When you've decided to dig into a career focused on sales or marketing, you may feel the urge to avoid radio advertising sales, and it may be for any number of reasons. The truth is, it's a lucrative career that offers engaging and rewarding work, not to mention that it provides opportunities for growth. It's a valuable option, so you need to be sure you understand what this kind of position really is and what it offers you. That's why we've put together a list to bust the top five myths about working in radio advertising sales.
Myth #1: People Don't Buy Radio Advertising Anymore
The truth: This assumption relies on a fundamental misunderstanding of the impact radio has on consumers and the ROI it offers marketers. The truth is, radio is still extremely relevant, and represents a six-to-one ROI for advertisers, in all likelihood due to the fact that 90% of Americans listen to the medium each week. What's more, radio represents the strongest source of sales lift: it represents a solo average lift of 17%, and raises other mediums to an average lift of 23%. Even with the growing adoption of streaming radio, not to mention its increased relevancy to advertisers, terrestrial radio remains strong. In fact, 91% of consumers prefer having a typical AM/FM car radio, and 84% listen to the AM/FM radio in their cars, a 62% lead on the next most popular choice (Sirius/XM satellite radio). Don't let the myths about radio listening (especially as it applies to younger audiences) hold you back from an amazing career path.
Myth #2: You'll Never Hit Quotas or Goals
The truth: Media advertisers like Zimmer Radio & Marketing Group want their employees in general and their advertising sales teams specifically to succeed. Media sales teams attract and keep some of the best paid salespeople in the B2B market in part because their success means the success of the sales firm and represent a large portion of the brand's reputation. At Zimmer, that's why we personalize goals and quotas according to the individual salesperson according to their account list, time of year, year over year numbers, and much more. We make commissions fair and competitive to ensure our hires find this to be a very lucrative career path with lots of flexibility.
Myth #3: You Need to Be the Stereotypically Aggressive Salesperson
The truth: People don't like to be sold to or treated like they're a way to make money, and that's true whether you're talking about your average consumer or a B2B partner or client. At Zimmer, the aggressively sleazy salesperson is the diametric opposite of the sort of candidate we look for because we believe our sales team is an extension of our clients' companies. We position you — and thus, our brand — to help our clients solve their problems, build their plans, and help their companies grow. You don't have to be a classic ABC (always-be-selling) salesperson either. Our focus is on the talents of the individual, whether they are learning or will learn new skills as needed, and whether they're willing to work diligently for their account list clients. This means we'll welcome introverts and extroverts alike, whether you're shy or an outgoing burst of energy.
Myth #4: You'll Be Cold Calling All the Time
The truth: While the sales reps at Zimmer will spend some time prospecting new businesses, cold calling is only a small portion of the methods we encourage for doing this, which include hosting brand marketing workshops, client management lunches, and brainstorming needs analysis to uncover the needs in your area. We also provide extensive, ongoing training to ensure our sales team is always growing professionally, giving them the best, cutting-edge information, tactics, strategy, and industry trends. Plus, we try to ensure that the sales teams at Zimmer get to have fun, utilizing various events, lunches, and meetings that keep team growth and engagement as interesting as it is career forward.
Myth #5: There's Nowhere to Take Your Career Besides Staying a Salesperson
The truth: This is, quite simply, not true. The skills you acquire as an advertising sales rep are extremely valuable and can make you a prime candidate for transitioning into a number of other roles and promotions. For example, you may become a director of sales or a marketing director, and these are just the most obvious options. As a salesperson, you'll gain extensive industry knowledge about your clients' industries and have the networking and skills to transition into alternative career paths.
Now that you understand why these five myths about working in radio advertising sales simply aren't true, don't let them hold you back. Feel free to contact us today to find out what Zimmer Radio & Marketing Group can offer you when you join our radio advertising sales team. We have an upbeat company culture that may just be the opportunity you've been waiting for.
