Just re-read Daniel Burrus' book Technotrends. One of the reasons radio only gets such a small piece of the pie is that we focus on each other instead of the needs of the customer. Gary Fries of RAB always said, In radio, we're best at intra-mural sports. To me that means that we help keep radio at the bottom of the spending totem pole because we've done such a good job beating each other up - and the clients actually believed us.

Here are some of Burrus' points.

1. Focus on competition causes a loss of identity - all products look the same to a buyer. It's hard for a customer to distinguish one from another.
2. It limits resources from innovation - and innovation occurs only as a result of crisis.
3. Focus on competition keeps us focused on our short-term problems. We don't think or plan for long-term opportunities and new products.

Sound familiar? Read on. 
 

In direct sales, don't allow yourself to be placed in competition.  Customers naturally try to get the best deal possible. Like many things we buy, they too try to put you in competition against another in order to lower your rate. Indeed, the job of a media buyer is to make you believe that you are just like all the others; your format, your heritage - nothing makes a difference. It's all about rate - that's all - and she can therefore buy around you. She's literally shopping for price.

And that's a tough position, because if price becomes the only consideration - you are no longer a salesperson but a Victim.

Some thoughts and things we can do:

• High billers I see are more involved in initiating sales - versus monitoring a purchase.
• By that I mean, they are more often the originator and less often the responder. They launch the process. They bring ideas, products, promotions or copy to the client to initiate a sale.
• As opposed to others who respond to a client who might be looking to get on the air or pitching a client who's on the air somewhere else. That client will shop for the best deal. That's pure transactional selling.
• Every time we speak to the client, write a letter or a presentation, we must be sure that we never speak of another station. I would presume that the client doesn't even care about the medium. If I told him I could get a bullhorn and drive up and down the freeway shouting about his Big Weekend Sales - and customers resulted - cool.
• This is so important. We must constantly remind ourselves that IT'S ABOUT THEM - the client - not us. Totally focus and concentrate the relationship on the customer. Every part of the presentation, selling conversation and material should be constantly aimed at the customer and their problems.
• Never, ever, ever put a ranker in a presentation. To do so is to bring the customer into our business - we call the attention to radio - not them - the ones with the money.
• Taking a ranker on a call is like taking ten other resumes to your job interview. Idiotic.
• If you're talking to the customer about the customer - and your competitor is talking about you - you'll usually win. Concentrate on the customer and their problem.
• That's what the station-client relationship is about. It's about helping the customer with their business.
• High Direct billers bring another element to the party - a higher Value Proposition. Remove yourself from competition. Example. Early on in the relationship establish the fact that,  We really don't have a competitor in the traditional. Now, sir, you were saying that you need to sell ten more cars every weekend? Let's go over that again.

• The designated driver program, it's not a desirable job. But if you ever get sucked into doing it, drop them off at the wrong house.
•  If you've ever made change in the offering plate, you might be a redneck.
• You moon the wrong person at an office party and suddenly you're not 'professional' any more.