Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

High P ressure Sales vs. Stable Gains More Investments in the Future and Fewer Fly-by-Night Coinmereial Managers Held Need in Broadcasting OMAR KHAYYAM'S advice to "take the cash and let the credit go" may be good philosophy, but it isn't good business, at least for broadcasters, according to Mr. Campbell. Many stations have become entrapped in what he terms the "spotannouncement morass" through the overzealousness of their salesmen or commercial manager. The sooner high pressure methods are eliminated from radio time selling, the sooner the whole industry will prosper, he contends. By MARTIN B. CAMPBELL General Manager WFAA, Dallas mercial manager ^r^^^B for one kilivolt station. Must be ■■fc^C^-^B but B' M above the tricks ^H^U\ commonly attrib ^^t"*' IB uted to radio time ^ salesmen." Mfe /• j You've never wBto JBtk seen that adver Mr. Campbell tisement in Broadcasting or in any other radio publication. However, it is just the type of advertisement many stations, small and large, should use. For, the sooner the fly-bynight, high pressure announcement salesman is put back on the street peddling can openers or buggy whips, the sooner the individual broadcasting station will reach its ultimate high arc in the sun of advertising media. Not long ago I saw a letter from a station owner, written in reply to a communication regarding his sales staff. This owner's idea of a commercial manager was a high pressure boy, content to concentrate on spot announcements to be run between "musical programs." From a substantial advertiser in the owner's home city it was learned these "musical programs" were of doubtful merit, mostly of phonograph records, indiscriminately played. The Road to Ruin THE STATION did not have any good programs. It had no advertisers sponsoring commercial programs and therefore no revenue to enable it to produce good sustaining stuff. The trouble had started with more and more concentration on quick cash returns from spot announcements and the consequent reduction of worthwhile broadcasts. The better advertisers had silently withdrawn, distributing their radio appropriations over the field of newspapers, billboards, car cards and other media. The announcement salesmen, forced to their level, had descended to the small "joints" on the back streets in search of business. The vicious circle was completed in an amazingly short time. Yet there are dozens of stations all over the country in exactly this fix today. Their whole attention has been centered on today's balance sheet and radio as a whole is suffering because of their attitude. While the wise broadcaster has been planning his work and working out his plans, the unwise broadcaster has taken his fee where he found it, with no regard for the future. In a vain attempt to solve his economic problems of the moment he has adopted an attitude of "eat, drink and be as merry as possible, for tomorrow I may die." His has been a gay, carefree career and he has accomplished immeasureable harm, but his "tomorrow" is at hand. Fortunately for the indus try the process of elimination is getting him, because he didn't watch out. Held Worth the Price MANY FINE stations have already fought their way up from the spotannouncement morass. They've paid for it; the price has been steep, but already they're -finding it worth the outlay. Other equally fine stations, through a mental quirk of their operators or inefficiency of salesmen, or both, continue to go backward. When these, under the leadership and guidance of the others, set their steps in the right path, broadcasting will have taken another long step toward its rightfully lofty7 place in the advertising spectrum. So, if the spot announcement boomerana: is your problem, Mr. Station Manager, get at it right away, even though the going is tough. Be ready when prosperity makes up its mind to turn that corner. Get some program sales By HENRY C. WING Ass't Mgr., WLBW, Oil City, Pa. DID YOU ever hear of a radio station called "Old John Brown"? The excerpts from an address by Ralph R. Brunton, as quoted in Broadcasting for Aug. 15, have prompted me to introduce O. J. B. Mr. Brunton set forth several pertinent observations on the soundness of the local station and suggestions for local station policy which were well worth the serious consideration of every local broadcaster. "Old John Brown" was, and is, a local station in an average field; it is the station with which I was last connected in capacity of manager. Let's disregard the call letters— it's the idea of personality. Better yet, let "Old John Brown" do the talking. I see Mr. Brunton says, "The local merchant has been accustomed to buying that type (price quotations) of advertising from newspapers and it is going to take a men. Hire them at a living wage and keep the commission sword from above their heads. Tell them "get out" is your watchword — get out and sell programs or simply get out. How Spots Spoil Programs AND WHEN an advertiser goes with you for a half-hour or 15minute program, produce it for him as though it were the greatest show on earth. If you're smart it will be, insofar as his attitude toward you and your station is concerned. Spot announcements have a definite place in radio. None can discount that, but because of the ease of such sales many program possibilities are ignored in favor of immediate orders. These immediate orders for small accounts frequently could have been expanded to program sales with a little patience and a bit of intelligent salesmanship. good many years to educate him to the idea of institutional advertising over the radio." What is more to the point, Mr. Brunton, the retail consumer is accustomed to that type of advertising and he just can't be educated away from it. In any transaction, from the sale of tatting shuttles to radio advertising, price is one of the main factors. It may not be the deciding factor but it is at least a gauge of a wise or foolish, an economical or extravagant purchase. You know, today, people buy by price in many cases. People today don't have the intimate acquaintance with materials, processes of manufacture and distribution that their forefathers had. Quote prices? Sure ... at the right time. Now, Mr. Brunton, about that business of shutting out certain tvpes of advertising campaigns. Why pick on chiropractors and gold mines? I mean why pick on them alone? Why don't you do like I do? I'm Old John Brown and I have quite a voice in my community. Folks listen to what I tell them They take my word for lots of things, the weather, who's licking who in Manchuria and what's good to eat and wear. I wouldn't recommend anything to them that I wouldn't recommend to my closest friend. Gosh, I might advise folks to buy something on which they'd get stung. I wouldn't want to do that, I've been stung too often myself. Besides, don't forget that they'd remember it was "Old John Brown" who put them up to buying. Next time they wouldn't believe me. Of course it takes time to find out what's good and what isn't, but that's my job, or part of it. Of course it hurts to turn down fat accounts from Oshkosh or somewhere but listen. Every automobile accessory I sell for some fellow in some other state, or every time I send money outside like that, for any article, I'm competing with some reliable merchant in my own town, some friend of mine who helps keep me going when times are hard. Would I be sore if the village cigar maker spent his radio money outside and forgot Old John Brown ? Pacifying the Press AND SAY, here's another thing: all this hullabaloo about newspapers vs. radio. The newspapers here in my town were sort of stand-offish when I first arrived. Know what I did? I offered them what time they wanted, you know, sort of how-de-do, how are you, and then I went back to the radio business. But my campaign really started then. I decided that I'd take a chance on throwing away a few more paper profits. I told all the merchants I met not to draw any money out of their newspaper appropriations on my account. I hoped the newspaper would bring them enough business so that they'd have a little extra for radio. What happened ? Well, when the newspaper solicitors came around next time, Ed Jones said, "I was going to do a little radio advertising and cut down on you fellows, but the radio station advised me not to. Can you beat it?" Of course that salesman told his boss. The reports piled up that "Old John Brown" wasn't trying to scalp the papers. One morning the phone rang. It was the advertising manager of one of the papers. He said, "I'm starting a salesman out this morning on a special home economics edition. Want to send a radio salesman around with him?" Is that cooperation ? I'm asking you. Station Personality FINALLY, Mr. Brunton, you're right that the local station has its place in the radio set-up. Know where it is ? It's the foundation. "Big oaks from little acorns . . ." and big radio accounts from small ones grow. Aren't many nationwide hookup sponsors that bloom over-night. They have to begin somewhere; that is, if they're honest. And say! Every successful chain program is nothing but a simultaneous presentation of many "local" programs, for without local demand, local distribution and local interest, no chain program would be successful. Well, guess that's about all. Thanks for listening." lit 'OLD JOHN BROWN" OPINES That Personality and Prestige Come Before Business/ How a Local Station Achieved All Three September 1, 1932 • BROADCASTING Page 9