Selling "Cheap"

Radio's "too" problem...

I already know radio's decision-makers don't pay any attention to me.

But, I'm hoping, maybe one or two might pay attention to Seth Godin, who's a world-class smart guy.

These are his words: "It might be that low prices are the final refuge of the marketer who has run out of ideas and is left with nothing but a commodity."

"Or it might be that organizing your business around lowering prices through efficiency, mass scale and smart choices is a powerful way to grow."

I think we both know it's the former.

Every market has its tale of woe about which company is forcing down rates.

Too many signals. Too much sameness. Too weak a product. Too little attraction of, and training for, top sales people.

Too little emphasis on great creative, from writing to produced spot.

Too little accountability. Too little emphasis on results for our clients.

Too much willingness to sell anything to anyone, to get the money on the books right now, this week.

Too short-sighted. Too myopic.

Too much ass-kissing the nearer any of us gets to the top rung of the ladder. Too much CYA, to keep the paycheck in an ever-shrinking, quickly leaking pool.

Too much rationalization. Too much acceptance of -- promotion of -- mediocrity.

Too many bean-counters. Too few product geniuses, stretched way too thin.

Too bad Gordon McLendon or George Johns or you and I aren't in charge, right?

We'd show 'em.