Selling Radio Direct with Pat Bryson
Those pesky little words that we use to fill silence as we decide what to say next. These words and sounds keep us from sounding confident. They weaken our messages. My speech teacher called them “word whiskers”.
I hear them often when I work with sales people. Which sound familiar to you?
“We’re JUST going to “THROW IN” these 10 FREE spots per week.”
Notice how the use of “just” and “throw in” diminishes the importance of what we are giving to our clients? “Throw in” implies little thought and less value.
Another set of word whiskers I hear is “This page is KIND OF a….” It is or it isn’t. “Kind of” weakens our message.
I have also heard “LIKE“. This seems to be the new catch phrase for young people. “It’s, like, the best way to communicate, like, you know, a good way to say it.”
Like, like, like. I DON’T like like!
“But, yeah”, “Uh”, “So”,”Sort of”. Sound familiar?
There is nothing wrong with a few seconds of silence.
One of the best ways to know if you use these word whiskers is to record yourself before you present to your clients. Listen to how you say what you say. Tiny words can sabotage our message and drive our clients to distraction. Think about how carefully our on-air compatriots choose their words. We should take a lesson from them.
In addition to what we say, it is very much how we say it. Say it with gusto!
About The Author
Pat Bryson is the founder of Bryson Broadcasting International, a consulting firm that works with radio stations around the world to increase revenue by raising the skill level of their sales staffs. Her client list spans from the United States to Canada, Europe and Central Asia.
Pat has spent her entire career creating a culture of over-achievement for her stations. She began her career in radio sales, becoming one of the highest billing sales people in her market. Her career advanced to General Sales Manager, and then to Market Manager. Since starting BBI 7 years ago, she has helped hundreds of radio stations to find, train and grow great quality sales people and managers.
Pat was the recipient of two prestigious educational fellowships from the Educational Foundation of the National Association of Broadcasters: a fellowship to the Executive Development Program and a fellowship to the Broadcast Leadership Training Program.
She publishes the Bryson Broadcasting International Newsletter twice monthly, is the author of A Road Map To Success In High-Dollar Broadcast Sales and is a contributor to Valerie Geller’s latest book, Beyond Powerful Radio: A Communicator’s Guide To The Internet Age.
You may contact Pat at [email protected] or visit her website at http://www.patbryson.com.