Desperate For New Blood, Station Sales Departments Need Changes Fast

I get texts frequently from sales managers, GMs and regional VPs seeking any candidates I might know for virtually every sales position. These requests are for entry level assistants to director of sales. I used to be flattered that many would seek my help, but I realized I needed to set my ego aside. It’s not me! These are texts of desperation.

The cry I hear is, “Why is it so hard to find people? This is a great business!”

Well, I ask you from the prospect’s point of view, “Is it? Is it a great business?”

I don’t need to tell you, attracting new people into the business is a huge challenge. Argue, if we must, to defend broadcast, but our young prospects just aren’t interested. They don’t watch much traditional TV, nor do they listen to terrestrial radio. I hear you screaming “Yes they do! What about live sports?” I’ll give you that one, but that’s it.

The bottom line is sellers need to believe in their product, and let’s face it: they don’t believe in us.

Next up, those already in the business are burnt out because of so many factors. A big one is over-accountability and micro-managing. I hear this all the time from sellers and managers. They don’t feel trusted as they are strapped with so many reports, meetings and what feels like interrogations.

Additionally, sales managers are stuck behind their desks. They have no time to support their team or clients and have become glorified policemen. Account executives are told to sell and not to serve their clients. The business churn is ridiculously high, which is no different from running on a treadmill thinking you are getting someplace. Every time “sell” is placed above “serve” you can predict more churn and fewer happy advertisers and employees. (I suggest one study Jim Doyle’s latest book Selling with a Servant Heart.) Many of us ask how did sales get such a bad reputation? I’d posit we all know exactly how that happened, and we’re doing little or nothing to change it.

For those entering the workforce, what do we offer them? First, an industry they don’t believe in. We have done a lousy job marketing our own business. Second, if we are lucky enough to get someone, we give them shoddy, inconsistent training at best. Third, we offer extremely limited quality attention. Fourth, the industry’s working conditions are counter to their needs. How about offering flexible hours and unlimited PTO (which helps the bottom line) to name just a couple of things?

The people who contact me are wonderful people. They truly love the business and want to see it thrive. Yet few changes have been made to attract future employees. Life has changed dramatically in the real world but not in station sales departments. You can reorganize 10 times and change titles 50 times and none of it matters. Changing the culture and environment is what’s needed.

How about conducting some good solid, unbiased research as to why it’s so hard to attract people? Let’s find out what they want and how can we change to adapt to their needs. I know that’s expensive, but so is our current approach, and we see how that’s working out for the industry.

The most important factor will be, to paraphrase Doyle, research without action is nothing more than entertainment. If we want things to change, it is we who need to change.

This is all-hands-on-deck work, but it will pay off in the end. Let’s serve our customers and our employees, and the stockholders will reap the rewards when we do.

Margie Albert is a faculty associate with the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.