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Hard to believe that the “B” word (Budgets) is already on the strategic planning minds of many savvy Radio operators as they realize that the planning they do now will likely set the pace for how next year frames up. Q-3 plays a critical role in getting out ahead of some of those initiatives that may have been placed on the back-burner for the last couple of quarters. So, in the spirit of forward-thinking, Daniel and I thought we would give you five key focus areas as you begin to plot your Digital growth future in 2011.
Rethink Programming and Your Content Flow-
We still field a lot of manager complaints (especially over-worked PD’s) that there are not enough hours in the day to actually program relevant content for their web sites and other Social Media channels (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). First off, it should never be an after-thought. The “last on my list” thinking has got to go. The PD should be leading the content relevancy charge and to do that, you need to re-examine your day. For example if you are spending a lot of time talking to music people, don’t. Move content freshening up a notch or two. Try encouraging your air staff to not only blog about their shows but have them dialogue on one of their passions/hobbies.
We have seen superb content hitting sites today that allow the talent a unique chance to give the audience another glimpse into their lives. Are you taking pictures at every event? How about video?
I was at a client recently that had back-stage access to a band. We asked the band if they would mind taking our Flip Camera on stage for some action footage from the BANDS perspective. They jumped at the chance to help the station and, as a result, we had exclusive video footage that went viral thanks to the bands fan base. Another talent creates a daily TV show with a Green Room vibe. Listeners get extended interview bits, comments, and their off-the-cuff commentary that you can not get on the air….and it is all ON-Demand! Finally, daily polls or creating a community award helps to further listener interaction. A station driven “Best Of” (insert market) ties in both concepts as you poll listener opinions AND give out the awards!
Making your listeners part of the process will add to your sense of community and it will freshen your site with cool content.
Train your AE’s to Prospect and Sniff out Digital Dollars-
SpyFu (FREE) is an excellent tool we use to track Digital dollars. It shows your AE’s who is spending locally in the Digital realm, how much they are buying, important Key Words, and what the competition is doing.
In recent market visits, we have uncovered digital dollars (mostly Ad Network dollars that are flying out of the market un-detected) where we were able to quickly adapt a pitch and hit the streets; offering our well stocked digital portfolio of client solutions. Remember, Radio is a Discovery Medium so when you combine Digital with Radio you get a very effective 3D marketing strategy.
Also, when working on any Customer Needs Analysis, have your AE’s map out the clients’ site in advance. Do a Google search of their business (are they utilizing paid search?) and check their Social Media profile and channel usage. Have your AE sign up for every channel so they can follow the tone of their client’s conversations and receive all active offers. This will place your AE in the drivers’ seat so that the next time they visit their client, they will be well armed with solutions to address any marketing needs that arise during those conversations.
Develop Database Assets (Loyalty Programs, Twitter, E-blasts, Facebook, etc.)-
There are many channels to pick from and each has its benefits. Some things to remember as you engage in these programs:
1.) Make sure you understand the voice and pace of each program. To dialogue on an email is vastly different than Twitter. Email is used for more detailed conversations with opportunities to sign up, win items, etc. Twitter should be an open and honest dialogue with your listeners…and you only have 140 characters to make your point! Avoid contesting to keep it “real.” You have plenty of other choices for contesting. In addition, fight the urge to re-purpose your web sites on FaceBook. They are two different channels and each has its own purpose. Once you launch, stay engaged. You must maintain the conversation daily or you risk losing all credibility. The result will be listeners fleeing from your site and giving you a bad rap.
2.) E-blasts should not be sent every week no matter what. I have seen too many e-blast messages that look like they were written by the Promo Department at the end of the day; another item checked off the daily “To-Do” list. Make sure you have a reason to send them out and make sure they offer a message of real value to your core base. If not, you should save the e-blast until you have something solid to say. E-blasts should never be reduced to routine or your listeners will quickly relegate your messages to the spam pile.
Set Clear Goals and Adjust your Compensation Models-
Q-3 is an excellent time to adjust your comp models and to do a test for next years budget process. In an earlier article for Radio Inc, we talked about compensating your PD’s that go beyond the ratings. Why not set bonus compensation models that flow out of three KEY metric areas like Ratings (1/3), Web Lift (1/3), and Digital Sales Performance (1/3). With this sort of bonus system in place, you place the focus on the critical areas of growth while sending the message that everyone will participate in the success of your overall digital growth. It sends a clear message as to how you plan to view company success in the future. With a Q-3 test in place, you have now laid the ground work for greater success next year.
Man-Up! -
Face the facts now. If you want Digital Success in Q-3 or next year, you need to hire for TALENT. It is no longer good enough to take the part-timer who likes to play video games and make him/her the leader of your Digital Division. You need a long term commitment to a winning Digital strategy and the kind of people that can help you achieve those goals may not be driving your vans and wearing the station mascot gear. You really need to consider hiring at least ONE Digital AE and adding to your programming/content team. There are plenty of talented Digital players out there that would welcome running their own Radio Station (your stream) and utilizing their skills to help you market and sell your Digital assets. The train has really left the station at this point…..catch a ride now!
Remember, a Q-3 re-set might just be what the doctor ordered this year. It will give you a chance to honestly re-examine the year, test some programs before years end, and set the pace for a strong 2011. If you get renewed traction now, your team will be in a stronger position to dominate in the months ahead!
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