WPTW Piqua up for sale

[markbohach]

I would love to do local radio! I've knocked on a bunch of doors but can't come up with the money to buy a station so how can someone local buy a local station if there is nowhere to turn for help?

Ok- I will tell you but you probably won't like it.

Pretty good post Mark. I'll add something else - If the whole of your radio experience consists of being a DJ/programmer/air talent etc., forget it. You've got no chance. I know lots of guys (including a couple on this board) who thought if they could make their dream come true of owning a station, they would show the world how it's done. They invariably fall flat on their faces, and fast. You're not going to "just hire some salespeople" and watch the money roll in. it doesn't work that way. Good salespeople are hard to find and almost impossible to keep. They are in such demand that they will soon move on to where they can make real money.

To have any chance of success, YOU will have to be the one out on the streets selling. And sales experience isn't even enough. You have to have a successful track record of selling without ratings.

Sorry to throw a wet blanket on your enthusiasm, but this is the hard reality of local radio. You know the old joke - How do you make a small fortune in radio? Start with a large fortune.

Well said DS.

Back in 1992, I made that very mistake on our first station. I could build it, program it, sweep the floors, cut the grass and everything else. But I had never sold a commercial in my life. I thought I would just hire that work out and be fine. It took only three weeks to realize just how wrong I was.

I hired three sales peoplepeople who needed leadership and I was helpless to lead them since I didn't know beans about sales. Needless to say all three were all gone in short order and we had blown through the little startup cash we had. We started paying bills with credit cards and I hit the streets to try to sell.

What a miserable year 1992 was for me. What should be the time of my life was a blur of too much work, not enough money and a dream turning into a nightmare.

But I learned fast, learned how to sell in a small market without ratings. Made some great business relationships and never looked back. By the spring of 1993 we were cooking with gas and had five straight years of profitability and growth before selling the stations. Yes stations. We had added another station during that time as well.

To this day, I carry the biggest list as house accounts and truly enjoy the great business relationships I have established. Last winter, one of my clients nominated our station for Small Business of the Year. And, we were so honored by our local Chamber of Commerce.

I would never try to discourage anyone from chasing a dream but I won't sugarcoat the facts of life either.

 

[del_griffith]

Doesn't carrying the "biggest list as house accounts and truly enjoy the great business relationships I have established" sort of pull the carpet out from under the hired sidewalk/pavement pounders? Yes, you would need to keep your fingers on the pulse of these key clients, but don't you keep the team members from growing in experience, building relationships with the key movers and decision makers in your market and learning from those mentors as well as keeping some of the "sure money" out of their hands?

When I worked in small market radio, that's how the lists were set up. Ownership was the cornerstone of these key "house accounts", but to build reputation and experience, the sales team was not only assigned the day to day servicing of these accounts, but enjoyed some of the spoils with their involvement. Both financially, personally and professionally.

I understand the need to keep sales people "hungry" for more closings and prospecting for future business, but I see a potential of stunted growth or higher turnover if they are kept from the spoils of the key or house accounts.

 

[pioneer71]

Well said. I have had key accounts that you keep as 'house accouts." A solid GM in small market radio must be able to sell and build the relationshps.

With that said, if an A.E. develops a strong account and leave a GM should not take it over for the 'house." You need to reward your solid A.E.'s to take over these type of accounts. However, the mistake a GM often makes is the failure to monitor what happens with the account unless it goes south.

The biggest problem with radio is the lack of real sales training. For those who don't pay a a base you just can't simply give an A.E. the phone book and expect them to do well. I have been shocked of how poorly radio A.E.'s are trained.

I have had success in selling stations with no ratings by meeting the needs of the clients. If you in small market station as an owner and don't know how to sell you are in trouble.

Sales training is a must. It's great if your station has ratings but if not - you must be creative how you sell.Once you find the right sales person do everything you can to keep them,

 

[markbohach]

Doesn't carrying the "biggest list as house accounts and truly enjoy the great business relationships I have esclients, but don't you keep the team members from growing in experience, building relationships with the key movers and decision makers in your market and learning from those mentors as well as keeping some of the "sure money" out of their hands?

No not really. To a client there is nothing worse than the revolving door of newbie sales people coming in the door.

Right now I have three sales people in various phases of growth. One is a working mom who has built a nice list and is happy with her current level- which includes two major car dealers that she went out and got herself.

I have two more "rookies" that are showing nice growth. There are nearly 750 business in our local chamber of commerce alone.. At best, I carry a list of 40 or so businesses. I don't prospect for new business anymore and all inbound leads go to the sales people. As Dave Ramsey says, I expect them to go out, kill it and drag it home themselves. If that sounds like tough love- it is.

One more thing, our commission structure starts at 20% and goes progressively up from there as their individual sales increase. We hold weekly meetings- training sessions and preach and practice the Roy H Williams Wizard of Ads approach to radio marketing.

Bottom line is that I need to be able to pay the bills each month and keeping my house accounts helps keep our operation stable.

 

[pioneer71]

To Markbohach I am glad your operation is working for you. It is wrong to ever qustion how someone ese runs their sales department. If the training s working for you and the staff I think that s great. The reality is that few sales people are really trained well.

I find the way I

I have had up to 45 accounts on my list as GM/ Sales Manager. I need to point out that as you said clients don't like a revolving door of sales people. I woud never give a rookie or someone with a few years a solid account I had.

I view my job was not only to train the reps but show them how to get new accounts but I also have still used my experience to bring in new accounts. I have always hated cold calling but I seem to have success with it so

 

[pioneer71]

I am sorry about my previous post but my computer went kind of crazy on me. The point I wanted to make is I have never given a roookie or a sales rep of just a few years a seasoned account from my list.

I have handed over an account of mine that is an agency account where the relationship is solid with the station to reward a seasoned sales rep. The others know know that I wll hit the street with them to help them to secure some buys. I have found this to be a great teaching tool.

I applaud any GM/ Sales Manager who provides sales training in an ongoing basis. I have always said that radio is one of the toughest media to sell because a client can see their ad.

There are a number of small market owners who are making it because of solid relationships with teir customers and listeners.

 

[del_griffith]

While Dave Ramsey is all about killing it and bringing it home, if you listen to him he's all about not doing anything to get in the way of his people earning commissions. For his radio show, while he may be involved in the closing of an account with some personal attention, it's his radio sales team that are the point people and get the commission. While he may have a relationship with the Dickey's of Cumulus (probably his biggest group carrier of his program), it's his affiliate relationship team led by Suzanne Simms that does the day to day and gets the commission.

Dave is all about teaching his team and turning over the reins. The more they earn, the more he earns. The more are they are him and his ways, the more they project him on a consistent basis to those key relationships. Entreleadership?

 

[del_griffith]

BTW: This isn't about right or wrong. It's a discussion on how some approach sales lists and who gets credit for the account. If what Mark is doing works, then it works.

 

[markbohach]

BTW: This isn't about right or wrong. It's a discussion on how some approach sales lists and who gets credit for the account. If what Mark is doing works, then it works.

Great posts-

The reason I read and post on this board is because I both love to teach and learn.

Great ideas are found everywhere and noone has all the answers.

Small market radio presents challenges not seen in the big cities. It also presents
some of the most fun you can have in radio.

And yes, training is essential. To send out people woefully unprepared for any job is senseless.
We have a pretty good sales training manual that we put together in house and training is ongoing.

 

[Leafygreen]

so whatever happened with WPTW? still on air? find a buyer yet?

 

[stereolane]

The last time I passed through Piqua on I-75 (about 2 weeks ago) it was on... heard a few spots too.

 

[Limp73]

Been listening a few times here and there after the announcement was first made. At that time the local news anchor sounded as if they hired him off the street with little or no experience. Haven't heard him lately though. The station needs someone who has been self-trained through hard knocks experience or trained at ICB or college.

WPTW decades ago was never that bad....in fact it was much more professional during the Richard Hunt/C. Oscar Baker era...aside from the IGM automation/tapes used back then. Joe Neves,Don Griffin,Steve Baker(before WHIO-TV),Dave Brennan and others called PT their home for several years.

So what's the latest on PT? Is it still for sale? Or is the current ownership finally getting out of the hole and starting to put more advertisers on?

I hear Duane Bachman is back out of retirement doing high school sports once again...like him or dislike him,he's at least a familiar voice there.

....paging ICS Communications (WQTT,WDLR,WVXG)

 

[Limp73]

WPTW has a new ownership pending FCC approval.

Rick Muzzy,a former WPTW account executive in the 1970s who now owns a cluster of stations in central Wisconsin is purchasing the station. Rick was on the air on Friday morning doing the morning show and speaking with former coworker Steve Baker of WHIO-TV.

WPTW is now an affilliate of Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel.

http://www.muzzybroadcasting.com

 

[schmave]

Do they still carry Cleveland sports? It always surprised that a station in that area of the state would get an audience for those broadcasts considering how heavily Cincinnati-oriented for sports it is.

 

[Limp73]

Yes they do...they haven't aired the Reds or Bengals since (I'm guessing here) the 80s?

I kinda wish the new owner would bring back the Reds since WHIO-AM (I'm also guessing) no longer does. The Browns are still pretty hot in west Central Ohio and heading up north...since "Who-dey" is still "who-WHAT?" (fans wanted).
(paging Rick)

 

[DavidC]

There is going to a FM Translator and a new morning show. Using "The True Oldies Channel". Local high school sports. More involvement with the Troy-Tipp area. Also to be announced more state wide sports. Ohio State is a given but, the other possibilities state wide are up in the air.

 

[borderblaster]

Yes, still on the air and just purchased by Muzzy Broadcasting out of Wisconsin.

 

[schmave]

Yes they do...they haven't aired the Reds or Bengals since (I'm guessing here) the 80s?

I kinda wish the new owner would bring back the Reds since WHIO-AM (I'm also guessing) no longer does. The Browns are still pretty hot in west Central Ohio and heading up north...since "Who-dey" is still "who-WHAT?" (fans wanted).
(paging Rick)

Yes they are. The Indians, though, can't be seen in Miami County except for the occasional Fox game, ESPN or one that used to come through OTA on WLIO from Lima. That's the one that always surprised me.
Good for WPTW. Always like to see quality local radio.

 

[del_griffith]

Glad to see there is good news for the station. We were in the area back in late Oct or Nov and listened one Saturday night. Prior to True Oldies. The elements were ok. But the on air sound was horrible. I was surprised since the owner at that time was a technical person who I understand has a pretty good ear.