one of the toughest challenges for an OM or PD. A Market Manager or General Manager sets the tone for that relationship, but programmers need to have political savvy to maneuver around sales-driven decisions that could hurt the station’s sound and credibility.
The Story Before The Sale…
Rod Serling’s opening monologue from The Twilight Zone has always reminded me of radio sales:
“It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.”
If sales and programming don’t work together with a long-term strategy, stations risk becoming a revolving door of short-term gimmicks instead of lasting brand awareness.
And if you need some friendly advice, drop me an email; samweaver@samweavermedia.com or text me, (972) 672-4812.