What Do They Think Your Station Does?

The radio stations I consult are among the BEST in the country.Yes, I'm biased, but millions of listeners agree. Some are commercial stations, like KINK in Portland and The River in Boston, and some are non-commercial stations, such as WFUV in New York, RadioMilwaukee, KXT in Dallas, the new Colorado Sound in Denver/Ft. Collins, and many others. I'm also fortunate enough to serve as Brand Manager for VuHaus, which includes other leading pubradio stations such as KCRW in Los Angeles, KEXP in Seattle and WXPN in Philadelphia. The common thread for all of these stations is the enviable "Music Discovery" position each owns and serves in their respective market. Music Discovery is the collective position, yet each station has a different narrative that makes them special.

It's not what a station does that people recognize, it's what people think a station does that resonates. So, communicating a clear message to listeners and members is critical to getting due credit for all the great work a station does. To that end, WNKU-FM in Cincinnati commissioned a project by a local creative agency, and the results are simply spectacular. The objective was to better understand what motivates WNKU listeners to become members. WNKU is working with Rebel Pilgrim, a Cincinnati-based marketing group that specializes in helping businesses tell their story, externally and internally. This is all part of WNKU's campaign leading up to their Fall membership fund drive.

With the permission of WNKU GM Sean O'Mealy and Rebel Pilgrim Chief Creative Officer Brad Wise, I'm happy to share their results with you and all the stations in the format. Just click here for a very succinct and beautiful presentation:

To whet your whistle, here are a few quick recommendations from their report:

• Speak in STORIES not STATEMENTS.
• A CONNECTION between you and your tribe.
• Give them something TO DO.
• Give them a symbol/flag to rally behind.

I find their results to be truly universal to all the stations in our little format. On the other hand, I encourage all thestations to consider how Rebel Pilgrim's recommendations to WNKU apply to their station, and better yet, to consider a similar project for your station by Rebel Pilgrim or another agency with direct experience in this sector. (Note: I have no relationship with Rebel Pilgrim.)

I'd love to hear from you after seeing their report. Have a great day!