Many radio stations have rules that prescribe a minimum lead time before a new advertising order can air. These most often range from 24 hours (too short, in my opinion) to 72 hours (barely long enough).<\/p>\n
During a break at a sales\/copywriting seminar I conducted for a state broadcasters association, I heard one attendee tell another, “My station has a rule that all new orders have to be turned in at least 72 hours before the air date. But it’s never enforced, so we usually get the copy orders at the last minute.”<\/em><\/p>\n I couldn’t help but correct him. “A rule that isn’t enforced is not a rule. It’s a suggestion or a request. But it’s not a rule.”<\/em><\/p>\n Sadly, at most stations with “rules,” here’s what happens when an account executive turns in a copy order past the deadline.<\/p>\n Production Director to Account Exec:<\/strong> You want this on the air on Friday? Our policy is 72 hours in advance, and it’s Thursday already! No way!<\/p>\n Account Exec to Station Manager: <\/strong>The production director says he can’t produce this in time to go on the air tomorrow, and the client says it has to start first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n Station Manager to Production Director:<\/strong> This radio station does not refuse money. The customer is always right. We need team players here. Are you or are you not a team player?<\/p>\n Production Director to Station Manager: <\/strong>Sure, I’m a team player. But the station’s policy \u2014<\/p>\n Station Manager to Production Director:<\/strong> I’ll make an exception this time. But I don’t like people who make waves, and I’m starting to get the idea that you’re a wave maker.<\/p>\n At a different state broadcasters association sales\/copywriting seminar a production director complained, “I can’t get our salespeople to turn their copy in on time.”<\/em><\/p>\n “What percentage of the time do they turn in their copy late?”<\/em> I asked.<\/p>\n “At least 90%.”<\/em><\/p>\n I shared my solution with the attendees and then asked a sales manager in the front row, “If you adopted this technique at your station, how would it affect the frequency with which copy is turned in late?”<\/em><\/p>\n He thought a moment and then replied, “It would probably drop the percentage of late copy to 2 or 3 per cent.”<\/em><\/p>\n I offer this solution to you only if you agree that your clients deserve more than a last-minute compilation of ineffective advertising cliches, hastily recorded over a completely unrelated music bed.<\/p>\n Here it is:<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Determine your policy \u2014 48 hours, 72 hours, 96 hours \u2014 however much in advance you believe is necessary to insure at least a minimum of quality for the final product.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Make sure everyone in the building is aware of the policy.<\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> Include in your policy one other other point: Any time a salesperson turns in an order in a time period that is shorter than the prescribed minimum, the producer of the spot will receive 50% of the commission on the sale.<\/p>\n If you do that, all of the standard alibis magically will disappear:<\/p>\n “I couldn’t get the information from the client in time.”<\/em><\/p>\n “I was too busy working on that other big account.”<\/em><\/p>\n “I would’ve had the order in on time, but I had that emergency dental surgery.”<\/em><\/p>\n I’m just sayin’….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many radio stations have rules that prescribe a minimum lead time before a new advertising order can air. These most often range from 24 hours (too short, in my opinion) to 72 hours (barely long enough). During a break at a sales\/copywriting seminar I conducted for a state broadcasters association, I heard one attendee tell […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9259","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"yoast_head":"\n