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Telemarketing agencies

G

gr8oldies

You know the ones (especially in smaller markets)that phone blitz every business with a phone number with "safety spots". I'm amazed at how they seem to be able to get loan shark rates out of these businesses and non-profits (for our 1000 watt AM clients are paying $350 for nine spots..rates we couldn't get directly in a million years). We are able sometimes to go after these clients for direct advertising, not always successfully. Just curious if anyone has either worked for one of these firms and can tell me how they pitch the clients, or if anyone as had success getting these clients to be regular advertisers. Sometimes these agencies have wrong phone numbers, and one even harrassed on of our regular clients. Then one of them got a client from 200 miles away with no local presence on the air. <P ID="signature">______________
I'll get back to you when I think of a cute quote</P>
 
> You know the ones (especially in smaller markets)that phone
> blitz every business with a phone number with "safety
> spots". I'm amazed at how they seem to be able to get loan
> shark rates out of these businesses and non-profits (for our
> 1000 watt AM clients are paying $350 for nine spots..rates
> we couldn't get directly in a million years). We are able
> sometimes to go after these clients for direct advertising,
> not always successfully. Just curious if anyone has either
> worked for one of these firms and can tell me how they pitch
> the clients, or if anyone as had success getting these
> clients to be regular advertisers. Sometimes these agencies
> have wrong phone numbers, and one even harrassed on of our
> regular clients. Then one of them got a client from 200
> miles away with no local presence on the air.
>

Are you talking about what we refer to as "Cheese Nips"?......'cuz if you are, let me tell you, I've been wondering the same thing...........nothing more frustrating than having a client you've spent months trying to convince to advertise, to no avail, and then you hear that they are running these overpriced spots for a week...........what the heck is up with that???....there's nothing in this world tougher than selling radio advertising for a small market station, and then you have this wrench thrown into the works!!!!
 
Cheese Nips? Never heard that term, but it fits! "Joes's bar and Grill reminds you, hit your brakes before you hit a kid". I've been calling on all of the ones that ran the last week or so, one asked why we didn't call direct (unfortunately being short salespeople, we missed this seasonal business). Then we get the slaughterhouse for one of the big meat and restaurant chains and nobody knows who even approved the buy. <P ID="signature">______________
I'll get back to you when I think of a cute quote</P>
 
In the late 80's I used one of these groups out of Chicago, but we gave them a "protected" list of accounts they were NOT to call! Why not try that approach the next time they want to do a campaign.<P ID="signature">______________
Henry Aaron hit 755 career home runs. How many of these were of the "inside the park" variety ?</P>
 
I couldnt help but see this posted and I had to chuckle. If it were not for those telemarketing agencies, (which I know most sales people hate) those who do "phoners" from the office wouldnt have the leads, they produce. If you put your mind to something, and do it...you will reap the rewards. You make the relationship with the client, on a continued basis, and in addition when you go out to sell, it gives you the perfect opportunity to upsell. I recall one telemarketing company out of chicago that sold the station I worked at the time. The firm was allowed call anyone...so when the invoices came, again....these were leads that I used and talked to the sales manager and asked if a "no call " list could be implemented,and the list was restricted. So next time you hear about a telemarketer...remember the leads they create for you...are esentially put in front of you...turning that client into a huge money making opportunity for you the sales person...I know it worked sucessfully in my case of over of 50 grand a year..just in phone calls. You can sell anything, if the idea is right and fits that client.
 
We tried calling a lot of the folks who had been "cheese nipped" and most of them were so angry that they didn't want ANYTHING to do with us directly. We've managed to turn one of them into a regular customer, but the rest..forget it!
 
We have one of them "boiler plate" companies doing some stuff for us, but we haven't tried calling anyone they've sold to.

It'd be interesting to see how it turns out.
 
The cheese nips sell them 4 spots, which we all know does nothing in radio advertising, then the clients say "We don't want to do radio again. It didn't work for us." Well, DUH!!!! You gotta run more than 4 spots to see results!!!! I could have taken the $200 they spent for 4 spots (typically 2 a day for 2 days) and gotten a week's worth of advertising for them.
 
SOme of the clients we talked to actually thought they were donating to a charity! I actually "shopped" one of the cheese nip agencies, and it was amazing how persistent they are "how bout four PSAs for $100...wait a minute, 2 for $50"!
 
"CHEESE NIP"? Wow. 40 years of radio and never heard that term before.

After being burned alot for all of the above reasons, we did OUR OWN telephone sales, hiring a great lady, and created our own campaigns that added up to net us over a grand a week (after she got HER 30% Commission). This is better because YOU control EVERYTHING. Selling, copy. billing, everything.

I ALWAYS pay high commissions because then it's ALL up to the person and if they want it, they will really be motivated. My lady stayed over 10 years. If they don't sell, THEY are the only one who suffers.

Sports boosters ALWAYS work well.

OR If you like the revenue but not the BOTHER, why not have the phone sales company sell in your "fringe area" or in an area where YOU find it difficult because of competition, or whatever reason.

But the best idea is to do it all yourself.
 
Would be great to do that ourselves. In our situation, with no operating capital we would have to find a way to front the initial hourly rate.
 
WHAT hourly rate? You are paying commission on COLLECTIONs. If you are nice you can give a bit of seed money to start, but that is part of the beauty of this.
 
Regardless,
The effort that you put into what you sell all depends on your enthusiasm and appeal to the client. Remember it is the ::)consistency and serving your clients. On an average day sometimes calling 400 numbers, I would sell on average 10 people per day. I suggest for anyone considering this...look at all chamber events that can tie in clients with their community. Granted it takes a long time to develop sales and client relationships..Look at the RAB websites promotional calendars, there is just so much to sell that you cant help but make money for your station. The money is there...you just have to research where to begin, with a particular compaign and target that area.
It was 100 percent effective in my case and made alot of money for the station. a great start is selling 15 spots per promotion, because there can be more things going on during the month, and if they buy all four they get a better commercial rate...that would be 60 spots a month! Thing about that. The money is in any salespersons court, you just have to go out and get it...
 
Can anyone recommend a company that did a good job? I understand there is one in Fort Worth and I think the name is The Moore Company or something like that but I cannot find them anywhere on the Internet. Any recommendations?
 
Where does the term "cheese nip" come from? I've never heard that either. Enlightenment please?
 
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