Special Offers for TV Advertising
Does the Sales Pitch Make it Seem Like Starting Ads Is Way Overdue?
Jun 9, 2008
Many local television stations have struggled to maintain advertising revenues in a difficult economy. For a business that constantly hypes anything and everything to boost ad sales, it’s been tough staying even. In corporate-owned TV, level sales don’t cut it.
TV sales forces have reached further into small businesses, even non-profits, looking into every nook to find new dollars.
Seminars, PowerPoints, Tag Teams
Sales techniques can be slick and engaging. One of the most popular is to invite prospects to a seminar. An early morning seminar may start with a free continental breakfast, then launch into a colorful PowerPoint presentation showing thousands of viewers waiting to be captivated by a creative and compelling spot.
When the coffee and Danishes are done, prospects may experience a sinking feeling for having lost years of opportunity by neglecting to advertise on TV. This could be the magic bullet.
If the pitch is compelling enough, and the prospect is buying it, the sales representatives will be happy to get signatures on advertising contracts before anyone leaves. After all, a limited number of these special packages are going fast. Snooze on this one and the chance may never present itself again.
Even if a prospect is cautious enough to take the time to think it over after the seminar, there will generally be a follow-up visit. The local TV sales manager may accompany the sales rep to underscore the importance of this opportunity, which is available for a limited time only.
To sweeten the pot, the station may throw in production services. This means the station will actually produce the TV spot. Some stations partner with ad agencies to layer the offer with additional creativity and enthusiasm.
Sound Too Good to be True?
The devil is in the details. No doubt, the station will deliver exactly what it promised. But is it what the prospect expected? The presentations focus on the cut-rate TV advertising prices.
Assess the offer with a critical eye, especially if this is a first experience with TV advertising. Learn more about the basics of the local TV advertising world. It takes only a few minutes of Internet research to understand ratings and other terminology of TV advertising.
Ask a few pointed questions. For example, examine whether the business gets its own spot, or whether the spot will be bundled with one or two other spots from other advertisers. Some stations using these techniques split 30-second spots into two 15-second ads or three 10-second ads. Most advertisers would rather have a 30-second spot, rather than one of three 10s.
Another question is whether the free production offer will be worth it. Does the station’s local production use classic TV advertising techniques, for example?
The biggest question is whether this promotional package will drive more profitable traffic, ideally new customers, to the advertiser’s business. No responsible sales rep will guarantee an increase in business. The station can only guarantee that the spots will run as provided in the contract.
With small businesses, especially retailers, a large part of any ad’s success is what it offers to the customer. Is it compelling enough to generate more traffic and more sales? And does this package deal focus on the segment of viewers who are the target market?
It could, indeed, be a good deal. But prospective advertisers, especially first-timers, need to carefully evaluate whether the impulse to buy the special offer fits into a sound marketing plan. A small sum for a second opinion from an objective freelance media buyer will likely be well worth the money.
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