The CFO identified Filcro Media Staffing to conduct the search and subsequently introduced Tony Filson to the President of the Network.
This regional broadcaster received must-carry and with increased inventory and expanded penetration into DMA #1 they desired enhanced revenue from paid programming and direct response by attracting the proper DR, sponsorship, paid programming sales professional. Required would be extensive experience monetizing the number #1 DMA in the country and the surrounding markets in the New York Metropolitan area. With some penetration into Philadelphia and Boston markets this would require regional and national TV sales acumen.
The President and CFO also noted a need to upgrade their sales support and sales operation's functions in traffic, inventory and planning. The objective would be to identify and attract an executive with sales and sales operational experience to hone the Network's tactical functionality while formalizing sales operations to interface more effectively with advertising agencies and direct clients.
Universe Compilation - Industry and Sector Inclusion
National Cable TV Networks
Regional Cable TV Networks
Broadcast TV Networks - National, Regional, Local
OTA Station Groups - National, Regional, Local
Filcro Media Staffing is Retained
Filcro Media Staffing proceeded to determine the operational needs and sales budget goals of the network, across each broadcast platform. Satellite, OTA and MSO all offered varied modalities for efficacy toward the projected budget.
It became clear in a brief period of time that ideal environments to recruit from had a finite number of DR, Sponsorship or Paid Programming sales executives with the combination of strategic / tactical experience and the operational / sales skill sets we were seeking. In larger heavily layered broadcast environments we found myopic candidates for the most part without the front and back-office acumen. In many smaller broadcasters we encountered a lack of experience that would not allow the Peter Principle to become a factor in the near future. Continuity, stability and capacity were key characteristics to assuring that the executive would express longevity and grow into the sales infrastructure.
From an operational perspective with regard to traffic, planning and inventory there were a number of national and regional firms that offered clear benefits to the client. Properly mixing the sales and operational acumen was key to this search so we examined the sales operational infrastructure of the top competitors we wanted to recruit out of.
The client CFO opted to have their original “desired” recruitment universe amended to include operational skill sets for back-office functions as once Filcro Media Staffing was retained and presented a snapshot of the Networks competitors, the CFO opted to increase compensation to attract the ideal sales executive.
This greatly reduced the pool of candidates but quickly produced viable prospects by their capacity to meet or exceed budget and the operational responsibilities.
Some of Challenges Facing the Director of Paid Programming Sales
Expansion of New Markets
Developing Brand Awareness
New Business Development
Current Client Relationship Building
Educating Clients About the Network's Expanded Audience
Change Management
Traffic, Inventory, Planning and Ideation for OTA, MSO, Mobile and Satellite
Filcro Media Staffing’s Recruitment Solution
Filcro Media Staffing proceeded to identify "happily engaged" and “successful” paid programming and direct response TV sales executives with proven records of meeting or exceeding budgets within the client company's current demographic and the new expanded must-carry DMA’s. Subsequently, we recruited those identified and qualified them based on the mix of strategic and tactical characteristics, autonomy and sales / operational experience.
Our top three candidates recruited and attracted were all capable of working autonomously and focusing on generating income while building the firm's sales infrastructure. It was apparent however that the professional ecology of one candidate more closely resembled the ecology of the client company itself, and they were ultimately hired. Filcro Media Staffing attracted (3) qualified candidates with equal TV sales capacity, experience and acumen.
The CFO of the client TV Network had exceptional mentoring skills and he was clear from the onset as to the weighting of strategic and tactical skills that were most desired so he could mold this executive to facilitate the Network's long term plans into expanded national markets and contiguous DMA’s.
Successful Director Identified, Recruited and Attracted
A senior national account executive who also functioned as the lead media planner for one of the largest regional broadcasters in the United States. Her current budgets being met and sales operational acumen were everything the CFO and President of the client TV Network were seeking to monetize the Network's expanded markets.
She was responsible for paid programming sales and maximizing revenue for a highly regarded group of broadcast properties that were closely related to the client company's current and future programming objectives. Her capacity to sell inventory, create proposals and service accounts by interacting with outside agencies and internal traffic departments to ensure all schedules were booked correctly and run accordingly while researching and resolving invoice discrepancies with accounting was ideal.
From rates cards, RFP’s, ideation, media kits, programming information, developing and maintaining strong client relationships and managing budgets (in excess of the new Network's goals) while supervising junior staff members, the executive recruited by Filcro Media Staffing had the tactical and operational skills desired.
The new Director clearly was able to manage the day-to-day operations of the traffic department. This included overseeing the production of the program logs, supervising order entry for two networks and internally maintaining paid programming and direct response commercial inventory, balancing revenue in both Paradigm and Dealmaker and generating monthly billing batches for two TV Networks.
It was Filcro Media Staffing’s opinion that this executive's strength came from learning the business from the ground up. Tony Filson’s ability to attract her was based partly on the fact that she was not identified by her company as the asset she was. Here was a clear case of under utilized high-potential talent that was not allowed to grow or be recognized in her current environment.
The cultural fit in the new TV Network was correct and the President & CEO admired and complimented her soft and hard skills after the first interview.
The executive's transition over to the new TV Network went very well and the CFO played a key role in acclimating this paid programming executive in the proper manner. She has proven to be highly productive in every area desired by the Network
