Module 602 & 605 Supplement

The Second Call Meeting

Preparation

Start by reviewing the notes you took during the CNA meeting. You want to go over all of the

information and try to understand the prospect. Take it one step further and based on what they told

you about their situation, do research to gain insights into them so you can use them for our proposal

meeting.

Next, focus on developing your marketing plan. If you didn’t receive an idea of their budgetary

constraints, speak to your manager about sizing up a realistic Ask for your prospect’s business. Next you

will develop a strategy based on all Four Keys to Advertising Success. The trick is to hold firm to

consistency and frequency as they are essential to generating results, however you may have to sacrifice

reach if you need to decrease costs.

Creating a Schedule

As a new seller, you can expect for help from your manager to create these. A schedule determines

when and how often ads will run. This will also determine how much the proposal will cost to execute.

Each station has set prices for specific days and day-parts. Multiply the prices by the number of

proposed commercials to create the total “branding investment”.

After figuring out how much the monthly budget could be, use our Tapscan software to create a

schedule. You can use analyze this schedule to figure out the total reach and frequency of the schedule.

If the frequency is below three, the client will probably not have enough exposure to achieve success. As

mentioned before, you may have to find alternatives with lower reach so they can increase frequency.

Creative

Bringing an original marketing idea to life with a spec creative is essential to winning over prospects. You

can leverage your local production team and managers for help creating it. These spots are generally

created by taking standout commercials from other markets as templates. A spot alone won’t win over a

prospect, but if you achieved buy-in on the Four Keys to Advertising Success along with buy-in during

the first call meeting and second call proposal, it can be a great selling tool. Hearing the name of their

business in a high quality commercial can really help prospects imagine the idea of mass-market brand

awareness.

Best Practices for Execution

There is a strong correlation between closing and memorization and familiarity of your presentation.

Refer to the preparation section in this learning supplement, we can’t stress enough how important it is.

Think about how many steps it has taken for you to get to the proposal meeting and imagine all that

effort and time going to waste. Look for buying signals from the prospect; this is a key to closing. Use a

conversational and enthusiastic tone of voice, you need to present in a confident manner as you should

Module 602 & 605 Supplement

firmly believe in your product being a solid solution for the prospect’s needs. From your notes during

the previous meeting and from what you are able to sense from listening closely to the prospect, you

should be able to tell what objections and questions they may bring up. You may not need to present

every single point and slide in your presentation, be able to seamlessly skip to certain slides to reinforce

points. Be aware that when you present the schedule, you cannot change the unit prices of the

dayparts; however you can change unit lengths and go with less expensive dayparts.

Module 607 Supplement

Mastering Your Presentation

Anything less than your best for a proposal presentation is unacceptable to a seller due to the time and

effort already invested in getting to this point.

Preparation

As detailed in the previous knowledge supplement, we have customizable category-specific

presentations for each part of your sales process. After customizing them for your specific prospect, you

will have additional time to ensure you are fully prepared. Script out your presentation in writing along

with anticipated objections and answers. Use your peers and managers for feedback and memorize

them until you have them down inside and out. Your script should be focused on getting the most

important points across to the client and not necessarily based on words on the PowerPoint slides. Each

PowerPoint and accompanying prepared presentation by a Cumulus Seller should be customized for the

unique characteristics of their prospects.

Winning Delivery

Your presentation should translate our benefits into solutions for the prospect’s specific problems.

Emphasize and begin with the most important benefits you and Cumulus bring to the table. The visuals

on the presentation materials should be prospect specific and reinforce points you’ve made. Invite your

prospect to engage and be ready to deftly adapt to and overcome objections. The goal of your

presentation should be to have the prospect want your product immediately. The Cumulus Sales process

is designed with a natural close as the outcome.

Experts say you have fifteen minutes to deliver your presentation before the prospect’s brain will start

to lose ability to process information and make decisions. You never want to overload the prospect with

information. Making a crisp concise argument within the fifteen minute window while keeping the

prospect engaged will increase your chances of success. If your presentation goes on longer than this,

break up the format by playing them the customized spec commercial or ad schedule before continuing.

Objections

Objections from the prospect will naturally arise. Through preparation you should have an idea of what

they are; this will help you stay on your feet and keep you moving towards a positive outcome. If the

objections are minor in nature, go ahead and pause the presentation and engage in conversation.

However, if the objection is a serious one, it may be better to address it after the presentation is over so

you don’t get sidetracked. As always, keep a conversational and positive tone throughout the

objections. Do not let frustration show and do not make the client feel dumb.

Module 701 & 702 Supplement

Buying Signals

During your proposal meeting, your goal is to close the client. When giving your presentation your

prospect will ask questions, gesture and communicate in other ways that he or she is inclined to

purchase the product. If you miss these signals and end up overselling, you may lose the business. When

you recognize these signals, stop presenting and begin to close the client. If it turns out to not be the

case, just continue where you left off and wait for stronger ones.

Signaling with Questions

Questions and statements are generally easy to recognize and are usually reliable. Questions about

availability, features and options, qualifications, delivery, and pricing are good indicators of interest.

Also, wanting to have a particular point repeated or wanting to see a sample/demo again could signify

interest as well. Sometimes they may even ask you to confirm unstated decisions or to seek support.

Buying noises in the place of questions can also signal interest.

Gestures

Gestures are generally a bit trickier than statements and questions as they are more open to

interpretation. The examples used here are generalizations and you should always use your best

judgment in individual cases. Nodding can mean agreement in men, for women it may mean I’m

listening to you OR agreement. Leaning towards you or facing you directly can mean they are interested

and ready to deal with you. Various hand placements and gestures mean different things. There is a

good resource on CSOS called “Hear What They’re Not Saying” which gives a good overview over

gestures and body language.

Execution

When you come into contact with these signals, whether they are spoken questions/statements or

unspoken gestures, be ready to act. Never answer a signal question with a yes or a no, use the

prospect’s question to confirm the sale by asking your own question. Have prepared scripts available for

these situations and for various signal questions, you always want to be prepared whenever presented

with a strong buying signal. Closing questions and their delivery can take time and creativity to master.

The smooth and soft delivery of the closing question comes with practice. Buying signals are seen in a

minority of our Ask meetings, so when presented with one, be fully prepared and ready to lock it down.

Module 801 Supplement

Overview of Objections

60% of Cumulus closes do not happen in the first Ask meeting, prospect objections couldn’t be

overcome that day but still closed. Learning how to counter and handle objections is the most important

variable in closing.

Seek out Objections

Top closers tend to get more objections than others because they seek them out. They know which

objections to expect and plan for them with carefully prepared counters. By seeking out those

objections they plan for, they actually use them to move closer to a close. They want to be able to ease

prospects’ doubts and get them out of the way. Build questions in your presentation that ask for

agreement or disagreement from the prospect, make it clear you’re there to listen to any feedback and

counter them in a friendly and conversational way.

Countering Objections

Really listening to the prospect and countering their objections in a respectful way is a sign of a good

seller. Prospects won’t buy from someone they don’t like, and if you are argumentative and close-

minded, they probably won’t like you. Jumping in immediately after hearing an objection can send a bad

signal, take some time to pause, make eye contact and smile before responding or asking for more

clarification.

A method you can try is the feel, found and felt method. This style acknowledges the objection as being

valid, assures the prospect that others have raised the issue, and then allows the seller to respond to the

objection. Example: “I understand how you feel, some of my best clients felt the same way, but this is

what they found…” This is a neat method that is polite, harnesses empathy, uses emotions, and has a

logical conclusion. If you use this method too often in a presentation or with a prospect, it will begin to

sound contrived.

The safest way to handle an objection is to really pinpoint what the problem is, summarize the objection

in your own words, present your response, offer proof is available, gain agreement and continue where

you left off.

Offer Proof

Offering proof to counter prospect objections is very effective. From your careful preparation and

anticipation of the prospect’s potential objections, you can use hard data, testimonials and references

found on CSOS and from other sources to offer proof. If you don’t happen to have the particular

presentation material there for your meeting, talk your way through it and then send it to them after

the meeting.

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Seven Objections and Strategic Responses

Perceived lack of value in our service

This can mean they don’t believe our audience is large enough to help them, our audience spending

power is inaccurate or that the cost is too high and the ROI may not be there. Respond to this by

reaffirming our value proposition and offering proof of other businesses in the same business category.

Lack of Urgency to Invest in Growth

This may mean the prospect is willing to try but feels that he doesn’t need to move immediately. This

could also mean they feel like they can get better pricing by waiting or they may want to wait to

evaluate other options before making a decision. Introduce urgency by showing how much incremental

revenue they’d be missing out on each month they aren’t investing in their own growth. If that number

is higher than the cost of the advertising, it should be a no-brainer for them to agree.

Perception of Inferiority to a Direct or Indirect Competitor

This means that the prospect hasn’t bought-in the power of radio our station(s) or they may think there

is something else better to solve their problems. Try to really narrow down exactly why the prospect’s

preference is more attractive to them. You may need to probe more as it could lead to more objections.

Lack of Funds to Invest in Growth

Small businesses can have cash flow issues from time to time, however this objection can also be used

to stall. Asking if they’d agree to the proposal if the cost were lower can be strong test question. You will

find out if it was a true objection or a stall. Determine which one it is and respond accordingly, if it is

stall use urgency and if it is a cash flow issue look for lower cost alternatives.

Perception it is Safer to do Nothing

This objection doesn’t provide you with a specific reason they’re saying no, it may just be one of overall

risk tolerance. Risk aversion especially for small business owners is natural. Offer proof of performance

through testimonials from similar businesses. However, this objection can also be a general stall in

which you’ll need to probe further.

Internal Disagreement between Parties or Departments

This information should have been uncovered in the CNA. This is a tough one to overcome as it generally

means the prospect was underqualified or not authorized to make a decision. Stop your presentation

and attempt to get all the decision makers into the room for the next meeting.

Personal Issue with the Decision Maker

Module 801 Supplement

The prospect may have had a less than stellar experience with either Cumulus or another seller. This

means you didn’t earn the trust of the prospect. If they had a poor experience with another seller or

Cumulus, differentiate yourself from them and make it about you and the prospect and no one else.

Modules 802 & 803 Supplement

Negotiating to Closure

Keeping it Moving Forward

Only about 1/3 of new business pitches will close in the first Ask meeting, don’t give up and just keep

moving forward. The key to closing is to keep the sales process alive and start to problem solve. If you’ve

given a great presentation and handled objections, you still might have missed a question or concerned

they need answered before proceeding. Finding these answers to concerns are key to closing.

Is it Closable?

Make sure they’re qualified to use you and Cumulus as a solution to their needs. This can be a monetary

issue or maybe radio just isn’t right for their business. More critical is if you engaged the prospect

correctly by asking the right questions and understanding their buying motives. If the prospect didn’t

like you, they won’t trust you without first connecting with you. Another question to ask is if you have

convincingly solved their problem(s). Think about things from the prospect’s point of view; try to

imagine what concerns they have or how they would see what you are presenting. You need to secure

agreement on three things: your radio proposal will effectively solve their problem through smart

advertising, the required investment will suggest strong ROI and that the prospect could do their part to

make it work.

Find the True Objection

As mentioned before, sometimes prospects stall due to perceived risks or lack of confidence. To find out

the true objection, use more meetings, questions and whatever it may take. The closing process is

circular in nature: you understand objections, counter them, ask for the order, and repeat. However, if

you’ve run out of momentum or you’ve lost the prospect’s patience and attention, go ahead and wrap

things up with a positive forward-looking attitude. Be sure to set up a follow-up contact opportunity

before you leave and set up a firm time to do so.

Stalls

Review the 7 Core Objections and their Strategic Responses. When you encounter stalls, respect the

prospect by not being a high pressure closer but instead by being persistent in finding the true objection

and by focusing on making him or her feel more secure. Remain the trusted friendly advisor to the

decision maker and come back another day when you’ve had more time to work backwards through the

prospect’s point of view.

Modules 804 – 807 Supplement

Competitive Media

There are many channels available to companies looking to advertise. The following will detail pros and

cons of each type. Conversations around competitive media should arise during your 1st call or 2nd call

meetings with clients. Use the strengths of radio, the Four Keys of Advertising, and characteristics of

each other media channel so that you are armed with knowledge to overcome objections and form a

compelling argument.

When talking with clients about radio and how we fit, be willing to adapt around the client’s existing

marketing strategy. Sometimes it is better to push radio as a complement rather than a pure substitute.

Broadcast and Cable Television

Broadcast television can be an effective branding tool. News and network shows tend to have loyal

audiences and has good reach and frequency for companies with large budgets. High quality video is

power and engaging. However, advertising is very expensive to produce well and the pricing of spots can

also be above the budgets of local companies. 50% of households have DVRs which allow commercial

skipping and overall advertising avoidance by audiences can be an issue.

Cable television has benefits similar to broadcast TV but can be more targeted and offer lower spot

costs. However the production costs are similarly high and having lower production quality ads can hurt

your brand when seen next to high quality ones. Unlike broadcast TV, cable television has very low

reach/ratings and it is difficult to buy for frequency. Cable viewers watch shows not channels, adding

more channels does not impact frequency.

Newspapers

It is extremely difficult to brand well with newspapers. However they are good for conveying simple

messages such as price/items with images. Large format full page/color ads are effective for retailers

and fashion but the CPM is higher. Readership has been shrinking steadily since the 1990s. It is difficult

to deliver high impact messaging with newspaper advertising.

Outdoor/Billboards

Billboards can be effective for branding with great creative. High traffic-count boards provide good

reach and frequency for targeting a small trading area. Also, if a board is close to the advertiser location,

it can help the business stand out and be found for consumers who live nearby. This channel gives you

around 5 seconds of exposure and doesn’t brand well in most cases. Billboards typically work on

“triggered” or active consumer needs.

Modules 804 – 807 Supplement

Radio and outdoor/billboards can be good complimentary media. Radio can be used to inform and

motivate while the boards can direct traffic. As radio is often listened to during the morning and

afternoon drives, the drivers can be exposed to both at the same time.

Direct Mail

It is effective when delivered to and opened by a consumer with current active needs and no brand

loyalty to a competitor. The open rate for mailings is around 1% for prospects or inactive customers. The

frequency for most direct mail campaigns is 1 and isn’t enough to brand or raise awareness. Radio can

be used as a way to add frequency to raise the perceived importance of direct mail campaigns.

Yellow Books

Yellow Books can be found in most households so they have the potential to reach the 20% of

consumers who don’t have a top of mind brand when they need a product/service. Consumers use them

as a directory, to find name/address/phone/websites of companies they are already familiar with. With

the growth of the internet the usage of Yellow Books has declined. By nature as a directory, businesses

are next to one another and it is difficult to stand out. Branding potential with this channel is very low.

Web searches, SEO

Google and online directories are quickly replacing Yellow Books. They can provide a link from a listing

which leads to more informative and interactive marketing. Also, it is relatively low cost as you only pay

for actual exposures from consumers who presumably are looking for your specific product or business.

As with Yellow Books, search is focused on the 20% of consumers who don’t have a top-of-mind brand.

When a local company has to compete for the first page of a search result, they often are pushed out by

the larger national companies who simply have higher

budgets for SEO. Most consumers only look at the first page

and top results. As company websites and their listings on

search results are good ways for consumers to deepen

relationships and inform consumers, sometimes companies

just aren’t known and can wait to be found. By using radio

alongside these channels, you drive consumers to web-

based interaction that your web assets wouldn’t have seen.

Module 902 & 903 Supplement

Account Servicing and Renewals

A common theme throughout the Cumulus Sales process is the importance of client results. Each stage

of the framework revolves around taking the extra steps to impacting client results. We want our clients

to be happy with their results so that they will renew and come back to us month after month. By now,

you should have a strong trusting relationship with the client and your focus should be on developing it

further and leveraging it towards renewals.

The Road Map to Results

Clients should begin with accurate expectations and firm understanding of the Four Keys to Advertising

Success. Even before you close, you should be setting realistic expectations. Don’t promise them ROI

immediately as this is unrealistic, it will happen over a period of time. Clients should be patient through

the beginning of their advertising strategy, if the fundamentals of all four of the Four Keys are present,

results should follow. When the results come in, don’t let them fall into the trap of stop and start

advertising. They need to continue their consistent fresh high frequency radio advertising. You may

need to reclose your clients numerous times but as long as you apply the same principals used in the

previous five stages, you should be fine.

Their Ad Campaign

When creating commercials, make sure the creative is strong with a good effective message along with

an accompanying schedule. Getting the right frequency for your desired reach should be somewhere

between three to four impressions per week. However, if the prospect cannot afford to advertise

consistently and frequently, shrink the reach until it is within their budget as those two factors matter

more than anything else to most small/medium sized local businesses. You should have an idea of

whether or not their campaign is working within about 3-4 weeks. Keep the client focused on the Four

Keys and not on sales.

Good advertising is consistent, by using as much similarity in spots as possible will allow them to build

off of one another. However, commercials do have their own shelf life and can become stale and less

effective over time. Plan on making changes just large enough to create a perceptible difference but not

large enough to misalign consistency about two weeks after starting the first run. Use rotations of copies

to make sure you maintain continuity while keeping the spots fresh. New ideas and creative approaches

can lead to renewals. The key here is to keep in constant contact with the client.

Be a Trusted Advisor

Keep in contact with your clients and always try to deepen the relationship. By maintaining contact you

can also get ahead of potential issues down the road stemming from purchase remorse, questions about

viability, competitors, various pressures from internal stakeholders and other issues. You want to be

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there as these concerns arise so that you can successfully deal with them. Deepen the relationship by

always being there as their trusted marketing partner and take proactive steps to ensure this remains

the case. If things aren’t going well with the campaign, be a problem solver and take responsibility to

retain the confidence of the client. Part of servicing the account is setting the expectation on how we

work moving forward after the first close, let them know your plans on how to service their account and

maintain the campaign.

Get in front of potential negative perceptions or concerns before they become an issue. Deal with them

as early as possible so you have time to fix them. Solicit feedback from the client and from your manager

to make sure your servicing efforts are going well. As a trusted and valuable marketing advisor, ask for

referrals and leverage the client’s network.

Module 904 Supplement

Commercials and You

Radio works when it is done right. Again, we look to the Four Keys to Advertising Success. Sometimes, it

is the commercials that are the problem.

Where do They Come From?

There are three major sources of getting a commercial on the air. They can come from an agency,

outsourced creative agencies or in house production. Through being involved in the process, you can

have great control over your income. Don’t be afraid to work with the client to improve an agency

created commercial; work with all parties in a constructive way to make sure the marketing campaign is

successful. Sometimes you outsource creative responsibility to outside production companies. You will

not have as much ability to critique and edit these outsourced spots so your upfront effort on the copy

and major creative points are critical.

Great Commercials is just Mass Salesmanship

Radio advertising is just mass selling to a large audience. Apply the same principles you learned

throughout your training. Commercials should be engaging, appeals to end user’s self-interest, paints a

picture of value, doesn’t let the process interfere with desired outcome, closes, is unique to forms of

salesmanship and isn’t rushed or high pressure. It takes time, study and practice to learn how to create

great ads. Start by getting in the practice of critiquing commercials you hear on the radio.

Please visit the Commercial Writing resource page on CSOS to read Dan O’Days audio guide to effective

commercials.