RELENTLESS RADIO

 

Author:	Ken Scott
Published:	October, 2000

 

What will potential advertisers find at your web site? More than likely, according to my recent surveys of station sites, little or nothing seems to be the answer. The web is revolutionizing the way we sell and more importantly the way we communicate in the business world. Your station's web page can be a dynamic resource for your sales department at little or no cost. We are missing an opportunity to sell or at least let prospects be drawn to us by visiting our web site. The Web Basics (YOU MUST HAVE THIS)  1. Your sales department must be on your web page. It should be a tab or listing for marketing/advertising. I visited over 100 sites the past week and found less than 10% doing this. 2. The sales page should have at least a one page profile of your property plus all the contact information. Your contact information is not complete unless it includes a hot linked email for the sales manager or DOS. Special note to the mega groups: make it easy to reach your national sales arm plus the local markets. 3. Your page should offer links to all your other properties' sales departments along with a link to your national rep firm. This page should have a brief description of how to purchase multiple properties and even media in your group. 4. Your web site and email address must be on ALL client correspondence. 5. Every person on your sales team should have an email address. 6. Every account file must have their email address. 7. Your sales team needs access to the Internet. If you can't trust them to research clients and ideas and not the xxx or games, how do you trust them on the streets. 8. Any client or prospect emailing a request for information should receive an email reply within 3 hours that includes the name of the person who will be their rep. The rep should then follow up by phone. The web is the new communication tool. We can greatly expand access to us and clients, do some stealth prospecting and eventually make additional revenue with a strong web site for our sales teams. What You're Missing Why worry about your sales department on the web? A recent study by Cahners found that the number of business professionals consulting the web when choosing new services has doubled in the last year. Further, 49% of business professionals rate the Internet as extremely helpful. That's up from 23% two years ago. The study was done with over 2700 business executives. A study of radio listeners shows they want access to advertisers through their favorite station's web site. A study by Arbitron and Edison Media Research found that 40% of listeners wanted links to advertisers web sites. A whopping 53% wanted to access information about the advertisers and their products. Web Presence Level 2 Your DOS needs to begin reading as much as possible about station web sites. The trades are full of articles. Also visit the sites of competitors and other markets to see the good, the bad and the ugly. Once you’ve covered the basics it’s time to become new and improved.  1. Once in the sales section, have your media kit on line. This should be an easy to follow site mapped section. The goal is to be able to be on the phone with a client and walk them through a station presentation. 2. Get your sales web page listed with the major search engines with key words such as "advertising" and "marketing" plus your market name. More then likely if you do a search now for "advertising (your market)" you will get lots of agencies and zero media. 3. If your site supports audio; have both written and audio client testimonies. 4. Provide online copy writing tips and again feature some of your spots via audio for advertisers. 5. You can have a sales presentation on PowerPoint that will run on the visitors browser. 6. Start having clients, especially agencies, email their orders to your reps. You'll have a written copy and can send instant return receipts. 7. Provide links to key sites like Arbitron or research companies so clients can use your web site as a starting point for buying advertising. 8. Generate revenue on the web using a web telemarketing rep. Sell classifieds for employment, cars etc. Also sell community service campaigns. Plus turn you site into a store. You can sell distressed merchandise from your clients.  9. Work with programming to capture listener email addresses. When you’re doing remotes or big events at a client’s location email coupons and special offers to your best listeners. In closing, I contacted a few stations with solid sales department web pages. They all have had inquiries, prospects and sales. Some have current clients talking about the site and how it helps get information. Imagine saying to an out of town buyer, are you on line. Then visit our site, sample the product, get market information, download or view our media kit and we'll talk tomorrow. No more overnight service or cheap looking faxes. Just instant information, great graphics and possibly digital sound.