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Radio Sales Coaching Should Change (864.448.4169)
Who Can Help You Transform Your Local Radio Business?
Q recently began interviewing some of the people actually attempting to reshape the perception of local radio across the country while keeping their eye on revenue growth.
Here is what they asked Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC) chief strategic officer Loyd Ford and how he chose to respond to each point.
Q: Radio consulting has been around for decades. Why did you feel the model needed to change?
Loyd: Because the industry changed faster than the advice and that change is now even accelerating faster. Local owners and managers have to act quickly or the trouble will become too much for them. Time does not go backwards and it isn’t likely to slow down. Stations are operating leaner than ever, yet too much consulting continues to reflect an era of bigger staffs and slower competition. Today, radio needs practical and creative ideas that connect brands, revenue, and local relevance — not theory you could have studied in 1985 well before consolidation.
Q: What makes Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works fundamentally different from legacy firms?
Loyd: We don’t work in silos. That's a big deal. Programming impacts sales. Leadership affects performance in all parts of the business. Market strategy influences brand perception. Instead of isolated recommendations, we help clients align everything into one operating system designed for measurable growth — ratings, revenue, and local influence. That's way different than other consulting practices radio sees.
Q: Your consulting practice doesn't seem to be just different than other practices. You seem to be creating strategies and helping clients set up execution that other consultants never talk about. Can you give us an example of one thing you do that is transparently transformational and impacts positive revenue growth for local radio clients?
Loyd: Absolutely. Our industry has been closely tied to the auto industry for many decades. They're mobile - we're mobile. Well, I invite any radio market manager or sales manager to call up their local Toyota dealership and ask to take a tour of their service department. Go tour it. What you will likely find is a rich multi-million-dollar investment. Ask yourself why they would spend all that money. I'll tell you what you already know. That service department makes them millions of dollars. So, Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC) works with our clients to create with them the same kind of services for branding. An 'advertiser wowing department' that allows them to literally create a revenue generating profit center that works in alignment with their sellers without adding a large line-item expense. It's your creative dynamic service department that blows minds and allows your sellers to give advertisers and potential advertisers experiences they want to buy right now. RPC connects you to those resources and shows you how to make more money. But this is just one thing that we do that is different. You see, we're in this to expand our client's revenue growth - not create another line-item expense they worry about. And this access comes with our entire consultative service suite they get just by being a client.
Q: You talk often about your “four gifts.” How do those shape your work?
Loyd: I'm glad you asked this question. Encouragement helps teams rediscover belief and possibility. If your people can see it, they can accomplish it. If they can't. they are likely to fail. That won't help you grow revenue in a changing environment. Strategy identifies where a brand can win instead of dying in homogeny. You know exactly what this is: Everyone is the same and radio has become boring. Why would someone want to buy generic radio? Behavioral Insight focuses on how audiences and advertisers actually think — not outdated assumptions. The old days are over. And Momentum is about decisive action. Plans matter, but progress shows who you are. It is about bringing everything together for better performance, more revenue and higher profit.
Q: Many industry observers say radio risks becoming background noise. Your reaction?
Loyd: Of course! That happens when stations stop leading locally. This is an open secret in our industry and it's killing local radio brands right and left across the country. You know when it is happening. Listeners are not the only ones that sense that something is wrong – not strong. Strong brands make bold decisions, execute faster, and place a premium on connecting with their community identity. Momentum and local relevance go hand in hand. The less of it your stations have, the less your stations will matter until one day you will only wish you could hit a sales budget like you used to do. Now is the time to make a turn back away from what we've seen trend in radio since 1996. We're talking about using modern technology, including A.I. to make local radio more robust. Unplugging is death. Plugging in can power your future.
Q: What does success look like for your clients?
Loyd: I don't think you'll be surprised. Confidence returning to the building. Sharper brands. Revenue that reflects stronger market positioning and confident sellers that won’t be held back from exposing growth in revenue. They know what's going on. When teams align around a clear strategy and move forward together, local radio doesn’t just survive — it becomes competitive and meaningful again.
Q. Your team recently released what you called "Creative + A.I. = Mo Money." You even stated that your team was sharing "How To" when it comes to leveraging creativity and A.I. together to wow advertisers like never before. Is this on your podcast?
Loyd: Yes. We've been talking for some time about local radio's significant need to return to its' creative base or suffer some really sad times ahead. Imagination can be unstoppable. Radio used to take some risks and now it largely moves lock-in-step with other clusters and companies all across the US. Boring! We launched this special on The Encouragers™ The Radio Rally™ podcast (Apple, Audible, Spotify) so you can do something completely better than that right down to the commercial creative and explode your revenue. It's already on-demand. You can hear us spell it out right now on our website or on the podcast itself on your smartphone anytime, anywhere. Our current special is a force multiplier showing how anyone in any radio market can turn one or two voices into many while also exploding the creative options you can place in front of advertisers to win more of the local revenue pie because you suddenly have the capabilities of a fully staffed top-flight ad agency at your finger-tips.
And you can listen to the A.I. + Creativity podcast episode now.
By the way, A.I. isn't a button. Many will fail treating it like it is. Stupid in, stupid out. A.I. should be used to transform how advertisers and other buyers see your local business as an undeniable partner and light years ahead of anyone else in your market. To do that, you have to have creative people who can use the technology well. By the way, if you don't have the talent to learn this or if you think you'll get overwhelmed with all the A.I. technology, don't miss that we can make this entire creative agency show up for you on-demand. That's the power of now and the power of having a partnership with us.
Q. Thank you for your time and for answering these questions. We can't wait to get into the podcast.
Loyd: Thank you and you're welcome. We're looking forward to what is possible in the next era of local radio.
Brand + Relationship + Great Products + Consistent Problem-Solving = Higher Revenue
- Loyd Ford, Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC)
Loyd Ford is president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC). He is a resident in the creative and strategic worlds. You need both to thrive in the last half of the 2020s. A radio cluster is primarily a sales organization attached to content creativity, listener relationships and connection to the local community. The old days are the past. Our innovative consulting practice helps local radio align sales and programming right now, encourages both and helps you increase revenue and ratings. Reach Loyd directly anytime at 864.448.4169 or Ford@RainmakerPathway.com.
If you haven’t already subscribed to The Encouragers™ The Radio Rally™ podcast (Apple, Audible, Spotify), please consider this your invitation. Every single week we visit with a radio pro in the local radio business across the U.S. or Canada. We’ve launched almost 260+ episodes, including our quarterly free RADIO SALES EVENTS, designed to “encourage local radio sellers anywhere to increase their revenue THIS quarter (and their income) no matter where they are.”
Everyone needs revenue, but we ask clients to think about what happens when you yourself become growth in your market. Let us help you do that. 864.448.4169.
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Many consultants want to change who you are. That's not us. We listen, focus on your advantages (often hidden) and help you grow. We can start by producing a music log for you or helping you define your sales story. The next move is up to you. 864.448.4169 or Ford@RainmakePathway.com. All our conversations are highly confidential. That's part of winning, too.
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The Music Lab™
Talent Coaching Means More
Talent Coaching Means More
At RPC, we don't rely on opinion to determine music selection; we have a lab process for determining the correct music DNA for your station, your market.
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864.448.4169 - Ford@RainmakerPathway.com
Talent Coaching Means More
Talent Coaching Means More
Talent Coaching Means More
We don't reform your talent into our image; we meet your talent where they are and find out what makes them special; then we leverage that for higher ratings & revenue growth.
We Explain The Whys
Talent Coaching Means More
A Lot Of Consultants Share Opinion
We don't tell clients what to do; we work for you. And that means we love to explain the Whys of our strategy. This makes a world of difference for your talent and your sales team.
When is the last time you and your team has been encouraged too much?
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864.448.4169 - Ford@RainmakerPathway.com
A Lot Of Consultants Share Opinion
A Lot Of Consultants Share Opinion
A Lot Of Consultants Share Opinion
We don't deal in opinion. We are 'people first, process and strategy based in science next, encouragement and passionate execution to deliver compelling quality content and revenue impacting product.'
When Is The Battle Often Won?
A Lot Of Consultants Share Opinion
When Is The Battle Often Won?
Before the first shot is fired. We know that everyone makes mistakes. This is why we use a scientific approach to music, a design approach to the architecture of the station and an art approach to coaching talent.
What Is RPC All About?
A Lot Of Consultants Share Opinion
When Is The Battle Often Won?
It's not just being a better station than your competitor - it's about standing out, breaking out, fame development and making sure our clients have opportunity to build strong brands themselves. When advertisers see they are getting more value than the cost, they won't talk price. They say yes.
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