NAB Communication & Client Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A local car dealership asks you to create an ad campaign but wants to approve every script revision before production. What is the best practice for managing this approval workflow?
- Proceed without approvals to save time
- Establish written sign-off checkpoints at each production milestone (Correct answer)
- Verbally confirm approvals over the phone
- Submit only the final version for approval
Correct answer: Establish written sign-off checkpoints at each production milestone
Written sign-off checkpoints at each milestone protect both the station and client and prevent costly rework late in production.
Question 2: A client complains that their radio spot is not generating enough foot traffic. What should an account executive do first?
- Immediately offer a make-good or free spots
- Review the campaign's targeting, scheduling, and creative to identify gaps (Correct answer)
- Blame the client's product or pricing
- Recommend switching to a different medium entirely
Correct answer: Review the campaign's targeting, scheduling, and creative to identify gaps
Conducting a thorough campaign review identifies whether the issue is scheduling, creative, audience mismatch, or other factors before making commitments.
Question 3: When presenting a media proposal to a new client, which element is most critical to include to demonstrate understanding of their business?
- Station ratings data
- Competitive conquesting information
- A situational analysis of the client's market position and goals (Correct answer)
- A list of all available dayparts
Correct answer: A situational analysis of the client's market position and goals
A situational analysis shows the client you understand their specific business challenges, building trust and credibility.
Question 4: An advertiser requests a last-minute schedule change that conflicts with a previously sold position. How should the account executive handle this?
- Override the existing client's position without notice
- Inform both clients transparently and find a mutually workable solution (Correct answer)
- Deny the request outright with no explanation
- Promise the position to the new client and deal with the conflict later
Correct answer: Inform both clients transparently and find a mutually workable solution
Transparent communication with both parties maintains trust and upholds ethical sales practices.
Question 5: Which communication style is most effective when an account executive needs to deliver bad news, such as a rate increase, to a long-term client?
- Send an email to avoid confrontation
- Call the client and focus only on the increase amount
- Schedule a face-to-face meeting and lead with the value delivered before discussing the change (Correct answer)
- Wait until the client notices the change on their invoice
Correct answer: Schedule a face-to-face meeting and lead with the value delivered before discussing the change
Proactive, in-person communication that frames value before discussing the change preserves the relationship and demonstrates respect.
Question 6: A client wants to run an ad that makes an unsubstantiated claim that a competitor's product is dangerous. What should the account executive do?
- Run the ad since the client is paying for the airtime
- Advise the client that the station cannot run claims that could expose it to legal liability (Correct answer)
- Edit the ad without informing the client
- Escalate to the FCC directly
Correct answer: Advise the client that the station cannot run claims that could expose it to legal liability
Stations can be held liable for defamatory or false advertising content and must advise clients when copy crosses legal or ethical lines.
Question 7: What does a needs analysis accomplish during the client development process?
- It determines the client's total advertising budget for all media
- It identifies the client's business challenges, goals, and target audience to tailor effective solutions (Correct answer)
- It evaluates the station's available inventory
- It calculates the cost-per-point for the proposed buy
Correct answer: It identifies the client's business challenges, goals, and target audience to tailor effective solutions
A needs analysis uncovers the client's specific objectives, enabling the account executive to propose solutions that directly address their goals.
NAB Communication & Client Relations 2
A local car dealership asks you to create an ad campaign but wants to approve every script revision before production.
What is the best practice for managing this approval workflow?