Characteristics of a Great DRTV Media Buyer

By Joel Gable

It's no secret advertisers are looking for the biggest bang for their media buck--especially on their upcoming media spend. Whether you are testing, airing continuity or branding, marketers should know that their allotted dollars are not only being invested properly, but that their business is in the capable hands of a professional media expert who is willing to be transparent, aggressive and an advocate for their business.

Media buying agencies should have the capability to demonstrate your media buy by campaign on a monthly basis. Accompanying this list should be rationale--factors instrumental in the buyer's decision-making process. Many clients think they can be a media buyer, but it's best to use a qualified media professional's expertise. Monthly meetings between clients and buyers are a great way to share ideas and expand your media's performance.

Media buyers also should be relationship-builders--someone who can easily develop meaningful business relationships not only with media representatives, but with clients too. It is key that buyers have a winning attitude, a passion for your media, a thirst for knowledge and the ability to speak intelligently about their client's fit into the media landscape. After all, it may come down to relationships when vying for critical and limited airtime.

Buyers must be strong negotiators. Everything should be put on the negotiating table: rate, placement, day, daypart, cash-in- advance status, first-time advertiser discounts--everything! Good buyers ask for more than they expect to receive. That's negotiation!

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
Professional media buyers plan, evaluate and adjust their media purchases daily. Daily review of the campaign is critical in determining not only the success or failure of the current media schedule, but it allows the buyer to ensure the schedule is airing correctly. It also can help determine which factors like daypart, program or lead-in/lead-out impact response. Daily review also provides buyers with critical information while planning for the next campaign. Daily review and adjustment can fine tune a buy and place emphasis on its successful elements. Also, airing verification is crucial, especially in the long-form arena. There will be programs that generate zero response and it is the buyer's responsibility to immediately determine if the program aired as ordered. An aggressive buyer should ask the media rep for assistance, such as a rate reduction, bonus airings or other remedy to compensate for the poor response. Rates are high and every airing counts.

Lastly, great buyers don't hold onto non-performing media, they are proactive. Recycling clients through lackluster time periods is not media buying and should be discouraged. Use media buyers who consider themselves marketing analysts first, buyers second. At the end of the day, people watch programs not stations. Keep your shows and spots fresh and the buyers will fish where the fish are.
These practices will save clients money and make the media buying effort more efficient.

Joel Gable is media manager for Ellison Media Company, a media buying company in Phoenix. He can be reached at (602) 404-4000, or via e-mail at joel.gable@ellisonmedia.com.