Don’t Fear the Skeptic—Be Ready for the Conversation

Tammy Greenberg leads business development efforts at RAB, doing important work that, by its nature, often happens behind the scenes. Because much of what she does involves confidential conversations with major advertisers and agencies, most people don’t get to see the impact of her work firsthand.

I have the benefit of an insider’s view, and I see how consistently Tammy advocates for radio. She has a remarkable ability to build relationships with senior executives at major brands and agencies, combining her genuine passion for audio with a deep understanding of what advertisers need. Those relationships create opportunities to educate buyers, challenge perceptions and help them better understand the power of our medium.

Recently, Tammy shared a story with me that I thought was simply too good not to share. So, for today’s sales tip, I’m handing things over to her.

Tammy Greenberg is the author of today’s tip. Enjoy. — Jeff Schmidt

From Tammy: I was recently introduced by a terrific client to a local digital and out-of-home agency that was picking up a piece of business using a limited amount of radio as part of their marketing plan.

During our meeting, the agency owner opened the conversation by saying, “No one really listens to AM/FM radio anymore. I know I don’t.” She held up her phone and added, “This is all I listen to.” Rather than becoming defensive, I acknowledged her perspective. I told her she wasn’t alone — advertising professionals consistently report lower personal AM/FM radio usage than the general population. But then I shared an important distinction: As audio choices have expanded, perceptions within the advertising community have changed far faster than consumers’ actual listening behavior.

From there, I confidently walked the team through the data and presented the facts — not as an argument, but as information they needed to make informed recommendations for their client.

At the end of the meeting, one of the agency executives said, “This was the most enlightening meeting I’ve had in a long time.” We delivered the requested follow-up within 24 hours and received another response: “This is incredibly eye-opening.”

The lesson? Advocacy works.

You will encounter people who believe their own media habits represent everyone else’s. Don’t avoid those conversations — and don’t approach them defensively. Know the data. Believe the data. Listen to the objection, acknowledge the perception and confidently share the facts.

Your goal isn’t to prove someone wrong. It’s to help them see the audience — and the opportunity — they may be overlooking.

Be informed. Be confident. Be an advocate. You just might open some eyes — and open the door to more business.

Tammy Greenberg is the SVP of Business Development at RAB. You can reach her at tgreenberg@rab.com.