Staying Sharp in a World That Won’t Slow Down

A few months ago, I was sitting with a veteran sales rep who had been in the business longer than some of his clients had been alive. Great guy. Great relationships. But he leaned back in his chair and said something that stuck with me:

“Jeff, it feels harder than ever to sell what we do. Clients just want cheap clicks and quick results now.”

I asked him a simple question:

“Do they want cheap advertising… or do they want more customers?”

He paused.

Because the truth is, clients have never stopped wanting growth. What’s changed is the noise around them. More platforms. More metrics. More people selling “the next big thing.” And in all that clutter, the reps who are thriving aren’t the ones pushing spots and schedules. They’re the ones bringing clarity.

Sales strategist Neil Rackham, in his book SPIN Selling, tells us: “Top performers don’t win by pitching products — they win by diagnosing business problems and connecting solutions to real outcomes.”

In broadcast sales today, staying sharp means shifting from vendor to trusted advisor. On a recent RAB Sales Advisory committee meeting, Beth Mann, owner of Ham Broadcasting in Cadiz, Kentucky, shared that we used to say: “Control the creative, control the account.” Beth says that in today’s marketplace, “He who holds marketing knowledge wins the account.”

Here’s what that looks like in the real world.

1. Lead with insight, not inventory - Anyone can quote rates. Sharp reps translate audience, reach and research into business impact. They don’t say, “I’ve got morning drive available.” They say, “Your customer is most engaged here — and here’s how that turns into foot traffic, calls and sales.”
2. Sell solutions, not spots - Clients don’t buy commercials. They buy growth. Every recommendation should tie directly to an objective: more leads, more awareness, more revenue. When you frame campaigns as business tools instead of airtime, price becomes a lot less scary.
3. Master the cross-platform story - Today’s consumer journey isn’t linear. They hear a message. They see it again. They click. They research. They buy. Broadcast creates momentum. Digital captures action. Sharp sellers connect the dots and position themselves as strategists, not order takers.
4. Deepen relationships with curiosity - The best reps aren’t the ones who talk the most — they’re the ones who ask the best questions. What are your growth goals this year? What’s holding you back? Where do customers fall out of the buying process? When you follow up with ideas (even when you’re not pitching), you become indispensable.
5. Invest in yourself - Great sellers practice like athletes. They study trends. They sharpen storytelling skills. They roleplay. They refine. Because relevance isn’t something you reach — it’s something you maintain.

Here’s the bottom line:

Broadcast sales isn’t getting harder. It’s getting more valuable — for the reps willing to evolve.

When clients see you as the person who understands their business, their customer and their local market better than anyone else, you stop being a salesperson. In our RAB training, we call this: Being a source of business intelligence and a resource to your clients. It’s the next level of consultant selling. You become their go-to advisor.

And in a world full of noise, that’s the sharpest edge you can have.

Think Big, Make Big Things Happen!

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com. You can also connect with him on X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.