Sponsor (Apr-June 1964)

will probably indicate, too, what times vour station is most efficfentl) reaching an) particulai group within youi market. Now, in inward-looking, turn ihi^ information into commercial value. \ doubt, certain types ol products are hca\ ilj used in youi mat kct. some consumei goods arc marketed generally, others foi pai ocular purposes. Make up .1 list, In brand, of these products, Brown sti-m advises. Don't list .ill possible products only those thai are heav) users of s|-H>t radio, national!) ,>r regionally, like beers, breads, gasolines It's not necessar) to learn which brands sell the most, iust those that sell a lot. It in doubt, .1 quick check with wholesalers and 01 leading retail stores will doubtless!) give you the answer. Ibis information will meld with your market data, and you'll likel) see at once main similarities between the products sold and the people you're prepared to prove your station reaches. "Increasingly, advertisers and their agencies are trying to extract just this kind of information about the stations the) use most those in the giant markets."* the PRO chief emphasizes. "But progress is slow because these markets are complex. In the smaller markets, there aren't so man) complexities, however. I ven a simple mail analysis will give strong indications at very little expense." "Having gathered this information, your station will ver) likel) blrve more specifh data than the larger stations have about their giant markets B) delivering such information to both advertiser and agencv. sour station is in a good position to take awa) business from the station in a giant market that is unable to demonstrate that it concentrates as much value per dollar." \l>l)lll<>\ \l I I IDS Back home, youi] want to take advantage of other opportunities to learn about accounts that should be using your station: Monitor other stations within vour own market las you probabl\ alread) do in seeking local accounts) to learn the national •nal advertisers active th I isltii to stations in inarltv communities ol about the ianx si/e a\\<.\ market composition as yours l he) ma) have an advei tisei who could also be runn in youi cit) Monitor stations in llu nearest jiiani market in search foi national regional advertisers, but onl) it you have a particulai advantage thai could realisticall) lead to a sale I 01 example, you ma\ be able to prove that yOUl station hits a ma jor advertiser's farm target via a popular early-morning show, at low cOSt and without "waste'' au dience that could be important if an advertiser is currentl) trying to reach such a group via high-cost effort in a nearb) giant market. Or you ma) have an "in" that could help, whether it is a personal friend in a ke> post or the local location ol .1 specific plant. II — because ol these unusual eireumstances you feel that, contrar) to the earlier advice, you can convert a major league non-radio advertiser into a "believer," then enlist the help ol your station rep and go alter the business with a vengeance. "The entire industr) will applaud vou ii you're successful," this experienced executive notes. \lso check \our local newspaper for insights into some na tional advertisers that use radio in the top 50 markets, but onl) newspapers at your level. Since you'll undoubtedl) know the local paper's limitations, your pitch becomes a straight radio-vs-newspaper sales approach keep abreast ol trade journals in broadcasting and advertising, for they'll often divulge an advert who's planning a radio campaign in or near umr area I he information ma) spark a\i idea that will help vour station. I rom the same sources, vou can also learn what other stations arc doing to build sales, launch promotions M -\kl SOM1 CALLS In at least 51 )* I ol the new markets added to a sponsor's list, me dia people "won't even considei adding it without prool ol 5| cific interest on the part of local pl< who ^ II trtM j rod youthful bi plains I hn 11 and I sales calls on local distributi brokers, wholes ties man even salesmen who Cit can be mi| 1 .mi in getting nev. accounts. rdinate such ett.>its with yOUl national up I he tells vou lli tisei ml m vour market, that advert COmes important enough to merit a call on his local representat • Getting the local man tO write a letter ol icconiniciidalu'ti both his market and vour station) can be as difficult and jusl rewarding as making an outright sale. It'll be "a big leap waul'' towards getting the account. Hut make sure he sends it through his own eonip.uiv channels, no! directl) to some one vou mav hap pen to know at the agenc) M companies prefer not to I' stepped. Besides nursing potential counts, be sure to take good >. ol the clients vou alread) h I his is the proverbial Stitch m time. When problems arise or hudgets are suddeiilv cut back. ha\ the local influential ol vour current accounts on your sale <:.in help prevent abrupt cancellations IM W.l\ \ll\ I PR] SENTA1 lo\s "\ spark ol imagination can often turn a routine presentation into an extraordinary sale." s a > s Brownstein, a graduate of th< M souri I niversity's school ol journalism and holder ol M degree in radio-t\ journalism. First, he advises, analyze the goals of the advertisei (Oil companies want credit-card applicants, softdrink bottlers want to 1 l h e n devise methods fo r achieving his goals. is sell time," Brownstein savs tirmlv Regardlc: the feeling about merchandising, it m not prevent a station from ing something with particular can lim an alread) on the station." Right nOW, lie i the telephone companies in the B April 20. 1964