Elevated Expectations

New Marketing Strategies Will Take You Higher

This may come as a bit of a shock to some of you, but great programming no longer guarantees consistent ratings success. To be successful in today's changing, competitive marketplace, you need more -- more opportunities, more knowledge, more insights, more ideas and better programming strategies.

While there are many methods that can make a difference, this week we're going to examine the elevated expectations that have to do with branding. Urban programmers are finding that being able to use the power of a truly great brand to beguile and, in some cases, define -- at least in part -- who we are, can be a powerful tool.

Branding Is Still The Key To Building Top-Of-Mind Awareness

Creating the sort of intense loyalty that companies such as Coca-Cola and, more recently, Apple, have built is a goal to which most companies and radio stations aspire. Things have changed a lot in the past few years. The consumer marketing landscape has shifted dramatically with the advent of new communications changes that were but a twinkle in the eye of a 1990s marketer.

It is only by understanding and using these channels wisely that a station can hope to establish the types of relationships that turn listeners into brand evangelists. In 2006 we're really dealing with a multi-channel media environment; therefore, today's promotions and marketing departments have a wider range of vehicles and channels to utilize for establishing the brand. The overall thrust of the branding process has not fundamentally changed, but the tool kit that the branding process has to work with has grown tremendously.

It's not necessarily a mistake to talk about buzz or word-of-mouth (two concepts that are all the rage in marketing and promotions circles these days), but one must remember that after you get a listener's attention, no amount of buzz or hype can sustain a relationship over the long run.

It has been my belief for a long time that the most successful brands are those that are able to make the leap from buzz to evangelism. They create communities of listeners who form a deep attachment to the brand and then attempt to persuade like-minded people to become part of that community.

The reason evangelism works so well is because when listeners are talking about the brand (their favorite radio station), they're not just saying it's a great station. They're saying "I identify closely with this station, and you seem to be like me, so you will identify with it, too."

This approach has worked wonders for companies such as Coca-Cola, Apple, Harley-Davidson, McDonald's, and any number of local shops and service providers. A community is a fragile thing, however, and it can easily scatter if you fail to nurture it. This explains why it is so important to truly understand your listeners.

If a relevant relationship is established so you're really talking to the audience about something in which they're interested, in a way that they're interested, using the channels that make sense to them, that's what really establishes the relationship. It's being with them at the right place the right time. It's not only playing their favorite songs and entertaining listeners with air-personalities who can consistently make them laugh, chuckle or think, it's making them feel that you are a part of their lives.

And remember your product or service itself is also a point of communication. It's tough to have a strong cult-like brand with an ersatz or poor product. To get cult-like commitment to a brand or radio station, you've got to recognize that there are always at least "two people at the dance" -- two and counting.

If we can successfully build that level of devotion, we will have delivered "elevated expectations." It is worth noting, in fact, that there is an opportunity to score by branding, and we should never underestimate the power of a strong brand. A well-designed, branded product will provide the best chance of standing out and will help achieve the ratings credit we deserve.

Word.