What advertising decision-makers value in radio sellers

Being aggressive may get you noticed but it is knowledge that will make you unforgettable. That was just one of the findings of a nationwide survey of advertising decision-makers.

Being aggressive will get you in the door and being likeable will help you stay in the office. But, to provide value, it’s another case of knowledge being power. Knowledge of the media business, knowledge of how to use advertising to meet their goals, and knowledge of your business topped the rankings for both direct accounts and agencies. Strategic thinking and creativity were each considered extremely important for at least half of the decision-makers at direct accounts. Not surprisingly, agency contacts were less likely to value creativity – after all, that’s their job.

We conducted 423 interviews nationwide among advertising decision-makers, including marketing executives, media buyers and planners, ad executives, creative directors and business owners. The chart shows which characteristics are believed to be extremely important in media sellers by those who transact direct business (“Direct”) and those within the agency community (“Agency”).

This is the first in a series of articles based on the findings of this survey. Our next article will examine what happens when unique ideas that answer marketing goals and challenges are presented.

While the bulk of our research work at NuVoodoo Media Services is in pursuit of helping client stations generate bigger ratings, we’re no strangers to interviewing advertising decision-makers. Over the years we’ve conducted a variety of studies helping media outlets investigate their sales efforts. In this column we’re sharing some of the insights gained in our latest national study of advertising decision-makers, conducted in cooperation with the RAB.