Atlanta Radio, Really

[max100]

I won't reply to the first part, but yes I tuned in yesterday and like it. Even if this was on 100.5 or 97.1 it would be better than the crap there now.

WRAS IS PUTTING thier awesome HD3 channel that plays "hippie" music on their main channel from 7pm to 6am every night. Sorry Big A, maybe you can shut them down..People will not listen, lol. Music is too old...ARGGGHH.

I see you are 36 typical millienial mindset.

 

[TheBigA]

Sorry Big A, maybe you can shut them down..

Not my job.

 

[wavo]

WRAS IS PUTTING thier awesome HD3 channel that plays "hippie" music on their main channel from 7pm to 6am every night. Sorry Big A, maybe you can shut them down..People will not listen, lol. Music is too old...ARGGGHH.

I see you are 36 typical millienial mindset.

Have you seen the ratings at night for WRAS? WRAS AQH is less than 500 people with less than 20,000 cume. The nights are programmed by students who have no interest in programming for ratings. You can tell. Another interesting tidbit is that most of their evening audience is over 45 years of age! Listening in the 6-24 demo is practically zilch! Besides...after 7PM radio cumes fall into the basement; everyone is at home watching dummyvision.
BTW...the night programming is not the same as the HD3. The HD3 plays hit music from the "hippie" era with plenty of deep tracks mixed in. The guy who says, "testing" has an amazing set of pipes and must be a professional radio guy.

 

[max100]

Have you seen the ratings at night for WRAS? WRAS AQH is less than 500 people with less than 20,000 cume. The nights are programmed by students who have no interest in programming for ratings. You can tell. Another interesting tidbit is that most of their evening audience is over 45 years of age! Listening in the 6-24 demo is practically zilch! Besides...after 7PM radio cumes fall into the basement; everyone is at home watching dummyvision.
BTW...the night programming is not the same as the HD3. The HD3 plays hit music from the "hippie" era with plenty of deep tracks mixed in. The guy who says, "testing" has an amazing set of pipes and must be a professional radio guy.

I called them to comment on the HD3 channel, and he verbatim told me that is on from 7 to 6.

 

[wavo]

I might add one other point, when the business owner is making advertising decisions, they are not always the wisest. Most are willing to try anything that can sound logical to them but they generally do not understand how advertising works. It might be a business owner that believes a non-time sensitive spot is suppose to blow his doors down after a 5 day run or that buying that pricey ad in a neighborhood/subdivision monthly newsletter reaches everyone living there, not just the 1 in 10 or 20 that actually peruse every page. The smaller advertiser takes much more time and educating on basics of advertising than the typical advertiser. On the other hand, if you can have a stable staff and build trust, that can spell your success.

So, does Hippy Radio have many businesses advertising every month or is it new advertisers all the time with few regulars?

Your comments perfectly highlight a major problem in radio sales today. Too many account managers are only interested in hitting their numbers and not creating a viable marketing strategy for their clients. YES...it is YOUR job Mr/Ms sales weasel to create value for your client.
I remember years ago a woman who owned a catering company who wanted to buy radio advertising. She spent $878 for one, single, lousy commercial on WSB AM. One spot on a heavily male leaning station. Jeepers!! When I asked her why she made that decision she said it was because her husband listened to WSB. Are your customers usually men? Well....no. Did you get any response? No...and I'm never "wasting" money on radio advertising again...
I've heard the same story countless times. A true professional would have steered her to WSB FM which does very well with women. She could have got 15 second spots for a fraction of what the single 60 second spot cost. That "radio sales professional" could have educated her about how advertising affects the listener BEFORE he takes her money.
I have met small market account managers who are amazing simply because they strive to create win-win situations when they sell a schedule. When everyone makes money, everyone walks away happy.

 

[davideduardo]

I see you are 36 typical millienial(sic) mindset.

I, for one, am not a Millennial; I played many of the "oldies" being discussed in the sidebar to this thread as currents.

But I learned early on as the owner of stations that what I like is dangerously irrelevant. I have to consider what both listeners and advertisers like, or I am out of the business.

 

[davideduardo]

Your comments perfectly highlight a major problem in radio sales today. Too many account managers are only interested in hitting their numbers and not creating a viable marketing strategy for their clients. YES...it is YOUR job Mr/Ms sales weasel to create value for your client.

What a concept.

/PC mode off
Q: what is the difference between a radio salesperson and a used car salesperson?
A: the used car sales person knows when they are lying.
/PC mode on

That often-too-true tidbit would not be amusing to insiders were it not for the fact that you stated: too many sellers do not serve their customers.

And while we are are on gallows humor about radio, I remembered another:

Jock 1: Did you hear that our sales manager got held up yesterday?
Jock 2: No! What did they take?
Jock 1: They got $200 in cash and $500 in trade.

 

[TheBigA]

Keep in mind that WRAS is owned by Georgia State University. If the University wants to do something else with their money, they can do it. A few years ago, GSU turned over the daytime hours of WRAS to Georgia Public Broadcasting. For that, they received $100K. A lot of people were angry, but it didn't matter. This is a non-commercial station, so advertisers have no input here. But funders do, and if someone other than listeners are funding the station, the listeners are subject to potential format changes.

 

[wavo]

I called them to comment on the HD3 channel, and he verbatim told me that is on from 7 to 6.

I will listen again to the analog. it used to be alternative/grunge/hiphop/headbang programming at night - maybe they have changed it.

 

[TheBigA]

Your comments perfectly highlight a major problem in radio sales today. Too many account managers are only interested in hitting their numbers and not creating a viable marketing strategy for their clients. YES...it is YOUR job Mr/Ms sales weasel to create value for your client.

That depends. In major markets like Atlanta, the ad agency is who deals with the client. The ad agency designs the marketing strategy, choses the platforms, and makes the spot buy. For that, they get a large commission. The radio station just handles the transaction.

 

[davideduardo]

So, does Hippy Radio have many businesses advertising every month or is it new advertisers all the time with few regulars?

From the website, I notice several things:

1. The music has moved well into the 90's. It's Kansas, not Bobby Vinton.
2. They seem to do a lot of business with shows appearing in Nashville that appeal to the 50 and over crowd.
3. Their sales page even has a video trying to promote the importance of reaching people over 50 with all the old arguments.

 

[b-turner]

I agree with an earlier post. I was taught at my first sales job, you go out and make friends, then work for your friend's success. It's like any business. You do people right and you make it. I have never found a way to remove the bad taste left from the salesperson who just took the money instead of working to help a client market their business effectively.

 

[HippieGuy]

Chattanooga has better radio than Atlanta...and that is embarassing.

 

[TheBigA]

Chattanooga has better radio than Atlanta...and that is embarassing.

Actually it's not embarrassing. There's less pressure in smaller markets, less money at risk. It's not a PPM market, so that changes things quite a bit. More about local sales, less about agencies. If you play by two different sets of rules, it's likely to get two kinds of results. Bigger doesn't always mean better. It's just bigger.

 

[davideduardo]

I agree with an earlier post. I was taught at my first sales job, you go out and make friends, then work for your friend's success. It's like any business. You do people right and you make it. I have never found a way to remove the bad taste left from the salesperson who just took the money instead of working to help a client market their business effectively.

To that end, another anecdote:

When I had among my duties being the GSM of a group of stations in Puerto Rico, I got the rare call in from a potential client. He had a business that had been a long-time wholesaler to others, and was going into retail high end specialty retail. He wanted to buy time and was calling to have a contract sent over.

I did not pay much attention to his name on that call, as I spent my time explaining that our demos were all wrong for his new line of business. I recommended a competitor and said that I would put in a good word so that he would get the best rates. The guy thanked me and he ended up making a sizable, long term order with the other station.

What I did not realize is that the caller was the current president of the Chamber of Commerce and he used the experience in a speech about business ethics. Turning down that buy because it would have been stealing from the client resulted in perhaps hundreds of thousands in new business over the next few months. Being #1 was great, but being known as the most honest station is even better.

"Weasel" does not have to be inexorably attached to the word "sales" in radio. But I see too much "take the money and run" and not a lot of client service.

 

[wavo]

I agree with an earlier post. I was taught at my first sales job, you go out and make friends, then work for your friend's success. It's like any business. You do people right and you make it. I have never found a way to remove the bad taste left from the salesperson who just took the money instead of working to help a client market their business effectively.

I worked for an owner who taught me the same secret you learned at your first sales job. People very often purchase a product or service simply because they like you. Emotions rule over logic in not only love and war but in sales too. Those who focus on serving others do far better in life whatever their career or endeavor.

 

[wavo]

Actually it's not embarrassing. There's less pressure in smaller markets, less money at risk. It's not a PPM market, so that changes things quite a bit. More about local sales, less about agencies. If you play by two different sets of rules, it's likely to get two kinds of results. Bigger doesn't always mean better. It's just bigger.

You have hit on the some of the reasons WHYP can "afford" to be a "better" station.
HippieGuy: Can you think of a top ten market with better radio than Atlanta? I'm not making a statement...I'm asking. I don't hear much difference between Atlanta, New York City, or Boston.

 

[wavo]

To that end, another anecdote:

When I had among my duties being the GSM of a group of stations in Puerto Rico, I got the rare call in from a potential client. He had a business that had been a long-time wholesaler to others, and was going into retail high end specialty retail. He wanted to buy time and was calling to have a contract sent over.

I did not pay much attention to his name on that call, as I spent my time explaining that our demos were all wrong for his new line of business. I recommended a competitor and said that I would put in a good word so that he would get the best rates. The guy thanked me and he ended up making a sizable, long term order with the other station.

What I did not realize is that the caller was the current president of the Chamber of Commerce and he used the experience in a speech about business ethics. Turning down that buy because it would have been stealing from the client resulted in perhaps hundreds of thousands in new business over the next few months. Being #1 was great, but being known as the most honest station is even better.

"Weasel" does not have to be inexorably attached to the word "sales" in radio. But I see too much "take the money and run" and not a lot of client service.

I use actually use "weasel" as a term of endearment. Sales weasels, as opposed to account executives, are victims of their lack of training and leadership. It's sad that most people never learn that simple lesson, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Great account execs are usually the beneficiaries of great mentoring and strong leadership.

 

[wavo]

What a concept.

/PC mode off
Q: what is the difference between a radio salesperson and a used car salesperson?
A: the used car sales person knows when they are lying.
/PC mode on

That often-too-true tidbit would not be amusing to insiders were it not for the fact that you stated: too many sellers do not serve their customers.

And while we are are on gallows humor about radio, I remembered another:

Jock 1: Did you hear that our sales manager got held up yesterday?
Jock 2: No! What did they take?
Jock 1: They got $200 in cash and $500 in trade.

Ba dum chish!

 

[R.D.P.]

Here's some food for thought. If the 50s and 60s music are still popular, then why doesn't Montgomery Alabama have such a station any longer? They had one recently with WNZZ 950 AM. Due to FCC rules, Cumulus recently divested this station to a trust. Now the trust is selling it to a local radio person named Roscoe Miller. Once he takes over, this broadcast will go Urban. Happy to say this radio station is going to have a FM relay, to help expand their reach. The AM station doesn't have a great signal in Montgomery anyway, especially at night. Cumulus made an attempt to do Adult Standards and Early Rock tunes, on this spot. The only reason(s) they were able to stay afloat was because of them broadcasting WSFA news, Atlanta Braves Baseball and the local Montgomery Biscuits minor league Baseball team. If those non musical programs hadn't been carried, this station would've gone under a long time ago. Surprised Cumulus and the former Trust owner was able to keep the lights on. With the signal being so weak, especially at night, I don't see how this broadcast had an audience to begin with. To make a long story short, sweet and simple, a standalone AM is hard to sell, especially if it has 1000 Watts daytime and 48 Watts at night.

The best way to hear the 50s and 60s oldies tunes now is to subscribe to Satellite Radio, listen to it online or set up a listener supported presentation of it. If you're trying to do a commercial styled presentation of the format, you better make sure (1) You market the product right, (2) Give people a compelling reason for tuning in, (3) Play the right songs and (4) Have it on a spot where many people will be able to hear it, especially at night. If those conditions aren't met, your asking for a quick failure.

In closing, it's hard to sell a radio station to those over 54 and under 18. Most radio stations tend to focus their reach on the 18-54 year old crowd. That's the ones who have the disposable income anyway. The younger people don't have the money to spend. The older crowd is trying to save all they can, since their livelihood depends on it. The radio station owners know exactly how to skew their presentation. They're not going to do things that'll mess with their bottom line. They want to be sure they can stay afloat and provide a product that'll have mass appeal. Doing cookie cutter formats is out. Going block is out too. When you serve an audience one food item and focus on it, they'll have a compelling reason to listen and stay put.

Dan <><