3 steps to help us move forward
We live in an age when standing still, or even running slowly with the pack, means you’re falling behind.
The fact is, your station — your radio company — is either getting better, or it’s getting worse.
We all know listening levels are huge, above 92% of all Americans, and seem to still be growing, despite all the new media options.
But, it seems to me, you can assess your station’s real momentum by answering these three questions:
- Has your station become more effective in meeting your customers’ needs? Are you developing quantifiable metrics that gauge advertising results for individual clients? Are you developing anything to address accountability to justify advertiser’s expenditures on your station?
- Has your station, or your company (or Radio, as an industry) implemented a significant innovation campaign, or several smaller “pilot” programs (new formats?) that have clearly captured the interest of listeners and clients?
- Is your station and your company becoming more collaborative with your listeners and your clients, or less?
In less than a decade, the music industry has totally changed, thanks to Apple’s iPod. Mobile phones and constant web connection have removed the need that newspapers filled, and it seems to have happened in the blink of an eye. Magazine subscriptions continue to fall. Each of these businesses failed to adapt quickly enough.
Will Radio be different?
Where are our new formats, our great, new, young talent, our new ideas to make our spots more effective for clients, our blazingly creative and engaging web sites and mobile offerings??
HD Radio?
That’s it?
That’s our innovation since FM was launched?
If the NAB is thinking HD is the big innovation listeners and advertisers have been waiting for, they’re nuts.