Radio Ink Magazine January 9, 2023

DPARENTI@STREAMLINEPUBLISHING.COM I have always believed that small things, multiplied over time and spread by the masses, can make a difference. A manager I once worked with held a similar philosophy when promotional dollars were in short supply. He would call a meeting to strategize what he referred to as “termite marketing.” For the uninitiated: this tactic employed resources that did not involve fiscal investment but took advantage of promotional opportunities in the community, attaching the station's presence in some form or fashion. As we head into a new year filled with multiple challenges that could not only impact but alter the radio landscape and its ability to compete in a crowded and competitive environment, the industry might benefit from a little “termite marketing.” Before you laugh, hear me out. There are issues being…

PAT@PATBRYSON.COM Every day, businesspeople are inundated with salespeople vying for their attention and their dollars. We may be the 10th or 15th person who has walked in their door or called or e-mailed that day, asking for time. The first thing our prospect is thinking is, “Why should I give this person my time, let alone give them my money?” In other words, we have to answer their question: “Why?” A large part of answering that question is developing our personal brand. Just as products must develop a brand, so must we. What do we stand for? How do we communicate that we are professional marketers who can help our clients to raise revenue? What makes us different? That leads me to the picture of the cute little dog on this page. His name…

ROY@WIZARDOFADS.COM We shall operate on the heart, but we shall not use a scalpel, and it will not pump blood better when we are done. We have no interest in that muscle in the center of the chest. We will use magic words to operate on the center of emotions. We will change how people act, think, and feel. No one will die, but they will all be changed. Are you in? Using radio, we will operate en masse on hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously. Screenwriters have been pumping out scripts for TV shows and movies that have captured and owned us for as long as we have been able to sit upright. As children we fell in love with cartoon characters. As teenagers we fell in love with heroes in action movies. As adults we fell…

Recruitment. It's the lifeblood of your sales organization and arguably one of the most important roles a manager can play to determine long-term organizational success. To start, it's important to understand that no matter the economy or the number of positions open, you should be recruiting 365 days a year. At the Center for Sales Strategy, we talk about the importance of building a talent bank and taking time every week to devote to nurturing your talent bank and making “deposits.” What are the best ways to find new salespeople? First, you must take the time to ensure that your job detail is designed in a way that will attract and entice more of the best-fit candidates. You want to think about hiring in terms of talent, skills, and experience. We encourage the…

If you survey the industry, the list of attributes for a Manager of the Year will vary in scope and importance. But based on my 40 years of working in radio – and without being absolute – here are 10 attributes. Depth Perception: Top managers look past the obvious and see underlying opportunities around them relating to talent development, revenue growth, and organizational effectiveness. Depth perception is developed through a thoughtful review of situations and of the people around you, and means taking time to consider broader outcomes rather than focus on specific goals. Many of us working in radio got our first job because a manager had depth perception. Actions Vs. Words: The cornerstone of management success is trust. Take inventory of your actions and the perceptions created in your organization. Customer…

When Bill Reeves took over as CEO in July of 2019, Educational Media Foundation –now with over 1,100 stations and signals airing its two popular Christian formats across the country – announced plans to move its headquarters from California to Nashville. Then, in 2020, Reeves and his team were thrown a major curveball when a worldwide pandemic got in the way. But Reeves has received high marks for maneuvering the company through the tough COVID years. Bill Reeves is admired by executives inside his company and throughout the radio and music industries. He is leading one of the very few broadcasters that added stations to its portfolio over the last year, and, as you'll read in our interview, there are no plans to stop that growth. Radio Ink: How are things going…