Successful radio advertising pros are often natural at sales. But closing requires more than a winning personality. As any advertising veteran will tell you, closing can be tricky, and there are many places where a false move can delay or derail a sale. You can boost your odds of completing the deal simply by avoiding these three classic closing mistakes:

1.  Not asking for the business.
This is by far the most common mistake in the process. You would think it would be obvious: Either you ask for the business or you don’t. But asking for business is more of an art than a science. Good, clear questions lead to successful closes but are often confused with requests for opinion and ambiguous queries, which do little more than lead to other questions. As a mentor once told me, “ask and you get, don’t and you won’t.”

2. Ignoring the prospect’s signals.
You know selling is more about listening than talking. After you’ve asked closing questions, stop talking. Let the prospect answer. It’s tempting to keep selling when you should be listening, but you’ll do a lot better if you learn to stop when you’ve said enough.

3. Becoming jaded.
Attitude is everything in sales. Don’t let past experience negatively affect your closing techniques. And don’t let your successes cloud the circumstances of the current situation. Getting too caught up in the success or failure of each interaction can also be a problem. The best salespeople treat each new prospect as if they were the first and most exciting customer in town.

Here are 19 gadgets that will help to turn your cubicle or office into techy heaven: Click here to take a look.

A blank calendar is helpful in several situations. Perhaps you’re attending a project planning meeting and need a calendar to flush out important project milestones. You don’t want to deface your own calendar with all the information, so print a blank calendar from Outlook instead.

To do so, first create a blank calendar as follows: Click on the Calendar icon in the Navigation Pane (click on the Calendar folder in the Folder List in 2000 and 2002). Next, click the New button’s arrow and select Folder. Give the folder a name, such as Blank Calendar, in the Name text box of the Create New Folder text box. Select the Calendar folder from the Select Where To Place The Folder list box, if necessary. Then, click OK.

Now we’ll print the calendar: In 2003, select the Blank Calendar check box from the My Calendars section of the Navigation Pane and deselect all others. In 2000/2002, click on the folder in the Folder List in 2000 and 2002. Choose File | Print from the Outlook menu bar. Select a style from the Print Style list box, and enter dates in the Start and End text boxes in the Print Range section. Click OK and a blank calendar prints. Save this new Calendar if you need to print blank calendars often.

Multitasking is the art of distracting yourself from two things you’d rather not be doing by doing them simultaneously.

- Merlin Mann

For years, I’ve been the de facto tech support call for my family. My Mom sent this to me today and I couldn’t help but laugh. Thought you may get chuckle or two.

Tech support: What kind of computer do you have?
Female customer: A white one.

Customer: Hi, this is Maureen. I can’t get my diskette out.
Tech support: Have you tried pushing the Button?
Customer: Yes, sure, it’s really stuck.
Tech support: That doesn’t sound good; I’ll make a note.
Customer: No, wait a minute… I hadn’t inserted it yet… it’s still on my desk… sorry….

Tech support: Click on the ‘my computer’ icon on to the left of the screen.
Customer: Your left or my left?

Tech support: Good day. How may I help you?
Male customer: Hello… I can’t print.
Tech support: Would you click on “start” for me and…
Customer: Listen pal; don’t start getting technical on me! I’m not Bill Gates.

Customer: Hi, good afternoon, this is Martha, I can’t print. Every time I try, it says ‘Can’t find printer’. I’ve even lifted the printer and placed it in front of the monitor, but the computer still says he can’t find it…

Customer: I have problems printing in red…
Tech support: Do you have a color printer?
Customer: Aaaah………………..thank you.

Tech support: What’s on your monitor now, ma’am?
Customer: A teddy bear my boyfriend bought for me at Wally World.

Customer: My keyboard is not working anymore.
Tech support: Are you sure it’s plugged into the computer?
Customer: No. I can’t get behind the computer.
Tech support: Pick up your keyboard and walk 10 paces back.
Customer:  OK
Tech support: Did the keyboard come with you?
Customer: Yes
Tech support: That means the keyboard is not plugged in. Is there another keyboard?
Customer: Yes, there’s another one here. Ah…that one does work…

Tech support: Your password is the small letter “a” as in apple, a capital letter V as in Victor, the number 7.
Customer: Is that 7 in capital letters ?

Customer: can’t get on the Internet.
Tech support: Are you sure you used the right password?
Customer: Yes, I’m sure. I saw my colleague do it.
Tech support: Can you tell me what the password was?
Customer: Five stars.

Tech support: What anti-virus program do you use?
Customer: Netscape.
Tech support: That’s not an anti-virus program.
Customer: Oh, sorry…Internet Explorer.

Customer: I have a huge problem. A friend has placed a screen saver on my computer, but every time I move the mouse, it disappears.

Tech support: How may I help you?
Customer: I’m writing my first e-mail.
Tech support: OK, and what seems to be the problem?
Customer: Well, I have the letter ‘a’ in the address, but how do I get the circle around it?

A woman customer called the Canon help desk with a problem with her printer.
Tech support: Are you running it under windows?
Customer: “No, my desk is next to the door, but that is a good point. The man sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a window, and his printer is working fine.”

And last but not least…

Tech support: “Okay Colin, let’s press the control and escape keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the screen. Now type the letter “P” to bring up the Program Manager.”
Customer: I don’t have a P.
Tech support: On your keyboard, Colin.
Customer: What do you mean?
Tech support: “P”…..on your keyboard, Colin.

My first run at radio sales was a painful experience. At 22 (twenty years ago…ouch), I went to work at a small rock station in Pittsburgh. I worked there for three months and made one sale (actually, I found the prospect, my manager closed the sale). I woke up one morning and told myself I wanted out and that I would never do radio sales again. However, after a few years of college, I gave it another shot. That was 1992.

The second time around was exactly the opposite. I picked up a new client the first week, and success continued throughout my career. What was so different?

1. I had successful mentors: This is huge! The group of stations I walked into were new and only had a couple reps. However, I was fortunate enough to be close with the new manager (he talked me into coming back to radio) and the #1 seller in the building (he knew my Mom). What this meant was that I had the best two people in the building take me under their wings. I would not be here today if it were not from everything I learned from Gary and Joe during those first few months. Bottom line to you - hang with mentors that can help you…not other reps that don’t strive to be super-successful.

2. Don’t wait to be trained: During my first couple weeks on the job, I spent every waking moment outside of work studying video and audio cassettes (does that date me enough?) about radio sales, advertising, and marketing. I watched and listened to them over and over and over again. During my first run at radio sales, I waited to be trained. The second time around, I decided I would work harder training myself than my managers ever could.

3. I embraced technology (as limited as it was). In 1992, there were computers, but they had about as much power as our cell phones now. However, as the technology grew, I found which parts could help me in my sales & marketing career. I spent hours learning how to use a computer, and weekends reading through manuals. First, learning presentation software (”Pagemaker,”  then “PowerPoint”), and later the world of online marketing (www.salesimaging.com). Being ahead of the curve gave me an advantage because my pitches impressed prospects and clients (compared to what else they were seeing) and made them more likely to view me as a professional business person (and not just a package pitcher).

Selling advertising is not an easy gig. But, if you find yourself a mentor (or two), train yourself (harder than they are willing to train you), and stay ahead of the sales/presentation technology curve, you’ll be one that succeeds.

Having a smart phone is important to the modern radio manager and sales pro these days.

As I wait for the arrival of my new iPhone 3G (to replace my Blackberry Pearl, which replaced my Blackberry 8730, which my original iPhone, which replaced my….) I was looking for a manual to get some advance info about the phone. But, it was ridiculously hard to find. So, for those of you that have the new iPhone, I thought you may be in the same predicament as me…wanting to know all you can about your new tech toy.

Click here to download the iPhone 3G manual (PDF)

There are chapters on:

1. Getting started
2. Basics
3. Phone
4. Mail
5. Safari
6. iPod
7. More applications
8. Settings
9. iTunes store
Appendix A. Troubleshooting
Appendix B. Other resources

Leave a comment below and let me know how you like your iPhone 3G or whatever smart phone you’re using these days.

Inside Radio recently conducted a survey of radio sales executives that I thought you’d find interesting. Below are the results. You can download the pdf if you click here.

What size market are you in?
#1-25 31%
#26-50 20%
#51-100 11%
100+ 31%
Unrated 8%

Are your personal advertising sales increasing or decreasing?
Up - 10% or more above last year. 16%
Up - Slightly more than last year. 22%
About the same as last year. 15%
Down slightly less than last year. 22%
My sales are off more than 10% for me when compared to last year. 26%

What are you doing to reduce the use of gasoline?
Nothing - still have to make the sales calls! 21%
Using the phone more. 27%
Using the internet/email more. 31%
My manager requires our sales staff to be OUT of the office most of the day. 12%
My manager does not mind if salespeople stay around the office to use phone/computers. 9%

Does your station offer any kind of fuel reimbursement?
Yes 17%
No 83%

Will you likely make more money or less money in 2008?
More 30%
Less 41%
About the same 29%

Have commission rates changed in the past year?
Yes - rates are down for Agency and Direct Sales 26%
Yes - rates are down for Direct Sales 8%
About the same 47%
Commissions have increased for Internet sales only. 13%
Commissions are up for the sale of shorter-length commercials only. 7%

Career outlook in the next year
I hope to remain at this station/cluster and watch sales improve. 62%
I hope to move to another station/cluster in my market. 2%
I hope to move to another city to work in radio. 8%
I would like to work in media, but perhaps in TV, Internet, out-of-home. 12%
I am looking for employment in another industry outside of media. 16%

How long have you worked in the radio industry?
Less than one year. 2%
1-3 years. 3%
More than 3 years. 20%
More than 10 years. 75%

September will be College Savings Month, Library Card Sign-Up Month, Mold Awareness Month, National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, National Coupon Month, and National Hispanic Heritage Month (9/15-10/15).

Assisted Living Week: September 7-13
Chimney Safety Week: September. 28- Oct. 4
Labor Day: September 1st
National Grandparents Day: September 7th
Patriot Day: September 11th
Video Games Day: September 12th
Wife Appreciation Day: September 20th
Business Women’s Day: September 22nd
Women’s Health and Fitness Day: September 24th
Hunting and Fishing Day: September 27th
Family Health and Fitness Day: September 27th
Good Neighbor Day: September 28th

I was recently asked if I thought an initial/first radio promotion or event should be called “First Annual” or not.

There are some that think the phrase “first annual” is fine. I don’t have a problem with that because it conveys you intend to have the promotion each year. However, there are also usage experts that recommend you should avoid the phrase.

So, I’d recommend you play it safe, and leave off your annual intentions until you know for sure (and you won’t know “for sure” until next year) that you’re having another.

An alternative is to use the phrase,”Inaugural.” This way it can indicate the radio promotion/event should be the first in a series, without automatically conveying that it will occur every year.

If you do continue the tradition, you can then call them, “Second Annual,” “Third Annual,” etc…