Radio Ink Magazine February 8, 2021

If there’s one social custom I haven’t missed, it’s the handshake. It’s never been a favorite of mine, as anyone who has had joint surgery will probably understand. That’s because some people can literally, if unintentionally, become “heavy-handed” with the greeting. I will, however, miss hugs and the lovely way Italians greet everyone they encounter with a light kiss on both cheeks. Sadly, we will probably be saying “ciao” to that custom. So much of our once-automatic behavior will continue to change and evolve as we gradually return to face-to-face encounters in the months ahead. And there will no doubt be awkward moments the first time we meet. Reminiscent of the early days of consolidated sales, there will also be a lot of trial-and-error post-pandemic. Only in this instance, more than simply…

The 2021 we’ve all been waiting for has not yet really begun. I was reminded of this when I received a meme from a friend. It said, “OMG, what’s the first thing you’re gonna do when you get the vaccine shot?? You’re gonna go back home, wait a month, get your second shot, go back home, wait 14 days for antibodies, then keep wearing a mask and social distancing until community transmission reduction. That’s what.” When it finally gets here, the 2021 we’ve all been waiting for will be different from 2020, but in what way, I cannot say. Many of us made adjustments in 2020: Working from home replaced going to the office. Online meetings replaced face-to-face meetings. Home delivery replaced driving to the store. Fancy meals at home replaced eating out. Will some of these adjustments…

Oh … the dreaded sales meeting. That one hour of the work week you’ll never get back … or is it? The sales meeting should actually be viewed as the most important meeting of the week! It’s the one hour when you and your entire team are gathered together (either in person or virtually) for sharing and listening. Here at Saga Norfolk we’ve learned that the best sales meetings are equal parts education, information, motivation, and engagement. Add in a pinch of sharing and dash of housekeeping — and, well, you’ve got a great recipe for what should be a terrific hour. EDUCATION We abide by the mantra “Always be learning,” and our weekly sales meetings always include a training element. It could be something as simple as a refresher on Marketron’s Xray,…

1. Start with the brand strategy. Everything starts here. Your station can’t survive if the brand strategy is not honed, crafted, and perfectly executed. To simplify this: Understand who you are in the competitive landscape based on research on your defined core available audience and on analytics available from ratings. Start with a deep-dive analysis on the current brand strategy, and get to the core of what people think, feel, and say about your product. Communicate your brand consistently and effectively. Position your brand. Ask yourself “What business am I in?” — and make sure you are answering that question. 2. Specifically evaluate your brand messaging. Audit the messaging to be certain you are consistently on point. When PPM became currency, programmers incorrectly thought the measuring technology meant brand messaging was less important.…

No format touches listeners better, more strongly, or more often than Country radio. FM Country radio. Not satellite. Not Spotify, Pandora, or any other DSP.FM Country radio! So, from late spring through the early winter of 2020, with the pandemic raging, we found ourselves in a quandary. How do we now move the format forward and continue to grab and improve ratings in a crowded marketplace, with competition that goes beyond traditional FM radio? Thinking caps are put on. How do we tap into the goodwill of our listeners, sponsors, and even owners who are now stretched to the limits, with advertising crashing? As a consultant to stations in major markets to unrated markets, I did what I could to make sure that our messaging captured the moment on-air. “Great to…

It seems we start off nearly every one of our lists now with the disclaimer that the last 12 months have been unique, demanding, and challenging. However, until the pandemic is no longer active, it will be a major concern for everyone, and Country PDs are no exception. With events like CRS being cancelled, concerts ancient history, and listeners finding new ways to consume music, the challenges are plentiful. So this year we dug right into the COVID-19 issue by asking all of our PDs how they program a winning radio station during a pandemic. Every year they seemed to be asked to do more with less, yet they still serve their communities without missing a beat. There’s no doubt all 35 answers will help you as you run your radio station.…