Investment Strategy And Hispanic Media

4-5-2015

What is a radio company looking for, specifically a Hispanic radio company, in 2015 to attract today's more cautious investors? Leading the panel "Investment Strategy: Hispanic Media, Wall Street & Main Street" at the Hispanic Radio Conference in Dallas Thursday was managing partner at Sugarloaf Rock Capital Drew Marcus. The first question Marcus asked the panel dealt with capital, capital markets, and what kind of capital is available to Hispanic markets.

Blackstar Chairman/President/CEO John Oxendine highlighted tech and Hispanic buying power. "I've only dealt with small and medium operators," he said. "In the last five to 10 years we've seen a lot of consolidation. There is a certain magic that Spanish broadcasters have. We have a population, and, like the black population, it is very large." Oxendine continued, "Latinos have buying power in the $1 trillion range. That's pretty encouraging. What does that mean in regard to going into business? For us to be successful, we are going to have to get involved with the new tech, everything streamed, everything mobile, and create partnerships with folks that do that."

President and CEO of YouPlus Media Jeff Hinson noted, "The pace of change is increasing. The life cycle of companies is really shortening. Almost all conversations are more on centering strategy on digital. Broadcast and Spanish radio views the broadcast tower as a component of the value to bring advertisers and communities in on."

Hinson continued, "If you think about radio down two and a half, if you're going to buy, you have to buy the right multiple. Unless your able to redefine your model, that's where the business growth is."

The FCC came into focus from more than one of the panelists, stressing the importance of minority ownership and the FCC's role in encouraging that growth. Access Communications CEO Chesley Maddox-Dorsey said, "Diversity in media is still an FCC goal. Minority voices are important, and the best way to do that is to increase minority ownership. But access to capital is still a problem. We as Hispanic broadcasters don't have the same access to capital as everyone else does. I'm a big believer of increasing Hispanic ownership in broadcasting. The stations that have grown the best are the ones that have targeted the Latino population. We've got the talent, the product, now we need the capital."

Hinson said that syndication, distribution, and new media are extremely important in the Hispanic media market. He noted, "Concentrate on distribution, and look at new media to get your product across as many platforms. Focus on the talent, and bring the best talent to stations, with local relevance [being] extremely important. Your sales department needs to understand the local market too. Entravision is syndicating. We have to value our product. We have to make sure we value them, and value them properly. The most important thing to do is collect good people to operate as efficiently as possible."

John Oxendine went on to say, "Looking at the population trends and business models going forward, [the] Spanish population has more going for it than anything else. If you look in the environment we live in today, it's about convenience, mobile, apps for young people. We need companies so young people can put together apps. We need relationships with telecoms, and we need to gain more experience in streaming."

Oxendine told Hispanic Radio Conference attendees,  "I'm trying to make you aware that you are the future. We need to associate with people who are doing things, to become successful."

Chesley Maddox-Dorsey agreed: "Partnerships are key. With partnerships you need less capital. Partnership is leverage. We want to be in the game. You guys have the talent and knowledge resources, but other people have the money. You're not going to do a $100 million dollar deal on your own, that's why partnerships are so important."

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6 Ideas To Improve Your Social Media Strategy

6 Ideas That Will Improve Your Social Media Strategy

(by Loyd Ford) Ever had your mother or someone like her say, ?Get real!?  We live in a fast-paced world where most companies are trying to figure out how to deliver something that looks like and feels like good old fashion whatever their product or service is?but with less cost.  The end result is often an experience that doesn?t feel real because it often isn?t. When you dip over into social media for real brands and people, things often get even less real.  But being real matters more than ever and communicating the realities about how much you care for your local listeners is more valuable than ever. That means communicating those values on-air and in social media along with appearances and even advertising or marketing about your brand.

As we approach 2015, now is a great time to think about what does create that feeling of realness.  #1 on my list is authenticity.  But how do you create that feeling in your social media? Isn?t social media fake?  Not necessarily. In fact, as we take a look at the social media space you occupy, let?s focus in on authenticity and being real.  How can you make sure you are communicating those values to your audience in social media like you do on-air.

1. Put yourself ?out there? by putting personal stories out there about you, your personalities and what makes you vulnerable (within reason).  Don?t simply post national stories that can appear anywhere.  When you do post national stories, give them an authentic local twist that makes your station and your audience a part of the story.

2. Engage your audience in responding directly to your social media content.  Make it as much about them (or more) than it is about you and your reaction to what may be ?happening? out there in the world. 

3. When you don?t know the answer to something, put it out there for listeners to answer.  People love to see that you don?t have all the answers and they love to be helpful.  This makes you very real and acceptable.

4. Talk about real world things that impact you and impact your listeners and make your social media conversations about real issues that are important to them (not just contesting and gossip).

5. Let it all hang out.  Sometimes you can show a ?behind the scenes? without makeup or an event ?set up? so people can see the work that goes into doing radio.  You will be surprised how far that can go to making you seem more approachable and engaged in real world things.

6. Admit to making mistakes.  Show that you are just like listeners.  If you do it right, you will draw more people to you because they will see you as very real and ?more like them.?

All of this is about humanizing your personalities and your work.  The more human and approachable you seem, the more you will find people identifying with you.  The pressure to be perfect is more present than you might think.  Identifying yourself as someone who tries hard, is sometimes wrong, makes choices based on trying to serve others and believes in helping listeners on a very authentic level will create more attraction to you.  That?s worth the work.

Loyd Ford is the digital revenue, direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Rainmaker Pathway and Americalist Direct Marketing.  Loyd has programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, and WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here:  http://about.me/loydford. Get his radio-social media content sent directly to your smart phone or email for free here:  www.rainmakerpathway.wordpress.com. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE. 

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6 Ideas To Improve Your Social Media Strategy

6 Ideas That Will Improve Your Social Media Strategy

(by Loyd Ford) Ever had your mother or someone like her say, ?Get real!?  We live in a fast-paced world where most companies are trying to figure out how to deliver something that looks like and feels like good old fashion whatever their product or service is?but with less cost.  The end result is often an experience that doesn?t feel real because it often isn?t. When you dip over into social media for real brands and people, things often get even less real.  But being real matters more than ever and communicating the realities about how much you care for your local listeners is more valuable than ever. That means communicating those values on-air and in social media along with appearances and even advertising or marketing about your brand.

As we approach 2015, now is a great time to think about what does create that feeling of realness.  #1 on my list is authenticity.  But how do you create that feeling in your social media? Isn?t social media fake?  Not necessarily. In fact, as we take a look at the social media space you occupy, let?s focus in on authenticity and being real.  How can you make sure you are communicating those values to your audience in social media like you do on-air.

1. Put yourself ?out there? by putting personal stories out there about you, your personalities and what makes you vulnerable (within reason).  Don?t simply post national stories that can appear anywhere.  When you do post national stories, give them an authentic local twist that makes your station and your audience a part of the story.

2. Engage your audience in responding directly to your social media content.  Make it as much about them (or more) than it is about you and your reaction to what may be ?happening? out there in the world. 

3. When you don?t know the answer to something, put it out there for listeners to answer.  People love to see that you don?t have all the answers and they love to be helpful.  This makes you very real and acceptable.

4. Talk about real world things that impact you and impact your listeners and make your social media conversations about real issues that are important to them (not just contesting and gossip).

5. Let it all hang out.  Sometimes you can show a ?behind the scenes? without makeup or an event ?set up? so people can see the work that goes into doing radio.  You will be surprised how far that can go to making you seem more approachable and engaged in real world things.

6. Admit to making mistakes.  Show that you are just like listeners.  If you do it right, you will draw more people to you because they will see you as very real and ?more like them.?

All of this is about humanizing your personalities and your work.  The more human and approachable you seem, the more you will find people identifying with you.  The pressure to be perfect is more present than you might think.  Identifying yourself as someone who tries hard, is sometimes wrong, makes choices based on trying to serve others and believes in helping listeners on a very authentic level will create more attraction to you.  That?s worth the work.

Loyd Ford is the digital revenue, direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Rainmaker Pathway and Americalist Direct Marketing.  Loyd has programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, and WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here:  http://about.me/loydford. Get his radio-social media content sent directly to your smart phone or email for free here:  www.rainmakerpathway.wordpress.com. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE. 

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The Strategy For Winning The Game Of Radio

10-27-14
A great winning coach starts every game with a strategy. As the game goes forward, strategy is adjusted, based on new data on how the opposition or your own team is playing. Strong coaches watch footage of the competitive team the night before the game, showing their players the strengths and weakness of both teams. The coach with the best data has the best chance of creating the best strategy.

The game radio is playing is ever-changing. New data points are being introduced at every turn. Last week we saw new data on local sales from Pandora, which was both unexpected and surprising because of the impact on local dollars. A couple of weeks ago we saw Omnicom shift 100 percent of its radio budget from spending with multiple radio group platforms to spending on only one.

At the moment, most of the industry is working feverishly on their 2015 budgets. Predicting 2015 is all about gathering data points -- plus some guesswork and throwing of darts. We guess at the impact of this year's political spending vs. next year, when there will be very little. We try to predict what our advertisers will do within the industry. We try to anticipate which advertisers will buy our 2015 proposals. It's all about data points. We all want to avoid recasting the budget mid-year because our predictions were off, so data is critical.

Annually, as we round out the year, Radio Ink presents its Forecast conference. It's all about the data -- where we landed for this year and where we predict we will be next year. It's held in November, when we've gathered enough historical data to see how the year ended, yet early enough to make adjustments in our budgets based on the predictive models presented by analysts, advertisers, and broadcasters. This year's Forecast takes place on November 19.

If you've not attended before, you'll find it's not just helpful, but many consider Forecast a must-attend event because the data and commentary are so valuable. We start the morning with the top financial analysts and move through the day into trends, spending, what's growing or failing, what advertisers are seeing, and predictions from broadcast group -- the big ones and the independent ones. It's followed by THE networking event in radio: the reception for the "40 Most Powerful in Radio" from the annual Radio Ink list. It's the dealmakers' ball.

This year promises to be extra lively because of the planning done by our co-chairs: Mark Rosenthal, CEO of Katz Media Group, and Mark Kassan, the Chairman/CEO of MediaLink. See the agenda HERE. Register HERE. Early bird pricing ends this Friday.

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NRG Hires Martin to Lead its Digital Strategy

9-5-14

Tim Martin has been named NRG's Corporate Web Designer and Digital Content Manager. Martin spent the past seven years as Director of Online Content for Clear Channel Radio in Milwaukee, NRG COO Chuck DuCoty said, ?Due to the diversity of formats and listener appeal, the role is an important one to demonstrate NRG?s commitment to digital platform asset development on all NRG Media stations throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.? NRG now has 50 stations.

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Meyers Named Director of Digital Strategy at Greater Media

2-25-14

Steven Meyers has been promoted to the newly created position of Director of Digital Strategy at Greater Media. Meyers joined the company in 2012 in the role of Digital Manager at Greater Media Philadelphia. Meyers will now be responsible for helping to grow Greater Media?s audiences and revenue by developing new digital platforms that deepen listener engagement while providing new opportunities to the company?s commercial partners.

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(SOCIAL) Developing A Radio Strategy For Social Media

7-31-2013

If you have conversations with radio people across the U.S. about social media strategy, nearly everyone will tell you they have one. They will say, ?We?re on Facebook and Twitter.? When you ask a follow-up question about what kinds of content they are using, the answers regularly become more disturbing. Often, it?s, ?What do you mean??

The bottom-line is simple. Most battles are won before the first bullet is fired. In social media, you should have some specific goals and you should build an actual strategic plan that focuses on who you want to target, what types of content you want to use, how often you post, and how you attract the local listeners you want to engage to your personalities and local radio brand. And you should also make sure your content and visuals do not become stale. So, here are a few thoughts as you prepare for a change-of-life season we all know as fall (complete with both PPM and diary ratings and plenty of revenue pressure):

1. Visuals are the No. 1 attractant for eyes in social media. Fun, engaging, or interesting photos, and video that best represents the fun of actually engaging your brand should be in the foreground of your social media today. After all, you want to attract local listeners and visual not only gives you more opportunity to gain access to their attention, there are visually fun elements to the radio business that will encourage familiarity between the local listeners you most want to attract and your radio brands.

2. Causes can be a great electrifier of loyalty to your local personalities and this can lead to loyalty to large portions of your radio station in highly coveted day parts. Do you encourage your staff to identify local causes that are important to them and ?fight for them? in social media? If you don?t, you should think about it because people who are highly fired up about causes (appropriate to your format and target, please) can lead other highly passionate ?believers? to your brands and cut off competitors by giving listeners a deep personal reason to choose you : their cause.

3. Twists on content important to your target (those you most want to attract) that lead listeners back to your radio station and to appointments. This means taking a subject that you know does very well with your core target audience and a current event that is ?happening? in pop culture and twisting it so that listeners have to come to your station or directly to your website to get more details. In other words, don?t give up ?the baby? in social media. Give them a taste and bring them back to something you own. We should really be trying to do this in ALL THINGS we do in social media environments. After all, we don?t really care how Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms do. We should be focused on the strategic mission of improving our connection with important local listeners of our brand and driving results for the local broadcast company.

4. Community involvement can be a big driver for your efforts and get important ?actives? more connected to you if you develop a program for highlighting their events that attract others. You have so many tools for doing this today. You can post pictures and details on Facebook, Twitter, your website and other digital platforms. Again, this is like the ?causes? section above, but this time you are engaging active groups and highlighting their efforts. This is validation of effort and allows you to also gain access (as you should, to having your logos on all printed material, t-shirts and other assets that help connect you to their effort. The more you validate people, the closer they will come to you. When you are dealing with actives who are working on important issues as a group, that is an identified element of the market that is packed with potential cheerleaders for your brand.

5. Visual connectivity is so important that you should develop a regular amount of steady content that focuses on the fun things about your brand that listeners get, want, and have a passion for today. This can be stars in a music format, backstage activities most listeners don?t see, pictures of fans inside and outside an arena at a concert, listeners wearing or holding station swag and smiling, and more. It could be politicians and community leaders engaged with your brand if you are a News/Talk station. The focus is on what the most important keys are visually for bringing the listeners you most want to attract in social media closer to your brand. That?s usually fun or something important enough for the listeners to stop and spend time looking. Familiarity breeds loyalty.

6. Finally, you might think that doing the same thing over and over and over is good. Sometimes it is good. However, if you pay close attention you can get a lesson from big companies such as McDonalds or Coke. The most successful national restaurant chains do it. Big time nightclubs do it. Coke does it. They ?turn the lights up, turn the lights down.? Or, I should say, they ?freshen? their brand visuals and offerings. You can do this in social media by adjusting things about your ?pages? or visuals that you use to identify your brand (careful to follow company policy). You are not looking to change your brand. You are only looking to freshen the visual images from time to time so you get noticed again.

The bottom line with social media is that you want to be fun, helpful, and engaging. You don?t want to only promote yourself. Much of radio is taking the generic road or the self-promotion road in social media. Stand out. Mean something. Offer listeners something personal. Connect with them and truly engage them. Use visuals and control the percentage of content, when you post, and the freshening of image from time to time to create communities around your radio station that happen to marry up with the local listeners you most want to attract for your brand.

If you don?t have a specific strategic plan for social media that works for your radio station, you are making a mistake. Change it. Develop a plan. Don?t know how to develop an effective plan? Reach out and get help. This is important stuff if you do it right. The world is changing and consumers (listeners) are gaining access to real power like never before. This isn?t just for radio, but all companies better get with consumers and focus on what is important to them. Otherwise, you will be ?out.? Since the biggest efforts in radio have been on reducing every cost and not on expanding our footprint and engagement in local markets, this is especially true for radio.

Social media gives you arguably the easiest path to develop a plan and execute it with specifics to strengthen your advantage over other competitors who are only ?on Facebook and Twitter.?
Loyd Ford is the direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Americalist and has programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, and WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here:  http://about.me/loydford. Get his radio-social media content sent directly to your smart phone or email for free here:  www.rainmakerpathway.wordpress.com. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE.  Visit his Facebook radio social media page HERE

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(WIZARD) Ad Strategy Vs. Ad Writing

6-24-2013

Ad strategy is more difficult to teach than ad writing. Ad writing, essentially, is to choose:
1. An intriguing angle of approach into
the subject matter and
2. The sharpest words and phrases to
make your point.

Ad strategy, essentially, is to choose:
1. The point you need to make.

Bad strategy happens when you:
1. Listen to an advertiser?s wishful thinking and then
2. Assume that a radio schedule that
3. Delivers great frequency and
4. Reaches the perfect audience
5. With really good copy will
6. Make that advertiser?s dream come true.

If you?ve been selling radio long enough, you already know that a client?s wishful thinking will help you sell that client a radio schedule, but it takes a lot more than wishful thinking to motivate the client?s customer.

CLIENT: ?I wish I could sell these items.?
ACCOUNT EXEC: ?Let me help you.?
CLIENT: ?How can you help me??
ACCOUNT EXEC: ?We have a loyal audience.? (Insert success story here.) ?Advertising is an investment in your future.? (Insert schedule and contract here.) ?Now tell me exactly what makes these items different and special and better than the ones your competitor sells.? (You start taking notes like crazy. The client is animated. Sincere. Hopeful. Excited.)

You return to the station with a contract and a run order. Now all you need is great copy, right?

Let me pause here to say that it?s not my goal to discourage you. My goal is only to open your eyes. I want you to see the problem clearly so that you no longer walk into a trap from which there is no escape. We will now continue.

You work really hard and write a great piece of copy. Excellent copy. Miraculous copy. The greatest copy ever written. Your co-workers love the ad. The client loves the ad. High-fives all around and champagne for everyone.

The schedule runs. The ad airs. Everyone is commenting on it. Very little of the product is sold. Beyond generating those comments, the ad has minimal impact on the business.

What the hell?

Your copy, indeed, was fabulous. You employed an excellent angle of approach, held the listeners? attention, and made a powerful point in a clever way. Well done! But your fundamental strategy was flawed. Your ad answered a question that no one was asking.

You walked into the trap when you failed to question why the client was overstocked on the item he wanted you to advertise. The real problem is that no one wants the item. Your client assumed ? and you assumed with him ? that if people ?only knew and understood,? they?d rush in to buy the product. So you told the people, you made them understand. And they still didn?t want the product.

Advertising will only accelerate what was going to happen anyway.

Convince your client to let you offer the public what the public already wants. This is what drives traffic into a store. And many of those people will find other things to buy from your client. In other words, fish with bait that you already know the fish love. Don?t try to convince the fish to swallow bait they don?t really like.

The inexperienced account executive allows the patient to diagnose his own disease, then prescribes treatment under the illusion that the patient?s diagnosis can be trusted. If medical doctors did this, they would go to jail.

The treatment, the copy and the schedule, is the easy part. The diagnosis, the strategy, is the tricky part. A quick glance at the symptoms does not prescribe the cure. Identical symptoms can arise from many different causes.

The successful diagnostician knows the truth of a statement is not determined by the sincerity of the speaker. In other words, a deeply sincere, passionate client can easily be wrong in all of his assumptions. If you allow your client to frame the fundamental strategy and decide the principal point that your ad will make, you are at the mercy of your patient?s self-diagnosis. You and your station will be blamed when that patient fails to recover.

The solution is simple. You must separate the selling of the schedule from the creation of the strategy. Selling requires you to be warm, receptive, and empathetic. Strategy requires you to be cold, objective, and suspicious of the client?s self-diagnosis.

Ask yourself this question: ?Are customers not coming because they don?t know about this client, or are customers not coming because they do know??

Diagnose the real problem. Offer the client?s customers what you know for certain they want. Are you beginning to understand why it takes a few years to become a doctor? But stick with it. Don?t give up. Have courage. You?ll get there.

Roy H. Williams is president of Wizard of Ads Inc. E-mail: roy@wizardofads.com.

(6/24/2013 9:56:37 PM)
Phil, take the time to find and hire better reps.
(6/24/2013 9:56:36 PM)
Phil, take the time to find and hire better reps.
(6/24/2013 9:59:52 AM)
Roy,
No one knows his business like the client. His opinion that too few people know about him is probably correct and should be acted upon by the radio rep.
I like your analysis of the problem, but to ask the typical radio salesperson, age 23, 4 months into the business, previous career; bartender, drives an old car, to do a study of what this client needs competitively speaking, is dreaming.

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(DIGITAL) Upgrade Your E-mail Strategy

6-3-2013

I like e-mail!

I realize that?s not likely to be a sentence that rolls off your tongue every day. However, as broadcast marketing budgets dwindle, or disappear entirely, I?ll bet that e-mail continues to be the marketing workhorse that dominates your strategy, week in and out. It allows you to connect  and further engage with your audience on the things that really matter to your core.

That should be the goal, at least. But it?s usually the start of the problem for most broadcasters. Those weekly ?e-blasts? (does anyone still use that term?) are quite fitting, since the content often ?blasts? into an in-box and ?blasts? nothing but self-serving station ?busy?-ness, resonating little with the core.

I was on a panel at Radio Ink?s Convergence conference in March (plan to attend next year if you can), and I spoke about how the audience has changed into audiences, and how radio is in a position to capitalize on its ability to create a personalized experience.

Let?s look at how e-mail can help you focus that user experience. This strategy may allow you to reset the way you treat this captured audience opportunity:

Identify your core audience and what they need from you.
This is not a guessing game. Too many broadcasters assume they know who they?re talking to and just pound out station-related nonsense. After a couple of weeks of the same stuff, your e-mail is deleted unread ? or ends up getting the dreaded ?unsubscribe.?

Template temptations.
Don?t spend all your time on the template. Lay out your content map first. What features get the most traction on your station? How will your voice and attitude affect the look and feel? What special info does your audience demand, daily and weekly? Let these things become the building blocks for what you will communicate to your core. As you identify the content, the template will form around your priorities. The added benefit? You end up creating a new design without even thinking about it, making you stand out further from the competition.

E-mail is not an afterthought.
Too many stations schedule their e-mails haphazardly around other activities, and we all know what happens then: You produce something quickly that revolves around promotions and station remotes. Not good. Remember, your listeners want to be informed. If they?re going to give you permission to contact them directly, they want access to cool opportunities. Make sure you deliver.

Segment your audiences.
You have to think of each of your audiences, and how to speak to them directly, and with different content. One size does not fit all. You know how you feel when you sign up for e-mail alerts and you get info you can?t use: ?Delete!? There are many ways to segment your audience ? your e-mail provider will offer you database flexibility options; know what they are, and use them ? but the key is allowing people to sign up for things that interest them.

You or I may never participate in a contest, but we may want music news, the best local news roundup of the day or week, weekend local events for our families, etc. Offer your audience opportunities to sign up for these special, highly targeted e-mail alerts; they can sign up on the landing pages for the content they engage. You can keep an audience happy by sending them the music content they crave while engaging them on specifically targeted music events they might participate in, giving you another opportunity to drill deeper on their likes and how you can make them stronger advocates of your brand.

By the way, there?s no need for a three-page signup form. Keep it simple, just name and e-mail address. If you make listeners jump through too many hoops, they will be less likely to sign up. Privacy is a big issue, so tell them you will not sell your lists or bug them unnecessarily as you thank them for the chance to connect. This is permission-based marketing.

A great example of a station newsletter that has loads of personality and is highly engaging comes from Ken Freedman and noncomm WMFU in Jersey City. This rich e-mail targets WMFU listeners spot-on. It is a highly interactive experience, offering the element of surprise, which is key. WFMU creates a highly dynamic e-mail featuring content blocks that pull in pieces from many unique sources. They know their audience and take full advantage of that by focusing on key personalities, cool features, and quirky links that intrigue. It?s fun! WFMU?s e-mail wasn?t born from a template. The content drives the bus, and the station voice is infectious.

By knowing what your audience demands, you can begin to develop a pull strategy instead of a push strategy with your e-mail strategic. It is always about them ? not you.

Jon Erdahl is president of 3D MediaVentures.
Reach him at 603.234.4158 or follow on Twitter @JonErdahl.

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(SALES) Must-Haves For Your Advertising Strategy

5-6-2013

In my advertising seminars for business owners, I cover many points in a short period of time. By far, the most asked about section is the one on developing an overall advertising and marketing strategy. Listed below are the tips that I share with business owners on advertising and marketing.

Creativity:

1) Make sure the commercials rise above the clutter. Especially in broadcast media; there is 10 seconds or less to grab the attention of a potential customer.

2) Use musical images/jingles and signature identification whenever possible. Use color in print and online ads to make ads stand out to the readers.
Consistency:

1) No need to change for change?s sake: Many companies alter the continuity in their advertising just when it is starting to make an impact. A business cannot build a lasting impression position in the consumer?s mind in three months. Once a business starts advertising, they should never stop.

2) Do not use the shotgun approach in advertising: Do not scatter an advertising budget and allocate a little here and there. Focus and dominate. A business does not have to spend money like McDonald?s to dominate SOV (Share of Voice) and SOM (Share of Mind) in a market. The business just needs a leading presence in the market where they advertise. A business needs to take a laser beam to their target audience.

Accountability:

1) Set up a monthly tracking system. A car dealer can track prospects and closing ratios. A retailer can track store traffic with a door counter. Keep track of average sales.

2) A business can compare YTD and month-to-month sales. Make sure to take into account the seasonality of the market and the products that are sold.

3) Evaluate it. Don?t just let those numbers sit there. Use them to get better.

Share marketing plans with employees. I encounter many employees who have no idea what media the business they are working for is using.

1) Have a meeting and share with employees the various forms of company advertising that is running in the marketplace.
2) Tell the employees what media is running the ads.
3) ALWAYS make employees aware of the special offers and what is on sale.
4) Share with the employees the purpose and goals of each SPECIFIC advertising program.

Listed below are several ideas to enhance a business? advertising: Use in-house advertising to trigger recall in the consumer?s mind about current running advertising.

1) Use counter cards and signage at the cash register.
2) Ceiling hangers.
3) Point-of sale material.
4) Point-of-purchase material.

Measurement strategies:

1) Tracking: Make sure to sample customers from time to time to see if the advertising is being effectively targeted. Don?t ask, ?What brought you in today?? Most likely the sign out front or a friend will be the reply. Instead ask them, ?Have you been exposed to our advertising on: (and then list the media companies the business is using).

2) Sourcing: In my experience, especially when a business is sourcing over the phone, they need a secret shopper in place. Far too often, the front office fails to effectively ?source? or ask the right questions of a customer. After all, advertising can be the biggest expense or the greatest investment. Make it a great investment!

Miscellaneous points for building a marketing strategy.

1) Store visibility: Can the store be easily seen from the street? If not, make sure to emphasize location in the advertising.
2) Inventory: Carry what is advertised.
3) Prices: Are they higher or lower than the competition?s? A must-know.
4) Service: Satisfied people tell seven people about a business. Poorly treated customers tell 24. Many business owners think ?word of mouth? is the best form of advertising. If a business is not providing the service and a satisfying experience, then chances are 3 to 1 that word of mouth will be badmouthing.
5) Marketing materials: Are marketing materials of a professional caliber?
6) In-store displays: Are they easy to read?

These are a few tips for advertisers. No magic bullets, just straight up common sense. Every business owner should take time to follow these steps in order to maintain a healthy and long-term business.

Sean Luce is the Head International Instructor for the Luce Performance Group and can be reached at sean@luceperformancegroup.com or visit www.luceperformancegroup.com.

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Lincoln Names Tim Windsor VP Digital Strategy

4-15=13

Windsor served as Director of Digital Engagement for the State of Maryland over the past year.  His recent experience also includes Editorial Director for AOL?s Patch.com and Director of Digital Strategy for The Johns Hopkins University. He spent 12 years at Baltimore Sun Interactive, rising to the post of VP/GM in 2005-2008.

"It is imperative to remain at the forefront of technology as we connect with our consumers and clients," said John Dimick, Senior Vice President of Programming & Operations for Lincoln Financial Media.  "Tim has the background and experience we need, as a blended media company, to build those connections."

"We want to meet our station listeners and advertisers wherever they are in the digital space, be it on browser, by text and email, on their phones or tablets," Windsor explained.  "They count on digital media as an outstanding complement to traditional broadcasting.  We will be focused on making our online and mobile experience even more entertaining, relevant and effective for our listeners and advertisers."

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Are You Guessing At Your Social Media Strategy?

1-14-2013
So your station or group has taken all the right steps in social media. You've got a Facebook fan page, you're on Twitter, you're pinning station and event pics on Pinterest. Why? Time and effort are too precious to spend on anything that doesn't contribute to the bottom line. How can you get that from social media? Nichole Kelly, CEO of Social Media Explorer/SME Digital and author of "How to Measure Social Media," will explain it all at Radio Ink's Convergence 2013, set for March 4-5 in Santa Clara, in California's Silicon Valley.

Kelly is a respected innovator in measuring social media results against real core business objectives: sales, revenues, and costs. She's a sought-after speaker who's provided training and insight to, among other organizations, the American Marketing Association, the Public Relations Society of America, and Forrester Research.

At Convergence, Kelly will provide tips for tracking social media results and collecting the information you need to show advertisers that sponsorship packages in social media are well worth the investment. Her tracking secrets will help your stations optimize the results from every single message you put out on your social media channels.

Register today 561-655-8778 or www.RadioConvergence.com

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(SALES) What Is Your Blue Ocean Strategy?

12-21-2012

Several years ago I read a book that changed my career: "Blue Ocean Strategy" written by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. The book studies how competition over the same shrinking profit pool has created nothing but a bloody, red ocean. Based on a study of 150 strategic moves spanning more than a hundred years and thirty industries, the authors argue that tomorrow's leading companies will succeed, not by battling competitors, but by creating ?blue oceans? of uncontested market space ripe for growth. A ?blue ocean strategy? is one that is so effective that it makes your competition irrelevant.

I read the book once, then a second time making copious notes. Then, I faced the reality of my own business, selling radio advertising and managing radio stations. I asked myself, ?What?s your blue ocean strategy?? Initially, it was easier for me to drill down on what it was not. Ratings weren?t the answer. I?ve never had consistently top ratings. Every great ratings book was, seemingly, followed by one that was not good. Pricing could not be my blue ocean strategy because I was never going to have the lowest rates. Indeed, I?ve spent my career defending my rates. Come on, this is radio. Inconsistent ratings, never the lowest rates, what is left that could provide me my own blue ocean strategy?

Many things were occurring in my management career when I first read Kim and Mauborgne?s book. I spent three nights, every month, reading presentations from sellers at radio stations all across the country, working in markets I oversaw. There were nearly 100 of them from some nine cities. This is when the answer came. I realized my own blue ocean strategy. There were countless things in the radio business I could not control: ratings, pricing, cost per points, buyers, and agencies. I, also, could not stop what was making the radio water so red with blood: competitors under-cutting rates, giving more added-value and more promotion to get the buy. So, what could I control? What could I make my blue ocean strategy? Was there something that could genuinely separate me from my competitors? Indeed there was! The answer was two-fold: (1) The questions I asked and the impression I make during every client interview, and (2) The presentations I made to decision-makers. If I could interview a potential client better than my competition, and I returned and made a presentation so impactful that ratings, pricing and competitors became irrelevant, then I truly had discovered my blue ocean strategy.

That was several years ago and my radio-selling life has never been the same. My personal selling still focuses on my eye-to-eye time with a client, the questions I ask them, and the presentation I make to them. It rewarded me and a team I led with the largest single sale in my radio-selling career: $4.4 million in 12 months.

What?s your blue ocean strategy?

Rob Adair is the President of Pinnacle Solving. His company provides revenue growth solutions, branding and differentiation strategies to radio and other industries. Adair is a former radio industry COO and Sr. VP overseeing 25+ stations and multiple major markets. He can be reached at 405-641-0458 or by e-mail rob@pinnaclesolving.com

(12/21/2012 12:10:46 PM)
Outstanding material, Rob.
Now, if us programming-weenies could assist your folks' cause by learning how this medium actually works and, taking steps to increase the functionality and appeal of our spots and programming.
That would be our Blue Ocean strategy - not that anyone is willing to engage.

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(SALES) Storytelling As A Sales Strategy

12-19-2012

Even before the days of romance novels, adventure movies, television shows, and Broadway productions, there was storytelling. The art of storytelling goes back thousands of years; stories long served as the primary way for one generation to hand down knowledge and wisdom to the next. People learned about their culture, community values, and the most important life lessons through the meaningful stories shared by those who knew.

Although much has changed in how we communicate today, we still use stories to teach, learn, and entertain. Master storytellers like Ron Howard and James Taylor are widely respected for the messages they share through movies and songs. Even in our homes, parents use stories to spark powerful emotions in their children and teach them valuable lessons in a relatable way. As I was growing up, my parents shared masterful stories with me that often influenced the decisions I made, and those stories live on today as I share them with my own children.

Stories help us guide and teach, and they allow us to communicate our feelings in a way that can be very persuasive to others. So the question is, why do we not use storytelling in sales? It seems it would just make sense. Storytelling in sales, done well, is magic! It allows the salesperson to break through the clutter and connect with the client or prospect in a very meaningful way. You know that guy you met with this morning will never remember all the facts and figures you dumped on him about your product. You explained in detail why it is the perfect match for his company?s needs, and you discussed the expected ROI. But after you left his office, the forgetting curve kicked in, and in three or four days he will hardly remember which fact went with your company and which was presented by the competition.

Disappointing, I know. But you can change that, and give your message what it needs to stick.

Next time, share a story with your client about how your product or service helped another company get results. Illustrate how it was effective in a real and meaningful way, and they will remember that message for a long, long time.

Here?s an experiment that will convince you. Next time you are in front of a client spewing features and benefits, watch the way the client sits. They will be leaning back or, at best, sitting upright with good posture. Now try it again, but this time say, ?I have a story I would like to share with you about a company we work with that was in a situation very similar to the one you are in today but is now getting fantastic results.? Watch the client sit up, lean forward, and tune in to hear the details you are about to dish.

Wouldn?t it be great if your salespeople could tell stories that grab that kind of attention? Of course. If your salespeople connected with clients and prospects and shared ideas in a way that would be remembered, you would generate more sales.

How To Tell A Good Story

Right now you are thinking that not everyone on your team can tell a good story. We can change that. With a little bit of structure and some regular practice, most people can become significantly better at storytelling. With the same practice, those on your team who are naturals will become amazing. I recommend using these two techniques to improve your storytelling: First, always use descriptive words when telling your story. Second, use a ?story spine? ? a tool developed by playwright Kenn Adams to create well-structured stories. Adapted several times over the years, the version I find most effective for sales looks like this:

1. Start by setting the scene.

2. Introduce the conflict. The issue. The challenge.

3. Share the consequences: ?Because of the conflict, this is what is happening.?

4. Bring in the solution and climax: ?This is what happened.?

5. Establish the resolution, or the new reality that has been realized.

Now it?s up to you to practice and coach both of these techniques. Start by planning a sales meeting that focuses on storytelling, and demonstrate how it is done well. Allow salespeople to prepare and share stories, and plan time to practice.

Matt Sunshine is EVP of the Center for Sales Strategy.
E-mail: mattsunshine@csscenter.com

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(SOCIAL) Social Media Strategy Reveal For 2013

11-21-2012

Thanksgiving weekend hopefully allows you to ?pull the plug? after working so hard to prepare your brands for the long holiday weekend. Some time with family and friends is exactly what most broadcast professionals need after slugging it through tough battles for ratings and deep challenges on the employee level in this business, among other things. However, if you are fortunate, this time of year also allows you to reflect on your success and think about additional ways you can improve in 2013 and grow your business.

The opportunities you have to get more for less are not bigger anywhere than they are when you think about what you are currently doing in social media for your radio brand or brands. Is there real value in social media? Of course there is. No one invests hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars without an expectation that the bet could turn into billions. Did you know that Google invested in YouTube because they feared that people would one day stop searching using words and only search video? It?s true. I mention this here because a lot of radio station content managers try to do so much with words, and the emotion of our business is so completely visual. Visual is a huge key to scoring in social media.

The world is changing. You know this. You know that social media is something important if for no other reason than listeners are choosing to waste tons of time on social media platforms. You will either be there sincerely and effectively encouraging them to come back and spend time with your brand or brands, or you will be left more and more out of touch and out of the future. The question is:  Do you have a plan to use social media for your purposes or are you falling in with everyone else so you have a Facebook page and you are on Twitter, but little is actually happening on a local level for your brand or brands?

Between now and January 1, 2013, shouldn?t you really pull back the ears on your social media and take a look at why you do what you are doing on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms? Shouldn?t you spend the time to really see if you have a plan that works for the goals you want to reach in 2013?

How do you do that? Here we go:

1. Review all of your social media. How effectively are you using each platform? What do you know about your listeners and the reasons they use Facebook? Why are they on Twitter? What are the local-based activity levels on each and the other social media platforms?

2. Think about your local radio brands. How do you encourage the listeners you most want to attract in your local market to share your content, make you part of their ?social media life,? and ultimately think about your radio station or stations at the moment of decision (which happens in both PPM and diary markets)?

3. What is your visual presence like on each of the social media platforms? Are you representing the reasons people in your market choose to listen to your radio brand?

4. Are you encouraging the relationship as a two-way conversation or are your social media efforts a promotion vehicle only?

5. Finally, think about the things you would like to accomplish with social media in 2013 and build a plan that involves true engagement, higher two-way conversations, affirmation for local listeners (to drive more loyalty for your personalities and brands), and make sure your content is really reflective of a friendly and fun local companion for people who really just want to escape the daily grind of things in their lives.

Radio has always been social and personal. Your mission is to always focus on radio. However, social media platforms now represent a significant opportunity for you if you choose to take up the challenge.

Are you ready for your 2013 social media review? 

Loyd Ford is the direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Americalist and programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes for years, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here:  http://about.me/loydford. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE  Visit his Facebook radio social media page HERE

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Atsinger Excited About Digital Strategy

11-9-2012

Salem CEO Ed Atsinger reported the Internet side of Salem Communications grew 17 percent during the 3rd quarter of 2012. Salem has been aggressively growing the digital side of its business and Atsinger says, "It's very gratifying to see 17 percent growth." Salem recently purchased http://www.godvine.com/ for $4.2 million and http://www.sermonspice.com/ for $3 million. Internet revenue for Salem jumped from $6.7 million to $7.8 million in Q3.

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Sales Strategy Session at Hispanic Radio Conference

3-16-2012

Never has generating revenue been more difficult. And Hispanic radio is additionally challenged with the ongoing battle of pricing Hispanic radio off of general-market criteria. Where the dollars are ? and how to get them ? is crucial. In this special session, next week at Radio Ink's Hispanic Radio Conference in San Diego, some of the best and brightest sales gurus will share secrets to identifying, training, and motivating sellers who can bring home the bacon. And provide real life examples of how that training does, or doesn?t, pay off when it?s time to place those buys.

This is a session that will continue to pay dividends long after the conference ends Moderated by Angelica Balderas, National Sales Manager, Adelante Media Group and featuring Yousef Kattan Fern?ndez, President/CEO, Trumedia; Luis GAutierrez, VP/Sales, GLR Networks; Christopher Moncayo, VP/GM, Entravision Communications/Phoenix; and Bob Proud, SVP/Operations & Austin Market Manager, Border Media

See the rest of our agenda HERE
Register for the conference HERE

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Hogan: "Clear Channel Has a Sound Strategy"

2-24-2012

John Hogan has been promoted and has extended his contract with Clear Channel through the end of 2015. Hogan is now the Chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Media & Entertainment. Upon receiving his extended stay with the company and new title, Hogan said his promotion was a clear endorsement of Clear Channel's sound strategy. ?I am pleased and honored to be named to this position, which is a clear endorsement of the soundness of our strategy, the value of our assets, and the depth of the incredible team we are building here. I appreciate the energy and vision that Bob Pittman has brought to the organization and look forward to pursuing with Bob the vision we share as we continue to push the boundaries of the definition of entertainment, giving our audience what they want now and in the future.?

Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman said ?Under John?s strong leadership and vision, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment has integrated the company?s assets so that it is today the leading media and entertainment company in the U.S. with a greater reach than any other radio or television outlet.  It provides a one-of-a-kind national platform for partners in addition to the powerful local activation market by market and demo by demo. He has built a deep creative and management team that is fulfilling the company?s commitment to offering the best entertainment, news, sports, and other experiences everywhere our listeners want us to be?on air, online, on mobile devices, and on a wide variety of emerging devices and platforms.  We feel fortunate that Clear Channel Media and Entertainment has a leader like John in the driver?s seat at this transformational moment in its history.?

The extension also includes "automatic extensions from year to year thereafter unless either CCB or Hogan gives written notice of non-renewal on or before October 1, 2015, or annually, on each October 1 thereafter. Hogan can earn an incremental bonus during calendar year 2012 with a target of $900,000, based on performance criteria to be approved by CCMH?s Compensation Committee.

Hogan will also receive a restricted stock unit award with respect to the Class A common stock of CCMH on December 31, 2015 that will vest on December 31, 2016, if the target amount is less than $5,000,000 on December 31, 2015 and if he remains employed on both of those dates. The fair market value of the restricted stock unit award will equal $5,000,000 minus the target amount. The target amount as of a particular date means 251,223 times the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares (as defined in his Stock Option Agreements pursuant to the Clear Channel 2008 Executive Incentive Plan) on such date, over (b) $10.00. 

(2/25/2012 9:43:02 PM)
Charming. And to think: this person may have something to do with Radio, has car keys and... a vote. Old material, too.
(2/25/2012 10:35:18 AM)
3)
Why did Hitler kill himself?
The Jews sent him a gas bill!

4)
How do you kill a Jew?
Strangle his wallet!

5)
How was the Grand Canyon formed?
A Jew dropped a penny down a manhole!

6)
Why do Jews have big noses?
Because the air is free!

7)
Why are Jewish synagogues round?
So they cant hide in the corner when the collection box comes round!

8)
How do you notice a Jews house?
Padlocks on the dustbins, parking meters on the roof for birds, toilet paper on the washing line!

9)
Have you heard of the Jewish "Catch 22"?
Free Ham!

10)
Did you hear about the Jewish Santa Claus?
He came down the chimney and said "Do you want to buy some presents kiddies?"

11)
How do you get 100 Jews into a Volkswagen Beetle?
Two in the back, Two in the front and ninety six in the ashtray!

12)
How was copper wire invented?
Two Jews found the same penny!

13)
Why did Hitler kill himself?
The Jews sent him the gas bill!

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SOCIAL MEDIA - Your Winningy Strategy For 2012

12-14-2011

by Loyd Ford
A lot more people than you might think are still wondering what their social media strategy should be.  What should you include in your social media strategy for 2012?  You program your radio station to be special, so your social media should be special, too.  If you are a radio personality reading this, you should be thinking about your personal brand value and how to enhance that through personal relationship in social media.  Here are some things that you ?must include.?

1. If you don?t know where you are going, you are likely to end up somewhere else.  You?ve heard this forever, but rarely is it followed in today?s broadcast environments. Set goals. What are the Top 7 things your company (or you) want from your social media? Set specific goals and make sure everyone knows what they are in advance. Put them in priority order so the focus remains most intense on the most important goals.

2. Spend some time evaluating social media tools your team can use to limit the time spent accomplishing your goals.  In other words, there are tons of tools.  Find them, educate yourself and your team and keep in mind you want to accomplish your goals in social media without it dominating your time every day. 

3. Be like China.  Watch the effort of your competition on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.  See what they are doing wrong.  See what is working for them.  Make sure you learn from their mistakes and take the good they are doing as your own.  By constantly evaluating how they are doing and taking the best from it (along with your very specific efforts on your own), you will strengthen your accomplishments.

4. Connect with listeners.  If you are simply putting ?stuff? out there and not connecting with listeners, you will largely fail.  Get engaged and find unique ways to reward listeners with participation in their comments, pictures, engagement.  If they comment on your Facebook page, follow them back to theirs.  Make a positive comment or send them a Facebook email.

5. Make sure each member of your ?team? has an action plan that shows exactly what they are working to accomplish in social media for the station and for themselves.  Remember:  Investing in the growth of your team means something to them personally, but it also enhances what the company can accomplish.

It is not enough to say you are on Facebook or you Tweet.   What is the meaning of your social media?  How do you engage and make sure you get real world results?  These five items will help you build a solid social media plan for 2012 and get your team thinking about what is important in your job, as a station and within the community where you live.

Use social media to bring more value to your work and bring listeners closer to you in 2012.  If you have a plan and make it personal, you can accomplish a lot.

Loyd Ford programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes for years, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here: http://about.me/loydford.
Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE
Visit his Facebook radio social media page www.facebook.com/socialnetworking4radio

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Does Radio Have a Strategy For Smart Phones?

When you get an opportunity to spend time with people using their iPhones or Android devcies, you get a real sense of how consumers have developed relationships with their device. Radio, for the longest time, has had a special relationship with consumers. Radio executives and managers, to this day, tout the bond listeners have with their local station or morning DJ. When Fred Jacobs played video of consumers he tracked in a recent study, it was more confirmation that consumers are doing nearly everything on these tiny devices. Banking, games, e-mail, making calls, using it as a flashlight, taking pictures, and yes, listening to music. But these consumers in cities like L.A., Cleveland, Baltimore, and Dallas were not telling Jacobs, "I have my favorite radio station App" on their phones. Is that a problem for radio?

Jacobs moderated a panel Tuesday at Radio Ink's Radio Tech Summit called "The Moblie CX," and it was fascinating to actually see the consumers in the video and listen to radio people react to their responses. The most mentioned "music" app was Pandora. "I've died and gone to music heaven," one consumer said. How often does radio get that reaction anymore?

Jacobs says radio can do better: "But this also speaks to the marketing challenges that many stations have in effectively communicating to their cumes that listeners can now enjoy their streams on their mobile phones. And this also presupposes that station apps are about streaming, when in fact, many apps provide much more content and resources than just their streams. In fact, from a jacAPPS perspective, we encourage stations that are designing apps to incorporate other aspects of their brands in apps to create a better consumer experience."
A member on the Jacobs panel said, "When I was growing up, WABC was my radio station. You don't hear that a lot anymore." In fact, one of the consumers in the video had several wires coming out of the dash just so he could listen to his Pandora App on his phone. Jacobs says it's about the content, and that's the way we should look at it. "Regarding Pandora, all the listeners on the video called it 'radio' or 'Pandora Radio,'" he said. "So to me, it comes down to the consumer experience. Anything that provides audio entertainment while serving to usurp radio listening or radio's presence on devices and platforms may as well be 'radio.'  Let's put it this way [Pandora founder/Chief Solutions Officer] Tim Westergren thinks it's radio, although maybe radio redefined."

So the big question remains, does your station have defined goals to compete on mobile devices? Do you have a strategy to keep your listeners tuned in when they are using that device for everything? Or are you content to allow them to leave you once they step out of the car? That is, if they are still listening in the car, and not all wired up.

feedback at edryan@radioink.com
Fred Jacobs can be reached at fredjacobs@jacobsmedia.com

(5/18/2011 5:24:46 PM)

I was reading Fred Jacobs article on radio mobile strategy...thought my email to Eric could "sum up" my thoughts of how important this is

Hello Eric...

Hope you are doing well...I would really like to talk with you about what I'm "up to". I'm working as a partner in a digital company called Mobi Tech here in SLC. Yes, yet another person left traditional radio because these big companies seemed "paralyzed" with corporate "issues". Little did I know that the multi-million dollar revenue plan I had for our cluster to develop a "mobile/digital plan" fell on "deaf ears" because the company was in the process of being sold. I would like to share my "portal" concept as it relates to your article "I want my FM". I believe if broadcasters don't embrace new media technologies they are at risk of becoming "irrelevant" in the next few years. Local radio stations have the opportunity to be a "portal" to the new digital world for their listeners...not an app but a mobile website that offers lifestyle targeted information so that listeners can continue to rely on their trusted radio station for all their needs. I agree with having FM available through your smart phone, but I think it should be through a "button" on your mobile website to keep listeners connected to the brand of your station. Here are a couple of links for you to check out...click through on your smart phone to see the full effect...

www.thecowboy1043.com
http://mobiinet.com/s/1320kfan/

PLUS...our company offers a "turn key platform" to build mobile websites for clients...this is where the multi-million dollar part comes in...can you say "NON-SPOT INCREMENTAL REVENUE"!! Just something ESSENTIAL for radio Account Managers to have in their "tool box".

I will ALWAYS be a broadcaster, it's in my blood, I'm just trying to find another way to have a positive impact. I would love to hear what you think.

(5/18/2011 1:34:36 PM)
Time will tell if pureplay internet radio is a novelty that will lose its luster or if it will revolutionize radio as we know. There are two issues that I see. 1) People love Pandora when they first begin using it and then the novelty wears off. I couldn't tell enough people about it at first. Fast forward one year and I barely ever listen to it anymore. 2) The royalty rates are so high that it will be difficult to ever make it profitable. That is the truly big problem.
(5/18/2011 11:25:12 AM)
The Subject line for the e-'pushmail' leading to this article was, "Does Radio Have a Strategy for Mobile Devices?" Clicking-through refines this to mean Smart Phones. Radio IS a mobile device, historically perhaps the first, unless you consider yelling. You can buy a radio, complete with headphones, for less than $10; sometimes they are given away as handouts for free. What's more, you don't need a "plan" to play them. Seems to me that this is the advantage that radio has right now, and probably will maintain as long as the content remains interesting and relevant.

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