Stir the Pot
People who sell broadcast advertising are sometimes compared with other jobs. These two common comparisons are a detective and a chef. These examples help us understand the different skills and strategies needed to do well. And do well in our type of work. While both comparisons make sense, only one shows a clear and honest path to long-term success. Each metaphor offers a unique lens into the skills, strategies, and disciplines necessary. These are the tools needed to succeed in our demanding field. And both models have some merit. But only one provides a repeatable roadmap to sustainable, high-integrity success. I’ll let you guess where we are headed.
At first, comparing a media seller to a detective might seem to make sense. Detectives look for clues. They look for patterns and probabilities. They ask questions. If they follow our advice, it will be a series of questions to try to determine fit. And they attempt to put the pieces together. Media sellers often start with only a little information. They will find out a new business name or a rumor of something new. They begin to ask questions: Who is the business trying to reach? Why are they in the marketplace? Who is the competitor? What is the marketplace opportunity and where is the chance to gain market share? What is the current brand voice and what can be done to enhance that position?
Like detectives, good media sellers ask smart questions. They might say, "What goals are you trying to reach?" or "What kind of customers do you wish you had more of?" These questions help the seller understand what the client needs. Sherlock Holmes once said, "It is a mistake to guess before you have the facts." But detective-style selling can also be messy. Detectives often follow many leads. Not all of these leads go anywhere. Sellers who keep chasing new leads without a solid plan often feel overwhelmed. They may miss out on real opportunities. These are sellers who are more interested in fitting a narrative than taking the time to build real, client-focused solutions. They end up jumping from one client to another, without helping anyone. It is like a frog on a lily pad.
In our world, this happens a lot. Some media companies, both big and small pressure their sellers to meet sales goals fast. These sellers often use the same package for every client. When they meet resistance, they are quick to offer discounts. They care more about getting a sale than helping the client succeed. They chase leads like detectives chasing suspects. But they don't have a good plan to turn those leads into long-term success. The main interest is getting to closed. Their dopamine drip is pre-wired to trigger on the close, not on building the solution that impacts the customer. These detectives often see high turnover in their client lists, as they are not viewed as a resource. They are seen as exactly what they are, a seller interested only in solving their problem. Not one who is interested in solving the customer’s problem.
Matthew Dixon is a renowned expert in sales and the customer experience. He is best known for co-authoring influential books like The Challenger Sale and The JOLT Effect. He leverages data-driven strategies to help companies enhance customer engagement. Dixon's work has affected modern sales methodologies. He emphasizes innovative approaches to customer conversations. He says, “Challengers aren’t so much world-class investigators as they are world-class teachers." And so, the detective is not what we strive to be.
Now, let’s look at the chef comparison. A chef starts with a clear idea of the dish they want to make. They know what ingredients they need, what tools to use, and what the final result should look like. A smart media seller is like this, too. They plan with care. They use the right tools. And they focus on helping the client reach a clear goal. Julia Child once said, "No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing." The same is true in media sales. Sellers don’t just guess what might work. They learn by trying things, adjusting their plans, and improving. All this is done over time. Much like a chef picks ingredients on purpose, a good seller chooses the right mix of advertising. They are focused on getting results for the customer. The delivery of the external message could be a combination of commercials, online ads, and event sponsorships. It is all based on what the client needs.
Planning is key. Like a chef lays out ingredients before cooking, a media seller must do research before making a presentation. They learn about the business. They need to study that section of the market. They need to look at the current trends. Then build a plan that will actually work, based on the client’s needs. The utility of the offer is tied to getting the desired results. Consider a seller working with a group of local vet clinics. Instead of using a one-size-fits-all plan, the seller looks at the client's customers. They figure out what pet owners need at different times of year. They make a plan that includes long-form storytelling, reminder ads, and a social media contest for pet pictures and database building. Not only does this pull from a variety of media tools at their disposal. This multi-media offer has a higher-than-average probability of connecting with customers. This is what brings real results.
Unlike the detective who guesses and hopes, the chef has a clear plan and follows it. A chef knows when to stir the pot. He or she knows when to let things simmer. And they are well aware when the dish is ready. A media seller must also know when to build awareness and when to encourage action. They also must know when to adjust the message. The world’s most innovative chef is Ferran Adrià. He is the head chef of El Bulli in Spain, He once said, "Cooking is not difficult. Everyone has taste, even if they don't realize it." Clients may not know what makes an ad campaign work, but they know when it brings customers in. It's the seller's job to create that kind of success. Much like a chef makes a dish people enjoy.
Elizabeth Briggs is a chef and professor at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). She has over 25 years of experience. Briggs is known for her expertise in product knowledge and professional life skills. For the sake of this discussion, she is our expert. Because she is the expert, she knows when she is right and when she is improvising. As such, she is credited with the quote, "Chefs don't make mistakes; they make new dishes." This is the difference between the chef and the detective. The detective is supposed to be accurate within 99%. The chef has the creative license to improvise when necessary. They can use their best inner compass to create a new reality.
Good chefs also make changes when needed. They listen to feedback and adjust their recipes. Media sellers do the same. If the ad isn’t working, maybe the message needs to change. If people hear the ad but don’t respond, it may need a stronger offer. Sellers who keep checking and improving do better than those who forget about the client once the ad airs. Some sellers are reluctant to continue contact through the length of any advertising campaign. They are afraid of the report card. It could be because they know they didn’t sell what would work for the customer. The focus was only on what worked for the seller.
As a chef, you can advise the buyer on what makes sense from an external messaging perspective. This builds trust. Clients want to know that their account rep is paying attention. A chef doesn’t walk out of the kitchen once the food is served. And a great seller stays involved, making sure the ad keeps working and making changes when needed. This way of working also shows honesty. Chefs are proud of what they serve. They won’t send out food that they wouldn’t eat themselves. Great sellers feel the same way. They won’t sell something they don’t believe in. This is very different from high-pressure sellers who care more about fast deals than helping the customer.
Joe Girard is recognized as the world's best salesperson. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Why you ask? Because he sold over 13,000 cars between 1963 and 1978. And he did it one vehicle at a time, without fleet sales. Girard attributed his success to building personal relationships. He maintained consistent follow-up. And his ace in the hole was handwritten notes to customers. His book How to Sell Anything to Anybody remains a top resource for sales professionals worldwide. Girard thought of himself as more of a chef than a detective. While he may have been looking for clues, he was looking for the right recipe to get his customers behind the wheel of a car they loved. He needed only to find the right recipe.
Consider a seller working with a local home security company. Other companies are using scary ads. Instead of doing the same, we can make our ads focused on peace of mind and protecting families. We can use stories from real customers. We can have homeowners talk about their own experiences. We can position this around local news. With this strategy, sales can go up by 18%. The home security company can get better leads and stronger relationships with customers. This works because we made a plan based on what the client stood for. We thought like a chef. We balance the ingredients. We use timing, message, and emotion to get the best results. When comparing these two ways of selling, the choice is clear. The detective might have some good ideas, but the chef has a better plan. The detective runs from clue to clue, hoping something works. The chef knows what they want to create and how to make it happen.
Fitzhugh Dodson was an American clinical psychologist, educator, and author. He was renowned for his best-selling parenting books. You may have read 1970's How to Parent or 1974's How to Father. He advocated for a balanced approach to child-rearing. He emphasized both love and discipline. Dodson also founded the La Primera preschool in Torrance, California. He also taught at Cal State University, Long Beach. He said, “Without goals and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination." And that is the difference between the detective and the chef. The chef already has a goal in mind. The detective’s plan is augmented with regularity by the arrival of new clues. The chef has the final destination already in mind.
The chef's way is thoughtful, creative, and organized. It builds trust and gets real results. Sellers who work like chefs do better in the long run. Clients trust them more because they show up with a plan. They listen, carefully. And they keep working to get the best outcome. In a world full of rushed pitches and copy-paste ads, the chef stands out. Chef Thomas Keller once said, "A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe." That’s exactly what great media sellers do. They don’t only follow a list of steps. They bring care, creativity, and heart to every campaign.
In the end, selling isn’t about chasing every lead. It’s about building something that works and lasts. The detective might find problems, but the chef solves them. In radio and TV advertising, it’s the seller who thinks like a chef who wins. The detective always has another clue to follow. The chef has a winning recipe. Think like the chef. Design what will be the most effective solution. Get your input data and then use the chef’s path to get the most complete solution you can create. After all, as the chef, you are trusted with the outcome. As the detective, your solution may always be suspect. As a chef, you can stir the pot for the best outcome.
My new book, 21st Century Sales Success, is now available on Amazon. If you like what you have read, please consider ordering a copy or two. You can always send one to a friend. Order your copy here: https://bit.ly/21stCenturySalesPB