Monthly Archives: March 2011

Robust Future of Radio

The Robust Future of Radio and TV

         
          The more I study ‘new’ media, the more excited I become about the role of traditional broadcast in the new media mix.
          Advertisers have always been in love with ‘word of mouth’ advertising, in part because recommendations made by a friend are perceived as more credible than paid advertising, and in part because word of mouth is free!
          The various new social media are merely world word of mouth on steroids….happy customers that might have told two or three friends about a business can now tell two or three hundred friends with the push of a button.
          But a new study released just last week quickly points out why advertisers can NOT put all of their eggs in the social media basket and must still use radio and TV to reach out to the masses.
          The new study by Cone, a division of the Omnicom Group, reveals that becoming one of the businesses that attract followers or friends on social media is no easy feat.
          In the press release that introduced the study, Cone said, Even as new media adoption explodes – up 48 percent from 2009 – loyal followers can be hard to come by for companies trying to reach consumers online. With millions of the world’s brands a click of the mouse away, new media users still choose to demonstrate affinity (e.g., “like” on Facebook, “follow” on Twitter or subscribe to an RSS feed) for an average of only 4.6 companies online, making this club one of the most difficult to which a company can hope to gain access.”
          In our Electronic Age Media Mix advertiser seminars, we encourage media companies and advertisers to embrace new media because they are all free or cheap.
          But we also reveal new evidence every week that the clutter, fragmentation, and evolving new platforms make it impossible to replace traditional media with new media.  New media can enhance a broadcast campaign in a low cost and measurable way, which is attractive to advertisers.
          With the evolving demise of Yellow Pages and newspaper readership, radio and TV are becoming an even more important marketing communications tool for local advertisers who find it difficult to be one of the 4.6 businesses followed online.

          Contact us to forward the complete Cone press release about this September 2010 study.

An Idea you Can Sell

 An Idea You Can Sell!

          Here is an idea you can sell to any government or institution that needs to be positioned as saving the planet and saving the public’s money.        
          Local hospitals, colleges, governments and other institutions can be persuaded of the folly of printing and distributing mass quantities of their programs or annual reports in this age of electronic media…..broadcasters and websites can achieve their communications objectives without killing trees!
          Our advertiser seminars are consistently converting former heavy print advertisers to a radio/TV/web alternative. Look at this email I received from one station sales manager this week.
   
Hi, Wayne; Do you remember a gentleman from your seminar from city hall’s Parks and Recreation Department, that you talked to about moving towards a paperless catalogue of their programs? He spoke to you after the seminar about your thoughts and you followed up with me in an email on how I could help.

Friday he called and told me that the municipality has bought into youridea of not sending out the programs in the weekly rag. They’re going to print one third the usual run and push the public via radio to the program on their website.

He has asked me to coordinate four buys per year with the other stations here. I love it when a plan comes together!

 
Additional Revenue
          We have counselled many stations in not only converting these institutions to a broadcast/web combo, but in selling a sponsorship for the limited print distribution to a fast food restaurant chain that wants traffic. These organizations always want to print a few copies for that small portion of the public that does not have internet connections and there is always a sponsor who is happy to co-promote the distribution because it drives traffic to their stores. 
 
Notice the progressive broadcaster that sent me that email is also working with his competitors to the benefit of all of the stations in his market and to the benefit of the client.
 
Our Electronic Age Media Mix advertiser seminar is converting more and more print advertisers every week, and we now have a program that reduces your costs and pulls every station in your market together to the benefit of all!!
Contact Wayne to arrange a free online demo!!
 

New Media Mix

The New Media Mix

          Some of you may have read my article in Broadcast Dialogue or Radio Ink about how disappointed I was with the demise of the Radio Marketing Bureau in Canada.
        I’m equally disappointed that broadcasters, radio and TV, have let themselves be labeled as ‘old’ or ‘traditional’ media in an era when no one wants to buy anything branded as ‘old’.
          The advertiser seminars we run have successfully persuaded local advertisers that this is the electronic age; an age where the most powerful media mix includes anything electronic, specifically radio, TV, mobile, web, email and social media.
          Positioning any media that cuts down trees and has huge production and delivery costs as ‘old’ has won tons of new business for our host broadcasters.
          We need to work together as an industry to educate more local advertisers about broadcasts’ fit in the new media landscape. Here are some excerpts from a letter written by Radio Ink publisher Eric Rhoads;  
           
I’m going to ask you to do something that may make you uncomfortable.
In fact, most of you will get the hair up on your back, or send e-mails telling me why I’m an idiot for what I’m about to suggest. Sadly, only 2 percent of you will take my suggestion, and the other 98 percent will find fault with it. The good news is that the 2 percent will gain favor with advertisers.
The indirect nature of this strategy may make you uncomfortable, but I ask you to keep an open mind, because it is a huge opportunity for radio.
What I am about to share must be carried out very delicately and with perfect finesse:
1. Work with the market manager of every radio station in your town and invite them to a meeting ASAP.
2. All stations in town will be given an opportunity to participate in a local advertiser even. All stations must agree to participate equally, even though some may have more stations and some will want more credit.
3. Invite every business in town to a four-hour conference with experts, and advice on boosting business. It will NOT be about radio or individual stations.
4. Do not pitch radio. Do not allow your salespeople to pitch radio, or to even push for appointments. The ONLY exposure should be brief introductions to the local managers and a pamphlet that you will create called Strategies for Small Business. Highlighting radio’s strengths, it can have ads for stations and listings for all participating stations in the back.
Why You Should Do This
It’s the right thing to do. If broadcast becomes known for helping local businesses without asking anything in return, we will improve our image in the eyes of local businesses.
Why You Should Not Do This Alone
Lift the tide for all. Every station will benefit, and you’ll have 10 times more businesses present than if you held a single-station event.
Eric Rhoads
Publisher
RADIO INK
I have a great deal of respect for Eric and his expertise and sincerity. In his complete letter, Eric listed ten steps to working together which we have incorporated into our New Media Mix in The New Economy advertiser seminar.
Eric began this piece suggesting that this program must be carried out very delicately and with perfect finesse.Our program does exactly that, working with local broadcasters with our invitation, sponsorship, promotional and agenda templates to create a powerful unified event.
FREE! Click here to arrange an online demo of how working together can drive more business for all.
Bonus; What Eric didn’t mention is the cost savings when you work together to promote our industry versus bearing the costs of speakers, venues, refreshments and other seminar investments on your own. 

Who is Influencing Your Clients?

Who is Influencing Your Clients?

 
          There is an old joke that says, “Those who can do it, do it; those who can’t do it, teach it.” Having become a management and sales trainer myself, I’ve never taken that joke personally, firm in the knowledge that I have sold and managed successfully for more than 35 years before becoming a consultant/trainer.
          By the way, ‘experience’ and ‘success’ are not synonymous terms. Many people with twenty years experience really only have one year’s experience twenty times, and some have no successes under their belts other than keeping their jobs.
          But many self-described ‘experts’ today have little if any experience, and even fewer have had any successes in what they teach! So those who couldn’t do, find it easy to resort to teaching with the magic of the internet.
          Anyone can start a blog, an e-letter or build a network online with no credentials. Why am I telling you this? Is it a slam at some of my competitors?
Is it to brag about my own successes? Or was I duped by one of these online gurus? None of the above.    
          I’m telling you because you need to be aware of the unqualified ‘experts’ who might be steering or influencing your prospects and clients! Do a search yourself some time and you’ll be shocked at the long list of guru’s who knock advertising or don’t even include radio as a contender in their alleged analysis of the pros and cons of various media.
          We’re in the information age, but a lot of what’s spread as information is actually misinformation!
          If one of your clients or prospects has become a disciple of one of these frauds, you’re going to have a tough time persuading them about your rightful place in their marketing plans.
          What can you do about it?
1.) Ask your clients and prospects if there is a particular blog or marketing guru they follow, then learn what these experts are preaching. If their teachings are false, tactfully expose them, and if they make sense, show how what you are offering is a perfect fit with their teachings.
2.) If your client is interested in broadening their marketing knowledge, suggest blogs like our SoundADvice or Roy Williams’ Monday Morning Memo. You can also recommend books and gurus that do justice to your medium.
3.) Become an expert yourself…not just at selling what you sell, but at understanding and helping your clients’ success. You can only become an effective ‘teacher’ by becoming an avid student.
And after all, selling is merely teaching; teaching your prospects how and why you offer the best solutions.

Long Copy/Short Copy Debate

The Long-copy/Short-copy Debate

 
          There has been a long standing debate in the advertising and marketing communications community over which works better, long and detailed copy or copy that’s short and to the point.
          In the new electronic media age, the debate is ending. Both sides of the old debate had merit, and now you can have both in your media mix.
          Strategically, it makes perfect sense to have short, attention-compelling copy in your advertiser commercials to capture attention and create an awareness and preference for their products.
          At the same time, you can direct prospects craving more information and details to your website where you may indulge in longer copy and pictures.
          The perfect media mix in the new electronic media age, captures the best of both worlds; on-air to arouse interest and desire, and online for all of the facts and details.
          Broadcast inspires and internet informs.
          This is just part of the exciting new media story we can tell your prospects when you host our “Winning in the New Media Economy” advertiser seminar. We still have openings in out 2011 schedule
          Click here to arrange an online demo to learn how this seminar will convert local print and Yellow Pages advertisers to use more radio and TV in their Media mix.