Dealing with Listener Calls and Communications

[davideduardo]

Barry Mishkind has published an article about making listener contact with a station positive and productive:

"When listeners call your station, do they get more than voicemail? Steven Lapinskas talks about how to make the encounter positive, and make friends. "

https://www.thebdr.net/dealing-with-listener-questions-and-winning-friends/

 

[Kelly A]

Barry Mishkind has published an article about making listener contact with a station positive and productive:

Who calls (via telephone) radio stations anymore? Communications are all via social media now. Even E-mail is considered passe'.
Hell, there are radio nerds here would could pick up the phone or E-mail and instead, come on some discussion board to ask questions of stations who likely don't know Radio-Discussions even exists.

 

[DaveBayArea]

Who calls (via telephone) radio stations anymore? Communications are all via social media now. Even E-mail is considered passe'.
Hell, there are radio nerds here would could pick up the phone or E-mail and instead, come on some discussion board to ask questions of stations who likely don't know Radio-Discussions even exists.

I think maybe it depends on the market. Here in the Sierra Foothills where Internet connectivity is not available unless you visit a library or come to town and cell service is not ubiquitous we field probably 1/2 dozen calls a day.

Dave B.

 

[michael hagerty]

Who calls (via telephone) radio stations anymore? Communications are all via social media now. Even E-mail is considered passe'.
Hell, there are radio nerds here would could pick up the phone or E-mail and instead, come on some discussion board to ask questions of stations who likely don't know Radio-Discussions even exists.

Oh, you'd be surprised. Unless it's changed drastically in the two and a half years since I left, the phones ring all day long at KFBK in Sacramento. Usually anytime the news contradicts something the right-wing talk show hosts have been saying.

I think it's more common in stations with 50+ audiences. And a lot of the KFBK callers were 70+ and above. A few would even write letters by hand (in cursive).

 

[Kelly A]

I think it's more common in stations with 50+ audiences. And a lot of the KFBK callers were 70+ and above. A few would even write letters by hand (in cursive).

Sure, the oldster's still like to send letters and call. If you have a station where senior's are in the demo, calls are more common.
I helped out at a classical station a couple years back. Was pretty common to have a listener who recently converted to LED replacement light bulbs to call and inquire if the radio station reduced power. Couldn't be a problem on their end, because they listen via their Bose Wave Radio. Eight out of ten times I would ask them when they converted to LED lights?
Surprising how many seniors listen via Bose Wave Radio's.

 

[michael hagerty]

Sure, the oldster's still like to send letters and call. If you have a station where senior's are in the demo, calls are more common.
I helped out at a classical station a couple years back. Was pretty common to have a listener who recently converted to LED replacement light bulbs to call and inquire if the radio station reduced power. Couldn't be a problem on their end, because they listen via their Bose Wave Radio. Eight out of ten times I would ask them when they converted to LED lights?
Surprising how many seniors listen via Bose Wave Radio's.

Bose sponsored Paul Harvey for years. Might be a connection.

 

[davideduardo]

Who calls (via telephone) radio stations anymore? Communications are all via social media now. Even E-mail is considered passe'.

The headline said, "calls and communications". I thought that meant everything from plain old POTS (pardon the redundant redundancy) to the newest media.

Hell, there are radio nerds here would could pick up the phone or E-mail and instead, come on some discussion board to ask questions of stations who likely don't know Radio-Discussions even exists.

And that is among the hardest group to serve. First, a station... often managed and populated by near-geezers... has to understand the technologies and then get people who can respond to text, social media posts and the like as well as creating places where users can congregate to comment on a radio or TV station (add in the need to build magnets in any location to even make going there of any interest).

 

[andreaj10]

I just find this an interesting thread because, at least in the case of one VERY legendary NYC radio station - that the jocks are just about all working out of their homes - back in the old days, listeners used to be able to email and/or call the station - I'm thinking that with the new reality that we are in - most radio stations almost like discourage listeners from calling.....

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I just find this an interesting thread because, at least in the case of one VERY legendary NYC radio station - that the jocks are just about all working out of their homes - back in the old days, listeners used to be able to email and/or call the station - I'm thinking that with the new reality that we are in - most radio stations almost like discourage listeners from calling.....

I know plenty of jocks who work from home who can still take phone calls and emails if the station engineers set it up

I could answer the studio line for the wyoming station im on from here in Alaska, if they forwarded it to me.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Who calls (via telephone) radio stations anymore? Communications are all via social media now. Even E-mail is considered passe'.
Hell, there are radio nerds here would could pick up the phone or E-mail and instead, come on some discussion board to ask questions of stations who likely don't know Radio-Discussions even exists.

If you don't count incidental chatter between me and some community members in town. 90 plus percent of listeners contact us by phone.

 

[davideduardo]

I just find this an interesting thread because, at least in the case of one VERY legendary NYC radio station - that the jocks are just about all working out of their homes - back in the old days, listeners used to be able to email and/or call the station - I'm thinking that with the new reality that we are in - most radio stations almost like discourage listeners from calling.....

But, except for old, old, leaning stations listeners do not "phone home".

Texting and email can be done from anywhere.

 

[davideduardo]

If you don't count incidental chatter between me and some community members in town. 90 plus percent of listeners contact us by phone.

I doubt that your listeners or market are typical!

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I doubt that your listeners or market are typical!

not in the slightest.. lol.... and i pride myself on making KSKO a unique station

 

[TheBigA]

Interesting topic because the author of the story in the OP has given way more thought and concern to the calls from radio listeners than a similar person who might run a call center at a doctors office or medical center. For example, when I call my health provider, I get treated to multiple levels of recorded questions trying to route my call to the right person. When I finally get there, I have to go through my entire explanation again from scratch. What a waste of time.

On the subject of station interaction, I'm a big fan of outreach. In other words, don't wait for listeners to call you. Instead, reach out to those listeners and ask them questions. Do it at public gatherings. Or do it in callouts. But I find it more useful to be accessible and listen to what they say.

 

[davideduardo]

On the subject of station interaction, I'm a big fan of outreach. In other words, don't wait for listeners to call you. Instead, reach out to those listeners and ask them questions. Do it at public gatherings. Or do it in callouts. But I find it more useful to be accessible and listen to what they say.

The problem is finding listeners without using a professional recruiter. With stations appealing to anyone under 40, calling is difficult due to unlisted numbers and so many who only have cellphones with all kinds of blocking.

 

[TheBigA]

The problem is finding listeners without using a professional recruiter. With stations appealing to anyone under 40, calling is difficult due to unlisted numbers and so many who only have cellphones with all kinds of blocking.

That would certainly be the case if they tried to reach me! But seriously, my favorite way of doing outreach is just talking to people. Another thread brought up broadcasting from county or state fairs. That's a great way to do outreach. Some stations broadcast from local events, sports, or concerts. Great places for outreach. Just talk to people. They appreciate it when someone listens.

 

[Kemosabe]

Another thread brought up broadcasting from county or state fairs. That's a great way to do outreach. Some stations broadcast from local events, sports, or concerts. Great places for outreach.

Do radio stations still hand out promotional items—e. g. bumper stickers, refrigerator magnets, etc.—at such events?

 

[wadio]

Most companies, not just radio, seem obsessed with surveys. Every time I make a purchase, visit a doctor or use the ATM at my bank, I receive a survey to fill out. I ignore them all.

But when I have a complaint or a suggestion, I have no luck voicing it to a human being.

I believe that if companies would pay true attention to users who reach out with specific questions, they could dump the questionnaires and everyone would be much happier.

 

[Kelly A]

Do radio stations still hand out promotional items—e. g. bumper stickers, refrigerator magnets, etc.—at such events?

Depends on the event. Most of that is from a bygone era.

 

[Miss Tuned]

I haven't seen a radio station sticker in years. I do have a bunch of coffee mugs from mostly defunct stations I've worked at in my kitchen.