Sponsor (Sept-Dec 1958)

e. Competitive rates f. Audience characteristics g. Accounts using station effectively h. Nature of market i. General audience picture for all stations on all available surveys Facile use of this fundamental knowledge will make you "fast on your feet" with answers. Make notes — memorize those things you'll need most frequently. Moreover, the best salesmen I have known and worked with are extremely well-organized. A forgotten item or a neglected follow-up may mean a lost sale. Establish a system to cover the following: a. All pending business b. Ideas for follow-up c. Pending campaigns d. Pre-selling needs e. Account executives and client contacts to be made f. Status of all business in markets g. Switching plans Carefully kept and used records will add greatly to your efficiency and sales performance. iiMi TIMING There always is a best time to sell a customer. In many instances 9 a.m., by appointment, is ideal. The buyer is fresh, other problems of the day have not yet beset him. His mind is most receptive to the ideas you wish to impress upon him. But you cannot see all your prospects at 9 a.m., so you must apply this timing where it fits (probably for your most important and potentially productive of business calls for the day). It bears repeating here that you must make calls — lots of them — but be sure they are carefully timed and wellprepared. THE RECEPTION ROOM Too often the reception room is jLised as a sort of club room. Here salesmen happily fraternize and read magazines. I don't mean to overlook the amenities completely, but the effective salesman is the busy one and he is in that reception room for just one purpose — to get inside and get the order. Far too much highly valuable time is wasted in reception rooms. Here is the proper reception room procedure : a. If you have to wait, use the time to review your presentation. b. Think of what you are going to say. Review in your mind the right kind of selling words to fit the customer. Use reception room times as part of your selling time. Don't waste it. PREPARATION Each sales presentation requires careful advance thought and work. Consider what this buyer is after and how you can best adapt your merchandise to be most appealing. It usually is advisable to have more than one plan in order to offer the buyer a choice. Study all the station data and select the substantiating material which will be most effective with this particular buyer. Frequently the sale is made in the preparation. One desirable method of preparation: a. Organize your thoughts and facts in outline. b. Put them on paper in letter form. c. Talk these with the buyer. d. Then leave the letter if it holds up in the discussion. e. Otherwise prepare another letter which better fits the results of the discussion and deliver it in person. Don't mail it or you miss a chance to review and get the order. f. If the sale is ready to close before d. and e. are needed, close it and proceed to something else. IMAGERY Study the effect of words. The choice of the right word at the right time often will close a sale. Know v/hich words appeal to which buyers. Use positive words. There always is an idea — or several — which adds lustre to your merchandise. Use ideas extravagantly. You'll find that the more you use them, the more you will invent and your selling will become vastly more exciting and effective. There is nothing more powerful than an idea. IDEAL SALES SEQUENCE Many salesmen invariably open their solicitation with ratings or price. This is a serious error. Considerations other than numbers must be given precedence. Time and again you have read and heard statements from astute buyers regarding the importance they place on factors other than numbers. Take them at their word; they are sincere in their interest in information other than the factual data. Here is what I consider to be an ideal sales sequence: a. Open with an idea. b. Discuss the nature of station programing and appeal as it fits the product. c. Show proof that the station is selling merchandise. d. Present a plan or plans to sell for the client. e. Give statistical verification of the values involved. f. Cost-economy. Always advise the station regarding upcoming business. Several times a year, I'll guarantee you, the station manager will have a contributing idea or live next door to the influential broker. Advising the station well in advance is well worth the small effort. It pays off in additional orders. COVER INFLUENTIALS Most sales are influenced by several different people. It is the obligation of the salesman to know all of these people and wherever possible and practical to cover them. Here is the right way to cover influentials: a. Give the timebuyer the complete details. b. See the account executive and give him the story. c. Let the buyer know right away that you have seen the account executive. d. See the advertising manager and give him the story. e. Advise both timebuyer and account executive that you have discussed the situation with the ad manager. Obviously this type of coverage must be used with discretion and when used, be sure to keep all the parties — especially the buyer — fully informed. Don't cross any wires or the fuse you SPONSOR • 13 SEPTEMBER 1958