AUGUST 12, 2019 RADIOINK•COM 9
ever, tell them they made a mistake, or
that they are using the wrong criteria in
their selection process.
I am not saying that media buyers make
their decision based on a single criterion.
You have to be competitive. But the dif-
ference between first place and second at
the finish line usually comes down to that
“critical inch,” the little tie-breaker that
puts the winner across the line ahead of
the others.
The second type of AE is the one who
sells local direct accounts without a profes-
sional media buyer in the middle. This AE
knows that a really good schedule com-
bined with a really good ad is the secret
to making clients successful, happy, and
wealthy. And when you can give that to
local business owners, they will make you
successful, happy, and wealthy along with
them. In other words, everyone will want
you on their team.
The job of a local direct account special-
ist is to protect the client from all of their
bad ideas. But you can’t come across as a
know-it-all. Your client isn’t an idiot, and
you shouldn’t treat them like one. If you
are constantly pointing out the flaws in
their thinking, they will quickly come to
resent you and quit listening to what you
have to say.
The key to being seen as a sustaining
resource by your client is to affirm and
admire their good ideas when they have
them, especially when their idea does not
make you any money.
If you have survived as an AE for an
entire year, you obviously have a talent for
radio.
When you have a talent for something,
you have an aptitude.
But when you become a master of it, you
have proficiency.
When you have something to say that is
worth hearing, you have wisdom.
But when people are willing to listen to
you, you have authority.
This is the roadmap to becoming a leg-
endary AE of local direct accounts. You
must gather:Information, which becomes
Knowledge, which leads to
Experience, which leads to
Proficiency, which gives you
Wisdom, which gives you
Deeper experience, which gives you
Authority.Don’t fall into the trap of believing
that when you have learned from an
expert how a thing is done, you now have
the ability to do that thing expertly.
There is a long and winding road to be
traveled from information to proficiency.
And there is a second long and winding
road from proficiency to authority.
I believe this is a message every aspir-
ing local direct AE needs to hear. Because
when you believe there is a shortcut, you
condemn yourself to learning these things
the hard way.Like and share with
friends and associates
so they can sign up!
For more information, go to
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