Mass Misunderstanding

In the last 24 hours what percentage of your total week's listeners (cumulative sampling) revisited your show or station?

There is a big difference between "winging it" and playing higher, working to the calculus of actual audience behavior.

What all too many radio personalities THINK

• Listeners pay close attention to media/radio
• Most all listeners know who you are and where you are on the dial
• Most listeners take the time to think about stations, formats, and personalities
• Listeners will work hard to try to remember their listening if asked to keep a diary
• All listeners are fiercely loyal so "doing the maintenance" isn't that crucial
• A radio "brand" is mainly just a name and dial address

What too few radio personalities and programmers KNOW

• Most listeners don't pay close attention to "inside" radio machinations
• Most listeners come to stations for mood service or escape, and leave when they need to
• Most listeners won't agree to keep a diary and not a whole lot more will wear a meter
• Listeners form attachment to personalities like a personal friendship but not automatically
• Listeners' lives don't revolve around radio; instead, coming and going as life dictates
• Listeners do not pay close attention to their market's inside corporate radio wars.

Too many executives misunderstand "marketing" and how it equates to ratings success. Consider this: Dell Computer has more computers on all the desks in all the offices of the world ... with not even a close second. Yet over the past 2-3 years, Dell's profit was in the point 1% range.

Apple in recent years typically sees a 20-25% profit and has more book-value than the U.S. Government. This is brand impact in practicum!

And what is a brand?

A brand is a promise, based on an experience, locked in a relationship.