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If You Knew
May 19, 2014
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. If you knew that radio ratings respondents are the kind of people who are attracted to cash offers, you'd probably make sure that all of your contesting included a cash component. You might use concert tickets to reinforce your station's branding or money-can't-buy experiential prizes to set your station apart from its competitors. But, you'd appeal to likely ratings responders by including cash in every contest. If you knew that radio ratings respondents include people who like giving their opinions, you'd seek out opinions from your listeners frequently. You'd allow them to opt in at their convenience. And since they like rewards, you'd make rewards part of the offer. Perhaps it's weekly giveaways of client-supplied items plus monthly cash awards. You'd know that this was a marketing exercise, and not a research project - so you'd be careful not to confuse the input you receive on critical issues from these active responders with the guidance gained through passively-recruited research respondents.
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If you knew that radio ratings respondents are the kind of people who are attracted to cash offers, you’d probably make sure that all of your contesting included a cash component. You might use concert tickets to reinforce your station’s branding or money-can’t-buy experiential prizes to set your station apart from its competitors. But, you’d appeal to likely ratings responders by including cash in every contest.
If you knew that radio ratings respondents include people who like giving their opinions, you’d seek out opinions from your listeners frequently. You’d allow them to opt in at their convenience. And since they like rewards, you’d make rewards part of the offer. Perhaps it’s weekly giveaways of client-supplied items plus monthly cash awards. You’d know that this was a marketing exercise, and not a research project – so you’d be careful not to confuse the input you receive on critical issues from these active responders with the guidance gained through passively-recruited research respondents.Â
If you knew that many likely ratings respondents want to influence the programming on the stations they use and that few feel that radio stations are interested in their opinions, you’d double your efforts to seek out their opinions and demonstrate that their opinions have an impact on the station’s programming. In fact, you might be utilizing guidance obtained through passively-recruited research respondents, but positioning it on the air as guidance obtained through the station’s listeners (which, in a sense, it is).
If you knew that a significant subset of likely ratings respondents want to be able to vote for their favorite stations or shows so that they don’t get changed or cancelled, you’d set up groups using email subscriptions, text messaging groups and social media in support of your station overall and the shows – and perhaps even features – within it. You’d communicate with the groups regularly and respond to their comments and replies. You’d encourage them to get their friends involved to aid the cause.Â
If you knew that many likely ratings respondents are also heavy social media users, you’d make sure your contact there was relentless. You’d employ paid social media advertising in support of your station and contests as a weapon in your promotional arsenal.Â
If you knew that share has become a far less relevant metric than AQH rating because of new competition for consumers’ ears, you’d focus all your attention on rating. You’d know how much change in AQH persons it would take to produce another 0.1 rating in the demos and dayparts that drive your station’s sales. You’d be dogged in finding the additional occasions or enhancing clocks to allow longer spans to generate that lift – whether it was through promotions or contesting or moving spots or power music categories or features or other tactics. You’d have your programming and promotion teams focused on these missions to bolster your success.Â
If you’re the kind of person who regularly reads this column, you probably DO know all of this. We hope this serves as a good reminder. And perhaps we’ve given you some new ideas to exploit to continue your success.Â
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