We have already lived through the toughest financial crisis since The Great Depression and it has not yet gotten better for many of the people listening to your radio station.
Automotive alone has been such a great category of advertising for radio for so long, it was
difficult for radio stations to watch automotive take brutal hits unimaginable to some a few short years
ago. But we’ve seen it all, haven’t we?
Radio stations were not unique in pulling back and working hard to cut expenses and survive
2008 and 2009. It seems like we’ve been cutting forever. Listeners have noticed, too.
Now attention turns to those stations and companies that can increase their value by boosting
audience and revenue share. Gone are opportunities to reach a more positive bottom line by cutting
expenses. Now we must increase our share of the market and really show value to advertisers.
In 2010 it will take focus, creativity and purpose to move the needle in terms of revenue. Oh,
sure, you will see increases. But in order to really take advantage of shifts in leadership, you have to
now invest expanding lead over competition. The real winners will shift their focus to TAKING MARKET
SHARE so they can realize more revenue in 2010. It will also take common sense to set a new course for
radio that can include new revenue streams and opportunities not being utilized today.
If you’re paying close attention, you know the economy feels like recovery is beginning to take
shape. Automotive is predicting more positive traction. The base economy is starting to really move
and what do you know: people love radio.
The heart of the issue now is how to GAIN MARKET SHARE over completion. Why? Because
stations, clusters and companies know deeper cuts won’t get it done this time. We have to grow and
most stations have to grow against competitors to be the most attractive brand and gain the most
revenue share. That’s what you need in 2010.
If you are a market manager, your company depends on you to know when it is time to have
conversations about research, marketing and improvements to the product that will result in the best
return on investment. Yes, investment. The stations that do it will establish a new era of leadership and
revenue.
The time for this kind of investment has come because there is weakness out there. It’s in your
market. That represents opportunity for you that should turn into actual m-o-n-e-y. Without market
managers who will have those conversations, the weakness might be on YOUR TEAM in 2010 and it may
be exploited by your competitors to hammer your revenue and gain market share against you.
If you are a program director, you have to have those conversations with your market manager.
You represent the audience and the customers (advertisers) in a strange way. You represent the quality
advertisers purchase month after month.
It cost less than you think to take action and gain the upper hand.
When your advertisers know you are supporting your brand, they know you are putting your
money where your mouth is and they know you are on the rise. You can feel that kind of momentum,
and that will count in 2010 like it has not counted in several years.
Research of all kinds is less expensive than it was ten years ago. The company I work for makes direct marketing very effective and less expensive than you might expect – and we are not a discount house for telemarketing and direct mail. We just make our focus your success. We don’t do cookie cutter solutions that overcharge you to gain share. We work with your team to target, create and execute the direct marketing that brings results for less.
You have more tools at your fingertips and social media to expand your interaction with your
audience. If you are smart, you are already taking advantage of this. If you haven’t joined “Social
Networking for Radio Stations” on Facebook, please check it out. It’s free. More competition is coming faster than ever. If you don’t think Pandora is coming to the car, you are not paying close attention. If you don’t believe “they” will Wifi cities, you are missing something about the near future. Now is the time for radio to act.
Now is your time to strengthen your grip on your brand health. Now is the time to grow ratings
share against competitors who are showing weakness in brand or simply by the fact that they are dead
in the water because of a company situation (debt). A good strategist seizes the moment and assumes
the leadership role for themselves.
Have the conversation about your revenue opportunities in 2010. Talk about how to grow the
pie. Your team knows what is on the ground in your market. Take advantage of weakness in
competition to do what companies as diversely different as Burger King and Ford Motor Company are
doing: TAKE MARKET SHARE.
In your hands is how your station and cluster will perform this year. Everyone’s eye is on
revenue. If you can’t grow the positive bottom line by cutting more, that means a renewal of
investment and focus will have to bring the revenue growth. That means ratings improvement at the
expense of competitors will drive revenue shifts in your market.
Take market share.
Good luck on taking advantage of where we are in the turn in economy. Positives are on the
way, but you must seize the opportunities right in front of you. If you wait until it is obvious to
everyone, it may be too late.
Here’s to a great 2010.
Loyd Ford
www.boostmyratings.com
877-475-6864
“Social Networking for Radio Stations” on Facebook
Loyd Ford has worked in radio all of his life, including experience as a radio personality, programmer, ops manager and consultant. Today Loyd serves radio as the marketing strategist for Americalist Media Marketing and helps stations boost ratings. He works for everyone from corporate radio to mom and pop stations that want to see steady ratings improvement. Americalist has been helping radio stations improve ratings since 1987. Loyd has developed FastCUME Tactic™ for Holiday Music Stations and The Magnet Program™ for PPM among other strategies to boost ratings. While Americalist creates custom ratings strategies for stations in all formats and all market sizes, they are not a discount house for these services. Americalist is market exclusive and does provide everything from design to print and live telemarketing to recorded telemarketing technology to boost ratings time and time again. They just find the most effective and reasonable cost way to get it done. Contact Loyd
Ford directly @ 877-475-6864 or Americalist1@aol.com.
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