CRS 2018: Plan, Learn, Share, Pace, Rinse, Repeat

Ask anyone who has enjoyed long-term success in Country radio or on the label side of the business how they’ve been able to grow – then sustain – their career, and I’ll bet you’ll hear the same, three-word answer: Country Radio Seminar (CRS). CRS has been a “thing” for 49 years now, so anybody who’s anybody in our not-so-little corner of the music biz has been to at least one – and likely multiple – CRS events.

The panels are always strong, and I’ll get to this week’s second installment of CRS 2018 panel previews shortly, but I wanted to start by mentioning the other, perhaps more important benefits of aligning yourself with this very special industry event: networking, mentoring, and planning.

Panels at CRS are well planned, feature great speakers, and provide attendees solid, actionable takeaways they can install the day they return to work from Nashville. They’re also topical, reflecting our ever-evolving business and ways to succeed. They can also be time sensitive – or, have an expiration date – as this fast-moving industry continues reinventing itself, seemingly at light speed.

But, relationships established at CRS can last a lifetime. You’ll meet friends, collaborators, and mentors whose guidance will take your career places you never imagined. Keep attending CRS long enough, and the natural process is to morph into an industry mentor. In fact, if you’re high-profile and successful, I think you have an obligation to share insight and advice with young, rising talent in our format.

It’s in that spirit that I start this week by sharing a networking tip sheet to help you get ready for CRS 2018. Prepped by All Access Nashville Asst. Editor Monta Vaden and fellow CRS Agenda Committee member Billy McKim, Associate Professor Digital Media Research at Texas A&M University, the tip sheet is the first in a four-part series of CRS tip sheets designed to help CRS rookies. Some may say networking is a natural skill, but that’s not the case for everyone – especially first-time CRS attendees. Not everybody has the cajones to walk up to, say, Mike McVay, Johnny Chiang, Beverlee Brannigan, or Mike Dungan and introduce themselves. Trust me when I say all of these high profile, industry bigshots are some of the nicest, accessible leaders we are fortunate to have. But, if you don’t know, you don’t know.

The first CRS I attended, which was shortly after the earth cooled and when dinosaurs roamed the planet, I saw eventual Country Radio Hall of Famer WAMZ/Louisville PD Coyote Calhoun – already a legend at that time – in the Opryland Hotel lobby, and I was terrified to walk within 25 yards of him. Coyote later became a very good friend and someone whose advice I often sought out. When I later joined the Arista Nashville promo team, he was in my region. I never laughed as hard as when we got together. I laugh now, thinking how much I was intimidated that first CRS.

A couple things on the tip sheet jump out. Update your social media profile, especially LinkedIn and Facebook. Download the CRS 2018 App, which was just released this week, and get familiar with the agenda. Another topic that will be covered in a future tip sheet, and something I have told people for years now: always be flexible about the week, but start by setting your own curriculum before you land in Nashville. Figure out what panels and music/social events you want to attend.

I say that particularly for activities outside of the daily sessions, because here’s the thing: at CRS, you’re a mosquito in nudist colony. There are so many things to do and see that are a total blast, but it is not humanly possible to do it ALL. And, by the way, if you try and do it all, you’ll fail miserably, stay up way too late, become dehydrated, and feel like dog shit the next day – and probably the next week – having severely compromised your already-delicate immune system. I know I sound like your dad here, but please, trust me on this. I haven’t just seen it, I’ve been there. Come say hello at CRS, and I’ll tell you some things.

As for this week’s panel preview, let’s focus on Wednesday, February 7th, since we shared Tuesday panels last week.

Women’s Mentoring Breakfast, 7:30a (CT)

The agenda committee started this specific mentoring event last year, and it was a blockbuster success. Leading this year’s edition is KZPK/St. Cloud, MN MD/midday personality Brook Stephens, who shared this sizzling preview: “There are women representing Consulting, Digital and Tech, Artist Management, and more. From amazing air talents like Whitney Allen of ‘The Big Time with Whitney Allen’ and Sunny Leigh of KVOO/Tulsa, to record visionaries like Lee Adams of Broken Bow Records and Katie Dean of MCA Nashville. If you’re a Market Manager, Sales Executive, or Promotions Director, you can pick the brains of some of the best like Sarah Frazier of CBS Houston, Shelly Easton of WXTU/Philly, and Beverlee Brannigan. Don’t be intimidated by the huge list of amazing women in the industry, they are here for one purpose: to meet YOU! Bring your business cards and any questions you have about your career now or for the future. Meet and network with others in the industry from rookies to seasoned veterans! You get one-on-one time with the best. Set your alarms early, and be there.”

CMA Country Music Streaming Study: The Way Forward To Drive Consumption 10a (CT)

CRS has always provided powerful, actionable research for attendees; last week, we teased the Edison Smart Speaker study, which will be presented on Tuesday, February 6th. Over the years, CRS has teamed with the Country Music Association (CMA), which continues to examine industry trends affecting radio, labels, and consumers. This project was conducted over a nine-month period and included more than 2,500 Country music listeners, whose music streaming behaviors were tracked on their mobile devices, PCs, and laptops, in addition to extensive quantitative survey research describing their attitudes and perceptions about streaming experiences and providers. CMA Sr. Dir./Consumer Research Karen Stump and Magid and Associated VP/Research Andrew Hare will present the findings. Editor’s note: I saw a preview of this study before the holidays; it is fantastic, and I would advise all my friends in radio to attend.

The Matrix Of The Metrics: How To Make Sense Of All This Data 11a (CT)

Sticking on the topic of valuable research, this is a follow up – but not a repeat – of last year’s “Dicing The Data” panel, which was the highest rated session at CRS 2017. Stone Door Media Lab’s Jeff Green polled Mediabase reporting PDs and MDs to find out what factors were most commonly used when considering airplay. Now, in 2018, he’s asked again, and anytime you can track data, it’s helpful and informative. I’m honored to be moderating this panel, and I can use two words to describe how I felt after seeing a preview of Green’s updated findings: Mind. Blown. It’s not just the survey results; Green has gone super-granular in looking at what really determines hits songs and how they behave. Most-added, Shazam data, streaming stats, and other information you may have never considered are among those. Green has basically constructed a playbook for programmers to play the right songs. Providing feedback and insight will be MCA Nashville VP/Promotion Katie Dean and KKGO/Los Angeles Station Manager Michael Levine. This should be another fascinating discussion.

You Are A Brand: How To Build A Fan Base You Can Monetize 2p (CT)

This one is imagineered by my All Access colleague Monta Vaden, moderated by Albright, O’Malley & Brenner Partner Becky Brenner, and features Sony Music Nashville EVP/Marketing & New Business John Zarling, Pearl Records SVP/Promotion/Team Garth Mandy McCormack, Premiere Networks nationally syndicated morning host Bobby Bones, and Scripps Top 40/Rhythmic WKHT/Knoxville PD Joey Tack.

Vaden explains the objective of this session: “In recent years, stronger emphasis has been placed on developing revenue streams that can be placed under the umbrella of ‘NTR’ – or, ‘non-traditional revenue’ – for stations. With the rise of digital and social media offerings, including podcasting, website blogging, vlogging, Facebook Live, and uniquely-branded station events, the options can seem endless and overwhelming. But, in the end, it all comes down to building a brand. Branding, at its core, is the process of forming memories, emotions, and relationships around your station and its personalities in the minds of your listeners. The goal for everyone should be to build such a strong connection – and such a genuine belief – that your audience takes on your brand identity as their own. ‘I'm a WXYZ listener.’ But, what that means in a multi-media landscape is so much different than it was in the days of Wolfman Jack. This session will take a look at some of the ways to get creative, elevate your brand, and monetize that fan base to add to the bottom line of both ratings and revenue.”

Remember that “mosquito in a nudist colony” analogy? That’s what the CRS 2018 agenda alone is, as you can see by this and last week’s preview of sessions. Unlike Tuesday at CRS, Wednesday does have concurrent sessions, with two at 11a, and three at 2pm. That’s where choices become important. That said, CRS always provides audio of each session within a couple of weeks of the seminar.

Let me reiterate my advice based on past, personal experience: plan ahead, don’t try and do it all, get enough sleep, drink a ton of water, and by all means, step up and introduce yourself to industry leaders. If you somehow still aren’t comfortable walking up to a bigshot, find me, and I’m happy to introduce you. Travel safe; see you in a few weeks.