ASIA

Selling Radio Direct with Pat BrysonAn underperforming salesperson leaves. What’s our strategy?In our last article we talked about what happens when we lose a salesperson. How do we safeguard their accounts? We discussed a best-case scenario where the person leaving had good relationships with their clients. The list of new “orphan” accounts is usually a substantial one. We gave steps to re-establish relationships with these important accounts as quickly as possible.

Today we will discuss what we need to do when a salesperson leaves who was not performing well. Chances are, either you have experienced a decline in the amount their clients were spending, or you have seen accounts cancel or fail to renew. The person who takes over these accounts may have to correct problems.How do we begin to recover these accounts?Scenario Two: The underperforming salesperson leaves:
Research the accounts. Check their billing history, their production. Have they reduced or cancelled? If so, when?
Ask people in the station if they know of a problem with the account. Arm yourself with all the information you can collect.
If at all possible, make the first contact in person. You are there to introduce yourself and to schedule an appointment. Be ready to experience resistance.
When you get an appointment, do a CNA. You want to uncover everything you can about how the client feels about the station. You may not have to ask: the client may come out guns blazing with a litany of grievances about their treatment:
“You’re the first person I’ve seen in months.”“No one would call me back or answer my emails.”“The only time I ever saw someone from your station was when theywanted to sell me something.”” The last time I used your station you really screwed it up.” 
Listen to the client. Once you know their concerns, work with your manager to correct them. If you can resolve their issues, you become the hero.
6.Never make your first contact about raising rates. They probably NEED to be raised, and chances are the schedules they have been using are not effective. Develop the relationship first. Now you can introduce appropriate scheduling and rates as time goes by.Unfortunately, many times these problem accounts are given to novice salespeople. With the number of stations who are short of salespeople, this may be our only option. This will require the manager to coach the new salesperson through these interactions. If possible, the manager should go with them on the first contact.People want to feel that they matter. When we provide bad or no service to clients, we are telegraphing our low regard for them.Note: Our clients are businesspeople who employ staff. Every one of them has had a bad employee at some time. They understand that a bad employee does not necessarily represent the values of the station. Sometimes reminding them of this will soften their ire. Now, follow up with exceptional service!Happy Selling and happy recovering! […]

Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati as part of broader cooperation between the two countries.Prasar Bharati is India’s public broadcaster and a statutory autonomous body which comprises All India Radio and Doordarshan Television Network.“Thai PBS and Prasar Bharati share similar values as public broadcasters. The MoU is the first step of our cooperation in exchanging of news and programmes, and cooperation in programme production and other areas to help contribute to a better understanding between peoples of the two countries,” said Thai PBS Director General Wilasinee Phiphitkul signing the MoU on behalf of Thai PBS.

“Our MoU with Prasar Bharati should provide Thai PBS with a great opportunity to help our audiences learn more about India through news and programme exchanges and vice versa,” she said.Indian Ambassador to Thailand, Suchitra Durai represented Prasar Bharati in signing the MoU. […]

Gemini XIII, the podcasting and radio industries’ new home for premium audio content and services, has partnered with Jane Green, author of 18 New York Times bestselling books and a global household name in commercial women’s fiction, to form Emerald Audio, a new premium podcast network creating connection and community through authentic female-led storytelling.Emerald introduces a new chapter in digital audio by telling great scripted stories combining two of the most intimate mediums: the written word and the power of audio. The network will feature original scripted audio content by a collection of nationally recognized storytellers. The first podcast to be produced by Emerald Audio is Jane Green’s Rainbow Girl, the story of a crumbling rock star marriage mired in drugs, infidelities, and black magic, set in 1979 and based on the characters from Green’s newest book, “Sister Stardust,” which was released in April.Emerald Audio’s second release will be The Key of Love by Jenna Blum, New York Times and international bestselling author of “Those Who Save Us” and “The Lost Family”. The Key of Love is a love story set in Boston’s historic Back Bay during the height of WWII, when Europe is embroiled, and America is entering the war.

Jane Green, Co-Founder, Emerald Audio, commented: “In today’s world, there are so many more ways for people to tell their stories outside of traditional publishing. To be focused on female-driven stories in the podcast medium is the most exhilarating thing I have worked on in years. Fiction, particularly female-driven fiction, is at the very beginning of its growth in that area, and there are so many opportunities for strong, powerful stories aimed at women.” Spencer Brown, CEO, Gemini XIII, said: “We believe that media companies with a clear niche focus are the best way to reach targeted audiences. Emerald Audio will build upon Jane’s success in the publishing world and create narrative fiction stories that will entertain listeners around the world.” […]

Radiodays Asia begins on September 6th in Kuala Lumpur and on the Wednesday there will be three fantastic presentations: Engaging Young Audiences, Women: Reaching the underserved audiences and Content Leadership and Talent.Engaging Young Audiences – Anna Dixon (Senior Service Designer, ABC Innovation Lab, Australia)As radio’s audiences are getting older, how do stations successfully engage with the younger, future audiences? Anna Dixon will share some of the work and experiments focused on younger audiences that has been explored by the ABC Innovation Lab.

Women: Reaching the underserved audiences  – Vandana Vijay (Project Lead, BBC India)How can news organisations ensure that their journalism reaches that 50 percent of the audience which is still underserved ie women audiences?  Are organisations ensuring that issues pertaining women are being covered ? Are there enough women voices in our stories? These are the topics we need to touch upon.Content Leadership and Talent – The Perfect Marriage – Amanda Lee (Content Director, Melbourne’s The Fox, SCA)If anyone understands the power of relationships, it’s one of Australia’s leading Content Directors, Amanda Lee, who shares why the bond between Content Director and Talent is just like a marriage.Creativity, lived experiences and collaboration bring ideas to the microphone, where trust enables stories to be told, providing honest and genuine feedback leads to growth and creating memories together unifies a team that becomes the ultimate radio pairing.The ABU’s Radio Asia conference takes place on Sunday 4th September (training day) and Monday 5th September, followed by RadioDays Asia on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th September.The two conferences have worked together this year to offer a Super Radio Event Week to help radio and podcast companies across the region regroup and rethink after the effects of covid on their businesses in the past two years.radioinfo is a media partner of Radiodays so readers can still save USD $70 by booking with our special code.The discount code for radioinfo readers is RINFKL Register at radiodaysasia.com/register, then go through the credit card payment process and apply the code just before payment for your discount. […]

Hitz FM fans can now enjoy a bigger and louder ‘Hitz Morning Crew’ with new additions, Raj and Anne, new announcers who will be joining hosts, Ean and Arnold, every weekday mornings from 15 August, Mondays to Fridays at 6am to 10am.The show, which is the country’s first four-person morning crew  will also feature some new segments:Cikgu Gen Z, every Monday, where Cikgu Anne gives the boys a Gen Z term and Ean, Arnold and Raj need to spell out the term and use it in a sentence.

Trust Me Tuesdays, every Tuesday, where two announcers will describe two boxes to be chosen, one is a horrible and another is lie that will test trust of the other.Anne’s Hitlist, every Wednesday, where Anne plays a snippet of a song and if the boys guess it right, they are saved from carrying out a punishment.What’s That Movie???, every Thursday, where Raj and Anne will act out a scene from a movie for Ean and Arnold to guess.First World Problems, every Friday, where fans can call in and share their first world problems to be solved by the Hitz Morning Crew.Priya Prabakaran, Head of Content, Astro Radio, said: “We are thrilled to introduce this bigger and louder line-up to our popular Morning Crew, bringing in fresh and relevant new local talents to boot. We hope our listeners enjoy the first four-person radio breakfast show as well as a new feminine presence to balance and add depth to our vibrant line-up.” […]

Content from BPRA lot of radio station tactics are “hit & miss”. When tactics deliver a result there is general celebration. When they are not successful there is a tendency to look for excuses to rationalise why the tactic didn’t work.  The reality is that the issue is rarely the idea. It’s usually about the execution and/or who the intended target was thought to be.  If there is not sufficient definition of who you are targeting and what their motivational triggers might be, then programming tactics become an exercise in throwing an idea against the wall and hoping it sticks.Mood, motivation and brand affinity are much more accurate ways to describe the various “tribes” that listen to your radio station at various times for various reasons.  The key issue is sorting the wheat from the chaff so tactics can be focussed on those people who offer a tangible opportunity of conversion and/or greater usage of your radio station.  The fact is not all P1’s are the same and not all P2’s are the same.Within the cume audience of a radio station there are 6 primary tribes:

P1 Disciples.  These people love several things about your radio station and these things are critical to maintaining your differentiation and listener loyalty.  What these people love about your radio station must be preserved above all else.  These are the people most likely to talk about you and share things about your station with their friends.P1 Cool.  These people represent a tribe with either relatively low attachment to radio itself or in some form of transition with your station, either newly arrived and discovering you or slipping from you because you are doing something which is starting to annoy them.  Your image trends with this tribe provides an early warning of where you are falling short of expectations.P1 Brittle.  These people are on the brink of changing their listening preference to another radio station.  Something you are doing has specifically disenfranchised them or they were never particularly loyal to begin with.P2 Fans.   These people love a particular thing about your radio station, generally it will be your music.  The reason they are not P1’s of your radio station tells you pretty much all you need to know about where your primary point of competitive stress is.P2 Interested.  As with P1 Cools, P2’s Interested are generally in transition.  They can be a very important tribe to understand if they represent a big chunk of your cume.  P2 Interested are often using your station on weekends and offer additional TSL opportunity if you have the right message for them.P2 Ambivalent.  These people have a very low attachment to your station and are likely sampling you for one particular thing like a contest, a late-night program or a weekend feature program – at best.  There is generally very little to be gained by throwing resources at this tribe.The needs, motivation and behaviour of your 6 cume tribes can be surprisingly different which explains why tactics targeting a broad P1 or P2 assumption can sometimes be ineffective, particularly in highly competitive markets.By Wayne Clouten, BPR […]