It's Time For Brand Improvement

We all know it.

The New Year is almost here.

Hopefully, you've had a great year or at least a good year.

This year has found us questioning inflation and economy. Will there or won't there be a recession?

But 2024 isn't about those questions as much as it is about the unknown of what business owners will do, where money will go and how to strengthen your local radio business in the face of the 21st Century realities of higher interest rates (and higher prices). As a reminder, inflation is judged by "if" prices are still going up. They are not judged on prices returning to what they were a year ago. Fun, huh?

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How are your relationships?

The Importance Of Brand

At a time when many radio companies have focused less on the building of unique and compelling local radio brands, the idea of brand is in no way unimportant. Cost cutting and temptation to do less on the generation side while focusing almost entirely on sales has taken its toll on the expectation listeners have in a variety of markets. Rest assured, this is a dark cloud rising and the sharpening of knives to your revenue if you find yourself in this situation.

2024, The Year Of Consequences

No one wants to hear that your choices lead you to consequences, but it isn't just bad consequences we're talking about. Your 2024 efforts can be effective at focusing on improving revenue through improving your brands. To do so, you must focus on more than only sales.

Radio sales is all about solving problems for advertisers. The most powerful opportunity radio has is using our relationships and renting advertisers access to those consumers. Where does that come from? It comes from your people, your relationships and your brands.

That means it comes down to relationship. Relationship starts with your on-air talent.

So, what's important leaning as 2024 is starting to really be on your mind?

1. How focused are you on the actual value of your morning show? No matter if you have a local team or solo show or a syndicated show, how do you connect that show and sharpen the images of the characters on that show for the audience you most want to attract and maintain? If you have a local team or solo host, what kind of valuable coaching have you provided for them?
2. How focused are your individual brands on the value and promotion of the morning show? Much has been said about the evaporation of external marketing and - yet - people still wonder why radio has a challenging lower profile. It all starts in the morning. If you value what you are doing in the morning, are you up to date on the most effective ways to market externally for them now?
3. Is there value in focusing on at-work for your local radio brands? In diary markets, adult music stations get more of their quarter hours from at-work listening than any other period. It's worth it to think about the usage opportunities your brand has with audience development.
4. How inviting are you to listeners you value most on the way home? We all know that big opportunity comes from the car, but this is more than that. Afternoons have suddenly come into view as a powerful and critical part of any vibrant radio brand. Like mornings, what is the plan for coaching and growing the talent you have for listeners on the way home?
5. A lot of managers miss that coaching talents includes coaching them on how to do better endorsements and how to interact with sellers to help connect advertisers to listeners. This is our real and highest value to advertisers.
6. Finally, what is the value of ideas? As you head into 2024, ideas are more important than ever. Ideas separate your value from others. Ideas are tied to revenue as much as commercials, as much as digital, as much as events.

Everyone is busy. Think about all the things that get your attention on a daily basis and how many jobs people do in radio today. If you need some help with any or all of the six things above, reach out. Our consulting practice helps local radio clients "on both sides of the ball." Yes, we strengthen your brands and we help your sellers leverage it for more revenue. Now, that's something that can truly benefit you in 2024.

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Why are you letting just a few fractional dollars keep you from transforming your business??

We don’t need your dollars. Take the free stuff on our site. There are almost 1,000 articles of encouragement here for you on everything from revenue growth, sales and management to talent coaching. We want you to do this. Our mission is to encourage local radio to succeed at a higher level now in the 21st Century. We work for relationships.?

It's Your House

We can help you work on your whole house and not just suggest a few improvements. We’re collaborative and that means we don’t tell clients what to do or try to change them into someone else. We go to work for you. We meet you where you are and work with you on your problems.

Who Wants Your Problems??

It’s really what we are asking for. Our first consultation is free and we are highly confidential. Even if you never become our client.?

Our reputation is simple. We know this is a small industry. People know when you keep your word. We stay silent about who we work with and credit always goes where it should for victory: To our clients. Find out for yourself by just asking questions and sharing your problems with us. What do you have to lose??

Start Solving The Problems

Reach out when you are ready to see your radio station brands improve and the energy and results from your efforts match your hard work.?

Request a Zoom Meeting

Call us. 864.448.4169

Shoot a quick email. [email protected] ?

Whatever happens, it will be a fun conversation about local radio and that thing we talk about in our podcast episodes each week: “Once you have a radio station, you can get anything else you want.”?

We are waiting for the opportunity to help you and your team.