The document discusses improving the effectiveness of radio advertising by focusing on creative quality. The author argues that while radio stations focus on programming, sales, and ad placement, the weakest link is often poor creative that fails to elicit a response from listeners. The author advocates putting creative services at the top to improve ad success, client satisfaction, and station revenues. Hiring a talented creative director trained in compelling storytelling could significantly boost radio's overall success by leading with effective creative.

1. “IT SOUNDS EASY ...”
The Creative Persuasive-Led Sell
Tim Miles, Wizard Academy
How to Sell Radio and Make It Work

2. 19 May 2008
Eric Rhoads
Publishers’ Notes
Radio’s Weakest Link

3. Radio’s Weakest Link
19 May 2008
During a recent speaking engagement, I was asked
by a manager: “If you could only make one change
in radio, what would it be?” Lots of ideas flashed
through my brain. I responded: “A deep focus on
effective advertiser creative.”
Eric Rhoads

4. Radio’s Weakest Link
19 May 2008
Think about this: We have program directors to
ensure that people listen to our stations. We have
sales managers to ensure that people buy ads. We
have traffic managers to ensure the ads are placed.
Yet everything in the radio station is predicated on
the ability of the advertisements to be effective.
Eric Rhoads

5. Radio’s Weakest Link
19 May 2008
“If no one ensures that the ads elicit a response,
then advertisers don’t return to your station. You
delivered the ears, but they did not respond
because the creative was awful. We took the
advertiser’s money knowing their ad sucked, but
figured it’s their problem. Had we spoken up and
refused the ads, or at least told the client we did not
believe the ads would work, we would be a lot
better off. But we chose the easy route:
Eric Rhoads

6. Radio’s Weakest Link
Short term gain – with long term repercussions.
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008

7. Radio’s Weakest Link
Radio stations will see giant financial increases with
a simple change of strategy.
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008

8. Radio’s Weakest Link
Put creative services at the top of the food chain.
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008

9. Radio’s Weakest Link
A great spot will motivate a buyer to buy. A great
spot will motivate listeners to buy your client's
product or service — and it will work faster. A great
spot will also motivate your client to increase
frequency, because success removes the barriers of
price and rate.
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008

10. Radio’s Weakest Link
Hire a well-trained storyteller who knows how to
write powerful, compelling radio copy ... welcome
that person into the sales process and follow a
creative-lead-sell strategy. The right creative director
will become as important to the success of the
station as the program director and director of
sales.
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008

11. Radio’s Weakest Link
Hire a well-trained storyteller who knows how to
write powerful, compelling radio copy ... welcome
that person into the sales process and follow a
creative-lead-sell strategy. The right creative director
will become as important to the success of the
station as the program director and director of
sales.
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008
Rhoads buries the lede!

12. Radio’s Weakest Link
Aside from non-spot revenues, every dollar in your
radio station is contingent on the success or failure
of the commercials running on your station If you
can improve the success of your spots, you’ll
improve the success of your radio station.
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008

13. Radio’s Weakest Link
It sounds easy because it is easy, and
it will make a tremendous difference in
radio’s overall success.”
Eric Rhoads
19 May 2008

14. “IT SOUNDS EASY ...”
How?

15. Here’s how.

16. “IT SOUNDS EASY ...”
How?

17. The Creative-Led Sell
Market #255 (127,500)
78% Closing rate
95% Retention Rate
Y1: Additional $1m in
local direct to an $8m
topline
Y1: Additional $100k+
in production fees

18. The Creative-Led Sell
What is selling?

19. The Creative-Led Sell
What is selling?
A transference of
confidence

20. The Persuasive-Led Sell
What is selling?
A transference of
confidence

21. Confidence in ... what?

22. Confidence in ... what?
How and Why Radio Ad Campaigns Work

23. Confidence in ... what?
How and Why Radio Ad Campaigns Work

24. The Persuasive-Led Sell
The Company
The Prospects
The Presentation
The Close
The Execution
The Follow-Through

25. The Company

26. they'll hear you
Invent a
Subsidiary
Legitimizes your
concept - gives you
permission to charge
money / place value.
The Company

27. they'll hear you
Invent a
Subsidiary
Develop production
costs and pricing.
Assign the subsidiary
a sales number.
The Company

28. they'll hear you
Invent a
Subsidiary
Logo
Stationery
Ad Campaign
The Company

29. Invent a
Subsidiary
Logo
Stationery
Ad Campaign
Business Cards*
The Company

30. Invent a
Subsidiary
You’ll need a good
canary in the coalmine.
The Company

31. The Company
GOALS: Establish credibility. Legitimize the
Persuasive-Led Sell. Give yourself permission to
charge money.
1st STEP: Have a meeting with GM and GSM. Do
you have a creative director/strategist? Do you have
a canary?

32. The Prospects

33. The Prospects
Passionate
Long Time Horizon
Curious
Good
Small

34. The Prospects
For some reason, radio
seems to work best when
an advertiser actually has
something worth saying
out loud ...

35. Remember the
Idea of Qualified Exclusivity
Don’t be afraid to say,
“No.”
The Prospects

36. The Prospects
GOALS: Identify big picture thinkers with long time-
horizons who are open to new ideas.
1st STEP: Consider your list.

37. The Presentation

38. The Presentation
Your place - not theirs.
Conference room -
good multimedia.
Decor / Spectacle are
languages.
No more than 1 hour.
ALL Decision Makers.

39. Would you say you’re
successful now?
What one is most
responsible?
The Presentation

40. What about content?
The Presentation

41. What about content?
A transference of
confidence
The Presentation

42. Myers-Briggs Type
Relational v. Transactional
What is Branding?
How the Brain Works
What Are Mental Images?
Sound Over Sight
Pro & Con of Media Types
Why No Spec Ads
The Uncovery
When Your Ads Will Start Working
Reach vs. Frequency
Personal Experience Factor
What We Will Do Next
... with LOTS of Examples
A transference of
confidence
These concepts worked
because I thoroughly
understood them.
The Presentation

43. A transference of
confidence
90-Day Gestation
Period. Test and re-test.
Practice. Practice.
You’re never done.
The Presentation
Myers-Briggs Type
Relational v. Transactional
What is Branding?
How the Brain Works
What Are Mental Images?
Sound Over Sight
Pro & Con of Media Types
Why No Spec Ads
The Uncovery
When Your Ads Will Start Working
Reach vs. Frequency
Personal Experience Factor
What We Will Do Next
... with LOTS of Examples

44. A transference of
confidence
Why do your ads work?
The Presentation
Myers-Briggs Type
Relational v. Transactional
What is Branding?
How the Brain Works
What Are Mental Images?
Sound Over Sight
Pro & Con of Media Types
Why No Spec Ads
The Uncovery
When Your Ads Will Start Working
Reach vs. Frequency
Personal Experience Factor
What We Will Do Next
... with LOTS of Examples

45. A transference of
confidence
It ain’t the slides. It’s you.
The Presentation
Myers-Briggs Type
Relational v. Transactional
What is Branding?
How the Brain Works
What Are Mental Images?
Sound Over Sight
Pro & Con of Media Types
Why No Spec Ads
The Uncovery
When Your Ads Will Start Working
Reach vs. Frequency
Personal Experience Factor
What We Will Do Next
... with LOTS of Examples

46. A transference of
confidence
The Presentation
It ain’t the slides. It’s you.

47. The Presentation
GOALS: Transfer confidence in your unique but
clearly qualified view of advertising. Get the decision
makers to agree to an Uncovery.
1st STEP: Study and Deconstruct The Wizard of
Ads Trilogy. Send your creative director here. Let her
attend with your canary salesperson.

48. The Close

49. The Close
Get the Uncovery -
NOT the schedule.
Paying only for an
orally presented
strategic plan.

50. The Close
Be not afraid of letting
them walk, but give
conditions.
Secret Formulas w/
inscription and marked
chapters*
Investment = Commitment

51. The Close
The following morning –
early – I would email them
not only a thank you but
something I’d researched
for them that I thought
they’d find interesting, and
I’d reiterate the deadline or
confirm the uncovery time/
date.

52. The Close
GOALS: Get a time and date scheduled for the
Uncovery.
1st STEP: Get your creative director to practice
asking for a close.

53. The Execution

54. The Execution
The
Uncovery
Finding the client’s untold
story that will resonate
with consumers.

55. The Execution
The
Uncovery
Agree upon how and
when you will measure
success.

56. The Execution
The
Uncovery
Learn what the client
stands for. Learn what
the client stands against.

57. The Execution
The
Uncovery
Learn what his customers
really believe and say. Ask
them.

58. The Execution
The
Uncovery
The Sales Person should
be present as well. This is
a partnership between
three great people.

59. The Execution
The
Uncovery
Get permission in
advance to tape the
conversation.
The N.D.A.

60. The Execution
The
Uncovery
Listen completely.

61. The Execution
The
Uncovery
Don’t you dare ask for
the order yet. This day
was all about your client.

62. One Week Passes

63. The Execution
The
Reveal
Held in your offices.

64. The Execution
The
Reveal
Review the how and
when you’ll measure
success.

65. The Execution
The
Reveal
Explain the core strategy.
Remind them why they’re
great.

66. The Execution
The
Reveal
Read them their first two
ads of the campaign.
Explain why you made
the choices you made.
Explain Voice Acting.

67. They’ve started wars … and ended them … they’ve killed counselors and kings … and
given birth to countless great American success stories … they’ve spawned novels and
headaches … and more than a few children.
You learn a lot about a person by the toasts they make – the things and people they treasure
– whether or not they look you in the eye as they speak – whether or not they drink to
consummate.
We hold such things sacred, and with the absence of marketing hype symptomatic of most
bars, we invite you to make an educated choice as to whether you’ll make On the Rocks
your home for toasts, truths, and lies.
Where the barkeep towels off 9 of our 10 taps because we keep them below freezing. And
yes, we keep our Guinness at cellar. Free parking after 4:30 in our private lot at 10th and
Broadway.
With all the comforts of a rich friend’s living room, On the Rocks, in the District. Sealing
Deals. Cementing conspiracies. Raising glasses nightly.

68. We hold these truths to be self-evident:
That free time’s ... anything but.
That the perfect bar evolves but never changes.
That your bartender should be well-versed in everything, but never more so than in the topic of
when to shut up.
That a good glass – the right glass – makes all the difference.
That you deserve your beer below freezing cold – unless you prefer Guinness – whose tap we
keep at cellar, as it should be.
That the specials should be good conversation and quiet reflection. If you’re willing to risk
sticky floors and puke in the bathroom corner for cheap drinks, please. don’t. come.
Thus noted and pledged to you as our Patron’s Bill of Rights by the owners and your humble
servants at On the Rocks where we invite you to make an educated choice as to whether you’ll
make On the Rocks your home away.
With all the comforts of a rich friend’s living room, On the Rocks, in the District. It’s time.
Come in.

69. The Execution
The
Reveal
Play them their first two
ads of the campaign.
Again.

70. The Execution
The
Reveal
Tell them how to play ads
for their wives and friends
and employees.
“Is this who we are?”

71. The Execution
The
Reveal
NOW it’s time to show
them their schedule that
your reach and frequency
expert developed.
Just ONE option.

72. The Execution
GOALS: Find the core strategy by listening
completely. Develop campaign and schedule
accordingly.
1st STEP: Practice active listening exercises.

73. The Follow-Through

74. The Follow-Through
Sales Person should
maintain regular
relationship of service - not
sell.
Creative Director should
call or email every couple
weeks with something of
value: ad, article, idea.
“How are we tracking?”

75. The Follow-Through
Email Newsletters - think
of your clients as a
membership.
Gatherings: introducing
your clients to one another,
and their bridge is you.
This is very powerful.
Presentations: Private
presentations with nothing
to sell.

76. The Follow-Through
VIPs
BUSINESS PROBLEM
TOPOLOGY:
What does Vegas do?
Sports teams? Airlines?
Top Tier Programs.

77. The Follow-Through
GOALS: Retain and increase. Referral business.
1st STEP: Look at parallel businesses who keep
priority customers engaged.

78. The Pitfalls

79. The Pitfalls
Cattle Call Presentations
Unqualified Prospects
Category Exclusivity
Non-Decision Makers
Unclear Expectations
Staffing
Focus

80. The Persuasive-Led Sell
The Company
The Prospects
The Presentation
The Close
The Execution
The Follow-Through

81. The Company
GOALS: Establish credibility. Legitimize the
Persuasive-Led Sell. Give yourself permission to
charge money.
1st STEP: Have a meeting with GM and GSM. Do
you have a creative director/strategist? Do you have
a canary?

82. The Prospects
GOALS: Identify big picture thinkers with long time-
horizons who are open to new ideas.
1st STEP: Consider your list.

83. The Presentation
GOALS: Transfer confidence in your unique but
clearly qualified view of advertising. Get the decision
makers to agree to an Uncovery.
1st STEP: Study and Deconstruct The Wizard of
Ads Trilogy. Send your creative director here. Let her
attend with your canary salesperson.

84. The Close
GOALS: Get a time and date scheduled for the
Uncovery.
1st STEP: Get your creative director to practice
asking for a close.

85. The Execution
GOALS: Find the core strategy by listening
completely. Develop campaign and schedule
accordingly.
1st STEP: Practice active listening exercises.

86. The Follow-Through
GOALS: Retain and increase. Referral business.
1st STEP: Look at parallel businesses who keep
priority customers engaged.

87. The Questions

88. 19 May 2008
“It sounds easy because it is easy, and
it will make a tremendous difference in
radio’s overall success.”
Eric Rhoads

89. 24 June 2008
“It’s not much about creativity. It’s
much about courage and conviction.”
Tim Miles

90. “IT SOUNDS EASY ...”
The Creative Persuasive-Led Sell
Tim Miles, Wizard Academy
How to Sell Radio and Make It Work