Advertising Salesperson
Lafayette's Rock Station 93-5 ‘KHY and B102-9 Today's Hit Music Without The Rap have an immediate opening for a full-time radio advertising sales representative.
What You Need To Give Us
Here are the traits you must have to be a successful radio advertising salesperson. (It’s okay, if after looking at these qualifications, you feel this job may not be for you. There’s no way I would qualify to be an accountant or golf pro.)
· Have a great work ethic. If you are looking for a job where you can kickback, this isn’t it.
· The ability to work on your own. This is an outside sales position and we will not be following you around. Those who fail take advantage of this freedom by doing errands during the workday, grocery shopping and then taking everything home before the ice cream melts, or playing a quick nine holes “over lunch.” Those who succeed view this as a way to schedule their workday so they can be the most productive, and not the way someone tells them to.
· Be open to new ideas. While we want our team members to think on their feet and make things happen, we do have systems everyone must follow. The reason for these systems is because they work.
· Be able to hear the word “no” and not fall apart. As a salesperson, more people will not buy from you than will buy. That means you will be told no—a lot. Even though most books on selling tell you to shake it off and not take a "no" personally, sometimes we do because we are, after all, human. Successful salespeople know if two out of ten presentations result in a sale, he/she will be a superstar. The others are afraid to make the next call and decide it’s time to take a break.
· Are not afraid to meet a variety of new people. In the same day you may be talking about last night’s game (and hopefully about the benefits of advertising on our radio station) with the owner of an auto repair shop while he’s working on a car, and later with the executive vice-president of a local bank about home loans for first time buyers. If you can’t carry on a conversation with both of these people, this job is probably not for you.
· Know that you will not be successful unless you find a way to help your customer become more successful.
· Have a great work ethic. Yes, we did mention this earlier, but it is that important.
What We Give You
We know you will not work with us long unless you are a happy camper. That’s why we will make these commitments to you.
· You will work for a great organization. A perfect company? No. A multi-generation, family owned and operated business (with locations throughout the country) that respects its employees and understands it’s the people that make them successful? Yes. Check out Schurz Communications at www.schurz.com. (Click on “about us” and then “Core Values.” That’s the way it is—really! If you have time, click on “Schurz Communicator” on the home page. It’s a cool way for everyone to keep up on what’s going on around the company.)
· We will train you. You will be asking businesses to trust you with a portion (maybe even all) of their advertising budget. We feel it would be sort of nice if you know what you are doing.
· You will be treated with respect. We don’t yell, throw things, or belittle you. We will discuss matters honestly with you, but you won’t have to fear being hit by a flying object.
· You will work in a professional atmosphere. We are focused on getting results for our customers. Our mantra is, “We exist to serve two clients; our advertisers and our listeners.”
· The benefits are very good. You will receive a generous starting compensation plan, health insurance, 401k, auto allowance, and a bunch of cool little stuff along the way. Hey, we even give you a gift on your birthday!
FAQs
The job is to sell radio advertising. How do you do that?
Actually, we are providing a way for a business to sell more of its products or services through advertising on our radio stations with a system we call TIPS. We Target a business we feel is compatible with our station and will benefit by advertising with us. We then gather Information about the business, such as what they want to accomplish, their strengths and challenges, what sets them apart from their competition, etc. We then Propose what we feel will benefit them the most. With the Sale, we put the plan into action.
What if the advertising doesn’t work?
Then there is a good chance we will be fired, meaning the customer will stop advertising with us. We are not a charity asking for a donation. We are a business whose job is to help other businesses.
How will I get paid?
We start our new people on what we call a guarantee. You are paid an agreed upon amount every two weeks until you are able to get on commission.
You have five radio stations. Which ones will I work for?
You will be part of the WKHY (www.wkhy.com) and B102-9 (www.b1029.com) sales team.
The way it sounds, being a radio advertising salesperson is not the easiest job I will ever have.
Does anyone make it?
Absolutely. If you have what it takes there is a very good chance you will, as that great American philosopher Mr. Spock once said, “Live long and prosper.” On the WKHY/B102-9 sales staff, our four veterans have been with us 12, 7, 5, and 3 years; another is completing her first year; and our newest person about three months (and, by the way, is doing very well). About half of the WKOA/WASK sales staff has been with us over 10 years, with two over 20 years.
What is expected of me in the first year?
We want you to get a little better each month. The number of businesses you have advertising each month is very important to us and is a result of your work ethic. Within 90 days we expect you to be selling more than we are paying you, and by the end of your first year you should be ready to switch to commission.
What are the working conditions like? In other words, does everyone who works there get along?
Considering we have five radio stations that (in a sense) compete with each other, yes. It’s like any family. There may be a problem every once in a while but, at the end of the day, we are a fairly tight group.
You mentioned benefits. Can you be more specific?
The best thing to do is go to www.schurz.com and click on “Employee Benefits.”
You have a long list of qualifications I need to be successful. Anything else?
Not really. It all boils down to (1) can you sell and (2) are you seeing enough people? The bottom line: Your success depends on making your customers/clients more successful.
If you feel this is an opportunity for you, I would like to hear from you. You can reach me three ways:
1. Mail a cover letter explaining why you would like to join us, along with your resume to:
Miles Knuteson
General Sales Manager
WKHY/WXXB Radio
3575 McCarty Lane
Lafayette, IN 47905
2. Email your stuff to mknuteson@wkhy.com.
3. Drop it off at our studios on McCarty Lane.
Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about us.
WASK, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. |
