http://www.rbr.com/ ©2007 Spoonlabs d.o.o. Vivvo CMS 4.1 2012-02-12T03:10:36-06:00 http://www.rbr.com/features/ideas-working-now/16006.html 2009-07-27T15:27:00-05:00 2009-07-27T15:27:00-05:00 Carl Marcucci Back in the late 90’s I began work as a New Business Development director for a pair of start-up Smooth Jazz radio stations (it was a glorified title given to me by the owner of the stations http://www.rbr.com/features/ideas-working-now/16006.html 2009-07-28T07:41:33-05:00 2009-07-28T07:41:33-05:00 Maynard Meyer I loved your comments on the unimportance of ratings when it comes to the bottom line. Here at KLQP-FM we have been in business for 26 years serving 5 sparsely populated counties here in Western Minnesota with 25KW. No one has ever asked about our ratings...they do ask if we can bring some people through their door and apparently we have been doing that since we have a lot of loyal advertisers who have stayed with us over the years. We don't spend any time trying to determine our standing in the marketplace...we just get out there and sell! Incidentally, we DO have several other stations in the area, many of whom are a lot bigger than we are. http://www.rbr.com/features/ideas-working-now/16006.html 2009-07-28T08:16:47-05:00 2009-07-28T08:16:47-05:00 Rick Charles A very timely, brilliant article. Chasing cost per thousand is a fool's errand performed daily by agency buyers to justify their worth to the advertisers who hire them. Nearly every radio station has a core audience and a secondary audience who listens periodically. This, in itself, is a powerful product with which to market.Using spec, or demo, ads custom written and produced for each prospect, is an effective radio sales tool that is usually ignored by the radio sales rep who is normally more interested in his goals (an order) than the prospect is interested in theirs (copy that gets results).The great radio sales trainers preach using specs, but rarely do sales managers require a daily, weekly quota of their useage. If they did, radio would solve many of it's sales problems. It isn't up to the sales rep to use specs..it's up to the sales manager to require them, or face job termination.Here's an analogy to Chuck's thinking that you may find odd, but I feel it's applicable.My wife and I are avid wild bird lovers.We create habit on our property for bird nesting, and feed wild birds year-round.We could buy big bags of cheap bird seed and attract (reach) hundreds of birds. The problem is, most of the birds would be sparrows, starlings and blackbirds, species that are unattractive and aggressive and tend to crowd out the desirable varieties.Instead, we buy smaller quantities of select seed blends that attract the cardinals, grosbeaks, finches, orioles and small woodpeckers. These seed varieties cost more, but they attract (reach) the desired species (audience) and bring them to the feeders (results).I believe our industry has been sidetracked for the better part of a decade, worrying about the internet and satellite radio and ignoring the basic selling approach for radio that advertisers still find very appealing. http://www.rbr.com/features/ideas-working-now/16006.html 2009-07-28T10:16:04-05:00 2009-07-28T10:16:04-05:00 Frank McCoy Everyone agrees that being able to tell a compelling narrative about the unique qualities of your listenership is a door opener and can get orders. The challenge is to determine what that story is and to articulate it in terms that an advertiser can relate to.One area that is often overlooked is the simple geographic demographics of your coverage area. Few stations have access to high end mapping software that can provide research foundations for that compelling story. I've often wondered why?Inagine if you could know, by zip and even block, where your listeners live and the degree to which they are representative of the surrounding population. Where do others of similar demographic profile live? How many live within X radius or Y drive time from the advertiser's location(s)?Even more qualitative data like "How old is your car?" and, "What is the age and value of your home?" can be answered from readily-available mapping data layers. The US Census has a ton of highly detailed info and research firms like Nielsen sell more (Claritas is an example). Once you own it, you can run as many analyses as you want.What's missing is, first, the software and, second, someone at the station to run it. Neither problem is all that difficult to solve. http://www.rbr.com/features/ideas-working-now/16006.html 2009-07-28T10:48:52-05:00 2009-07-28T10:48:52-05:00 Mike Ginsburg Smart, well written article! http://www.rbr.com/features/ideas-working-now/16006.html 2009-08-04T13:03:22-05:00 2009-08-04T13:03:22-05:00 Bob Atkinson This brings to mind that a system (corporation) is offered for sale that has raised local radio revenues of $250,00 to $500,000 (or more) in over 1000 markets with documented proof of purchase to advertizers and continue year after year. Contact me @ 203-226 3110 or the NAB/RAB convention. In addition, this will add good will and listenership! as well.