Step Six: Use your creative team

The following is the sixth of seven upcoming blogs on my suggestions as to how to fix radio so it thrives

Step Six involves using your creative team to cut down on the time between gathering information and delivering a spot or idea.

 I was just marveling with a friend of mine how, even five years ago, the technology didn't exist as it does today, to deliver information as fast as we can. It's a go-go world we live in.

So---if you're still having your salespeople meet a client, gather information, bring it back to the station, fill out a CNA, do a spec, take it back to the client,  make changes, bring the spot back again, miss and appointment or two because the client has to cancel, finally pin them down and get final changes, cut the spot, miss more appointments because the client is too busy to see you, get approval or make more changes, and finally get them to air----- you're doing business in 1974. 

Today, you can close business in one day. One day. Here's how:

Start with sending your staff out with a laptop ( the 10.1" versions work fine for this) or a tablet. Make sure a 'fill-in the blank' version of your CNA is available, along with a PowerPoint version of your station presentation. The entire presentation  and CNA  should be done there, in person, in 45 minutes or less. 

Got the needs analysis filled out? Bring your creative team online. Their interview with the client should take 15 minutes, max. If it's BENMAR, we can then create an ad right there, on the spot, in 20 minutes or less, complete with client input. If it's not, then the creative team should take their info and, in 30 minutes, return copy for the client to approve or change. Again, that's in BENMAR's wheelhouse, if you're so inclined.

The client makes changes/gives approval. You dot the I's, cross the T's and IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS, you've closed business. At the very worst, it should take one day. 

Yes, it's 2012. You can do that. You SHOULD  be doing that. Competition is fierce and timing is everything. This allows you to eliminate the competition----yes, even other radio stations.

Radio has always been an immediacy business. It's always been an innovation business. It's kinda gotten away from that over the past few years. Here's the blueprint to begin the road back. Let's show new media that this old media dog has some new media tricks of our own that blow everyone else out of the water.


Final blog: WHY ON AIR TALENT COUNTS and why you should invest in grooming your own.