No stranger to live concerts, Bill Jacobs is now connecting the dots and building an impressive argument about how stations events – including music-centric ones – can pay off for radio in many ways. Here’s his take. – FJ
We talk a lot in this space about the advantages radio has over pure-plays like Pandora or Spotify and with good reason. Radio may not be able to come close to the seemingly infinite number of songs they make available but that’s almost entirely their only advantage.
Not only does radio have unique personalities, the ability to reflect the local community, put together fundraisers for local charities, and the ability to create real relationship with listeners, it also has the ability and track record to stage live events.
And new research indicates this may now become an even more important advantage for radio.
A study from Momentum Worldwide vividly points out that “live events are king for getting people to recommend” and “music makes people feel the most positive” about brands.
This dovetails perfectly into the types of events that FM music stations often do. When stations are working on all cylinders, they are active, they are in public, and they are promoting and creating events that are additive to their brands.
This survey puts “attending a branded live experience” as the #1 reason (of those tested) why people recommend brands. For radio, a branded live experience can cover a lot of ground, including a Classic Rock Art Show, a live remote from your morning show, tailgate parties hosted by your station, a Men’s Expo, a Beer and Bacon Festival, and even a Google Hangout.
Apart from the fact that branded live events can create revenue, this survey clearly shows they are crucial to creating word of mouth, sharing of content, and recommendations from those who show up.
But over and above that, FM radio has the secret ingredient – music. iHeartRadio is obviously onto something with their mega-concerts – something that Pandora, Spotify and other pure-plays have not done – yet.
But on a local level, many stations already have a foothold on local music events in their markets. Alternative station festivals are probably the best known, but even many Classic Rock stations have a history in this space, booking legendary acts and even cover bands that attract big gatherings – and as we’re learning, the potential to generate fan recommendations.
Presenting shows is one thing, but what stations actually do at events can be a difference-maker. Stations have the ability to provide great fan experiences. Thinking along those lines, here is a six-pack of ideas to optimize live and local events:
- Meet & Greets – To a music fan, nothing tops the ability to meet and greet the artist.
- Special engagements – Many artists are willing to do small shows in the afternoon for a select group of fans, thus creating the kind of event money can’t buy.
- Friendly Staff – Just like how you’re impressed walking into a restaurant that pays attention to you, your staff should be trained about the importance of positive interactions with station fans.
- Appearances – Too many stations settle for the basics when they are out in public. The better you look, the bigger the impact you will make.
- Freebies – T-shirts, stickers, hats, etc., remain excellent ways to keep listeners in the fold. Fans love getting things for free and they love telling people about it. This might be an area where sponsorship can come into play to guarantee enough swag to go around.
- Upgrades – Special upgrades only available to your fans (VIP section, front row, etc.) are easy ways to motivate your audience. And they can be a source of revenue, too.
Then, there’s the social sharing aspect. As the data indicate, recommendations can easily happen through these events, but brands also need to make it easy for fans to do so. That’s why I also want to give a shout-out to Google Hangouts, which I referred to earlier in the post. A Hangout is an artist (or celebrity) experience that Lori Lewis has been championing for the past few months. While these events only involve 9 fans talking to a famous music maker, their propensity to recommend – the power of word of mouth – is very strong. (Oh, and did I mention they are free?)
On-site at events, encourage listeners to take and share pictures (or Vines) of what’s going on around them. You can incentivize them (best “selfie” at the show wins tickets to an upcoming concert, for example). And this can be reinforced during stage announcements. Remember that every attendee has a camera and a way to easily share photos and videos via email, text, and social engines. Remind them to do so when they wander up to the station van or booth. A picture of themselves with the morning show could be the beginning of some great social sharing.
This study reinforces the power of events and digital tool kits, facilitating recommendation and sharing. Once again, heritage local brands have an advantage, but require looking at familiar models and adding that special social spin to optimize results. Radio needs to optimize its core strengths.
See you at the show.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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