Throw Away Your Coverage Maps!

As any radio salesperson who’s ever worked for me will tell you, I hate coverage maps. They have killed more sales than they’ve ever made when clients decide that the circles they see on the page are either too large or too small for their needs. Equally as challenging, salespeople often limit their prospecting activities to stay within the confines of these dreaded FCC regulated crop circles.

Today, coverage areas – where fans of our respective brands consume our content – have grown and become more fractured. Whether you work in radio, TV or for a print publication, content delivery online and through mobile apps has blurred all the lines on a coverage map.

But the real reason to ditch those antiquated media-kit-stuffers is that with readily available digital platforms, we can reach and influence customer behavior across the country and around the world. We are no longer limited to only helping advertisers under our towers.

Case in point, just this month I was on a follow-up sales call in a small, rural Pennsylvania market. At an earlier meeting we had presented the strength of radio and how well it integrated with mobile advertising. (This broadcaster has been aggressive in deploying geo-fencing, targeted display and video pre-roll through Marketron Digital.)

The client was so impressed with the first presentation that they asked if we could launch a campaign for them not only in their home market but in the ELEVEN STATES where they had offices. Why yes. Yes. We. Can!

What would have been unheard of just a few years ago is now a reality. Your local radio account rep can help an advertiser anywhere and tap in to marketing budgets that previously were out of reach.

Now, it’s our responsibility to help our sales teams think beyond our coverage area with every prospect and for us to education our clients on how we, their trusted media partner for so many years, can help them in every market that matters to them.

Maps? We don’t need no stinkin’ maps.