Congratulations! You just came back to the station with a brand new broadcast order for a first-time radio user from a non-traditional industry category. Your presentation consisted of some exciting charts, some colourful graphs, some impressive ratings and what the heck, some cheap rates as well. Your client was really impressed by your recommendations on the use of reach and frequency…and loved the fact that there wouldn’t be any production costs. It’s a Friday afternoon and the campaign starts on Monday. You better hurry up and write a commercial, get it voiced, get it produced and logged into the traffic system before the cut-off time of 1:00 PM. Your client will absolutely “freak out” if you miss any spots on Monday!
Would you mind if we just pushed “pause” for a moment and took a look at the big picture? This is a very common situation that is going on in almost every radio market as we speak and the only way that it is going to change is if we re-evaluate how prospective advertisers are introduced to radio advertising and what they need to be aware of before their campaign starts.
Radio commercials need to be considered the glue that holds a format together. The difference between a good commercial and a bad one is not always the final draft of copy, the voice, the music or the level of production. It’s how you got there that matters! Was there a system in place when you first decided to call on the client? How did you pre-select, pre-qualify, pre-approve, introduce, invite, interview, present, pitch, and close the deal? Do you have a plan for how you will maintain and renew the client?
Although the phrase “ better creative” is starting to creep up into the ranks of current industry issues such as spot loads, spot lengths, digital signals, rates, ratings, FCC policies, ownership, consolidation, training and recruiting, it is still a dirty little secret that many broadcasters are afraid to address. It costs money, slows down the close, is difficult to explain and in many cases, will be taken out of an AE’s commission to justify the cost.
The development of a creative message is usually started after a client has purchased a broadcast schedule, which can be a problem right off the bat. When we are all trying to jam as many spots as possible into this calendar month, we skip steps that will only hurt us down the road. Shouldn’t radio be using a properly executed Client Needs Analysis Questionnaire (CNA) as an application to advertise, rather than just a form to gather copy points. Do you realize how many business owners out there would enjoy sitting down with you and walking through a “CNA” if they knew it was part of the process of making their campaign work? Believe me, many advertisers would be more than happy to pay a little extra if it meant that their commercial would be successful.
When clients participate in the creative process, it gives everyone a better chance of being part of a success story that was a team effort. If creative commercials are properly presented, they can force advertisers to think longer-term, they can demonstrate your direction, commitment and strategic plan that can be as long as you want it to be. Don’t let the experience that you had with the gatekeeper hold you back from what is best for the decision maker that you are dealing with. Selling cheap spots is really not that hard to do, but making a contract stick when the client is not seeing results is a whole different story. Successful campaigns that come out of a solid CNA can actually save clients money by thinking longer-term and avoiding the need for quick hit packages. It will help spread the word about the service that you and your station provide and if nothing else, may even generate some referrals from the positive PR that you will receive for your efforts. Some of the most exciting commercials out there are just a regurgitation of a well-executed Needs Analysis Questionnaire.
