What has technology got to do with radio sales?

What the **** has technology to do with sales?

Who keeps up with technology for your radio network? Is it your sales team?

It should be.

There are two core reasons.

The first is that your clients will be more than happy to see you or hear from you – be they direct or agency.

Your listeners are your clients’ clients. Your listeners are learning about new technology and picking and choosing what they want to use – and if you can keep up with them, then you become a font of knowledge for your clients – your advertisers.

It’s about helping to keep your client up to date with what’s going on in the world, and at the same time, letting them know you’re savvy to what their clients and customers are interested in.

The second reason is that the fastest industry to adopt new technology ideas is advertising – so you’ll be aware of the newcomers about to compete for your radio space.

One of the great things about technologies on the cusp is that there’s usually plenty of discussion around that’s inquisitive and investigate – and explores the negatives as well as the positive. That gives you insights into how to counter it in the market.

Once someone picks up and runs with it as an advertising tool, all you’ll get is marketing spin. (Your advertisers will also only be getting all the positive spin, if you haven’t clued them in first.)

Here’s just one example of technology on the cusp. 

Courtesy of a tech club I’ve joined (the Churchill Club for those of you in Melbourne) I’m learning a lot about what’s happening at the sharp edge of innovation.

Beacons is a big thing. Actually they’re small things, about half the size of an avocado seed. They communicate with smart phone apps as customers enter a geographical area within the beacons’ boundaries.

They’re indicative of a major trend in technology and advertising which will impact not just how advertising itself will change, but the types of businesses that will be advertising.

I’m not talking about the tech businesses, I’m talking about the types of businesses that will increase and the types of businesses that will die.

That’s another major reason sales teams, not digital, need to get interested in technology – you need to know whether your strongest client groups will still be viable in a couple of years.

Verity Webb is a Director of AudioNET.

You can find her on LinkedIn or email [email protected]