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Consultants How Long do they hang around
- Thread starter TheRebel
- Start date
Re: Consultants and what they do
> Just what happens when a consultant arrives?
There is no single scenario.
Generally, the first thing is to review ratings, marketing plans, and listen. Then there are meetings with the management, and recommendations on what to do in the future.
There are program consultants, morning show consultants, promotional consultants, Arbitron consultants and even audio chain and Selector consultants. All depends on what the station feels they need expert outside advice on.
> Just what happens when a consultant arrives?
There is no single scenario.
Generally, the first thing is to review ratings, marketing plans, and listen. Then there are meetings with the management, and recommendations on what to do in the future.
There are program consultants, morning show consultants, promotional consultants, Arbitron consultants and even audio chain and Selector consultants. All depends on what the station feels they need expert outside advice on.
Re: Consultants and what they do
> All depends on what the
> station feels they need expert outside advice on.
Or what station mgmt. feels they need outside validation (i.e. confirmation of their own ideas) for as far as what they want to do in the future so as to cover their own asses.
> All depends on what the
> station feels they need expert outside advice on.
Or what station mgmt. feels they need outside validation (i.e. confirmation of their own ideas) for as far as what they want to do in the future so as to cover their own asses.
M
marianne
Guest
Re: Consultants and what they do
What great progam consultants do:
Analyze the market with focus on the property that hired them and they also take the time to listen to the competition, examine the ratings and that sort of mundane thing. Basically, they'll hole up in a hotel and take lots of notes while listening, then write a report for the GM/PD. Then the real work begins... the internal problems. A complete look at the positioning, imaging, marketing and promotional side of a station. It's amazing how out of wack a station can get without an objective "coach" on the sidelines. A great consultant will talk to everyone in the building... PD and personalities, sales and promotions people to make sure everyone is on the same page. They also should work with the music system to make sure it's okay - (A lot of PD's don't have a clue how to run a music system properly... I've even seen this in major markets). Inside the walls of every station there is so much political BS going on that people tend to lose focus on what's important like "what's coming out of the speakers". If given enough power, the consultant can turn a failing property around. Hard decisions, like having to blow up a morning show - or God forbid, a format...are certainly more easily made when the GM has a good consultant telling him what he already knows. It's a very rewarding job when the station does well after the changes and I've had very good experiences with some excellent consultants... Plus, they make great job connections for future gigs so play nice! You don't see them around as much any more with all the cost cutting though...
They usually only come to a market quarterly...but are involved with decisions on a weekly basis via phone and email.
As far as "when do they leave?" When the station no longer retains them or another consultant replaces them. See: "Cookie-Cutter consultants"
What great progam consultants do:
Analyze the market with focus on the property that hired them and they also take the time to listen to the competition, examine the ratings and that sort of mundane thing. Basically, they'll hole up in a hotel and take lots of notes while listening, then write a report for the GM/PD. Then the real work begins... the internal problems. A complete look at the positioning, imaging, marketing and promotional side of a station. It's amazing how out of wack a station can get without an objective "coach" on the sidelines. A great consultant will talk to everyone in the building... PD and personalities, sales and promotions people to make sure everyone is on the same page. They also should work with the music system to make sure it's okay - (A lot of PD's don't have a clue how to run a music system properly... I've even seen this in major markets). Inside the walls of every station there is so much political BS going on that people tend to lose focus on what's important like "what's coming out of the speakers". If given enough power, the consultant can turn a failing property around. Hard decisions, like having to blow up a morning show - or God forbid, a format...are certainly more easily made when the GM has a good consultant telling him what he already knows. It's a very rewarding job when the station does well after the changes and I've had very good experiences with some excellent consultants... Plus, they make great job connections for future gigs so play nice! You don't see them around as much any more with all the cost cutting though...
They usually only come to a market quarterly...but are involved with decisions on a weekly basis via phone and email.
As far as "when do they leave?" When the station no longer retains them or another consultant replaces them. See: "Cookie-Cutter consultants"
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