The author of this guest commentary is the founder and president of Sound Advantage Media, a radio/podcasting consulting firm. Comment on this or any article. Email [email protected].
In radio, we often worry so much about our clients — that we forget to market ourselves. Here are a few guidelines when thinking about your next marketing campaign.
- Have a Mission. You need a goal before you even begin to think about what you can do. Determine the age and characteristics of your target and then ask yourself what you would like them to do. Perhaps you want them to listen to your station more, try out the morning show or introduce new music. The key is to know why you’re doing what you’re doing.
- Have a Plan. Once you know what you are trying to achieve, you need to have a plan to get there. Give yourself enough time to prepare properly and conduct research. Never be reactionary — always plan. Make sure you review your creative and that it works for who it is you are targeting.
- Get It Right — First. Before you begin to toot your own horn, make sure you’ve got the product right. There is nothing worse than marketing something that isn’t what you want it to be. What is it that your listeners will or won’t like? What are the listener benefits? Know what and why you are selling before you sell it.
- Know the Difference. One approach when it comes to marketing is to focus on the differences between your station and the competition. Is your morning show #1? Tell the world! Do you only play #1 hits? Say so. Whatever makes your station special is what you should be marketing. The key here is to avoid promoting something that can be easily duplicated.
- Frequency. It’s what we have our sales team pitch right? Why aren’t we also focused on reach and frequency? Get the message out there, make it stick; let them know who you are. This applies not only to radio but to all media you use to market your message. The more you hammer them with it, the more they will retain it.
In today’s world, we need to ensure we market our message on our stations, our websites, our social media platforms and in the community through outside media, community events, etc.
In the day-to-day world of radio broadcasting, things tend to move fast. Don’t let the speed of our industry rush your marketing and plan of attack.
[Related: “5 Ways to Turn AM Radio Around“]
