Today's issue contains an article dispelling common publicity myths, a description of how to make an average sales opening into and exceptional opening, ways to use tradeshows to build brand awareness and an explanation of common radio advertising terminology.
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When examining the advertising mediums available to your business, there are a number of factors to evaluate. In order to effectively weigh the pros and cons of each advertising medium, you must understand that medium’s specific terminology. Today, we will discuss radio.
When working with radio sales representatives, there are specific terms and industry jargon to investigate. You may be pitched a radio campaign that has great reach, high frequency on a station that has big cume and is just coming off a good book. What does that mean?
To start, let’s look at some general radio terminology that radio sales representatives will use to sell their station to your business.
• First, radio is measured by Arbitron surveys. These surveys are published quarterly and measure radio listeners in a given market. The Metropolitan Statistical Area is defined by the U.S. Government’s office of Management and Budget. These are commonly referred to as Metros.
• When reviewing a radio schedule, you will notice that radio is measured by Arbitron and sold in dayparts. Standard radio dayparts consist of AM Drive (6am-10am), Midday (10am-3pm), PM Drive (3pm-7pm) and Evening (7pm-12m).
• Many times if your business is new to advertising on radio, you may be offered a ROS Schedule. This means run of station. Run of station schedules consist of commercials that are scheduled to run across multiple dayparts with no fixed position.
• Always be cautious of run of station orders. The concern is with the spot rotation. If you order 10 spots over the course of a week, you want to make sure that two commercials run a day. In radio, the goal is to have commercials that are distributed equally across dayparts and days of the week.
Next the radio sales team will discuss statistical research describing why their station fits the needs of your business. Below are some key terms to aide in evaluating whether or not the station truly fits your target audience.
• AQH (Average Quarter Hour) Audience – This term refers to the average number of people who listen to a station for at least five minutes within a quarter hour during a specific daypart.
• AQH (Average Quarter Hour) Rating – The rating is the average quarter hour audience expressed as a percentage of the population being measured.
• Cume Audience – The total number of different people in a specific target who listen to a station during a daypart.
When negotiating with a radio station, always ask to see their audience or ratings in terms of your target audience. For example, Women 25-54 have very different listening habits then Men 18-49. In choosing, select those stations that format and audience best enable you to reach your target effectively.
Lisa Pickles is a Senior Media Buyer/Planner at Harmelin Media, the eighth largest independent media buying firm in the United States. Ms. Pickles may be reached at
610-668-7900 ext. 219 or lpickles@harmelin.com
Every business needs a cost-effective way to keep their name, their products, or their services in front of their prospects and customers. For many business owners, publicity is the key to such recognition and awareness. When done correctly, publicity develops your name recognition, gives your business instant credibility, and ultimately leads to increased sales. And best of all, publicity is absolutely free.
Publicity can come from anywhere and in many different forms. It can be as simple as having a letter published in the editorial column of your local newspaper, or as dynamic as having a front-page article with your company’s name splashed across the headlines. Unfortunately, because of the many myths that shroud the whole concept of publicity, many business owners fail to seek it out.
Before you can get your business the publicity it deserves, you need to separate the PR facts from the media fiction. Below are the most common publicity myths and the truths behind them.
Myth #1 – I need to own a "big" business to get the media’s attention
While it’s true that big business names are common in magazine and trade journal articles, the fact is that big business makes up only a small percentage of the American economy. Most readers know the big business names, but they often can’t identify with them or their challenges. That’s why many magazines and trade journals are eager to hear the opinions and perspectives from owners of small and medium-sized businesses. So whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a franchise operator, or a family business owner, find out what the reporters want and then enthusiastically give your slant on the topic.
Myth #2 – My business will be a household name from that one big hit
Getting mentioned in or interviewed by a major national publication with a circulation of over one million readers is certainly impressive. But will such a stroke of luck make your business a household name? Not likely. To become a household name, you need to develop "top of mind awareness." What is top of mind awareness? It’s when people think of you first to fulfill their product or service needs. It’s when publications of all sizes quote you and publish your articles. It’s when customers and prospects say, "I’ve seen your company everywhere." Most important, it’s when people purchase your products or services because they know your company’s name and they perceive you as the marketplace leader. The only way to get top of mind awareness (to become a household name) is through constant exposure in a variety of publications.
Myth #3 – I need to use big words to impress the interviewer
In most cases, the person interviewing you, as well as the publication’s readers, are not as intimate with your industry as you are. Therefore, they need the information you give them to be understandable and at a layperson’s comprehension level. The best approach is to avoid speaking with industry jargon or using techno-terms. Instead, speak as if you were explaining something for the first time. The simpler you can make your information, the better your chances of being quoted as the expert source.
Myth #4 – I need a unique theory or insight
While you don’t want to rehash old news, there’s no need to rack your brain for a totally new theory or perspective. The best approach is to present your findings, opinions, or topic of expertise in a new light – one that may be close to someone else’s, but that catches the reporter or editor’s interest. Perhaps you have information that can refute a recent claim or that shows how a current business challenge is affecting the publication’s target readership. When you simply put a new spin on a current theory or insight that interests the publication’s readers, reporters will want to present your findings.
Myth #5 – I can’t get my business into that publication
It’s common for small and medium-sized business owners to feel intimidated by the big name publications. They envision high-powered magazine editors schmoozing with big company CEOs and lining up interviews with well-known figureheads for the next six months. In reality, editors scramble daily to find people to interview who have knowledge on the latest trends and topics. Realize too that editors must find new and exciting people to interview either weekly or monthly, so the more knowledgeable people they can add to their database, the better. Make yourself stand out as a reliable information source and you will get the media’s attention.
Myth #6 – Small publications don’t matter
Small publications are just as important as the big ones. Why? Because you never know who reads them. You may think that a magazine with only a 10,000-15,000 circulation could never get your business the kind of publicity you want, but what if half of those readers were your target customers? Even better, what if your interview or article in a small publication prompted an editor from a large publication to call you? So target small publications as well as the large ones. As long as your information is interesting and accurate, you will gain more attention and get the publicity you need.
Getting publicity is the best way to promote your business. And when you know the facts of the PR business, you can attain the publicity you need easily and then use it to your best advantage. With a constant stream of good publicity, your business is destined to grow.
Pam Lontos is owner of PR/PR, a public relations firm that specializes in professional speakers and authors. Having been an author, speaker, and former VP of Disney's Shamrock Broadcasting, she knows the ropes of getting good you publicity and how to use it to really boost your sales. Call for a free consultation at (407) 299-6128.
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What do you think of this opening with a prospect?
"I’m ______ from _____. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I appreciate your time since I know this is your busy season. On the phone you mentioned you are looking to modify your X system. What I’d like to do today is talk about what we can do to help you meet your objectives."
I would say average because it looks like many of the openings we observe.
One of the biggest problems with openings is that most salespeople take the opening for granted. Few salespeople prepare or really think about how they will open. And nothing "average" in a tough market wins if a competitor is exceptional.
What would it take to make this opening excellent?
• Rapport — even though everyone is busy, don’t assume there is no time for brief tailored rapport
• Customized Credentializing — be prepared to concisely credentialize your organization and yourself
• Agenda — lay out your customer-focused agenda
• Check the agenda and time to make sure you and the customer are on the same page
• Move out of the agenda into a Needs Dialogue (questions) vs. talking about what you can do
The salesperson suggested he/she can "improve" something when he/she does not know enough to make the assertion. The focus was on the salesperson and his/her company vs. the client. The last sentence of the opening will most likely lead to a product vs. prospect focus.
First impressions last. How you open that first call with a client matters. We have identified five critical elements that help create exceptional openings — after you congratulate yourself for getting the meeting.
First of all, prepare, prepare, prepare — or it may be the first and last meeting with this prospect.
Once you are at the call:
1) Build rapport. Think about the prospect and identify a hinge to help you connect. Don’t give
short shrift to rapport. Don’t assume there is no time for rapport. Read cues, but look for signs when rapport is appropriate. There are many topics you can use from a snowstorm to a truly tailored topic — the more tailored the better. Rapport is appropriate when it is genuine and fits with the occasion. Fortunately, most people are civil and they will give you a few moments to connect on a more personal basis.
2) Concisely credentialize yourself and your organization. Be fully prepared to do this and make sure to customize the key points you want to cover to this prospect. Prepare, or your credentializing is likely to be disorganized — and less than impressive. Practice, prune, batch, customize, continuously update.
3) State your purpose/agenda. Show you are prepared. Prep time earns you time. Then frame your purpose in a customer-focused way.
4) Also, check for time. Ensure you have the time you planned on.
5) Ask a Permission Benefit Question. Get an okay to explore needs — once you have shown that you are prepared, ask a question to get an okay to explore needs. This ensures you are poised to identify needs vs. begin a product dump.
With a strong opening you can move into a Needs Dialogue.
Being able to execute the elements of an exceptional opening takes preparation. It is worth the effort because 1) it sets the tone for the entire call and more importantly, 2) it sets the direction for a client-focused dialogue vs. a generic product pitch. An effective opening takes thought and preparation and leads to a better call.
The opening is the time to set the tone, set the focus, and connect with the prospect. Take advantage of it!
Branding is a basic marketing concept that is designed to set your products/services apart from the competition. By using a particular name, phrase, design, symbol or a combination of these, you can create a unique identity. When choosing a brand name, consider the following five criteria: 1. It should suggest product/service benefits.
2. It should be simple, memorable, and unique.
3. It should fit the image of the company.
4. It should have positive connotations for the target market.
5. It should be easy to pronounce and to pictorialize.
Branding is not a sales and marketing gimmick. Instead it refines and defines corporate culture and identity. A brand must have meaning to its consumers, its organization and its employees. Brand is an emotional link between you and your customer. It is what people buy when they buy your product or your company. The most important part of a brand’s identity is the promise it makes to customers. The essence of branding is simplicity and timelessness.
Integrating Brand Awareness Into Your Exhibit Program Since exhibiting is a powerful extension of your company’s advertising, promotion, public relations and sales function, that automatically means it is an excellent way to enhance brand awareness. Everything your company stands for, no matter how large or small, is being exhibited on the show floor. This means there needs to be total consistency, congruity, clarity and focus in every aspect of your exhibiting program, before, during and after the show.
Here are three important points to consider as you plan to integrate brand awareness into your tradeshow program.
1. Consistency and repetition is vital in creating brand awareness. People buy brands they know and they trust! A brand is a promise that companies make to their customers. Strong branding requires all the levels of communication to agree with one another.
2. Ensure all your marketing and promotions are consistent and that they have your logo, colors, typeface, slogans and characters. Everything you develop should have the same look and feel.
3. Peoples’ perception about your company, products, and services is a major factor in their choice of brand preferences and their buying behavior. All perception is subjective and based on experience. Individuals tend to interpret information according to existing beliefs, attitudes, needs and mood.
The following is a 10-point checklist to act as a reminder for many of the questions you need to ask and answer as you plan brand integration into your exhibit program:
1. What needs to be done to ensure that your booth conveys total consistency, congruity, clarity and focus of your company image and brand? Consider:
• booth size
• location
• graphics
• demonstrations
• staff
• handouts and giveaways
• lead management
2. How can your graphics work best for you? • can be easily seen and read in three seconds
• use a simple and bold typeface
• have striking and grabbing visuals
• are instantly memorable
• use a unique size or shape
• reinforce your message
• make your message a single, strong, provocative idea
• use a "What’s in it for me?" message
• use bold colors 3. What are the best promotional activities you can use to enhance brand awareness? Personal invitations (e.g. with incentive and response form)
Direct mail with incentive
Pre-show advertising
• trade and/or local publications
• local media
• websites (e.g. company, show, association)
• broadcast faxes
• association newsletters
• city billboards
• transit advertising
At-show advertising
• show catalogs
• show dailies
• airport billboards, banners/electronic message boards
• hotel closed-circuit television
• hotel - on door or in room promotion
• kiosks/banners at show site
• convention television channels
4. What types of PR communications could be used? Pre-show:
• press releases for local and trade publications
• product/service application articles
• personal invitations to trade/local editors
• company newsletters
At-show:
• press kits for the press office
• press reception
• video/slide presentation at the booth
• reprints of articles as giveaways
• seminars/workshops
• contests
• personalities/spokesperson at booth
5. What sponsorship opportunities exist and would complement your company image? Some of the most frequent sponsorship opportunities are:
• press room
• international lounge
• speaker or VIP room
• awards reception
• educational programs
• keynote sessions
• coffee breaks
• luncheons/dinners
• banners
• badge holders
• audio visual equipment
• display computers
• tote bags
• shuttle buses
6. What advertising premiums will be consistent with your image and complement the message you want to convey? Consider:
• budget
• originality
• usefulness and appropriateness for your target audience
• distribution 7. Who are the best ambassadors for your company - the right people to staff the booth?
8. What training should they receive? Consider:
• prospect qualification
• booth etiquette
• product knowledge
• product demonstration
• obtaining commitment
9. What is the best dress code to convey your company image?
10. What is the best way to follow-up after the show that is consistent with your exhibiting program? Remember that branding is a process, a business system, that fuels and sustains all customer/company relationships! Total consistency, congruity, clarity and focus in every aspect of your exhibiting program, before, during and after the show are essential.
Written by Susan Friedmann, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, who works with exhibitors, show organizers and meeting planners to create more valuable results from their events nationally and internationally. Website: www.thetradeshowcoach.com. Author "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies")
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