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Author:	Darlene Evans
Published:	August, 2000

 

If I were asked what is the most important thing you can do as a Promotions Director, I would answer "You gotta believe!" Believe in your station and especially believe in your audience. When you believe in your station it comes across in everything you do. Your attitude, your demeanor, your conversations and especially your presentations. It also encourages those around you to believe in your product. Just like all Promotion Directors I make cold calls in search of the ultimate on air give-away: Trips, Computers, Cars, Furniture. Sometimes the person on the other end of the phone knows who we are but many times I must spend 15 minutes or more explaining who we are and what we do. Because I have so much respect for my station, the music and message that we play and I know how our audience responds, that faith and belief is relayed through the conversation. I encourage you to be bold and not afraid of rejection. Ask for what you want. Refrain from settling. Why? In the end it is worth it for your audience. Those dedicated listeners. And for your TSL and Cume as well. For Example: I was actually surprised recently when Compaq Computers agreed to give me 10 Compaq Aeros (Compaq's palm size personal assistant) to use on the air. Each Aero cost $399.00. I now know that if I had asked for 3, I would have received 3. If I had asked for 5, I would have received 5. But I wanted a two-week promotion to begin the Spring Book, so I asked for 10. I wasn't sure if Compaq would agree. Once they did I automatically wondered, "What if I had asked for 15?" Hmmmm. Everyday we had a new winner. It was great! It was a very trendy and cutting edge prize. Our listeners wanted to win one of the Aeros. And with 10 to win, our listeners felt like they really had an opportunity to win one. The success of that initial promotion with Compaq also served to develop such a solid relationship that I now have a promotion set up with Compaq every quarter. It's great! When I first approached Compaq, my contact did not know anything about J93.3 or Contemporary Christian Music or any of our artists. This is an example of when your belief in your station is a strong asset in your presentations. Within a week I had a commitment for the product. You will not always get the desired response, but the important thing is that you make the attempt, put the offer out there. I often say that it is okay for a prospect to tell me no "this time", because as J93.3 continues to grow sooner or later they will come to me. I really believe that. And you can too.   About The Author Darlene got her start working on the hit network TV series In The Heat Of The Night and Grace Under Fire.  She has led seminars at NCRS and for the Family Christian Stores annual managers' meeting.  One of the most respected Promotions Directors in the industry, Darlene led the promotions team at J93.3 (WVFJ), Atlanta for 5 years, through the end of 2003.

 

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