Category: Sales
Pending Business: What’s That Computer Doing?
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Your future in radio sales is changing as you read this.
If you work for a medium or large radio group, the inventory on your radio station is most likely available through multiple sources away from the sales team and managers you see regularly.
Pending Business: What’s a Beat Book?
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — If you have a deep background in retail, you may be familiar with the term. If not, then enjoy this story.
Chances are you’ve heard of, even shopped at a GAP store. During the early days of their nationwide retail store expansion, the focus of the ad campaign was the biggest selection of Levis sizes and styles in stock. A unique selling point as everyone was shopping in stores. Since the marketing target was young, radio was a big part of the budget. Our FM music radio station was enjoying a large share of the business when the phone rang with an inquiry. It was the leading local independent jeans retailer in competition with the GAP and it’s big marketing budget. He wanted to compete as a “superstore” for just jeans with radio as the great equalizer (remember that pitch?)
Pending Business: 19 Years Ago This Friday
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla — It was 19 years ago this Friday when time stood still.
Our Monday morning sales meetings would always follow with next day lead-by-example. Tuesday mornings were reserved for sales calls so I was focused on my first appointment. Typical bumper-to-bumper South Florida traffic meant listening to every competitor.
Pending Business: The New-Talk of Sports Talk
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The past 10 days could have been the epitome of a news cycle in overdrive. Coronavirus, virtual presidential conventions nominating candidates, Apple is worth $ 2 trillion, extreme weather, demonstrations, and the first ever all-team protests in professional sports. No shortage of content and controversy…. especially in sports.
Pending Business: Competitors Aren’t Dumb
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Write this down and study it: Competitors Aren’t Dumb.
Why put that in writing? No less review it every Sunday, Monday, and Friday? Sunday -helped me plan meetings, Monday – helped me steer the countless decisions to be made, Friday – to gain perspective to weekly performance.
Pending Business: In the Market for a Test Drive
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The dilemma may go something like this:
Your radio station is proud of the great personalities hosting local talk shows. Credibility, creativity, word of mouth, listener loyalty, results, and track record are all or partially in every one of your proposals. You walk the talk on every call.
Pending Business: Talk to the Winners
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – Pandemic sales pressure? Chances are your manager has you focused on generating new business. If you are in the daily development mode, here is a little motivation as we look at what’s working.
Pump up the volume
Sales is always about understanding the science of numbers and performance. No matter where you are in the pandemic sales curve, new business development today requires more calls, different calls.
Prospecting is challenging to begin with and the impact of the pandemic on business, reasons to advertise must go beyond the same-old-same-old. Listen better, make notes, look for opportunities and learn from every call.
Pending Business: Gone Too Soon
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Herman Cain and Bob McCurdy — two different men from different walks of life. I had the privilege of knowing and learning from both.
Leadership – Herman Cain was raised from humble beginnings and worked his way through Coca-Cola, Burger King to CEO of Godfather’s Pizza.
Bob McCurdy started as a radio salesman in Richmond. Working his way up through the ranks of Katz radio, McCurdy rose to president of the Katz Radio Group.
Pending Business: Location, Location, Location
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla — Six feet away, my sales rep workout buddy was pacing back and forth.
Despite his facemask, I could tell he was upset about something out of his control. Personal issue? There has been and continues to be economic pressure on all of us, as we deal with the impact of Covid-19. Family problems? Business? This one had to be about business. So I went for it, “What is up with the pacing and the pulsating facemask?” The reflexive answer, “I’m going to miss my bonus.” Most sales reps are grateful to be working and earning, let alone earning a bonus. What’s up here?
Pending Business: Why Do Sellers Veer from Their Goals?
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Let’s take a page from the dynamics of championship teams, their leaders, and coaches. Start with Tom Brady’s six Super Bowl Championships and go back to Bill Russell’s 11 NBA Championships. Was it the player, the team, or the coach? My theory is, all of them combined. The coaches who led their teams to new standards share a common bond. They excel at the art and science of coaching those who want to be coached. Sound too simple? No matter what the sport, winners LEARN how to win, champions LEARN to how to compete at the highest levels and someone is teaching, leading, and guiding.
