Consolidation has eliminated numerous sales management jobs. Most groups now have a market manager overseeing a cluster. There are sales managers who are responsible for multiple stations, some overseeing 25-30 account executives. In many cases, one regional manager oversees multiple markets, necessitating more and more travel time.
Your sales manager is human and can only be spread so thin. Their goal should be first and foremost to make sure the station hits budgets and is profitable. To do so, they are going to need to have the right team with the right skills in place. The sales process is vastly different today than in the past. There is more emphasis on direct client service, new business and non-traditional revenue. In the majority of cases, sales people need to know how to sell other platforms in combination with their radio station in addition to strong marketing and promotion knowledge. Hiring correctly will be critical to the stations success.
Sales managers today are expected to do their job with fewer people. In most cases, training budgets have been cut or eliminated, leaving them to train as well.
Sales managers need to be able to motivate and retain current achievers as well as make sure they are up to speed with new sales techniques. In addition, they need to be continually adding to their sales staff to assure that there is always a top grade team in place.
When a salesperson leaves and a list is not adequately covered, or a desk is empty and no one is bringing in new business, it costs the station. If the sales manager, in haste, hires the wrong person or does not get the newly hired person trained this person has little chance to succeed. This is an enormous waste of time and money. The rule of thumb is that for a station to hire and train a successful salesperson, it costs double of the persons’ compensation package. That figure does not take into consideration the cost of lost business or how much unemployment can take away from their bottom line.
To hire effective talented sales people, you can not go across the street anymore. It will be necessary to go outside of the industry or outside of the market. Sales managers will be required to spend more time with hiring, training and closing deals. The company must have a strategy on who and how to hire. We can’t forget that this is an extremely litigious time. You will want to be assured that your managers know how to interview and hire effectively and legally. These are major issues that can affect your bottom line.
Of the three areas, recruiting, training and closing, which is the easiest and most cost effective to outsource? Recruiting! Your sales manager knows your stations and how they need to be represented. Does it make sense to have them give up training or closing deals? No. They need to be available to listen to needs of the current staff to better retain as well as clients issues. Training and closing are areas that most need their attention.
Consider having some assistance in screening candidates so that your manager only sees the candidates that fit your qualifications. There are several ways to do so, especially if you have eliminated several management jobs from your market. You should have the saved income from the cutbacks to spend on an outside source.
By having a thorough job description and someone who understands your sale, your company culture and your market, you can successfully outsource a major time burner for your managers. Hire a recruitment service, a retired sales professional or a consultant to work with you. Many can interview on a regular basis, bringing you qualified candidates that fit your job description. This is an excellent way to recruit for a diverse workforce as well. These outside sources can be brought up to speed on what staff you are looking to add to your team. You don’t have to worry about those “star interviewees” that dazzle in the interview and never perform. An outside source will be looking at facts and comparing all candidates in a “like” manner. They can be paid on an hourly basis, a project fee or on a percentage based on the first years income of those hired.
Keeping your managers focused on the bottom line and giving them assistance in hiring will ultimately save the company money. Hiring well is an art, as is the retention of good people.
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