RAB Insights

RAB Research Archive

Do You Provide Essential Services?



COVID-19 has given us some new and/or refreshed definitions and terminology. Unprecedented, uncertain, business unusual and essential services, to name a few.

Essential services are the labels government leaders used to determine whether a business could stay open or would be forced to shut down due to the pandemic. There was much debate about their definitions.

Legal and governmental definitions aside, now that the country is in the process of being open for business in varying stages, the question for those of us who provide strategic guidance to our clients is, are we essential? The definition for that is much clearer. We are absolutely necessary and indispensable.

Are you absolutely necessary, indispensable and vital to your client’s future? The RAB has contact with hundreds of thousands of sellers. Over the years, several traits, competencies and actions have clearly become differentiators between those who are indispensable to their clients and those who are perceived as vendors. • Ideas • Information • Objective, non-sales-driven input and supportive • Empathy, expertise and problem-solving skills • Offering help before being asked • A relationship beyond the contract

COVID-19 has seen an amazing outpouring of support from communities, with broadcasters and many professions coming together to help in time of need. It was legendary sales trainer Don Beveridge who made this claim about being indispensable:

“You can never maintain a long-term competitive advantage based solely on product and price. It’s what you do beyond the product that will set you apart.” Here are the problems:

• Not a single business owner woke up today and said, “I need some :30’s, :60’s, morning drive, sports and digital advertising.” That’s not how they think. They woke up with problems – real problems. Can I open safely? Will my customers come back? Can I protect my employees? Can I recover from being closed? Those are the problems business owners are facing. • As radio professionals, our problems are earning back lost commissions, finding new business, making the month, quarter and the year.

You can become an essential service. Focus on solving client problems. Be indispensable to your clients and prospects and watch your problems fade away.

Source: Jeff Schmidt , RAB