Sponsor (Jan-Apr 1958)

How radio reps are boosting sales ^ NBC Spot Sales used a sports car contest to whip up enthusiasm, boosted March sales 25% over March 1957 ^ Active rep sales policy has boosted first-quarter 1958 sales 15% above first-quarter 1957, according to SRA ^^pot radio in this year's first quarter showed a healthy sales increase — thanks to hard selling. According to Larry Webb, managing director of Station Representatives Association, spot radio sales for 1958's first three months will be about 15% ahead of the same period last year. "The increase," Webb told SPONSOR, is a tribute to aggressive salesmanship, with a high percentage of the additional dollars deriving from accounts new to the medium." Webb's mid-April appraisal of spot radio's growth reflects invigorated and high-pitched sales activity among the reps. "Our men are going after new advertisers, showing them what radio can do for them and creating new business that way," says John Blair sales manager, Art McCoy. (Among new accounts, McCoy cites Plymouth, Bakelite, Pittsburgh Paint, and cigarette brands.) What makes them sell What are the incentives that generate the selling enthusiasm among radio reps in this year of hard-sell? One of the most novel approaches is the five-week spring sports car contest that NBC Spot Sales started among its staff members. The contest, which ended 31 March when a tv and a radio saelsman each won a 1958 Corvette for maximum performance, produced the same remarkable radio sales results. Says Thomas B. McFadden, v.p. in charge of NBC Spot Sales, who initiated the Sports Car Rally: "This contest was an important factor in raising our radio sales by a sizable amount. The winners were selected on the basis of 25 daily races or 'heats' conducted each day until the closing of the contest. Daily winners were decided by point values assigned to each sales order. As a result, spot sales in radio for March were up 42% over February and 25% above March 1957." To whip up enthusiasm and a sense of participation among the staffers, NBC Spot Sales put a thorough promotion behind its own contest, posting hourly reports as they were received from the New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit and Hartford offices. Says George Dietrich, director of NBC radio spot sales: "The competition among the men was so keen that four were tied as the contest entered the final day, each man having won four heats. Often the salesmen worked until late evening, soliciting business through long distance telephone calls and closely scrutinizing any competitive situation." The result: A substantial share of the increase in radio sales came from regular accounts, but the major amount came from new accounts attracted to NBC Spot Sales. During the contest, the number of such new clients was about eight times greater than the number of new clients in an average month. The NBC Spot Sales contest, while an unusual added incentive plan, is in some ways typical of the efforts national reps are making to generate excitement among their staffs. Most common form of gearing payment to sales, for instance, is a system of bonuses in addition to salary, based on their sales. Some reps pay on a commission basis. New spot advertisers The result of incentive plans and encouragement tactics was apparent during the first quarter of this year. Here's a list of clients using spot radio in first quarter of 1958 who were not in the medium in first quarter of 1957: Colgate Dental Cream, A&P Co., Anitone Co., Ting, Woodbury Soap, Butcher Wax, Quaker State Motor Oil, Kentucky Club Pipe Tobacco, Hamilton Watch, duPont Remington Mall Chain Saw, Savoy Car Wash Co., Griffin Shoe Polish, Barbasol, Taylor Packing Co., Sal Hepatica, Bayuk Cigars, Continental Baking, Sunoco, Glade, Pretty Feet, Sterling Silversmith, Ray Ben Sunglass Co., Standard & Poor, Armour Co. for chili con carne, Four Fishermen Fish Sticks, Brer Rabbit Molasses, Dovol Baby Bottles, Mrs. Wagner Pies, Somerset Records, Campho Pheneque, Save the Baby, Red L Frozen Fish Dinners, Dristan, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Queen Bee Royal Jelly Vitamins. ^ Contestants, NBC Spot Radio salesmi sales contest, ending 31 March. Wini : 1958 Corvette which was prize in five-week hosen on the basis of a daily point-system SPONSOR • 19 APRIL 1958