Jeff in Sa-ra-so-sa... These are great ideas! Many of the marketing ideas you suggested possibly could be traded with various print publications. The billboards are also a tremendous marketing tool. However, I think the real challenge with billboards is a budgeting issue. Most billboard companies will not trade although some may. Many of the smaller AM stations, and stations in general, simply don't have the budget to pay for expensive billboards. If the billboards can be 100% or partially traded, the stations may be able to work out a deal. Either way, billboards are excellent marketing tools for a local AM radio station.
The internet, station website and 24-hour audio streaming is another big advantage.
TV ads are also essential along with local cable. Sarasota has WWSB-TV 40 although I'm not aware of who the local cable provider may be.
Programming, as you mentioned, has been another problem with many AM stations. And so has been engineering. Again, cost is a factor on some of these things, but not all.
Local programming interspersed with disirable nationally syndicated programming along with an aggressive marketing campaign makes for a competitive radio station, even if that station is a 1kw AM station.
Basically, if I am reading you correctly, to summerize what you are saying the stations in question need to clean up their act and become more aggressive in the competitive market-place. There's absolutely no argument from me on that note.
As a consultant, oftentimes what I find in many of the smaller operations is they have substandard programming; no promotions and basically they have a "mess" on their hands. They have little or no desire to clean up the "mess", but, instead, want someone else to work for commission only to sell the "mess" which very few advertisers, if any, want to buy. The sales associate(s) working for commission only is(are) unable to sell the "mess" and therefore makes little or no income and said sales associate leaves the station within a matter of a few months, if they last that long. Hence, the sales staff is in constant turnover.
To summerize, clean up the "mess" as outlined above. And this will greatly enhance local AM radio. Comments?
The internet, station website and 24-hour audio streaming is another big advantage.
TV ads are also essential along with local cable. Sarasota has WWSB-TV 40 although I'm not aware of who the local cable provider may be.
Programming, as you mentioned, has been another problem with many AM stations. And so has been engineering. Again, cost is a factor on some of these things, but not all.
Local programming interspersed with disirable nationally syndicated programming along with an aggressive marketing campaign makes for a competitive radio station, even if that station is a 1kw AM station.
Basically, if I am reading you correctly, to summerize what you are saying the stations in question need to clean up their act and become more aggressive in the competitive market-place. There's absolutely no argument from me on that note.
As a consultant, oftentimes what I find in many of the smaller operations is they have substandard programming; no promotions and basically they have a "mess" on their hands. They have little or no desire to clean up the "mess", but, instead, want someone else to work for commission only to sell the "mess" which very few advertisers, if any, want to buy. The sales associate(s) working for commission only is(are) unable to sell the "mess" and therefore makes little or no income and said sales associate leaves the station within a matter of a few months, if they last that long. Hence, the sales staff is in constant turnover.
To summerize, clean up the "mess" as outlined above. And this will greatly enhance local AM radio. Comments?
