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Route 81 looking for sales people

T

TheTiger

I saw the Route 81 job posting in the Times Leader classifieds and they are in a dire need for experienced radio sales professionals. They have immediate openings for experienced account executives in the W-B, Scranton, Hazleton and Carbondale areas. As a matter of fact, Times Leader also had an ad not too long ago looking for that same job.

I have got to say is that Route 81 is now begging its listeners to work for an lowly, small radio company opposite to the big three(Shamrock, Citadel, Entercom) just to sell ads on these stations! I keep hearing those ads on WNAK a million times and still I believe that not one person is interested working for the company.

Pretty soon, Route 81 will be sold to a bigger radio company and whoever is buying the cluster will make certain format changes to each of their stations.
 
> I saw the Route 81 job posting in the Times Leader
> classifieds and they are in a dire need for experienced
> radio sales professionals. They have immediate openings for
> experienced account executives in the W-B, Scranton,
> Hazleton and Carbondale areas. As a matter of fact, Times
> Leader also had an ad not too long ago looking for that same
> job.

At least they're hiring, not like many businesses that are downsizing.

> I have got to say is that Route 81 is now begging its
> listeners to work for an lowly, small radio company opposite
> to the big three(Shamrock, Citadel, Entercom) just to sell
> ads on these stations!

Are you one of the people who bemoans these stale, regurgitated formats that have lead to a 20% drop in radio listening in the past 10 years?

I keep hearing those ads on WNAK a
> million times and still I believe that not one person is
> interested working for the company.

That's not it. You need more salespeople to market a small station because you need to find the people who beleive in it. It's easy to call an agency and spout numbers. It takes a craftsperson to sell a smaller, community station.

> Pretty soon, Route 81 will be sold to a bigger radio company
> and whoever is buying the cluster will make certain format
> changes to each of their stations.

And what would you like? And would you help sell it then?

Just wondering.
(Yes, I'm a route 81 employee)
 
Perhaps they could keep sales people if the new group manager didn't act like a total pantload toward his people. If his job is to clean house for whomever the next owner is, he's succeeding!
 
> I saw the Route 81 job posting in the Times Leader
> classifieds and they are in a dire need for experienced
> radio sales professionals. They have immediate openings for
> experienced account executives in the W-B, Scranton,
> Hazleton and Carbondale areas. As a matter of fact, Times
> Leader also had an ad not too long ago looking for that same
> job.
>
> I have got to say is that Route 81 is now begging its
> listeners to work for an lowly, small radio company opposite
> to the big three(Shamrock, Citadel, Entercom) just to sell
> ads on these stations! I keep hearing those ads on WNAK a
> million times and still I believe that not one person is
> interested working for the company.
>
> Pretty soon, Route 81 will be sold to a bigger radio company
> and whoever is buying the cluster will make certain format
> changes to each of their stations.


I was once taught that a radio station license is a license to serve the community...
Now, profit is all that matters!
When will an owner finally step up and serve the city that station was licensed to serve.. how can Shamrock, Citadel or Entercom do justice to that town by broadcasting out of another city or simulcasting?
When will the FCC get thier heads of of their butts and look at how they've ruined radio.

>
 
> Perhaps they could keep sales people if the new group
> manager didn't act like a total pantload toward his people.
> If his job is to clean house for whomever the next owner is,
> he's succeeding!
>
First off, the group is under a new management team already, and none of the stations are on the radar screen as "for sale" in NEPA. Secondly, unless you have "done" radio management, and/or radio sales, you can not even begin to have a clue as to what it takes to clean up a mess that a previous manager has left behind. I have done both, and think that over time, it will become apparent that there is more to the current management team then meets the eye.
 
> > Perhaps they could keep sales people if the new group
> > manager didn't act like a total pantload toward his
> people.
> > If his job is to clean house for whomever the next owner
> is,
> > he's succeeding!
> >
> First off, the group is under a new management team already,
> and none of the stations are on the radar screen as "for
> sale" in NEPA. Secondly, unless you have "done" radio
> management, and/or radio sales, you can not even begin to
> have a clue as to what it takes to clean up a mess that a
> previous manager has left behind. I have done both, and
> think that over time, it will become apparent that there is
> more to the current management team then meets the eye.
>
Ahhh, two differing views here. Selling radio in this
market will remain a dire and difficult proposition until
someone in management realizes what sales people know but
will never admit. (For fear of being negative in their job!)
There are only so many dollars to go around to so many media
outlets. (TV, billboard, Newspapers, weeklies, shoppers,
coupon clippers, etc.,) You can't burn out sales people by
asking them to get "more" when there is no more. You try
to get an honest days work from a person who knows how to
sell. And you don't reward that effort by putting more
pressure on that sales team to do more than is possible.
Advertisers will buy when they need too and when they say
so..........not when the GSM needs to make a goal to save
his or her position. Ever wonder why print is so successful?
The advertiser deals with the same rep for years. The only
radio staff that has come close to this consistency is Rock
107. The rest is like a revolng door. While cleaning up a
previous mess is a valid point, you don't throw the baby
out with the bath water.
yonkstur
 
> >
> Ahhh, two differing views here. Selling radio in this
> market will remain a dire and difficult proposition until
> someone in management realizes what sales people know but
>
> will never admit. (For fear of being negative in their
> job!)
> There are only so many dollars to go around to so many
> media
> outlets. (TV, billboard, Newspapers, weeklies, shoppers,
> coupon clippers, etc.,) You can't burn out sales people by
>
> asking them to get "more" when there is no more. You try
> to get an honest days work from a person who knows how to
>
> sell. And you don't reward that effort by putting more
> pressure on that sales team to do more than is possible.
> Advertisers will buy when they need too and when they say
>
> so..........not when the GSM needs to make a goal to save
>
> his or her position. Ever wonder why print is so
> successful?
> The advertiser deals with the same rep for years. The only
>
> radio staff that has come close to this consistency is
> Rock
> 107. The rest is like a revolng door. While cleaning up a
>
> previous mess is a valid point, you don't throw the baby
> out with the bath water.
> yonkstur
>
Extremely well said!...Also how many "good" sales people are there?.
There are only so many "good" sales people to go around too!.Believe me a great sales rep will sell alot more at a mediocre station than someone who just needs a job Brother!!!!
 
> > >
> > Ahhh, two differing views here. Selling radio in this
> > market will remain a dire and difficult proposition
> until
> > someone in management realizes what sales people know
> but
> >
> > will never admit. (For fear of being negative in their
> > job!)
> > There are only so many dollars to go around to so many
> > media
> > outlets. (TV, billboard, Newspapers, weeklies, shoppers,
>
> > coupon clippers, etc.,) You can't burn out sales people
> by
> >
> > asking them to get "more" when there is no more. You try
>
> > to get an honest days work from a person who knows how
> to
> >
> > sell. And you don't reward that effort by putting more
> > pressure on that sales team to do more than is possible.
>
> > Advertisers will buy when they need too and when they
> say
> >
> > so..........not when the GSM needs to make a goal to
> save
> >
> > his or her position. Ever wonder why print is so
> > successful?
> > The advertiser deals with the same rep for years. The
> only
> >
> > radio staff that has come close to this consistency is
> > Rock
> > 107. The rest is like a revolng door. While cleaning up
> a
> >
> > previous mess is a valid point, you don't throw the baby
>
> > out with the bath water.
> > yonkstur
> >
> Extremely well said!...Also how many "good" sales people
> are there?.
> There are only so many "good" sales people to go around
> too!.Believe me a great sales rep will sell alot more at a
> mediocre station than someone who just needs a job
> Brother!!!!
>
I worked with a guy named Jim Fitzgerald who turned out
to be a very good friend of mine. Crazy as a s***house rat,
nonetheless he had a keen, incisive mind that would make any
attorney envious. His theory was that at any given time in
this market, there were only 8 to 12 radio reps who knew
what they were doing, who could mentor someone else and
hit the ground running if the format changed from classic
rock to german oompah music. Fitzie would make a heck of
a GSM somewhere because he undersood and most likely still
does the definition of the words "good sales people".
Yonkstur
 
> > > Perhaps they could keep sales people if the new group
> > > manager didn't act like a total pantload toward his
> > people.
> > > If his job is to clean house for whomever the next owner
>
> > is,
> > > he's succeeding!
> > >
> > First off, the group is under a new management team
> already,
> > and none of the stations are on the radar screen as "for
> > sale" in NEPA. Secondly, unless you have "done" radio
> > management, and/or radio sales, you can not even begin to
> > have a clue as to what it takes to clean up a mess that a
> > previous manager has left behind. I have done both, and
> > think that over time, it will become apparent that there
> is
> > more to the current management team then meets the eye.
> >
> Ahhh, two differing views here. Selling radio in this
> market will remain a dire and difficult proposition until
> someone in management realizes what sales people know but
>
> will never admit. (For fear of being negative in their
> job!)
> There are only so many dollars to go around to so many
> media
> outlets. (TV, billboard, Newspapers, weeklies, shoppers,
> coupon clippers, etc.,) You can't burn out sales people by
>
> asking them to get "more" when there is no more. You try
> to get an honest days work from a person who knows how to
>
> sell. And you don't reward that effort by putting more
> pressure on that sales team to do more than is possible.
> Advertisers will buy when they need too and when they say
>
> so..........not when the GSM needs to make a goal to save
>
> his or her position. Ever wonder why print is so
> successful?
> The advertiser deals with the same rep for years. The only
>
> radio staff that has come close to this consistency is
> Rock
> 107. The rest is like a revolng door. While cleaning up a
>
> previous mess is a valid point, you don't throw the baby
> out with the bath water.
> yonkstur
>

"Print is so successful." David, I don't believe you wrote that! Have you checked print stocks lately? They're in the tank. The only reason the Scranton Times Tribune gets what it does is because it's the only game in town. Knight Ridder struggles here and elsewhere. The company is on the block.
 
Ask the FCC

>
> I was once taught that a radio station license is a license
> to serve the community...
> Now, profit is all that matters!
> When will an owner finally step up and serve the city that
> station was licensed to serve.. how can Shamrock, Citadel or
> Entercom do justice to that town by broadcasting out of
> another city or simulcasting?
> When will the FCC get thier heads of of their butts and look
> at how they've ruined radio.

Serve a community? Then why is the FCC auctioning off licenses to the highest bidder. $$$$ talks
 
>So what your saying is, radio sales people should know their product?
What a novel idea. I know a few that are dumber than a bag of hair!

PA_RoyDio
 
> >So what your saying is, radio sales people should know
> their product?
> What a novel idea. I know a few that are dumber than a bag
> of hair!
>
> PA_RoyDio
>
Speaking of the word "novel", A RADIO STORY/We Wish You
Well In Your Future Endeavors" is still on sale at Barnes &
Noble and other fine outlets.
Yonkstur
 
Some radio stations are ALWAYS looking. There is a lot of turn-over in sales at some stations.

Unless you have some inside info you haven't shared with the rest of us, I wouldn't concluse Route 81 is up for sale.
 
> > >So what your saying is, radio sales people should know
> > their product?
> > What a novel idea. I know a few that are dumber than a bag
>
> > of hair!
> >
> > PA_RoyDio
> >
> Speaking of the word "novel", A RADIO STORY/We Wish You
> Well In Your Future Endeavors" is still on sale at Barnes
> &
> Noble and other fine outlets.
> Yonkstur
>
Oh you Yankster. Sneaking in a plug for your book, how shamless. That proves you are a true radio talent. You could change the name to "A Million Little Transistors".
Maybe you should call Oprah and try and get on. Seems she knows a little about books. You could be one of her "book club" author's Just tell the truth, not like that other Yahoo, James Frey! LOL

PA_RoyDioReader
 
> (Yes, I'm a route 81 employee)
>

Of course! The Lloydites out in force, defending, cheerleading and making like everything's OK. Notice there's only one of you here.
 
> > (Yes, I'm a route 81 employee)
> >
>
> Of course! The Lloydites out in force, defending,
> cheerleading and making like everything's OK. Notice
> there's only one of you here.
>

Lloydites? Zen is obviously outta da loop. Lloyd was let go in September.
One thing their ain't are Lloydites. Ancient history.
 
No, he's not out of the loop. He even posted at the time about Lloyd's departure. But like many people who worked for Lloyd, old feelings die hard.

>
> Lloydites? Zen is obviously outta da loop. Lloyd was let
> go in September.
> One thing their ain't are Lloydites. Ancient history.
>
 
Where to find sales people?

From time to time, I look at the EEO pages on station and owner/cluster websites. On-air want-ads appear to be a good source for leads. Some stations even sell other companies on using radio for recruitment advertising.

Here's my question: Is a local person, who may be a fan of the station but lacks an experience in or familiarity with the radio business a good candidate for radio sales? Is someone like this a good candidate even if they are doing B-2B sales in other fields? (Keep in mind, a successful B2B sales rep is likely making more money elsewhere than they could for a medium market local radio station.) Is liking a station more important than being committed to radio as a career?

I worked for a station at which the owner hired her (inexperienced) son as station manager. He promptly fired the entire sales staff (for negotiating off the rate card). After that he only hired people who had never worked in radio, using on-air ads for recruiting. He had trouble attracting good sales people from outside the biz, and the people he got didn't stay long. They did not sell much (but they did not make the mistake of discounting published rates). Eventually, the owner sold out to Clear Channel. They have a large local sales staff (many of whom have prior radio experience), but they don't seem to have much luck selling the station either, even as part of a cluster.


>
> That's not it. You need more salespeople to market a small
> station because you need to find the people who beleive in
> it. It's easy to call an agency and spout numbers. It takes
> a craftsperson to sell a smaller, community station.
>
> > Pretty soon, Route 81 will be sold to a bigger radio company
> > and whoever is buying the cluster will make certain format
> > changes to each of their stations.
>
> And what would you like? And would you help sell it then?
>
 
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