In the 6th century, Lao Tsu an older contemporary of Confucius, once said; Teaching without words and work without doing are understood by very few. When actions are performed without unnecessary speech, people say “we did it”!
Case in point, Americans invented the automobile, television and stereo but the Japanese made it better. A Japanese company, Sony invented the walkman but Apple made it better with the IPod. You can actually debate that the personal computer, created in the USA, was made better by the Japanese and enhanced by Apple applying a very old concept to a new business model. Here are the two key principles to that concept which are the foundation of their success, the Golden Rule and Moore’s law.
Just in case, you’ve never heard of these two, the “Golden Rule” is that which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." (Talmud, Shabbat 31a) (Also see Matthew 7:12 in the KJV bible)
Moore's law describes a long-term trend in the history of computing hardware, in which the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years.[1] It is often incorrectly quoted as a doubling of transistors every 18 months, as David House, an Intel Executive, gave that period to chip performance increase. The actual period was about 20 months.[2]
The capabilities of many digital electronic devices are strongly linked to Moore's law: processing speed, memory capacity, sensors and even the number and size of pixels in digital cameras.[3] All of these are improving at (roughly) exponential rates as well.[4] This has dramatically increased the usefulness of digital electronics in nearly every segment of the world economy. In other words, every 18 to20 months your hardware needs to be upgraded to meet the ever changing purpose your computing needs and internet marketing landscape.
You are penny wise and pound foolish if you think you can steal your way to the top in this new age of technology, new innovations are moving at a record pace. The internet has leveled the playing field and only those with the “Golden Ideas” now make the rules!
Back to the Apple Business model, it isn’t about the Iphone or Ipad hardware it’s the applications. The genius of Steve Jobs is I will give you the platform and the lion share of the profits, a 60/40 deal, on whatever your concepts or apps generate.
This “new deal” spread like wildfire, every 13 year old geek and their older counterparts went in to mass innovation mode. At last count over 300,000 apps are available for download. So powerful is this free enterprise concept or as I like to call it “reality technology” that Samsung, Nokia and a trio of other phone giants are teaming up to open their own apps store. Pundits believe a day late and a dollar short and you know why? Apple owns the top of the mind awareness in this process. Being first does have its benefits and to be honest, the thought process of big business has always been to steal the idea and bury it or let them take me to court for using it. The virus works both ways, news of a robbery is always told to their neighbor watch group, so that everyone can be on the lookout for thieves.
Since Apple’s business model beat the Japanese at their own game of innovation with American ingenuity. What does all this mean for Radio? How does this concept enhance Radio’s multi-level platform game plan? Well how important to you is getting credit for the company’s success or can you accept “we did it”?
To know all things is not permitted. Time after time in these blogs I’ve stressed “intellectual capital”. After all if three years ago, your consultant did not tell you the importance of marketing your station’s product on the internet and mobile phone outlets, your reliance on this one source( instead of a think tank) is like Samsung and Nokia, you’re in a butt kicking contest with one leg. Look you can be a piece of coal and fuel someone else’s fire or you can take the pressure become a diamond and no one will ever burn you! On that note:
Pop Quiz
1. If I was 15 years old in 1990 what is the Music of my life? What does all this mean for Radio? (see January Blog)
2. Verizon recently added Skype technology as a feature for its high end products. Is this a radio station revenue generator? (see January Blog)
3. What is Intellectual capital? (see February blog)
4. Is there a way to cash in on the All Christmas format without haven’t to play only Christmas music (see July Blog)
5. How can I get network radio to be more effective for my station (see October blog)
6. When did you create an App for your radio station product (see all blogs from august to February and my website www.broadcastevangelist.com) click intro then read now.
7. Have you ever asked your staff about your on-air approach? (see July blog)
8. In this financial crisis where is Radio’s silver lining? (see October blog)
9. What’s the next big thing? Japanese teenage girls are the tea leaves and virtually always a good indicator. (www.broadcastevangelist.com) click Phase 3 then follow with this Wall street feature article http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303491304575187841124033272.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_smallbusiness
10. How is your team working? When orders are consistently trustworthy and observed, the relationship of a commander with his troops is satisfactory – Sun Tzu
In closing, again I’ve given away even more intellectual capital in hopes of stirring a greater passion among industry leaders that unless you kick it up notch every 18 to 20 months another world player will. It’s global with an international rate card. However, teaching without words and work without doing are understood by very few. When actions are performed without unnecessary speech, people say “we did it”. Knowing ignorance is strength. Ignoring knowledge is sickness. As my granddad used to always say “A heap see but a few know”!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
THE TEACHER DOESN'T TALK DURING THE TEST
I believe it was the great Winston Churchill who said “I always enjoy learning though I don’t always like being taught”! Certainly for the past several years, businesses of all kinds have learned a valuable lesson, the status quo just won’t work anymore! Regardless of how powerful or big your business is or used to be, this subject keeps being repeated either innovate or become obsolete. This is a test!
Arbitron heard the teacher and launched the “Portable People Meters”, more affectionately known as PPM. After fielding numerous complaints from irate advertisers that their audience measurement data no longer created the desired response results.
As I remember, the two day long workshop they conducted at ABC Radio Networks, during the Philadelphia testing phase of the PPM product. Their new measurement findings, now impressed their ad clientele and that in their eyes, they finally began to mirror the true audience response. So much so that Arbitron’s new PPM could actually give you the times when a listener left your station to watch a specific television show which was almost always tied to the cultural background of the respondent. Many irate broadcasters harbor ill-feelings about PPM’s methodology however this is the new audience measurement standard. Since this is how the game will be played, what are you doing to enhance your position in the new marketplace? Remember this is a test of perseverance.
We are working in some very interesting times where to be or not to be is not only the question but the stark reality of this economic black hole. For instance here’s a common dilemma; when sales are down what is usually a retailer’s course of action? Slash radio out of the advertising budget. Your sales team will argue “you need radio to drive customers to the store”, right? Yet when sales are down in radio what is usually management’s course of action? Slash the research and promotions budget; was this subject part of the core curriculum? This is what’s called a knee jerk test, isn’t it!?!
What else should a student expect to be on the mid-term exam? Well the basics in Retail for starters. Principle number one is: Location, location, location! Where are you on the internet, mobile phone devices and texting applications? Clear Channel’s Senior VP for Digital Sales Michael Jackel says their sales product grew 28 % from last year. How audience interactive is your plan? ESPN360.com site is adding features to expand distribution of its TV sports product online? Here’s how it works, ESPN360 is a subscription website offering live video of a wide array of sports. It doesn’t require a separate fee; rather it comes bundled with the internet service from a participating provider such as Verizon Communications Inc. Distributors pay ESPN for it based on their number of subscribers, similar to the way they pay to carry ad supported cable TV networks. Did you notice that even CBS TV Late Night show host David Letterman has added web concerts immediately after his television show, Superstar Mary J. Blige performed tonight online. Could radio use this model for high school sports or podcasts?
Do you have a fan page on Facebook, Twitter account or an iphone app. Forget singing about the woes of PPM, if actor Ashton Kushner can touch a million fans with the click of his social networking mouse on Twitter, how much more can you impact your bottom line with a loyal web based audience as an added non-traditional advantage.
Principle number two the Teacher says “read between the lines”! How well do you know your audience? What products do they use? Radio is no longer just information and entertainment, it’s a lifestyle! Hip hop sells jeans, Ford F-150 trucks are country music and classic hits are inspiring you to buy office supplies and coffee. Even the Beatles along with dozens of other rock bands have already generated a billion dollars last year in sales with interactive video games. This is a lifestyle test, about your clientele.
Certainly the current budgetary constraints can present quite a few challenges but is it possible to marry line items like promotions and research into one cost center? Here’s an idea along those lines for the 18 to 34 demographic radio outlets. Make a trade or barter with one of the online music download sites like iTunes. Use your website to link them to the “barter partner” and giveaway to every listener who would like to have their favorite song downloaded for free (you can set whatever limits to make this work). The cue to download from your website link is triggered with on the air mentions and mass texting/e-mail vehicles at specific times and durations (once per computer or mobile device). Then get the list of the compiled music downloaded by your audience from your “barter partner” to upgrade the rotation playlist. Here’s the key point; the accuracy of testing will improve dramatically when you can survey without the listener knowing that their being tested.
Principle number three: “home is where the heart is”! Traffic is not engineering, programming sometimes doesn’t understand what takes place in sales, promotions has no clue about accounting except when they’re over budget and management may not be very motivational. You can’t be an expert on all things! Who can ask questions without the fear of losing their job? How much intellectual capital do you have in your office or company? The new CBS reality series where the Boss works on the frontline with the employees gave top management valuable insight on how to increase business. Your staff may know things you couldn’t possibly think of to help you become more profitable because they can see what you can’t. If your staff is not that important to you remember this “the cruelest lies are often told in silence”.
The teacher doesn’t talk during the test but the good news is it’s always an open book test!
Arbitron heard the teacher and launched the “Portable People Meters”, more affectionately known as PPM. After fielding numerous complaints from irate advertisers that their audience measurement data no longer created the desired response results.
As I remember, the two day long workshop they conducted at ABC Radio Networks, during the Philadelphia testing phase of the PPM product. Their new measurement findings, now impressed their ad clientele and that in their eyes, they finally began to mirror the true audience response. So much so that Arbitron’s new PPM could actually give you the times when a listener left your station to watch a specific television show which was almost always tied to the cultural background of the respondent. Many irate broadcasters harbor ill-feelings about PPM’s methodology however this is the new audience measurement standard. Since this is how the game will be played, what are you doing to enhance your position in the new marketplace? Remember this is a test of perseverance.
We are working in some very interesting times where to be or not to be is not only the question but the stark reality of this economic black hole. For instance here’s a common dilemma; when sales are down what is usually a retailer’s course of action? Slash radio out of the advertising budget. Your sales team will argue “you need radio to drive customers to the store”, right? Yet when sales are down in radio what is usually management’s course of action? Slash the research and promotions budget; was this subject part of the core curriculum? This is what’s called a knee jerk test, isn’t it!?!
What else should a student expect to be on the mid-term exam? Well the basics in Retail for starters. Principle number one is: Location, location, location! Where are you on the internet, mobile phone devices and texting applications? Clear Channel’s Senior VP for Digital Sales Michael Jackel says their sales product grew 28 % from last year. How audience interactive is your plan? ESPN360.com site is adding features to expand distribution of its TV sports product online? Here’s how it works, ESPN360 is a subscription website offering live video of a wide array of sports. It doesn’t require a separate fee; rather it comes bundled with the internet service from a participating provider such as Verizon Communications Inc. Distributors pay ESPN for it based on their number of subscribers, similar to the way they pay to carry ad supported cable TV networks. Did you notice that even CBS TV Late Night show host David Letterman has added web concerts immediately after his television show, Superstar Mary J. Blige performed tonight online. Could radio use this model for high school sports or podcasts?
Do you have a fan page on Facebook, Twitter account or an iphone app. Forget singing about the woes of PPM, if actor Ashton Kushner can touch a million fans with the click of his social networking mouse on Twitter, how much more can you impact your bottom line with a loyal web based audience as an added non-traditional advantage.
Principle number two the Teacher says “read between the lines”! How well do you know your audience? What products do they use? Radio is no longer just information and entertainment, it’s a lifestyle! Hip hop sells jeans, Ford F-150 trucks are country music and classic hits are inspiring you to buy office supplies and coffee. Even the Beatles along with dozens of other rock bands have already generated a billion dollars last year in sales with interactive video games. This is a lifestyle test, about your clientele.
Certainly the current budgetary constraints can present quite a few challenges but is it possible to marry line items like promotions and research into one cost center? Here’s an idea along those lines for the 18 to 34 demographic radio outlets. Make a trade or barter with one of the online music download sites like iTunes. Use your website to link them to the “barter partner” and giveaway to every listener who would like to have their favorite song downloaded for free (you can set whatever limits to make this work). The cue to download from your website link is triggered with on the air mentions and mass texting/e-mail vehicles at specific times and durations (once per computer or mobile device). Then get the list of the compiled music downloaded by your audience from your “barter partner” to upgrade the rotation playlist. Here’s the key point; the accuracy of testing will improve dramatically when you can survey without the listener knowing that their being tested.
Principle number three: “home is where the heart is”! Traffic is not engineering, programming sometimes doesn’t understand what takes place in sales, promotions has no clue about accounting except when they’re over budget and management may not be very motivational. You can’t be an expert on all things! Who can ask questions without the fear of losing their job? How much intellectual capital do you have in your office or company? The new CBS reality series where the Boss works on the frontline with the employees gave top management valuable insight on how to increase business. Your staff may know things you couldn’t possibly think of to help you become more profitable because they can see what you can’t. If your staff is not that important to you remember this “the cruelest lies are often told in silence”.
The teacher doesn’t talk during the test but the good news is it’s always an open book test!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New Year's Resolutions for Radio
“May old acquaintance be forgot” as we enter a new decade and era for the radio medium. Time and technology with the advent of the internet has made every industry re-invent itself. So I decided to look in the crystal ball to predict what is on the horizon for the next decade. After reading this article I suggest you revisit your strategy for the New Year. Ask yourself; is what I’m doing now going to grow my business, my audience and my advertiser base in the next ten years? What makes me better than the competition and who really is my competition now? How do I extend my reach both physically and economically?
These are but a few questions and comments to challenge your thinking on the current broadcast business model. Unless you are willing to think out of the box and implement some new innovations this blog will simply be another one of those entertaining beginning of the year features that will find you resting on your good intentions!
Having said that lets begin:
Prediction number 1 – Radio will have to go global in order to survive. Its reach must attract a sizeable global audience in order to get advertising dollars. Market share according to Arbitron radio listening in every major market has shrunk drastically in the past two decades. So the medium will have to find new audiences in order to demand sufficient international ad rates. Thus where will the new audience come from? Answer: a multi-tiered technological marketing effort which includes online, telecommunication and terrestrial broadcasting models for the world. How is your online presence viewed? What phone texting ideas have you incorporated into your station’s marketing plan and does it include a social network component? This isn’t the only industry that understands there is already a new world order. American Airlines has set up its “one world alliance” in order to survive. The movie industry has begun giving world box office figures since they are not making movies for just the American public anymore. And to really bring home this argument, the most aggressive and so far innovative broadcaster to date doesn’t live here, it is Australian Rupert Murdoch.
Prediction number 2 – AM radio as we know it will die. FM will become the dominant home for news formats. But not in its current 70’s news weather and sports form, the 18 to 34 audience has always been different. Which explains why earlier attempts of news on FM have failed, they didn’t fully understand how the FM audience uses radio. For instance, the most popular stop today for 18 to 34 year olds news currently on the worldwide web is www.tmz.com and the most trusted newscaster is the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I know what you’re thinking “that ain’t news”. I’m just the broadcast evangelist bringing you the message, what an audience accepts as news you can use is not for me to judge but to deliver! How will the audience in the next 10 years use your medium? The AM radio obituary has been written, unless they can create a reason for audiences to leave the FM radio band. After all baby boomers are the last dual band generation who can relate to AM radio’s purpose.
Prediction number 3 – Everything you need to do business is in the palm of your hand. The personal computer will just be a mere docking station for your iphone, blackberry and palm pilot. Did you notice that Sirus / XM have already introduced a 120 dollar dock that essentially turns iphones into satellite radios. Ford Motor Company will introduce in 2011 a car that will include internet access on the dashboard. In the words my granddad “a heap see but a few know”.
Prediction number 4 – Music and movies will almost only be available online as a download file. DVD’s and CD’s will end up like 8 track tapes and cassettes, collector items. You can thank Netflicks, ITunes and Red Box for leading the innovative charge on this one.
Predicition number 5 – The most popular format on radio for the next 10 years will be the 90’s Hip hop retro. Much like the Rock and Roll era of the 50’s, the music of the 90’s is the only era in which artists actually captured lighting in a bottle. What I mean is regardless of the cultural background the youth of that time all loved the same music. When Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Sam Cooke in essence are Michael Jackson, Tupac, Public Enemy and Queen Latifah which is why hip hop is corporate now. It made TV stars out of Ice Tea and LLCool J Dr. Dre is a pitch man for Dr Pepper and P Diddy Combs aka Sean John is a mainstream fashion mogul. The Vatican has just launched a new website which features songs that reflect their philosophy and Tupac was one of the songs selected. Does the Catholic Church know something you don’t Mr. and Mrs. Broadcaster? Here’s the article from cnn.com; Music from late rapper Tupac Shakur has been included as part of the Vatican's official MySpace Music playlist.
The seat of the Catholic Church released a list of 12 songs onto the social networking Web site's streaming music service this week when the site launched in the United Kingdom.
Among selections from Mozart, Muse and Dame Shirley Bassey is the slain rapper's song "Changes," which was released two years after his shooting death on a greatest hits album in 1998.
"The genres are very different from each other, but all these artists share the aim to reach the heart of good minded people," the Vatican wrote on its official MySpace Music page.
As of Thursday night, "Changes" had been played more than 4.6 million times on the Web site.
Predication number 6 – Skype video conferencing products will be as common as your home phone.
Prediction number 7 – OMG, LOL, UG2BK, DEGT and its other texting short hand abbreviations will introduced as words in Webster’s Dictionary. Texting is a real staple for the 18 to 34 and now older demos yet radio have yet to tap into its mindset. Until those who are the so-called visionaries for this medium figure out how to effectively reach this new tech savvy audience. You will miss becoming the real media game changer or in texting terms WOMBAT (waste of money, brains and time).
In closing, there is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy. Change your thoughts and you can change your world!
"Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief, when from thee I am gone;will not thy presence yield relief, to this sad Heart of mine:Why doth thy presence me defeat, with excellence divine?Especially when I reflect on Auld lang syne".
These are but a few questions and comments to challenge your thinking on the current broadcast business model. Unless you are willing to think out of the box and implement some new innovations this blog will simply be another one of those entertaining beginning of the year features that will find you resting on your good intentions!
Having said that lets begin:
Prediction number 1 – Radio will have to go global in order to survive. Its reach must attract a sizeable global audience in order to get advertising dollars. Market share according to Arbitron radio listening in every major market has shrunk drastically in the past two decades. So the medium will have to find new audiences in order to demand sufficient international ad rates. Thus where will the new audience come from? Answer: a multi-tiered technological marketing effort which includes online, telecommunication and terrestrial broadcasting models for the world. How is your online presence viewed? What phone texting ideas have you incorporated into your station’s marketing plan and does it include a social network component? This isn’t the only industry that understands there is already a new world order. American Airlines has set up its “one world alliance” in order to survive. The movie industry has begun giving world box office figures since they are not making movies for just the American public anymore. And to really bring home this argument, the most aggressive and so far innovative broadcaster to date doesn’t live here, it is Australian Rupert Murdoch.
Prediction number 2 – AM radio as we know it will die. FM will become the dominant home for news formats. But not in its current 70’s news weather and sports form, the 18 to 34 audience has always been different. Which explains why earlier attempts of news on FM have failed, they didn’t fully understand how the FM audience uses radio. For instance, the most popular stop today for 18 to 34 year olds news currently on the worldwide web is www.tmz.com and the most trusted newscaster is the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I know what you’re thinking “that ain’t news”. I’m just the broadcast evangelist bringing you the message, what an audience accepts as news you can use is not for me to judge but to deliver! How will the audience in the next 10 years use your medium? The AM radio obituary has been written, unless they can create a reason for audiences to leave the FM radio band. After all baby boomers are the last dual band generation who can relate to AM radio’s purpose.
Prediction number 3 – Everything you need to do business is in the palm of your hand. The personal computer will just be a mere docking station for your iphone, blackberry and palm pilot. Did you notice that Sirus / XM have already introduced a 120 dollar dock that essentially turns iphones into satellite radios. Ford Motor Company will introduce in 2011 a car that will include internet access on the dashboard. In the words my granddad “a heap see but a few know”.
Prediction number 4 – Music and movies will almost only be available online as a download file. DVD’s and CD’s will end up like 8 track tapes and cassettes, collector items. You can thank Netflicks, ITunes and Red Box for leading the innovative charge on this one.
Predicition number 5 – The most popular format on radio for the next 10 years will be the 90’s Hip hop retro. Much like the Rock and Roll era of the 50’s, the music of the 90’s is the only era in which artists actually captured lighting in a bottle. What I mean is regardless of the cultural background the youth of that time all loved the same music. When Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Sam Cooke in essence are Michael Jackson, Tupac, Public Enemy and Queen Latifah which is why hip hop is corporate now. It made TV stars out of Ice Tea and LLCool J Dr. Dre is a pitch man for Dr Pepper and P Diddy Combs aka Sean John is a mainstream fashion mogul. The Vatican has just launched a new website which features songs that reflect their philosophy and Tupac was one of the songs selected. Does the Catholic Church know something you don’t Mr. and Mrs. Broadcaster? Here’s the article from cnn.com; Music from late rapper Tupac Shakur has been included as part of the Vatican's official MySpace Music playlist.
The seat of the Catholic Church released a list of 12 songs onto the social networking Web site's streaming music service this week when the site launched in the United Kingdom.
Among selections from Mozart, Muse and Dame Shirley Bassey is the slain rapper's song "Changes," which was released two years after his shooting death on a greatest hits album in 1998.
"The genres are very different from each other, but all these artists share the aim to reach the heart of good minded people," the Vatican wrote on its official MySpace Music page.
As of Thursday night, "Changes" had been played more than 4.6 million times on the Web site.
Predication number 6 – Skype video conferencing products will be as common as your home phone.
Prediction number 7 – OMG, LOL, UG2BK, DEGT and its other texting short hand abbreviations will introduced as words in Webster’s Dictionary. Texting is a real staple for the 18 to 34 and now older demos yet radio have yet to tap into its mindset. Until those who are the so-called visionaries for this medium figure out how to effectively reach this new tech savvy audience. You will miss becoming the real media game changer or in texting terms WOMBAT (waste of money, brains and time).
In closing, there is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy. Change your thoughts and you can change your world!
"Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief, when from thee I am gone;will not thy presence yield relief, to this sad Heart of mine:Why doth thy presence me defeat, with excellence divine?Especially when I reflect on Auld lang syne".
Saturday, December 12, 2009
I Got The Promotion
Noted Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, author Marshall McLuhan once posed a question during a seminar I attended which I will share with you. What is the definition of “read”? After a cornucopia of interesting but wrong answers he gave a hint. “Don’t explain read by using read and don’t tell me about the action of the word, tell me its meaning.
After 10 more minutes of suspense he gave the most unusual definition. He said the definition of the word “read” means “to guess”. How else can you explain how three people can read a sentence, for instance like “I got the promotion” and come up with three different interpretations. So based on your background, language, perceptions and experiences about what you know you “guess” at what the author is trying to convey.
Which leads me back to “I got the promotion”; some who will “read” this sentence envisioned job advancement or a contest idea. If so, bad “guess” since that perception missed the point I was trying to convey. Here’s why, last week while on my daily shopping trip to Whole Foods Market, a local Subaru dealer was test driving cars in front of the store. As I was about to pass and decline their offer, the lovely sales representative said “Take a test drive and we’ll give you a twenty (20) dollar Whole Foods gift card that you could use right now”.
Well that got me to drive one and as I watched for the next hour, 85 percent of those they approached made the same choice. I later found out that the Whole Foods and Subaru partnered in this effort. According to the salesperson because both companies core customer base was earth friendly and health conscious. So they took the product to where their core customers are. Interesting!?! When I shared the experience with another friend he asked “how many cars do you think they sold”? He’s a bean counter so the bottom line was his focus however he missed the wisdom of the promotion. After all if you had 100 people commit to the test drive and 3 question survey afterwards (now you’re in their database). The cost would be two (2000) thousand dollars worth of Whole Food gift cards for this promotion. If you didn’t sell a car was it worth it?
I can’t tell if they made a single sale but Subaru wasn’t among the top 10 cars I would have chosen before the test drive and it is now! McLuhan was right, the message is the medium. The Subaru mindset must have been don’t add discounts or drop the price, it might hurt the perception of their product when the car market finally rebounds and someday it will. This promotion made new customer in-roads and probably grew their market share. By the way, the profit from one car sale would’ve paid for this promotion. The perception of (car) quality remained high because you believe you’re getting more than your money’s worth. I don’t believe the twenty dollars alone would not have created this high (85%) test drive percentage but with the value added Whole Foods gift card it was instant gratification. Thus planting seeds of a new top of the mind awareness with potential customers and generating positive word of mouth advertising.
You may have noticed more of corporate America’s dollars you trying new creative ways to grow their customer base. Target teamed up with Facebook and Twitter to setup a fan page. Their fans the week before “black Friday” had an opportunity to get the first crack on sell merchandise at drastic discounts. The local ABC television affiliate profiled one mother who got a seventy (75%) percent fan discount on her Christmas gifts from Target. Starbucks fans can send their Facebook friends a free drink. One small mom and pop food stop Quesa-d-ya’s used a Facebook promotion to celebrate their first year in business. For one day they sold their small Quesada valued at 7 bucks for one dollar. One of my Facebook friends talked me into checking this one out and I’m glad I did. I bought two they we’re the size of a very large pizza for two bucks. To be honest I expected the McDonald dollar meal size but I was pleasantly surprised. The owner told me about 300 people stopped in because of his Facebook promotion. He continued that” the profit margin was low with such a large turnout”. Next year, he’ll sell them for 2 dollars and if he gets the same result would clean up. So I had to ask if he ever tried using radio. He ran a small commercial schedule with a free lunch promotion with the top rated radio outlet in the market and got nothing. Why?
Once again to refer to McLuhan the medium is the message. Radio in not known for instant gratification and the Internet is! In this world of shorter attention spans and microwave meals, how fast can I get, my prize, my request, my discount and my satisfaction?
Many 18 to 34 listeners have chosen Internet radio as their first choice for music. Web radio outlets like Pandora, is like having your own personal radio station. This music website inputs your vitals on a music database. Then the taste test software plays your request and immediately suggests new songs that fit your profile. Pandora can really offer more for less ad time at only a fraction of the cost on digital streams of regular radio stations. And they can command higher prices for their product according to Media Spot Inc. Here’s a shocker Media Spot Inc did research for a client who wanted to target the Los Angeles listeners of Pandora. They got the return of investment response they wanted and paid twenty (20%) percent more than buying regular terrestrial LA radio. Pandora for the first three months of this year could barely eke out a profit. However CFO Tim Westergren expects they will close out the year with revenue of about forty (40) million dollars on the bottom line.
More than 42 million each week listen to radio online, that’s more than double the rate from five years ago according to Edison Research and Arbitron Inc. Borrell Associates research says radio gets an estimated 2.4% of its revenue online while TV gets 3.4% and newspapers 7%. Radio has got to improve in this area before the window closes. The good news is that terrestrial radio is still the revenue king. Buyers still say their clients don’t attach much value to the additional information available from Internet streams although that’s changing.
One more promotion comparison, this week McDonald with its hip hop marketing strategy announced a dramatic drop in revenue, even after introducing the dollar meal and the seemingly on-going “Monopoly game”. While on the other side of the counter, family oriented Chick-fil-a with its on-going cows for chicken campaign posted profits that hit the 3 billion dollar mark for the first time in the company’s history in a bad economy. What makes Chick-fil-a plan work? Huge community involvement! They are at every parade giving away free drinks whether you purchase or not. They’re active in the church community providing meals for seminars and workshops. During the beginning of this year they gave away free language programs for Spanish, French and Chinese, no purchase necessary and they're closed on Sunday. Now who of the two, do you think created the best customer word of mouth?
In closing, if word of mouth is still the best form of publicity (and it is), what kind of words are your customers using about your station? Having said all of that “did you get it”?
After 10 more minutes of suspense he gave the most unusual definition. He said the definition of the word “read” means “to guess”. How else can you explain how three people can read a sentence, for instance like “I got the promotion” and come up with three different interpretations. So based on your background, language, perceptions and experiences about what you know you “guess” at what the author is trying to convey.
Which leads me back to “I got the promotion”; some who will “read” this sentence envisioned job advancement or a contest idea. If so, bad “guess” since that perception missed the point I was trying to convey. Here’s why, last week while on my daily shopping trip to Whole Foods Market, a local Subaru dealer was test driving cars in front of the store. As I was about to pass and decline their offer, the lovely sales representative said “Take a test drive and we’ll give you a twenty (20) dollar Whole Foods gift card that you could use right now”.
Well that got me to drive one and as I watched for the next hour, 85 percent of those they approached made the same choice. I later found out that the Whole Foods and Subaru partnered in this effort. According to the salesperson because both companies core customer base was earth friendly and health conscious. So they took the product to where their core customers are. Interesting!?! When I shared the experience with another friend he asked “how many cars do you think they sold”? He’s a bean counter so the bottom line was his focus however he missed the wisdom of the promotion. After all if you had 100 people commit to the test drive and 3 question survey afterwards (now you’re in their database). The cost would be two (2000) thousand dollars worth of Whole Food gift cards for this promotion. If you didn’t sell a car was it worth it?
I can’t tell if they made a single sale but Subaru wasn’t among the top 10 cars I would have chosen before the test drive and it is now! McLuhan was right, the message is the medium. The Subaru mindset must have been don’t add discounts or drop the price, it might hurt the perception of their product when the car market finally rebounds and someday it will. This promotion made new customer in-roads and probably grew their market share. By the way, the profit from one car sale would’ve paid for this promotion. The perception of (car) quality remained high because you believe you’re getting more than your money’s worth. I don’t believe the twenty dollars alone would not have created this high (85%) test drive percentage but with the value added Whole Foods gift card it was instant gratification. Thus planting seeds of a new top of the mind awareness with potential customers and generating positive word of mouth advertising.
You may have noticed more of corporate America’s dollars you trying new creative ways to grow their customer base. Target teamed up with Facebook and Twitter to setup a fan page. Their fans the week before “black Friday” had an opportunity to get the first crack on sell merchandise at drastic discounts. The local ABC television affiliate profiled one mother who got a seventy (75%) percent fan discount on her Christmas gifts from Target. Starbucks fans can send their Facebook friends a free drink. One small mom and pop food stop Quesa-d-ya’s used a Facebook promotion to celebrate their first year in business. For one day they sold their small Quesada valued at 7 bucks for one dollar. One of my Facebook friends talked me into checking this one out and I’m glad I did. I bought two they we’re the size of a very large pizza for two bucks. To be honest I expected the McDonald dollar meal size but I was pleasantly surprised. The owner told me about 300 people stopped in because of his Facebook promotion. He continued that” the profit margin was low with such a large turnout”. Next year, he’ll sell them for 2 dollars and if he gets the same result would clean up. So I had to ask if he ever tried using radio. He ran a small commercial schedule with a free lunch promotion with the top rated radio outlet in the market and got nothing. Why?
Once again to refer to McLuhan the medium is the message. Radio in not known for instant gratification and the Internet is! In this world of shorter attention spans and microwave meals, how fast can I get, my prize, my request, my discount and my satisfaction?
Many 18 to 34 listeners have chosen Internet radio as their first choice for music. Web radio outlets like Pandora, is like having your own personal radio station. This music website inputs your vitals on a music database. Then the taste test software plays your request and immediately suggests new songs that fit your profile. Pandora can really offer more for less ad time at only a fraction of the cost on digital streams of regular radio stations. And they can command higher prices for their product according to Media Spot Inc. Here’s a shocker Media Spot Inc did research for a client who wanted to target the Los Angeles listeners of Pandora. They got the return of investment response they wanted and paid twenty (20%) percent more than buying regular terrestrial LA radio. Pandora for the first three months of this year could barely eke out a profit. However CFO Tim Westergren expects they will close out the year with revenue of about forty (40) million dollars on the bottom line.
More than 42 million each week listen to radio online, that’s more than double the rate from five years ago according to Edison Research and Arbitron Inc. Borrell Associates research says radio gets an estimated 2.4% of its revenue online while TV gets 3.4% and newspapers 7%. Radio has got to improve in this area before the window closes. The good news is that terrestrial radio is still the revenue king. Buyers still say their clients don’t attach much value to the additional information available from Internet streams although that’s changing.
One more promotion comparison, this week McDonald with its hip hop marketing strategy announced a dramatic drop in revenue, even after introducing the dollar meal and the seemingly on-going “Monopoly game”. While on the other side of the counter, family oriented Chick-fil-a with its on-going cows for chicken campaign posted profits that hit the 3 billion dollar mark for the first time in the company’s history in a bad economy. What makes Chick-fil-a plan work? Huge community involvement! They are at every parade giving away free drinks whether you purchase or not. They’re active in the church community providing meals for seminars and workshops. During the beginning of this year they gave away free language programs for Spanish, French and Chinese, no purchase necessary and they're closed on Sunday. Now who of the two, do you think created the best customer word of mouth?
In closing, if word of mouth is still the best form of publicity (and it is), what kind of words are your customers using about your station? Having said all of that “did you get it”?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
IT'S THE NETWORK
You’ve probably heard the very popular telecommunication commercial “it’s the network”! The phrase embodies a feeling of superiority and excellent service with the network for all your cellular applications.
However when the phrase “it’s the network” is used at local radio affiliates, across the country, it takes on a whole different meaning. Generally assigning blame for something that went wrong with their programming, technical issues or sales challenges down to even the basic “I can’t ever get the request line”!?!
Both program providers and it’s cornucopia of clients have probably said in unison “can you hear me now” since corrective changes in this marriage must often times seem almost non-existent. And they tell each other “you’re not doing it right” the scary part of this statement is that there is truth from both points of view. The client believes they’ve done what was required to be successful with the national program provider and as does the network for its clientele. This is why some stations sound so natural with the network audio feed while to this day other struggle. “They just don’t get it” and once again both are right! The best example I can give is communicating in American English to someone who only understands the Queen’s English. You use the same words but some take on different meanings because of the culture. You both think you understand each other until what you’ve discussed has to be executed. Here’s a tip, simplify the operations manual to just bullet points, add a demo of stations who execute the format well with contact numbers for a small fee if need be or a regional engineers hotline who understand what you require to help those new or old affiliates whose struggling.
History really does repeat itself in this case. Network radio as we know it today began in the middle 80’s with the network radio pioneer John Tyler’s Satellite Music Network. SMN would send its engineer Carlos Hurd to set up and consult its network affiliate base; he was almost always on the road. Customer service was important since it was a new technology and the perception was to make the listener believe this better product came from their hometown. As the Network business grew with more competitors, the cost of doing business did too. Having a quality control guy roaming from affiliate to affiliate could no longer be justified. There lies the answer to many of the issues in this occasionally toxic relationship.
Plus in the late 90’s when a handful of radio companies grew at an alarming rate, the network program providers feared for the worst. Their effectiveness on paper appeared to be seriously compromised since that “handful” gobbled up many of their clients. In other words, the Wal-Mart business model came to radio. Mom and Pop along with some cousins and uncles were suddenly out of business, so the question became can we compete if “they” owned all the stations? At the time I was a junior executive with ABC and my answer was “Yes”! One day the balloon payment would be due and the “handful” will need a friend to help them with the enormous programming and personnel cost of this venture. Few saw the opportunity since the problem appeared so enormous and hopeless, after all what could this kid new to the table really know about this dilemma?
Under the current economic crisis the “network” has become like big government in today’s health care debate. But this time the Internet is the lobbyist and new technologies is the big money behind this effort to keep broadcasters in a cost per point quandary.
In the final analyst radio is using the survival tactics of the airline industry. Cutbacks on staff, contests, workshops, sponsored sales packages for clients and website options meantime listeners are moving to a variety of website options for a better deal. “Can you hear me now?”
Who would you rather do business with a company who offers new ideas and services for an additional fee or one who decides to charge you for services you once gave freely for years?
I hope you noticed the intentional telecommunication approach of innovation in the marketplace to enhance their bottom line. Their phone service, cable TV, high speed internet, your blackberry or iphone works better when you use our 4G system of highly integrated maps and networks. They are the now network because their products boost their profits. Innovation!
However where is the innovation with the airline industry, for luggage you pay, for the in-flight meal you pay, for pillow and blanket you pay. You pay for everything you once got for free. Now which one offers the customer a better deal? “Can you hear me now?”
In just a few weeks we’ll sing that line from the New Year’s song - ”may old acquaintance be forgot”. Upgrade your radio business model or you will miss the opportunities of the new day. The old adage; the world is your oyster has become a reality. Unlearn what you have learned; create something that will make people want to tell your story for you!
The global marketplace will make you restructure, rethink, reinvent the way you do business. Here are some more ideas along that line:
1. Bring back the client sales, marketing and programming workshops. Use Skype teleconferencing to bring affiliates together for ways to help their product. If security is a concern, publicize it! Tell the industry what you’re doing for your clients, since almost everything on the internet is free anyway.
2. Social Networking is huge! Facebook has over 300 million users, and Twitter has become one of the fasting growing sites. How can you use these vehicles or create your own social site with your network of affiliates? Take note: corporations have begun to jump on the social network bandwagon. By the way in a recent study from Rutgers University one out of every five twitter users are “informers”, posting information such as links to news articles. The remaining 80%? They are “meformers” posting updates mainly about themselves.
3. Celebrities are the leading many of their fans to these websites for social interaction. Don’t miss the power of your air-staff. Again most miss this opportunity to cash in on their intellectual capital for ideas and impact.
4. Synergy! If the telecommunications guys can offer bundles, why can’t you?
5. How prepared are you when the internet can be heard in your car? Just in case you haven’t heard it’s already on your mobile phone with digital quality! Go to http://www.broadcastevangelist.com/ if you “can hear me now” for more ideas.
However when the phrase “it’s the network” is used at local radio affiliates, across the country, it takes on a whole different meaning. Generally assigning blame for something that went wrong with their programming, technical issues or sales challenges down to even the basic “I can’t ever get the request line”!?!
Both program providers and it’s cornucopia of clients have probably said in unison “can you hear me now” since corrective changes in this marriage must often times seem almost non-existent. And they tell each other “you’re not doing it right” the scary part of this statement is that there is truth from both points of view. The client believes they’ve done what was required to be successful with the national program provider and as does the network for its clientele. This is why some stations sound so natural with the network audio feed while to this day other struggle. “They just don’t get it” and once again both are right! The best example I can give is communicating in American English to someone who only understands the Queen’s English. You use the same words but some take on different meanings because of the culture. You both think you understand each other until what you’ve discussed has to be executed. Here’s a tip, simplify the operations manual to just bullet points, add a demo of stations who execute the format well with contact numbers for a small fee if need be or a regional engineers hotline who understand what you require to help those new or old affiliates whose struggling.
History really does repeat itself in this case. Network radio as we know it today began in the middle 80’s with the network radio pioneer John Tyler’s Satellite Music Network. SMN would send its engineer Carlos Hurd to set up and consult its network affiliate base; he was almost always on the road. Customer service was important since it was a new technology and the perception was to make the listener believe this better product came from their hometown. As the Network business grew with more competitors, the cost of doing business did too. Having a quality control guy roaming from affiliate to affiliate could no longer be justified. There lies the answer to many of the issues in this occasionally toxic relationship.
Plus in the late 90’s when a handful of radio companies grew at an alarming rate, the network program providers feared for the worst. Their effectiveness on paper appeared to be seriously compromised since that “handful” gobbled up many of their clients. In other words, the Wal-Mart business model came to radio. Mom and Pop along with some cousins and uncles were suddenly out of business, so the question became can we compete if “they” owned all the stations? At the time I was a junior executive with ABC and my answer was “Yes”! One day the balloon payment would be due and the “handful” will need a friend to help them with the enormous programming and personnel cost of this venture. Few saw the opportunity since the problem appeared so enormous and hopeless, after all what could this kid new to the table really know about this dilemma?
Under the current economic crisis the “network” has become like big government in today’s health care debate. But this time the Internet is the lobbyist and new technologies is the big money behind this effort to keep broadcasters in a cost per point quandary.
In the final analyst radio is using the survival tactics of the airline industry. Cutbacks on staff, contests, workshops, sponsored sales packages for clients and website options meantime listeners are moving to a variety of website options for a better deal. “Can you hear me now?”
Who would you rather do business with a company who offers new ideas and services for an additional fee or one who decides to charge you for services you once gave freely for years?
I hope you noticed the intentional telecommunication approach of innovation in the marketplace to enhance their bottom line. Their phone service, cable TV, high speed internet, your blackberry or iphone works better when you use our 4G system of highly integrated maps and networks. They are the now network because their products boost their profits. Innovation!
However where is the innovation with the airline industry, for luggage you pay, for the in-flight meal you pay, for pillow and blanket you pay. You pay for everything you once got for free. Now which one offers the customer a better deal? “Can you hear me now?”
In just a few weeks we’ll sing that line from the New Year’s song - ”may old acquaintance be forgot”. Upgrade your radio business model or you will miss the opportunities of the new day. The old adage; the world is your oyster has become a reality. Unlearn what you have learned; create something that will make people want to tell your story for you!
The global marketplace will make you restructure, rethink, reinvent the way you do business. Here are some more ideas along that line:
1. Bring back the client sales, marketing and programming workshops. Use Skype teleconferencing to bring affiliates together for ways to help their product. If security is a concern, publicize it! Tell the industry what you’re doing for your clients, since almost everything on the internet is free anyway.
2. Social Networking is huge! Facebook has over 300 million users, and Twitter has become one of the fasting growing sites. How can you use these vehicles or create your own social site with your network of affiliates? Take note: corporations have begun to jump on the social network bandwagon. By the way in a recent study from Rutgers University one out of every five twitter users are “informers”, posting information such as links to news articles. The remaining 80%? They are “meformers” posting updates mainly about themselves.
3. Celebrities are the leading many of their fans to these websites for social interaction. Don’t miss the power of your air-staff. Again most miss this opportunity to cash in on their intellectual capital for ideas and impact.
4. Synergy! If the telecommunications guys can offer bundles, why can’t you?
5. How prepared are you when the internet can be heard in your car? Just in case you haven’t heard it’s already on your mobile phone with digital quality! Go to http://www.broadcastevangelist.com/ if you “can hear me now” for more ideas.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
IF I’M AMOUG THE WINNERS WHY DO I FEEL LIKE WHINNING
It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. Dickens was right with all the cutbacks, layoffs, downsizing in the past 360 days it has created a worker’s sub-class! It’s the tale of two cities, those who live in the workplace and those who are trying to find a new place to work.
Even if you are among the survivors of all the recent economic downturns. The atmosphere of truly being grateful is not genuine or maybe heartfelt is a better term. For most it’s more work, less pay and in some cases reduced vacation time which has made this a tale of an endless workweek. The research from the National Association of the Self Employed has proven people tend to perform poorly when overworked, and their personal and professional relationships can deteriorate. So the strategies management has put in place to keep the ship afloat could in the long run create an product the audience would view as inferior to what they’ve been used too. Then they search for other outlets to meet their entertainment needs leaving us with smaller audience shares and even smaller ad revenues. It is a vicious cycle and as you know times couldn’t be worst.
This isn’t a picnic for management they’ve taken measures to try and save jobs and keep the company in business. In spite of smaller budgets, greater pressure to generate more revenue, more meetings and more travel, so less time with the family again this weekend. And for the big broadcast companies another balloon payment and cash reserve quotas to meet along with rumors of the “b-word” bankruptcy.
If you’re working in the broadcast industry or any business now a days you can probably relate to what has been said so far. The purpose for this blog is to remind all who are involved “we are all in the same boat”. Argue the place in the boat if you like however on the Titanic first class and economy got the same view of the water.
Depending on who is talking management or workforce, the conversation is the same from both, “they” are always the problem and “I or me” isn’t given the tools or financial support to accomplish what “I’ve” been asked to do. Right!?!
Here’s a news flash the entire media industry is in crisis mode. Radio, Television and newspapers are trying to re-invent themselves to compete in the age of the internet. Yet in this hour of despair I still have hope and here’s why, I’m a student of the Japanese language and culture. The same Chinese symbol or Kanji used for “crisis” is the same one used for “opportunity”. These are the times that try men’s imaginations. It was during tough economic times when the solution for the dirty glass created the paper cup. Eureka!
May I make a suggestion, cash in on your “intellectual capital”! Mister Radio Station employer, when times get better and they will, could you give back or restore the pay reduction and vacation time to tenured employees. Make it a promise, put it in writing and post it in the break room. Mention it often during meetings because the goal is to get us back to making money. But do that on one condition, the workforce must work to make this goal happen and give ideas on how to streamline operations.
After all they do the work they know what it takes to get the job done. Solicit ideas and pay them for the ones you implement. Encourage your staff to not overlook something left undone because “it’s not my job”. Do it or call it to the attention of someone who can, no more of this it’s not my company talk anymore! However, the only way we as management and staff can reach this point of cooperation is when all are respected, valued and praised when a job is well done.
One more thing, give them a say on how to cut expenses in their departments, I’ll keep saying this until you get it, remember they do the work. And to be frank the morale issue which is the real villain during these worst of times will have gotten a must needed stimulus package.
According to my Funk & Wagnall’s standard desk dictionary; the definition for a “city” is “a place inhabited by a large permanent community, a municipality of the first class with definite boundaries and various legal powers”. To borrow a line from an old television program, there are 800 stories in the naked city which one will be yours?
It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. Dickens was right with all the cutbacks, layoffs, downsizing in the past 360 days it has created a worker’s sub-class! It’s the tale of two cities, those who live in the workplace and those who are trying to find a new place to work.
Even if you are among the survivors of all the recent economic downturns. The atmosphere of truly being grateful is not genuine or maybe heartfelt is a better term. For most it’s more work, less pay and in some cases reduced vacation time which has made this a tale of an endless workweek. The research from the National Association of the Self Employed has proven people tend to perform poorly when overworked, and their personal and professional relationships can deteriorate. So the strategies management has put in place to keep the ship afloat could in the long run create an product the audience would view as inferior to what they’ve been used too. Then they search for other outlets to meet their entertainment needs leaving us with smaller audience shares and even smaller ad revenues. It is a vicious cycle and as you know times couldn’t be worst.
This isn’t a picnic for management they’ve taken measures to try and save jobs and keep the company in business. In spite of smaller budgets, greater pressure to generate more revenue, more meetings and more travel, so less time with the family again this weekend. And for the big broadcast companies another balloon payment and cash reserve quotas to meet along with rumors of the “b-word” bankruptcy.
If you’re working in the broadcast industry or any business now a days you can probably relate to what has been said so far. The purpose for this blog is to remind all who are involved “we are all in the same boat”. Argue the place in the boat if you like however on the Titanic first class and economy got the same view of the water.
Depending on who is talking management or workforce, the conversation is the same from both, “they” are always the problem and “I or me” isn’t given the tools or financial support to accomplish what “I’ve” been asked to do. Right!?!
Here’s a news flash the entire media industry is in crisis mode. Radio, Television and newspapers are trying to re-invent themselves to compete in the age of the internet. Yet in this hour of despair I still have hope and here’s why, I’m a student of the Japanese language and culture. The same Chinese symbol or Kanji used for “crisis” is the same one used for “opportunity”. These are the times that try men’s imaginations. It was during tough economic times when the solution for the dirty glass created the paper cup. Eureka!
May I make a suggestion, cash in on your “intellectual capital”! Mister Radio Station employer, when times get better and they will, could you give back or restore the pay reduction and vacation time to tenured employees. Make it a promise, put it in writing and post it in the break room. Mention it often during meetings because the goal is to get us back to making money. But do that on one condition, the workforce must work to make this goal happen and give ideas on how to streamline operations.
After all they do the work they know what it takes to get the job done. Solicit ideas and pay them for the ones you implement. Encourage your staff to not overlook something left undone because “it’s not my job”. Do it or call it to the attention of someone who can, no more of this it’s not my company talk anymore! However, the only way we as management and staff can reach this point of cooperation is when all are respected, valued and praised when a job is well done.
One more thing, give them a say on how to cut expenses in their departments, I’ll keep saying this until you get it, remember they do the work. And to be frank the morale issue which is the real villain during these worst of times will have gotten a must needed stimulus package.
According to my Funk & Wagnall’s standard desk dictionary; the definition for a “city” is “a place inhabited by a large permanent community, a municipality of the first class with definite boundaries and various legal powers”. To borrow a line from an old television program, there are 800 stories in the naked city which one will be yours?
Monday, August 31, 2009
THE MOST PROFITABLE BIRTHDAY ON RADIO
In just a few days, one or more of the radio stations in your market is going to go to “the all little drummer boy with chestnuts on an open fire format”.
It happens earlier and earlier each year and for good reason since they usually generate a rating bonanza, just last year 95 percent of these radio outlets racked up double digit shares in key audience demo cells!
How did this trend get started? Well in 2002 when WSNI - Sunny 104.5 – switched formats from easy listening to oldies. As a part of their new format launch, they became Philadelphia's first station to try a full month of Christmas songs and completely dominated the market with the move.
Mr. Brian Check, then regional vice president of programming for Clear Channel Communications at WSNI-FM in Philadelphia said, "Maybe it's the mood of the country. Maybe after 9/11, and with the war, people want an early pick-me-up, I'm not sure," he said. "But audience demand is what's driving this."
He was partly correct; it’s taking hope and fear and explaining it to ignorance the nature of the unknowable. The audience needed this spirit to remind us there is something bigger than our circumstances. So much so that now seven years later in 2009, 4 stations in Philadelphia are planning to repeat last year’s plan and switch to the all Christmas format and at least a hundred others nationally because of the massive ratings increase.
Here’s why, the United States remains a dominantly Christian nation. According to Gallup Polls, more than three-quarters of all Americans identify as Christian. And the vast majority of those who identify with any religion say they are Christian in some form or another.
However you have probably heard that there has been a decline in recent decades for those who profess the Christian religion. Let’s look at the numbers, today the country is just under 80%, according to an aggregate of Gallup Polls conducted in 2008. Which is more than a 10% drop since the 1948 study when the country was a whopping 91% ( that's when Gallup began tracking almost 70 years ago) claiming Christian religious identification.
To most of you the “go all-Christmas format switch” in September is not an option. However if this holiday generates this much interest, how will you capitalize on this season of ratings giving?
Here’s an option, create some interactive Christmas promotions:
1. Sponsored Podcasts! (something fun) How about the on air staff Christmas soap webcast (include office personnel too) with a direct link to a clients website, so you can track the respondents. Be creative with this podcast about Christmas and tie in a contest!
2. Set up an All-Christmas music internet stream on your website with the style of music your audience enjoys. Again, client website link you don’t have to stop the music just make sure the scenery during the webcast is exciting and seasonal during the holidays for this stream. (If you have an HD signal this is also an option however it will be difficult to gauge your effectiveness for a client and limits the reach)
3. The (your station) Christmas Grinch hater who will show up and give away free money and prizes to listeners who have their Christmas attire on in your clients place of business. The set up is” sometime this week the CGH will visit this business, mall, parade, food bank, homeless shelter etc, looking for listeners dressed for Christmas” (give them something goofy to say to make it fun) .
Here’s a news flash, the same listeners who will listen to the all Christmas format will also buy something for the holiday. All of them, 100% because it is not just tradition, it’s like a religious obligation to honor Jesus Christ’s birth. Credit card companies will testify that these holiday consumers are not always driven by their bank accounts.
It’s the three “R”s, Radio needs the money, Retailers need sales and everyone needs Results. When you create a buzz about your station it all adds up to Ratings. Isn’t that how the all-Christmas format became so popular, remember it was great word of mouth!
OK! Here it is, keep the main thing the main thing. Let me say it different, Keep is simple stupid. I see you missed it “Don’t re-invent the wheel”. If they believe you intentionally won’t use Christmas because you don’t want to offend anyone you’ve just alienated 80 percent of your audience, remember whose buying and whose birthday they are celebrating.
The best example I can give on this subject is Israel! Their number one industry is tourism. Even though the landscape of this country is breath taking, that’s not why people flock to their hotels and restaurants this time of the year, is it. And it is also the reason why, the most successful fall format promotion ( for radio chains that can afford it), is all Christmas, all the time!
Did you know that the most famous Christmas carol of all time is “Silent Night” so called because of why it was written. The church organ had broken on Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village of Oberndorf. Austrian priest Joseph Mohr and his friend Franz Gruber composed this classic intended for a guitar and simple score in less than an hour for Midnight Mass that night.
Just like Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber, the promotion with Philly’s Sunny 104.5 was to fix a broken format and instead they introduced the radio industry to the all time ratings bonanza.
Silence is golden when you give the people what they want!
In just a few days, one or more of the radio stations in your market is going to go to “the all little drummer boy with chestnuts on an open fire format”.
It happens earlier and earlier each year and for good reason since they usually generate a rating bonanza, just last year 95 percent of these radio outlets racked up double digit shares in key audience demo cells!
How did this trend get started? Well in 2002 when WSNI - Sunny 104.5 – switched formats from easy listening to oldies. As a part of their new format launch, they became Philadelphia's first station to try a full month of Christmas songs and completely dominated the market with the move.
Mr. Brian Check, then regional vice president of programming for Clear Channel Communications at WSNI-FM in Philadelphia said, "Maybe it's the mood of the country. Maybe after 9/11, and with the war, people want an early pick-me-up, I'm not sure," he said. "But audience demand is what's driving this."
He was partly correct; it’s taking hope and fear and explaining it to ignorance the nature of the unknowable. The audience needed this spirit to remind us there is something bigger than our circumstances. So much so that now seven years later in 2009, 4 stations in Philadelphia are planning to repeat last year’s plan and switch to the all Christmas format and at least a hundred others nationally because of the massive ratings increase.
Here’s why, the United States remains a dominantly Christian nation. According to Gallup Polls, more than three-quarters of all Americans identify as Christian. And the vast majority of those who identify with any religion say they are Christian in some form or another.
However you have probably heard that there has been a decline in recent decades for those who profess the Christian religion. Let’s look at the numbers, today the country is just under 80%, according to an aggregate of Gallup Polls conducted in 2008. Which is more than a 10% drop since the 1948 study when the country was a whopping 91% ( that's when Gallup began tracking almost 70 years ago) claiming Christian religious identification.
To most of you the “go all-Christmas format switch” in September is not an option. However if this holiday generates this much interest, how will you capitalize on this season of ratings giving?
Here’s an option, create some interactive Christmas promotions:
1. Sponsored Podcasts! (something fun) How about the on air staff Christmas soap webcast (include office personnel too) with a direct link to a clients website, so you can track the respondents. Be creative with this podcast about Christmas and tie in a contest!
2. Set up an All-Christmas music internet stream on your website with the style of music your audience enjoys. Again, client website link you don’t have to stop the music just make sure the scenery during the webcast is exciting and seasonal during the holidays for this stream. (If you have an HD signal this is also an option however it will be difficult to gauge your effectiveness for a client and limits the reach)
3. The (your station) Christmas Grinch hater who will show up and give away free money and prizes to listeners who have their Christmas attire on in your clients place of business. The set up is” sometime this week the CGH will visit this business, mall, parade, food bank, homeless shelter etc, looking for listeners dressed for Christmas” (give them something goofy to say to make it fun) .
Here’s a news flash, the same listeners who will listen to the all Christmas format will also buy something for the holiday. All of them, 100% because it is not just tradition, it’s like a religious obligation to honor Jesus Christ’s birth. Credit card companies will testify that these holiday consumers are not always driven by their bank accounts.
It’s the three “R”s, Radio needs the money, Retailers need sales and everyone needs Results. When you create a buzz about your station it all adds up to Ratings. Isn’t that how the all-Christmas format became so popular, remember it was great word of mouth!
OK! Here it is, keep the main thing the main thing. Let me say it different, Keep is simple stupid. I see you missed it “Don’t re-invent the wheel”. If they believe you intentionally won’t use Christmas because you don’t want to offend anyone you’ve just alienated 80 percent of your audience, remember whose buying and whose birthday they are celebrating.
The best example I can give on this subject is Israel! Their number one industry is tourism. Even though the landscape of this country is breath taking, that’s not why people flock to their hotels and restaurants this time of the year, is it. And it is also the reason why, the most successful fall format promotion ( for radio chains that can afford it), is all Christmas, all the time!
Did you know that the most famous Christmas carol of all time is “Silent Night” so called because of why it was written. The church organ had broken on Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village of Oberndorf. Austrian priest Joseph Mohr and his friend Franz Gruber composed this classic intended for a guitar and simple score in less than an hour for Midnight Mass that night.
Just like Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber, the promotion with Philly’s Sunny 104.5 was to fix a broken format and instead they introduced the radio industry to the all time ratings bonanza.
Silence is golden when you give the people what they want!
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