Stealing Listeners Away From Their P1 Station

Have you ever have found yourself desiring someone who was already in an existing relationship? You know they're exactly the type of person you're looking for, but they're in a committed relationship and remain loyal to someone else. More likely than not, they remain in their existing relationship because they have invested time and effort into building that relationship and believe they have an emotional connection with that other person.

It's not uncommon in life to find yourself in this kind of situation. In fact, we predict that 90% of the people reading this will have found themselves in this situation. It's important to remember that loyalty is earned ... and equally, loyalty can be lost. The dictionary tells us that loyalty is "being faithful to one's oath, commitments, cause or to any person or thing conceived as deserving fidelity."

The key point in the definition is "people are loyal to things that deserve their fidelity." Loyalty is built by offering someone something they desire consistently. That loyalty can be eroded - you just need to prove you deserve their loyalty more! When something or someone else proves themselves and offers you more of what you want consistently they're on route to earning your loyalty.

So, the first thing you need to prove is that you offer more to that other person than their current partner, and then you need to continuously prove it. Then maybe their loyalty to their current partner will be eroded and you'll begin to win them over. The long term goal is to win them and build your own loyalty together.

Understanding this simple fact of life will help you understand the time and effort it takes to win listeners to your radio station. You are not trying to attract new radio listeners to your station. That's something that won't happen in this century. You're trying to steal them away from the relationship they already have with another radio station in the market.

You have to understand that people hold onto failing relationships for two reasons 1) It's comfortable and familiar -- it's what they know -- and 2) they still believe that the relationship gives them what they need and that their loyalty is deserved. Your job is to tempt them to you. It's the same with radio stations.

The listeners you're trying to tempt will have started their relationship with their current P1 station because it was exciting and offered them something they desired; it was relevant to their lives, the morning show was the most relatable and memorable; the music offered them instant gratification; the news and information services helped them stay in touch with world; the station was involved in their community; and it made them feel something every time they tuned in.

So, if a radio station offered them that, how will you ever win them over? Well, first you need to understand everyone is looking for something better; something that will offer them even more. It's human nature to want to be as happy as you can be, and therefore we all strive for that ... every day!

To win them over you need to start by getting to truly understand the listeners you're going after:

1. Find out what they LIKE / DISLIKE
2. Find out what is IMPORTANT to them
3. Find out what makes them HAPPY

You need to conduct this research. You don't need to spend lots of money to do it. You can achieve this by spending time with the audience that you want. Go to the places they go, spend time experiencing what they do, live their lives ... Conduct LABs. If you can do perceptual research, it's worth it.

Then you need to understand what they get from their current radio station. Is the morning show doing the right thing? Is it the music? Is it the mood the station creates? You truly need to understand the strengths of their favourite radio station. You need this information as you'll need to build a product that does all of what they love and then do it better ... consistently. Talk to the listeners you want about their current P1 station (and really hear what they say) and conduct your own monitors of your competition. You need to understand your enemy better than you understand yourself at this point.

Now find the holes. Understand what listeners wished they got more of from their current radio station. What are they not getting from this relationship? What could the radio station do better? Where is it failing to connect? You need to know what else you can offer the listener.

So, TRULY understand the listener you're going after. Get to know them intimately before you start to think about radio. Work out what is important to them; what must your station offer that they already get from their existing station (remember you have to do it better!). Then work out what is missing that the listener desires and wants that they aren't currently getting. Now you can build a product that is likely to attract the listeners that you want.

Remember, that while the listener may be tempted by what you offer at the start, human nature will make them reluctant and nervous about moving away from something they already know and feel comfortable with. You need to be consistent in your offering and continuously find ways to tempt them into your station. It WILL take time and effort, but in the end you'll win the listeners you want. It starts with the listener -- then build your product.