NAB Communication & Client Relations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A retail client says their competitor is advertising on a rival station at a much lower rate. How should an account executive respond?
- Match the competitor's rate immediately
- Explain your station's unique value proposition and how it delivers better ROI for their target audience (Correct answer)
- Acknowledge you cannot compete and suggest they advertise on the rival station
- Discount heavily without discussing value
Correct answer: Explain your station's unique value proposition and how it delivers better ROI for their target audience
Defending rate with a clear value proposition tied to audience quality and ROI is more sustainable than competing solely on price.
Question 2: During a client meeting, you notice the decision-maker frequently checks their watch. What is the most appropriate response?
- Continue your full presentation without adjustment
- Ask if they have time constraints and offer to schedule a follow-up for remaining details (Correct answer)
- End the meeting immediately
- Speak faster to cover all material
Correct answer: Ask if they have time constraints and offer to schedule a follow-up for remaining details
Acknowledging time constraints demonstrates respect for the client and keeps the relationship positive even if the full presentation is deferred.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a post-campaign analysis report shared with a client?
- To justify the rate charged for the campaign
- To demonstrate results achieved, build trust, and lay groundwork for renewal or upsell (Correct answer)
- To document station compliance with FCC rules
- To compare the client's spend with competitors
Correct answer: To demonstrate results achieved, build trust, and lay groundwork for renewal or upsell
Post-campaign reports validate the investment, strengthen the client relationship, and create natural openings for continued business.
Question 4: A new advertiser unfamiliar with broadcasting asks how radio ratings work. Which response best serves the client relationship?
- Avoid the topic to prevent confusion
- Explain that ratings measure the estimated audience size during specific dayparts and how that translates to their ad reach (Correct answer)
- Tell them ratings don't matter for local businesses
- Send them a link to the Nielsen website without further explanation
Correct answer: Explain that ratings measure the estimated audience size during specific dayparts and how that translates to their ad reach
Educating clients about how ratings work builds credibility and helps them understand the value of the station's audience data.
Question 5: When a client's campaign is underperforming against agreed-upon metrics, what is the ethical obligation of the account executive?
- Wait until the campaign ends before addressing performance
- Proactively inform the client and propose corrective actions mid-campaign (Correct answer)
- Shift blame to the creative agency
- Report only the positive metrics in the recap
Correct answer: Proactively inform the client and propose corrective actions mid-campaign
Proactive transparency about underperformance, with proposed solutions, is an ethical obligation that protects the long-term relationship.
Question 6: Which questioning technique is most effective for uncovering a prospective client's unstated needs?
- Closed-ended questions that confirm assumed facts
- Leading questions that suggest the desired answer
- Open-ended questions that invite the client to describe their business situation and goals (Correct answer)
- Multiple-choice questions presented in a printed survey
Correct answer: Open-ended questions that invite the client to describe their business situation and goals
Open-ended questions encourage clients to share more detail, revealing needs they might not have articulated on their own.
Question 7: A client insists on an ad schedule that the account executive believes will not achieve their stated goals. What is the best course of action?
- Execute the schedule without comment to avoid conflict
- Document your professional recommendation in writing, present it clearly, and then respect the client's final decision (Correct answer)
- Refuse to take the order
- Secretly modify the schedule to what you think is best
Correct answer: Document your professional recommendation in writing, present it clearly, and then respect the client's final decision
Documenting and communicating your professional recommendation protects you and the client while still respecting their autonomy as the decision-maker.
NAB Communication & Client Relations 3
A retail client says their competitor is advertising on a rival station at a much lower rate.
How should an account executive respond?