In this week’s Programming To Win column, Arbitron’s Gary Marnice argues that winning the “battle” off-air is just as important as what you are doing on-air. Marnice gives a number of examples of different avenues and scenarios taking place off the air to help strengthen your station’s position on-air
Gary Marince
By: Gary Marince, Vice President of Programming Services and Development, Arbitron Inc.
As someone who pores through reams and reams of Arbitron data every day, you might think I would write about the technical elements of ratings success: how many, how long and how often. But, before we focus on the numbers, we need to understand WHY people listen; what makes them come to us in the first place. It’s my opinion (and the opinion of other successful programmers and consultants) that people come to the station, or make it their first stop, because of what they expect to find each time they tune to us. Yep – it’s the brand or position of the station that drives most ratings success.
If you can own a strong and desired position in the mind of the listener…if you are “first in mind” for your category, there is a strong likelihood you will be the listener’s “first choice station” each time they come back to radio. It’s what dmr’s Tripp Eldredge describes as the “moment of truth.” After a listener is bombarded with messages and impressions of “six in a row,” “better variety,” “less talk” and “more music,” what selection does the listener actually make when they begin a radio session?
Here is what I mean when I say “Win the off and you are more likely to win the on” Tripp is fond of saying, what happens off the air can impact what a person listens to on-air. If you are first in mind for your category (Rock, Country, Station to listen to at work, etc.) when the radio is off, they will be more likely to select you when they turn on their radio.
But we don’t get to declare or determine who is first in mind for the category. That impression is formed by the listener. We can, however, work to influence the impression and that’s what I mean by “winning the off.”
Think of any head-to-head format battle where you have two stations playing the exact same music. You can have one station with a 10 share and the other with a 5 share. The leader generally owns a strong position (such as “Top Rock station” or “At Work”) in the mind of most listeners. That’s why they’re the leader and have the higher share.
What seems to be the difference maker is the emotional bond and strength of position your station has relative to its competition in the format category. It’s based on our connection to the product (or in our case station). Think of it this way. If a station has a 4% share, how many points are derived from the station having a strong position in them mind of the listener and how many points come from strong execution (the sum of the little things done right)? It’s my opinion that 3 of the 4 share points come from the strength of the station’s position and 1 point comes from its execution. Owning the desired brand is more important than “playing a song in the right spot.” Remember, this option is based on informed intuition – so it’s not truly scientific. It simply makes sense and resonates with experience from the world of Brand marketing. It helps us understand what really moves the needle comes mostly from our position. Of course sounding great every time people tune in is important so it goes without saying execution remains essential…but we gotta’ have the position to “win the off.”
So, how do we become owners of a strong and desired position? What should we be doing off air so people will listen to us on air? Since I work for Arbitron I can’t provide specific recommendations and every situation is unique so I hesitate to generalize. However, I will offer a thought. I call it “Curly’s law” named for the character in the movie City Slickers. When Billy Crystal’s character asked Curly his secret of life, Curly said “it’s about ONE THING and that’s up to you.” In this context think about the ONE THING that listeners identify with your station. This is a big deal. It’s the primary position in the mind of the listener. Find ONE THING that’s important to listeners and own it. It is the ONE THING that is likely to cause listeners to think of your station when the radio is off and ultimately lead them to choose your station when they turn on the radio. This is the essence of the station’s identity and requires a frank analysis of your competitive situation and often benefits from research to confirm the size of opportunities in your market.
Another consideration: advertise! After all it’s our business and we believe in it!!! Keep this is mind, “Cume – when left unattended – erodes!” When you’ve identified that ONE THING, it’s a good idea to let the masses in on the secret. When you think of some of the main reasons people use radio (mood elevation, staying informed, traffic, get your fix of Sports news or Rock music) – it’s essential to let people know they can get that from you, each time they tune in. That’s what advertising and marketing does best . . . reinforce the station’s position.
A lot of politicians live by the phrase “moving the numbers.” They’re always looking for efficient ways to connect with voters – during the campaign (off air) so they’ll vote for them when it counts on election day (on air). By the way, it’s not all voters, it’s typically those who vote often and are likely to be voting in the next election (heavy users). And one of the most tried, true and ways to connect with voters is through the handshake…a personal encounter or experience. To a large degree, air talent can move the numbers through off-air channels. Here is a fictional example: the Mall remote. And just as it’s time to fold the card table, we see a possible fan peering from a safe distance. The talent stops folding the table…starts smiling…walks toward the fan…still smiling…and says “hi, I’m << insert first name here >> with << station calls >>, I’m glad you came today… here’s a coupon for xx dollars off (a retailer that connects with the brand…perhaps a key customer) to say thanks for coming today and listening in.” This kind of off air opportunity can make the connection personal and rewarding. You can read about how to maximize an encounter like this in a sales setting in the easy-read book People Buy You by Jeb Blount. Who knows, it may cause this person to tell his or her friends about the experience and be the spark that causes people to choose your station when they turn the radio on.
It’s true, we can do a lot to strengthen our on-air position…off air. Here’s to your continued programming success – good luck!
Gary Marince is Vice President of Programming Services and Development for Arbitron, Inc.. He is available to answer your inquiries regarding the Arbitron PPM or Diary services. You can reach him at gary.marince@arbitron.com.
