Have You REALLY Heard Your Station?

We have all heard the phrase, sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.

All too often we find ourselves with the radio on in the background and we are working on the day to day things like music logs, writing/producing imaging, air-checking talent, commercial production, looking at ratings numbers, checking research, taking music calls, talking with sales, promotions, posting on the web, surfing Facebook, etc. All the while you are thinking to yourself, "I am doing all the things I should be doing. My station is doing great."

Until it isn't. The GM, SM or an AE comes to you and has a complaint from someone outside the station saying that your station isn't as great as you think. Sure, you blow it off a few times as "they are just being picky. They are having a hard week in sales and need someone to blame." Your staff on the station hasn't said anything, so everything is great, right?

Not so much. Ask yourself, why they are saying that? Why might they be having a hard time selling the station(s)?

With all the things you are supposed to do for your radio station, you haven't done one important thing, listen to your station with a critical ear.

- Have you made sure the elements on the station sound right? (are some elements burned out?)

- Are the talent presenting the promotions and liners the way that represents the station best?

- Just because we play the hits, are we playing the right hits?

- Sure we have research and coding in the scheduler, but if we are playing the right hits, are they scheduled correctly. Are we playing them often enough, or too much

- If we stream, how does the stream sound? Are we filled with PSAs?

- How do the commercials sound?

- Is the talent on the spot using 1st person or 3rd?

- Does the music sound dated?

- Do we hear the same talent on like clients?

- Is the same talent back-to-back with in the stop set?

- Does your positioner sound correct for your station?

- If you are using jingles, do they sound dated? (FYI, you can updated them in production, if you have a good production person.)

- Then do the "punch test": What is your station doing vs. your competitors and cluster-mates

- Is your station ripe for a competitor to come in and give you a hard time...and maybe beat you in ratings and revenue?

These are just a few things you should be doing with your station on a regular basis. With the constraints of time and multi-tasking, it can seem like a daunting task. This is when you realize you need help, but don't have the budget for a full-time person. You could call a friend, who can give you an ear...IF they have time (more than likely, they, too, are working the same way you are with no time.)

Or

You don't need a full-time employee, in this scenario. You can give me call. I am more than happy to put my ear on your station(s) to give practical and actionable (impartial) feedback. If we agree, I can be that continuing extra set of ears and eyes your station(s) needs to put more time in their day so they can handle all of the daily tasks AND to make sure the station is being executed and positioned properly.

Let's talk and make it a long term strategy for long term financial success.