KBA WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 17, 2022

REMEMBERING MELISSA FORSYTHE

FORMER NEWS ANCHOR PASSES AT AGE AT 71

Former WAVE and WHAS television anchor Melissa Forsythe...

Melissa Forsythe, who worked as a television news anchor and reporter on Louisville stations for nearly two decades, has died at age 71, according to Doug Profitt, a former coworker who now anchors for WHAS11. Raised in Southern Indiana, Forsythe ...

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www.courier-journal.com

UNDERSTANDING YOUR KBA MEMBERSHIP

RENEWALS NOW OCCUR ON ANNIVERSARY DATE

As some of you may recall, your annual KBA membership renewal was traditionally processed each year in January. Beginning this year however, your annual membership renewal will be processed during the anniversary month that you entered the database in 2021. For example, if you joined the KBA in June of 2021, then your renewal will now occur each year in June. No action is required on your part to renew your membership. I will email you an electronic invoice when your renewal is due. You may either pay by check or credit card online.

In theory, very little has changed, but I wanted you to have an understanding of the new membership renewal process going forward. If you have any questions or if you would like to join the KBA, please do not hesitate to call or email me directly.

Amber Rhodes

Director of Operations

amber@kba.org

(502) 545-3278

LAST CALL: PEP SPOT RATES SURVEY

YOUR URGENT ATTENTION APPRECIATED

Your stations’ support of the Public Education Partnership (PEP) program is a crucial component of the work of KBA. PEP provides the revenue needed to support KBA services such as training, reimbursements, the annual conference and more. When your stations air PEP spots, you are contributing directly to the association’s work.

As part of KBA’s PEP process, the association provides monthly reports to PEP clients. These reports show the number of spots aired by each station and the value of those spots. The reports are a key part of the PEP program, since they provide concrete evidence of the program’s effectiveness.

To update the data collection mechanism, KBA asks for your stations’ current rates for :15, :30 and :60 PEP spots. Please click the button below to access a survey that will allow you to input this information.

SPOT RATE SURVEY

The information will only be used as part of the PEP data collection process and won’t be shared with any person or entity.

Thank you for supporting this valuable program. If you have questions about PEP, please contact Lisa Gross at pep@kba.org.

POLITICAL WEBINAR IS NEXT WEEK

COMPLIMENTARY FOR KBA MEMBERS

POLITICAL BROADCASTING WEBINAR:

FCC's Political Broadcasting Rules

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH @ 1:00 PM ET

Presenting will be Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth attorneys Frank Montero and Sara Hinkle, accompanied by the FCC’s own Political Broadcasting team, Bobby Baker, Gary Schonman and Sima Nilsson. The presentation will be held via Zoom and will last approximately 60 minutes with time for Q&A after.

Topics to be discussed include equal time, lowest unit rate, issue ads, political file maintenance, FCC political consent decrees, as well as the most recent FCC revisions to the political broadcasting rules.

2022 RADIO MERCURY AWARDS

CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Radio Mercury Awards, the only competition exclusively devoted to radio and audio, was established in 1992 to encourage and reward the development of effective and creative radio commercials. The annual Radio Mercury Awards competition draws entries from advertising agencies, production houses, radio stations and educational institutions across the country. Approximately 21,000 commercials have competed in the Radio Mercury Awards and close to $3.5 million in prizes have been awarded over the past 31 years. The Radio Creative Fund (RCF), a nonprofit corporation funded by the radio industry, governs the Radio Mercury Awards. The Radio Advertising Bureau produces the Radio Mercury Awards.

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JEFF SCHMIDT'S SALES TIP OF THE WEEK

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS...

Recently Bill, a top-billing marketing consultant asked his former manager for recommendations for a client that would be appropriate for a sponsorship package. The former manager sold that sponsorship 21 years ago and knew the value of it, the benefits of doing it, and that it was a prime opportunity for someone. The manager suggested a name, a client he had known and done business with for many years. Bill checked the account list and it was an open account. Because the manager had a relationship with the client, he set up the meeting. It had been a few weeks since the manager presented to a client, so there was excitement - this was going to be a blast.

When the manager set up the meeting Bill even asked: “Should we do a C.N.A. at this meeting, or just present the sponsorship?” Knowing how hard it is to get facetime with this client, he’s not an easy client, they had the meeting, the former manager felt like it might be a one-shot deal and suggested they go in with the ask. MISTAKE.

Bill and his former manager did their very best explaining the details of the sponsorship and why it was such a great opportunity for this client, and it truly was. He’s an internet/telecom company and the sponsorship they were sharing involved the weather and gave him massive frequency to be the exclusive sponsor.

Here’s where it hurts…. After they did an eloquent job explaining how this plan would benefit the client, the client said, “Let me explain how my business works.” Ouch. See where this is going? He explained that massive reach and frequency, while nice, do more harm than good. In order to get new customers, he must install Fiber Optic cable to their address which is very expensive. As a result, he doesn’t cover the entire city, let alone the coverage area of the station. He explained that what they’ve been doing is sending postcards to individual addresses as they are expanding, letting the business or residence know that they would have fiber-optic cable in the area. His concern with the plan presented is that it would generate lots of calls and interest from people that he currently doesn’t service or can’t yet, and that would make them mad. He’s right.

Clearly knowing that information going in, they might have instead presented a geofencing solution, or targeted display campaign, that would maximize the digital resources of Bill’s media company and do the rolling announcements by street or zip code instead of a massive reach campaign, and it would be far cheaper than sending out post-cards.

Bill explained that solution to the client and he said, “That, I would be very interested in.” So, Bill will take it from here, present digital solutions that are address-based, and most importantly, based on the way this client does business and expands his business. Bill will likely get the sale.

At the RAB we teach the 7-steps to selling success and that there are no shortcuts. Even seasoned veterans can make mistakes. Bill’s instinct was spot-on, and his former manager should have followed Bill’s instinct. The lesson for all of us: No asking for business unless you first understand the client’s business - no matter how well you think you know the client, or how excited you are about the opportunity.

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development at the Radio Advertising Bureau. You can also connect with him by email JSchmidt@rab.com or on Twitter and LinkedIn.