The 4 Keys to Achieving High Growth in Digital Sales for Radio

Closing More Digital Deals with Radio Customers

These advertisers already trust your organization. There’s an existing relationship, so expanding the conversation for digital should be less challenging. Initiating the digital conversation builds on what you already have and demonstrates you can be their single source.

To convince them to buy digital tactics from you, use these strategies:

• Demonstrate how radio and digital campaigns perform better using industry data and case studies.
• Highlight how easy and convenient it is for a business to have one advertising partner.
• Educate customers on the basics of how digital works in ways that are jargon-free and simple.
• Create test campaigns at a low spend as a dry run.

New Customer Acquisition for Digital-Only Advertisers

Sales teams that invest in new customer acquisition for digital-only also experience high growth. It may seem intimidating to start with digital pitches because it’s mostly a commodity.

Your strengths are your market expertise and ability to deliver a range of digital, from display to CTV to SEM. When pitching digital first, you’ll need a solid VBR (valid business reason) to start. Then, a custom CNA that focuses on goals and needs specific to digital tactics.

Once you win the digital business, remind them that radio spots are an excellent complement to these channels. 

Clarity of Digital Strategies

The next characteristic of high-growth stations is that they have a digital sales strategy. It’s a weak point, according to the survey. Only 46% of sales managers rated theirs as good or brilliant, and 12% didn’t have one.

A local digital sales strategy shapes your success. When it’s detailed and flexible to accommodate market shifts, your sellers have more guidance on how to win. It should include tips on things like:

• Aligning customer goals with digital tactics
• Keeping sellers updated on the latest in digital advertising
• Understanding your market’s unique landscape (e.g., its main economic sources, audience preferences)
• Tips on prospecting, pitching and proposing
• Learning from your digital sales data and campaign performance

Stations with strategic plans for including digital in every pitch also see more wins. Yes, it’s quantitative in that more proposals will garner more orders. It doesn’t mean to add in digital tactics just because. Rather, they should be part of amplifying the radio spots.

If you revamp your strategy regularly and account for changes, all sellers will be consistent in how they present options.

Well-Trained Sellers

The last ingredient for digital sales for radio growth is training. Sales training is imperative, and it works. It builds seller confidence and allows them to lead with education.

The training should cover a broad range of topics, such as:

• How tactics work and their benefits
• Overcoming objections
• Presenting a diverse media plan to achieve goals
• Aligning tactics to the sales funnel
• Becoming an idea generator for campaigns

Digital sales training should also build on previous learnings so sellers can foster their knowledge. Knowing everything about digital is impossible, but a good foundation is a must.