Tightening our Belts

It has been a little over a month since my last post. Since then, there happened to be the biggest stock market crash since, well i dont know my economic history all the well, but since before i was born. We all know what has ensued via the government etc.

well, to date TV Station is doing alright actually. Each quarter we are growing, and in comparison to all other broadcast station here in our beautiful area, we are the only one retaining, if not growing. everyone else...is struggling. a precursor may have been a "jewelry now" advertisment playing in prime time during the Olympics a few months back (that is ridiculous that a 150 buck spot ran where a 45,000 buck spot should have) but hey, lets look forward.

so, as 2009 marketing plans start to get laid down, Chaz and his bosses, and their bosses, are really on our asses to close new business. today we were told to close new business so "the company does well, so sales looks good, and oh yeah so you make money". the last cheviot of sorts right there really is the last thing on our bosses mind. they dont care if we make money. they care if we make our budgets. But, although todays sales meeting was rather laid back, the stress is slowly starting to rachet up, WAY up.

so, to help with our revenue, we partnered with another station in our area, who carry real shows like LOST and OPRAH. OOOOHHHHHPRAH. Fuck yeah, love that show. This partnership is a joint sales effort. we have a "package" to sell to clients for 12 months. spots run on their good programs, and our. we split to revenue. everyone wins. right? this is the focus on all our backs. our boss has us making cold calls, or at least is trying, like none other. here is were the global recession is starting to affect my life...

we have cold called, i have met with, and truthfully, i have KILLED it with a few new business clients. I have presented unreal deals, that really would work for their marketing. all these deals are in the pending mode. a year ago economically, i would have closed 100% of these, with all confidence. i am sure of it. but this year, everyone is "taking a sharp pencil to all expenditures" or "trying to figure out what to keep, and what to halt, and what to even market" or my personal favorite from a client "Will are you fucking kidding? have you read a news paper. we are NOT trying new advertising right now."

our bosses have to know this. our bosses have to know what we are up against on a rival station front, and also on a economic front. but they sure as shit dont show it. no no. fearless leaders can never admit to weakness. so we have to trudge on. pray that i get at least 1 of these pending deals to close, and ride this wave with the rest of U.S. American.