RadioGuruPdx

Awkwardness for the Sake of Momentum and Change

Tim Miles, Partner of The Wizard of Ads

When we hear people say, “These are exciting times,” we know they really mean, “These are freaky scary times.”

Hogwash, I tell you. These are exciting times that promise success for adventure-minded companies who keep their wits about them, and who are ready to swing the hammer and take action.

That said, there’s never been a more frightening time to be average or indifferent about what you do. You have to change.

I’m going to give you some New Year’s resolutions for your business. They’re all simple and inexpensive. It doesn’t mean they're easy.

Can you live through the discomfort of change? Are you willing to put up with a little awkwardness for the sake of momentum and positive change in 2012?

It’s time to move forward fiercely. Take action. Make a small step. Then make another.

The coming year is not about big dreams. It’s about small actions.

I look forward to hearing about your progress.

The 2012 Business New Year’s Resolutions

• Cut the fat. Cut all the projects that aren’t going anywhere and earning money and focus everything on the things that are. Get rid of unprofitable distractions and focus on improving what's working. This includes employees who have no desire to be above average.
• Ask every employee for one suggestion on how to make it easier for your customers and prospects to do business with you. Reward those employees whose suggestions you use.
• Include more than senior staff in brainstorming sessions for a fresh voice. Then, after a brainstorming session, actually pick something and DO IT. Stop holding meetings and forming committees and just take action.
• Form a customer feedback group – invite some of your best customers to dinner to give unfiltered feedback about what you could be doing better.
• Look for ways to develop a more evocative, generous referral program. Maybe start by asking a newly-formed customer feedback group.
• Ask employees what charities matter to them, and find ways to help them.
• Budget at least one conference this year for your employees. Learning is better when shared face to face.
• Go out of your way to compliment the strengths of individual employees.

Procrastination is the passive assassin of success. Companies who hunker down and merely hope things will get better need to get their heads out of the rear-view mirror.

To recap: Success comes when you are ready to take action, step by step, do things differently, and move fiercely forward.

Is your company one of them?

Awesome. That’s what I thought.

These sure are exciting times, aren’t they?

Tim Miles

------
Exciting times for sure, Tim.

Breaking Through is the theme for 2012. We are looking forward to supporting anyone who is ready to take action this year. That’s why we are thrilled to bring Tim Miles to Portland all year long in blogs, videos and seminars. Get charged up and stay tuned because the best is on its way!

Melissa Kunde
Executive Director, PARC

 

Out Teach Your Competition

Jason Fried is the co-founder and President of 37signals. It is a privately-held Chicago-based company committed to building the best web-based tools possible with the least number of features necessary. Jason believes there's value and beauty in the basics. He promotes the elegance of teaching what you know to gain people's respect, audience and finally, market share.

 

Radio Dials It Up and Takes Convergence to the Streets

 

In a recent article written by Sharlene Sharim in The Media Magazine titled, "The Convergence of Radio," we learn that the power of sound is harmonizing with new technology to create bigger impact for radio listeners. “Video didn’t kill the radio star," Sharim revealed, "And neither have mobile phones, internet, social media or other digital platforms.”

Instead, innovative technology has built new and stronger pathways for Radio. New Radio applications make it possible to use smart phones as Radio alarm clocks, and to remind people of their favorite Radio program. Social media gives audiences the opportunity to meet their DJs in a variety of ways. Instead of calling a talk show or music program, listeners have more interaction opportunities. You can go online while listening to a show and explore websites and post comments and podcasts are available for download. In addition, you can listen to Radio online and on your cell phone.

“Technological change and convergence have been huge complements and probably some of the best things that have happened to Radio,” says Terry Volkwyn, CEO of Primedia Broadcasting.

You can read the full article here.

VIP Portland Music Awards Exclusive OFFER Get Yours Now!

Portland Music Awards 2012!

RadioGuru and PARC MEMBERS ONLY

TICKETS SELLING FAST! ONLY 20 TICKETS LEFT.

January 22, 2012 7:00pm
at The Crystal Ballroom

$15.00 for VIP 

 Don’t miss out! Buy Tickets Here

ENTER VIP ID CODE: RADIO

Exclusive Balcony Seating
Mingle with the Celebrities
Private bar
 VIP will-call service
Free access to the Private-VIP-After-Party at Barracuda

 

The show will be televised and aired live on Freedom 970, KUFO

 

Radio: We Make Contact.

Steve Jobs 20 Life Lessons

This inspiring slideshare is based on Lance Ulanoff's article that illustrate some of the larger lessons we can all glean from Steve Jobs’ remarkable life.

 

View more presentations from Rob van Alphen

 

 

Owning Its Throne in Advertising

 

What establishes a primary advertising medium? One way is by following the herd. “Advertise here” because this is where everyone else is spending their ad dollars. Another is believing that the success of an advertising channel is based on the number of subscribers. Ninety-six or even 500 million subscribers does not mean it’s proven itself as a successful core venue for growing businesses. Then there are those who endorse a medium because that’s where they can make the most money from their clients. The selected medium showcases their creative talents but doesn’t really move market perception.

There is a difference between a primary advertising medium and a novel advertising channel, just like there is a difference between building a lifestyle brand and executing a transactional campaign. A successful core medium has a proven track record for growing business. It stands the test of time and technology, engages emotion, ownership and community, and has an incalculable power to engage the mental life of human beings.

Radio’s first broadcast took place on November 2, 1920. It was a huge success. Ninety-two years later, radio is still growing with the latest count of 14,952 stations and 241,595,000 listeners in the United States. It grows because it places a premium value on the human voice. It grows because it develops the imaginative “rest of the story” in the minds of its listeners. It grows because it allows people to live their lives and still participate in song, story and news. Radio grows because it celebrates the individual listener and connects the masses to the greater world, new ideas and community values.

Commercial radio is thriving and has for almost a century for only one reason: It is profitable for its advertisers. In 1926, Wheaties was a lagging cereal in the eyes of General Mills (GM). Then one company executive noticed that in the small area where the Wheaties jingle played, sales were strong. GM decided to air the jingle everywhere, and Wheaties quickly became a profitable, top American breakfast cereal.

In 2012, radio has similar stories to share. The insurance, fast food and financial industries all endorse and prosper with radio. Radio Ink highlights:

Lisa Cochrane is the Senior Vice President for Marketing at Allstate. She says Allstate is using a lot of radio, both national and local, across all markets and all formats. "Over the past 18 months or so, we’ve increased our footprint in radio and you’re likely to see (I mean “hear”) the Good Hands continue to reach out (pun intended) to radio listeners next year. We don’t specifically use one format over another; like most marketers, Allstate looks to  whatever will best reach the demographics of our target consumer in each market.  That, in fact, is the beauty of radio – you can get that targeted." Cochrane says Allstate reaches 98 percent of the United States through national and local radio, "And I’d guess the remaining two percent of people must not be radio listeners," she jokes.

American Express is another success story for radio. Radio was a big part of their recently run Small Business Saturday campaign that made it all the way up to the White House, endorsed by President Obama. Lou Paskalis is the Vice President of Content Development and Mobile Marketing for American Express. He says, "Here is the headline...Radio Works." Small business Saturday was a feel-good campaign that everyone wanted to be a part of. Paskalis says "The stated endorsement of on-air talent is something we can't buy. Radio helped us get the word out."

Subway is another great radio success story. Chief Marketing Officer Tony Pace says, “People have a pretty personal relationship with radio; to me that naturally extends into social media. People start saying, “That DJ is my guy. That announcer is my guy.”  They become a trusted voice. That trusted voice can extend beyond radio to other media. You obviously have to have a significant audience, but there is still an awful lot of power in radio. People are still listening. Drive time is still a very, very powerful thing.  Passion points like sports and music are still very powerful things. We have been very pleased with what we have been able to do in terms of driving business with the radio investments we have made.”

There are those who will continue to spend their ad money outside of radio. Radio isn’t always recognized by agencies for the profit generator that it is. Perhaps this is because its success isn't rooted in attracting quantifiable "subscribers" and it doesn’t possess the sparkle of newest technology. Maybe it’s because radio isn’t known to be the best place for agencies to maximize profits.

But radio, the primary medium, does have growth in listeners, proven longevity, and a unique way of meeting people in every generation and lifestyle. Most importantly, it has 92 years of success stories. Radio in 2012 is the primary local advertising medium and the only superpower of sound and story.