Mike Costa Q&A | Local Broadcast Sales

Budgeting After an Economic Shutdown – Part 7 – Q&A

Mike Costa, CEO of Costa Media Advisors and LBS Broadcast Expert, answers LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session:

What do you do if an account is new and does not have historical spending to review and compare?
I like to sell and upsell. Why should I waste my time putting budget numbers together when I am paid to be out selling?
It’s hard for me to get organized with a budgeting process. Any tips on how I can do so?
What’s the worst mistake you ever made in budgeting?

Mike Costa, CEO of Costa Media Advisors and LBS Broadcast Expert, answers LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session:

In your opinion, why does our corporate office ask for a budget, when in the end they are just going to tell us what our budget number is going to be?
What do you do about AE’s that are not numbers driven in terms of asking them to put together their own budget?
Would you look at historical data further back than 2019 due to the fluctuation in 2021 and 2020?
What’s going to replace the huge influx of recruitment advertising? – Rick

Mike Costa, CEO of Costa Media Advisors and LBS Broadcast Expert, answers LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session:

When I’m budgeting, I like to give a reasonable budget that I project I can make and then add 20% for an optimistic projection and 20 percent less for a worst case. Is this the proper way to do it?
Do you recommend that you go through a budget discussion with all of your accounts before completing a budget for the company?
I am always concerned that my company might use my budget for any one quarter against me if I don’t meet that number. Is it OK to sandbag a little bit to leave myself some slack?
Do you recommend that I take my manager on some of the budget meetings with my clients?
How do you help clients that are focused on NOW and pulling back on their advertising because they can’t get inventory?

Mike Costa, CEO of Costa Media Advisors and LBS Broadcast Expert, takes LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session:

Do you have any favorite books for determining people’s personalities?
I am literally only one month new to radio sales. I have been asked to create a 2021 budget and don’t have past annuals to evaluate. I have been successful in my short time here but how to you advise I create a goal with no backlog?
How knowledgeable should a commercial production staff be regarding digital? What about sales data?

Mike Costa, CEO of Costa Media Advisors and LBS Broadcast Expert, takes LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session:

What content management systems do you like?
Please share more about how to find out how much businesses should be budgeting for marketing.
How can I get better at making sales calls on the phone when I’m used to talking to clients in person?
I’m a CSD. My production staff is listening in. What’s the best way to communicate with AE’s and clients at the same time regarding commercial production? We tend to communicate with the client directly.

Mike Costa, CEO of Costa Media Advisors and LBS Broadcast Expert, takes LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session:

Our station’s GM is new to the market and doesn’t know my advertisers. How can I get him exposure to my clients beyond sales calls and in the context of social distancing and mask requirements?
My GM is cancelling Nielsen for 2021. What’s the best way for me to communicate to her that agencies require Nielsen ratings? How can I overcome not having the Nielsen numbers?
Can I convince my GM to throw their weight around with my program director for new content I can get sponsors behind?

Mike Costa, CEO of Costa Media Advisors and LBS Broadcast Expert, takes LIVE broadcaster questions! In this session:

How can I get my General Manager to make sales calls since she doesn’t currently go out to client locations?
Why does my General Manager always compare our sales team to other markets? We have some unique challenges in our market and he doesn’t seem to realize it.
I have worked at three stations the past 15 years. In each case, the GM didn’t seem interested in sales, just bottom-line dollars. Is there a way I can engage my current GM without being a pest?