When invited to participate on a panel at the NAB Radio Show, I was asked for my 10-point plan to resurrect radio. Though I declined participation in the panel, I’ve given some thought to what can be done to help radio rebound. Of course it’s easy to be an armchair quarterback, but execution isn’t easy — nor is buy-in from all the people who influence the decisions. Here are my thoughts:
1. Return Autonomy: Though McRadio may be popular for maintaining control over numerous properties, I believe success starts with local autonomy. Empower local market managers to make their own decisions about formats, content, air personalities, promotions, and spending. Yes, spending. Even with tight budget constraints and required margins, local managers will perform if allowed to fully manage without corporate interference.
2. Hyper-Localism On Air and Online: The station that has the deepest relationship with the local community, wins. If listeners feel they will miss something by not tuning in to your station, you have the golden ring.
3. Hyper-Promotion: Advertising works. We recommend it, but we don’t practice it. By being seen everywhere, we not only increase listener interest, we sow seeds with potential local advertisers.
4. Deep Listener Engagement: Though this involves localism, it goes deeper. Many stations have abandoned costly personalities who were considered “old friends” by listeners for decades. Whether established or fresh on the scene, personalities who are truly engaging and entertaining create better radio.
5. Reinvent Sales: Seller turnover is high. In many situations, new sellers are given short ropes to succeed and veterans are feeling abused, inundated with paperwork, and pressured. Sales work best when relationships with clients are deep and when success incentives are in place. Sellers need to be respected and loved, but they also need to be challenged and to have fun. We may not be attracting the best of breed people because other industries offer better packages and less negative pressure. New compensation systems must be developed, along with new online sales components and new ways to engage clients.
6. Reinstitute Training: We wonder why sellers cannot execute the basics, but maybe no one has shown them how. Great sellers need constant growth and stimulation. Training works, but few receive it.
7. Invest in Creative: Perhaps this sounds old school (and it is), but British broadcasters showed us that a creative lead sell works. A creative team meeting with clients and a produced spec spot are often enough to get a local advertiser on the air.
8. Reinvent advertising: Ads don’t work, campaigns do. Put the weight of your radio station behind every advertiser to make them successful. Seek new strategies and new interactive options to enhance success for advertisers.
9. Invest in New Media: It’s hard to concentrate on things that may not generate immediate dollars, but you will regret not doing so. It’s better to lead than to follow, and digital is where your listeners are spending most of their lives. Every radio station must become a new media property that hyper-involves the target audience. Radio must truly become a convergence of all existing media: video, audio, texting, the written word, social networking, streaming, podcasting, etc.
10. Open your mind. Some 23-year-old has a plan that will bring you more listeners and more revenue than anything you’ve done before. If you catch yourself saying, “That will never work,” or “That’s not the way we do things” — think twice. Be willing to experiment, or that 23-year-old will eventually be your competitor.
Though many of my suggestions are rooted in the past, it appears that the only people succeeding today are following these proven practices. Sometimes repair is as simple as returning to the basics.
1. Return Autonomy: Though McRadio may be popular for maintaining control over numerous properties, I believe success starts with local autonomy. Empower local market managers to make their own decisions about formats, content, air personalities, promotions, and spending. Yes, spending. Even with tight budget constraints and required margins, local managers will perform if allowed to fully manage without corporate interference.
2. Hyper-Localism On Air and Online: The station that has the deepest relationship with the local community, wins. If listeners feel they will miss something by not tuning in to your station, you have the golden ring.
3. Hyper-Promotion: Advertising works. We recommend it, but we don’t practice it. By being seen everywhere, we not only increase listener interest, we sow seeds with potential local advertisers.
4. Deep Listener Engagement: Though this involves localism, it goes deeper. Many stations have abandoned costly personalities who were considered “old friends” by listeners for decades. Whether established or fresh on the scene, personalities who are truly engaging and entertaining create better radio.
5. Reinvent Sales: Seller turnover is high. In many situations, new sellers are given short ropes to succeed and veterans are feeling abused, inundated with paperwork, and pressured. Sales work best when relationships with clients are deep and when success incentives are in place. Sellers need to be respected and loved, but they also need to be challenged and to have fun. We may not be attracting the best of breed people because other industries offer better packages and less negative pressure. New compensation systems must be developed, along with new online sales components and new ways to engage clients.
6. Reinstitute Training: We wonder why sellers cannot execute the basics, but maybe no one has shown them how. Great sellers need constant growth and stimulation. Training works, but few receive it.
7. Invest in Creative: Perhaps this sounds old school (and it is), but British broadcasters showed us that a creative lead sell works. A creative team meeting with clients and a produced spec spot are often enough to get a local advertiser on the air.
8. Reinvent advertising: Ads don’t work, campaigns do. Put the weight of your radio station behind every advertiser to make them successful. Seek new strategies and new interactive options to enhance success for advertisers.
9. Invest in New Media: It’s hard to concentrate on things that may not generate immediate dollars, but you will regret not doing so. It’s better to lead than to follow, and digital is where your listeners are spending most of their lives. Every radio station must become a new media property that hyper-involves the target audience. Radio must truly become a convergence of all existing media: video, audio, texting, the written word, social networking, streaming, podcasting, etc.
10. Open your mind. Some 23-year-old has a plan that will bring you more listeners and more revenue than anything you’ve done before. If you catch yourself saying, “That will never work,” or “That’s not the way we do things” — think twice. Be willing to experiment, or that 23-year-old will eventually be your competitor.
Though many of my suggestions are rooted in the past, it appears that the only people succeeding today are following these proven practices. Sometimes repair is as simple as returning to the basics.
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