The Moving Target

I’m going to make a statement that some might consider blasphemous: Setting goals is not the way for a radio station to be successful. Here’s why: A goal is a destination. A destination is an end. Have you ever gone on a long hike, and you’ve set a particular lake or mountain top as your destination? What happens when you finally get there? You stop! How many radio stations have you known that have reached the pinnacle of success only to lose that position shortly thereafter to another station? The reason is: the people at the station stopped trying. They reached their destination.

If a goal is going to be effective, it needs to be a moving target. It’s okay to use some guideposts along the route as markers of success. For example, you could set a certain target you’d like to reach by a certain date, and use that as a measure of success. But too many programmers have set a particular goal as their mission, and when they reach it, they go on the defensive so that no one will steal away their little victory crown.

The inspired leader keeps reinventing the radio station so it never gets complacent.

A Radio Station of Few Words

You’re at a concert where a deejay comes out on the stage before the show to make some announcements. He goes on so long that you can feel the audience getting impatient. They have come to this hall to hear music, not some stupid deejay. 

The point of this story is that listeners generally do not tune in to a music radio station to hear a deejay trying to be clever or cute. They tune in because they like the music the station plays.

Here’s the key to maximizing your station’s potential: be concise. Be the station of few words. Deejays should be prepared every time they go on the air. Some deejays have a tendency to meander. They talk in circles, many times about nothing. They take phone calls from listeners with nothing interesting to say. This is usually done in the name of entertainment. But who is being entertained?

Imagine you go to a nightclub to see a comedian. The comedian comes on stage and has no routine prepared. He just walks out and starts interacting with the audience. Some comedians can pull this off, and it could be very funny. But this level of comedian is very rare. Instead, most comedians have a routine that they have rehearsed and prepared, with very specific timing and rhythm. It’s this focus that keeps the skit moving along and interesting.

Many deejays spend their time doing things other than preparing for their next on-air break. One of my favorite examples is the time I walked into the control room at a legendary rock radio station. The live deejay on the air had his monitor turned all the way down with his back to the control board, reading a book. Twenty seconds before the song ended, a light flashed, letting him know the song was ending. He spun around in his chair, opened his microphone, backsold the music, started the next element, turned the monitor back down, and then spun around in his chair to continue reading. If this person isn’t even listening to the station, what about his audience?

Prepared deejays think about how they are going to use their precious few moments on mic to share as much pertinent information as they can, in an entertaining manner. A radio station has forward momentum with a focused deejay. Some radio stations have even installed 40-second timer clocks that start flashing lights in the deejay’s face when time is up, and some have even gone as far as installing microphone disablers after a certain amount of time. These kinds of heavy-handed restrictions don’t really get to the root of the problem.

Besides the live talk elements, keep all of the recorded stagers, drops and seg-assists short and to the point, too. With so many listening choices, as soon as a radio station begins to meander, you are giving listeners the chance to tune away to see what else is available. Keep everything that’s not music concise and to the point. Be a station of few words, and each word will carry more weight.

Lessons from Woolworth

Five and dime stores like F.W. Woolworth were the rage for many decades through the 20^th Century. Founded in 1879, Woolworth became a downtown fixture in cities all across America. At Woolworth, you could find everything from penny candy to hardware supplies. You could buy plants and pets. You could get a lemonade or a hamburger at the lunch counter. Woolworth was the place to go to find whatever you needed. Now, Woolworth is a thing of the past. How did a store that was such a symbol of America lose its power base?

According to retail consultant Kurt Barnard, “Woolworth lost its reason for being.” When the discount department stores like Wal-Mart came to town, Woolworth didn’t change with the market. “Woolworth is a brand that lost its relevance and was never reinvented,” acknowledged Alan Adamson of Landor Associates. Woolworth felt obligated to stay true to the spirit of the “five and dime,” and as inflation set in, they cheapened the products they carried to keep their price point. They lacked a visionary leader to clearly state the mission of Woolworth.

Radio stations have gone through a similar pattern. In the 50’s and 60’s, you could hear everything from Percy Faith and his Orchestra to the Rolling Stones on the same station. That was then, and this is now.

Woolworth stopped looking forward. They continued to look back at the way it used to be. Radio stations also need to look ahead. Successful radio stations have a visionary leader who can see trends as they come and adjusts the station to go in those directions. Having the flexibility to change with the times and not be stuck in a preconceived idea is what keeps radio stations alive.

Many program directors get stuck by studying research. They are looking back at what was, as opposed to looking forward to what could be. Research is only able to evaluate the success or failure of what is already being done. Research can never offer new, creative solutions because it is impossible for the audience to react to something that hasn’t been done yet. Next year’s successful radio programmers are thinking in new, creative ways today.

If a radio station is the inspired invention of a dynamic Program Director, it will get noticed. The station’s success is not dependent on how well it was researched. The original Woolworth concept was the brainchild of F.W. Woolworth, not of a focus group. In the end, Woolworth did extensive research to find out what it needed to do to remain viable. It was discovered that the image of Woolworth was going to be too hard to revive. Woolworth didn’t change with the times.

Is your station tomorrow’s Woolworth? Or are you reinventing yourselves and setting tomorrow’s trends? Don’t get stuck looking back. Keep your eye on the horizon! 

It’s What’s Between the Songs

Many radio station program directors spend much of their time at their computers making sure the music is right. They toil over logs, music categories, coding rules and rotations. While it is important for every radio station to create the right music mix, it's what’s between the songs that builds the station’s image. Creating a strong image embeds a memory about the station in the minds of those who listen. Memory is what drives most Nielsen diary entries.

From your own memories of listening to radio, what are the times you actually remember where you were when you heard something special? You might remember the first time you heard The Beatles, but generally speaking, music memories are few and far between. What sticks in the minds of busy people are the things that make an impact. Strong personalities like Howard Stern make that impact. Music specials, documentaries, and special programming also make an impact with listeners. However, the most powerful memories are the emotional connections you make with your listener. What the DJ says is the difference between a living radio station and a music jukebox.

A friendly voice between songs won’t drive listeners away, but it also isn’t the magnet that will draw people to your station. Too many creative personalities have had their hands tied with rules imposed on them by insecure program directors. “Liner radio” and the less-is-more philosophy have driven away many of the creative people who once filled the airwaves. In the end, what’s more important: A person who can get people to gather around the radio, or a time-and-temp jock who doesn’t offend? Get people on your radio station who say interesting things, who can tell stories in a brief and impactful way. Listeners will remember who and what they were listening to, and they’ll make it a point to come back and listen again.

Creative production can also make listening to the station more memorable while building an image for the station. Give the production person the freedom to try new things to make the station stand out from the rest. Get other voices on the air. For example, listeners can say things about your radio station that you can’t say about yourself. Listeners can say you’re the best radio station or that your station plays the best mix. If the station’s voice says it or if the deejays say it, it will come off as self-congratulatory. It’s simpler to have someone talk about your station in the third person in their own words. Tell listeners what you want them to know in a way that respects them and doesn't come off as self-serving. 

If you are a music radio station, use the musicians you play to endorse your station. An endorsement from a music personality is a very powerful image. Even if it is as simple as, “Hi, this is Norah Jones and you’re listening to KAAA.” Personal endorsements are the most powerful form of persuasion. It lets the listener know they are in good company with quality artists they respect.

Make what’s between the songs more interesting and memorable. Sell the station’s benefits. Show the station’s creativity. In the end, more listeners will remember they listened to your station, and the result should be increased shares in Nielsen. 

The Super-Core Listener

The loyal listeners of your radio station are the most important people in your world. I am not speaking about your P1 listeners; I’m referring to an even more specific crowd – your station’s super-core listener. Take a lesson from the successful businesses and super-serve your super-core.

According to a diary study conducted by Rating Point Management, less than 10% of the people who listen to your radio station are super-core listeners. However, these listeners represent 45% of your AQH listening each week. These are the people who are brand loyal to your radio station. They drive your station’s ratings. Many of your super-core listeners tune in for more than 16 hours a week. They are the ones that know the names of the personalities of your station. They know some of the new music you play. They attend your station promotions.

Super-core listeners understand your station. They know the difference between your station and your competitors. Get opinions from these listeners in focus groups and Listener Advisory Board meetings. Get their feedback and then use their thoughts and ideas in station promos. Create new specialty programs that address their overwhelming desires.

If you do research, make sure you get a significant amount of super-core listeners in your study. Half of the people in your perceptual and music tests should be from your super-core. Your research company will howl when you raise the TSL requirement on your screener. These people are harder to find, but the results you get back from the study will be much more meaningful.

Testing with light listening P3’s is a waste of time. The P3 low listeners make up 26% of your total audience, but they only listen for one to five quarter-hours per week! While it is easier to recruit these listeners, testing the impressions of P3 listeners is not going to have any significant impact on the ratings of your radio station. These people already have another station they are loyal to. They use your station as filler when their favorite station is playing commercials or a song they don’t like. This is particularly true for stations that appeal to adults. It is very difficult to change the habits of adults. If you think you’ll be able to convert P3 listeners to P1’s, think again. It’s a long, hard battle. It is just not worth the effort.

To win, put your focus in keeping your super-core happy. It will give your station a sense of direction and a strong sense of character. Instead of being the station that tries to get anyone and everyone to listen, be the station that knows who it is, who its listeners are, and what they like. That kind of confidence and self-assurance makes your station a leader. Listeners who are searching for something new in their life will tend to follow a leader, rather than attach to a station that is spreading itself thin.

Think Like a Listener!

It’s busy inside a radio station. Many program directors get so caught up in their daily routines that they sometimes lose sight of the radio station from the listener’s perspective. At least once a week, take a break from the world of the radio business and immerse yourself in the world of being a radio listener. Think like a listener. Close your emails. Turn off your social media. Put yourself in front of a radio and listen to your station as if you are tuning in for the first time. What is your initial reaction? What kind of station is this you’ve found? What kind of music does this station play?

The top two ways people discover a radio station is either by finding it while scanning the radio dial or by a personal recommendation. When you are sitting in front of your radio, push the scan button and see what you find. You’ll be amazed at how different the radio dial seems when you are pushing a scan button not knowing what to expect at the next stop. You might even discover a new station you didn’t know existed in your listening area.

With regards to your station: Are you maximizing your chances of picking up a scanning listener? Are your spots playing at a different time than a compatible competitor? Do your clocks schedule a song that will attract a new listener when your competitor is playing spots? While your station is the center of your world, there are many people in your city who have never heard of it. One of your goals should be to make a strong impression and wow new listeners when they tune in.

Consistency wins! Make sure your radio station has a consistent musical format. To maximize potential and minimize listener confusion, specialty programs need to be in tune with the regular programming on your station. If people tune in one day and your station is playing all blues, and then tune in another day and hear a jazz show, and another time hears an eclectic mix, the station has not created a strong singular image. By being as consistent as possible, your station will make an impact on a new listener. You’ll be reliable, and can therefore become part of a listening pattern or habit.

Special programming does have its purpose. Its main goal is the image it creates for your station. That image is built more in talking about it than actually doing it. For example, if you want to give the image you are connected to the local music scene, you’ll get a stronger image by playing one song and promoting it than you will by having a two-hour show devoted to local music. More people will hear the one song than stick around for two hours of songs they don’t know. If you do run long-form music shows, make sure they run at low-listening times like weekend nights when they won’t be a liability to the station’s consistency.

By keeping the new listener in mind, your station will be inviting to new people. Always keep new listeners in mind when programming your radio station, and you’ll keep replenishing the listener base for your station.

Get Out the Vote

Election day is coming right up. It’s time to get out the vote. I'm not necessarily talking about getting people to go to the polls to vote for a particular politician or on an issue, but rather to get them to cast the most important vote to you – a vote for your radio station at the Nielsen ballot box.

Why do people go to the voting booth? Traditionally, it’s because there is an issue or a candidate that they really care about. If they don't like the choices, if they see no difference between the candidates or if the issues are not compelling, many will just stay home. Record turnouts occur when a politician or an issue motivates voters to vote. Getting great Nielsen numbers in diary markets is not necessarily about how many people listen to your station, it’s how many people vote for your station. Take lessons from politicians and get people involved. 

Start with being very actively involved with your listeners and their lifestyle. Just playing the best music will only take your station so far. Today, listeners have more choice than ever to hear music. Create promotions that get listeners and potential listeners involved with the station. If you just put your name on an already established promotion, you’ll get lost in “logo land.” Instead, be a title sponsor of an event, like the WAAA Art Walk. Have your logo all over the event. Get your personalities out into the market where your potential listeners are to “shake hands and kiss babies.”

Today, while most music stations are appealing to the lowest common denominator, a station that makes a strong statement will find loyal followers who will become the station’s evangelists.  While you don’t want to be too eclectic or narrow during the bulk of your broadcast day, putting specialty programs on at off-hours and promoting them during the day will enhance the station’s image and point out diversity.

When Nielsen places diaries in the market, phone numbers are called at random until a person answers. That in itself is a difficult proposition, as most people screen their calls. When they do finally get someone on the phone, if the person is indifferent about what’s on the radio, they will decline to participate. By getting people emotionally involved and interested in your radio station, when Nielsen calls and asks them to participate, they will enthusiastically say “yes!” and cast a vote for your station when they fill out their diaries. 

Get out the vote! Get listeners involved emotionally with your station.