We have long believed that one of local radio’s strengths is its ability to make meaningful connections with its listeners. At a time when just about everything is digitized and reduced to algorithmic calculations about who you are and what you like, true engagement is something that only hometown radio can pull off.
But what kind of personal approaches are most impactful? Which one truly resonates with most people, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, politics, and locales?
It’s about birthdays – a day when all of us enjoy being in the spotlight, celebrated and feted by friends, family, co-workers – and yes, your favorite radio station. That’s a big part of the reason Film House’s “Birthday Game” was one of the most successful contests in radio history.
In a blog post by Optimove that quotes research they’ve conducted, Omer Liss and Maya Shaanan make the point that birthday emails are top performers, and that on that special day, “All people want is just to be remembered.”
And that was a reminder to me the radio and records industries have an official “Birthday Czar.”
“Heavy Lenny” Bronstein is a beloved character in the business, known to thousands who have worked behind the mic or donned satin jackets. Lenny (who is no longer heavy, by the way), has spent 40+ years in record promotion, most often as an independent promoter.
Lenny’s first love was radio, wound his way into concert promotion, and eventually worked for labels as well as representing independent acts. He’s been at it for decades.
But perhaps he is best known for starting the practice of sending out birthday (and anniversary) cards to everyone and anyone in radio starting way back in 1970. In fact, Lenny has turned it into an art form.
As he told me, “I always believed that extra personal touch was appreciated in our busy world.”
Lenny’s “birthday book” now numbers in the 5,000-6,000 range. Before email and Internet cards, Lenny spent 5+ hours on Saturdays, penning, addressing, and stamping scores of cards for those marking a special day.
He notes that he’s touched thousands, and perhaps even saved a few marriages along the ways by reminding recipients they were celebrating an anniversary.
Why is this so effective? As Lenny knows so well, “Getting a birthday in the system can be a heckuva nice surprise for a listener, telling him or her that the station IS part of their lives.”
That resonates with the social media acknowledgment phenomenon we see clearly in our Techsurveys. Many resondents say they actually listen to stations more that interact with them socially. A thoughtful greeting on a special day can go a long way toward bonding listeners with their favorite station and personalities.
A recent MediaPost story underscores the importance of birthdays as a marketing tool. And there’s even this surprising finding: men are much more likely than women to be web-active on their birthdays, especially regarding ecommerce.
Perhaps that’s why many Classic Rock stations like Hubbard’s WDRV/Chicago go out of their way to celebrate their fans’ big days. You can click the video below to see how they tie in their format, their brand, and individual birthday celebrants.
Click here for a special video message from The Drive!
For ecommerce, younger respondents show the most activity on their birthdays. So, it’s no surprise Entercom’s WZPL/Indianapolis earns exceptionally high open rate with this “Half Birthday” video featuring their morning producer, Will. You can watch it here.
Bottom line: radio stations that gather birthday data from email database members have an easy path to making someone’s special day. A personal greeting in the station’s voice or delivered by a key personality can stand out and have impact.
We have also worked with brands where the airstaff makes phone calls to birthday celebrants – again, something that pure-plays and satellite radio are just not going to do.
There are special days every year in people’s lives – key holidays and milestones. But nothing is more universally celebrated than a birthday.
Radio has the power and the personality engagement to have impact when it matters most.
Whether you’re “Heavy Lenny” or a radio station, it is easy to make someone’s day.
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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And again, it’s LOCAL radio that wins.
Precisely. After all, what’s more local & personal than a listener’s birthday. Thanks, Kevin.
A Heavy personal thank you to The Len Master of special greetings for all the birthday wishes – going back to the ’70s!! Coincidentally, mine is International Radio Day, 2/13. Can’t believe how you’ve kept this up for so many!
Lenny is a force, Clark. Wonder how many of us receive birthday greetings from him.
Great article! At first I opened it sooner than I would have only because of the subject line, as my birthday is in a few days. Proving your point!
As a listener supported station we are always looking for ways to connect with our donors and listeners. We started sending birthday cards out several years ago. For the past year, it’s been postcards. But for many years (and we’ll likely do it again next year) we would buy nice cards in bulk, and have all our DJs sign them individually. We didn’t always get feedback, but when we did we knew it was a big hit! Occasionally we’d see people put a picture of the card on their facebook page with a post about how surprised they were to receive it.
When it comes time for our annual pledge drive we’re always reminded that listeners give more often because they feel they know us, and we know them. Birthday cards are a great way to make that happen.
Robin, thanks for this. I neglected to mention how birthdays can be hi-touch for public radio, too. And as you point out, that personal contact can be important in attracting and maintaining members.
And BTW let me be the first to wish you HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Let’s not forget the big birthday in our industry today: November 7th, 1967 was the day KSHE/St. Louis started up 50 years ago, and they are celebrating with special programming 6a-6p today!
Rick Balis reached out to me this morning – serendipitous their anniversary is the same day I wrote this post. As someone who was involved with KSHE for many years, it’s especially rewarding to see them hit their “golden” birthday. Thanks for letting us know.
Hmmm…. Birthdays do get one thinking. I come from a creative family, growing up around shows, music, ‘culture’ as a ‘First Friday’ event in the city, like at an arts show. Which is a perfect radio sponsored event as many reading know. Ok, so there was a small biz called Poemetrics; my mom’s 3rd job shift for our shelter, done w/ a friend that taught me the power of a pen & liquid ink, watermarks & the various blends of paper stock.
She would write songs. Mostly Poems in calligraphy & on the fly. Will never forget the sweet smell of the glazing sprays. Think weddings, speeches, 50th anniversary; birthdays. It did well enough they got onto a ‘Good Morning America’ segment. Back then much debate was still raging about working moms; celebrated or judged. They pegged em as 2 successful, hard working moms. Some will recall the ‘Murphy Brown’ impact and such topics in the later years of it all. Publicity is..
You got me to realize I was so knowledgeable about the powers of etiquette & personal communications. Jump to 2017, I just used spell check for the word ‘etiquette’ … My oh my! I think many lost the skills.
A Sales Idea .. One activity I enjoyed in the 90’s CA Corp world as a Philly Kid… Birthdays. They are up there with other crucial client info one learns with time in territory. It was required for the sales crew to take a few hours on a Friday to sit and write personal notes, thoughtfully. Maybe A Thank You for a meeting or a call. Over these days, one also wrote out birthday cards so at some point most were ready to go well prior, *quality paper stock. I had insisted about the stock, texture.. They listened, it cost more, but CA rocks! In my hometown I’d been ridiculed some back then.. ha. As in.. hey kid Paper is paper. I would have said, Is a cheesesteak, just a cheesesteak?
My roles then included working with entire departments along with the C Suite. A ‘key’ account sales director, and who is not ‘key’ ? Goal IS aligning sales, marketing, product and service goals between firms, all while deepening the relationships.
Sales Idea 2/. I would send a box of 10 of the most tasty pretzels drowned in chocolate & other toppings. Found a vendor in my travels who made the most incredible sweets. It sounds pricey. NOPE! Simply working out an ‘annual’ mutually rewarding deal made the cost well under 10$, with shipping. Ok.. what’s this have to do with radio? Sales?
An example of the mutual part, is that many of my firms, my clients, would ask to connect them with… ‘my’ candy man.
See how giving that real Birthday Card with a gesture, a box of treats turns into ‘MY’ Candyman? More than just a firms.. mine. This Matters … in any sales. Ah, the lost etiquette of personalized Birthday Cards over e cards nobody knows are secure to open .. A rewarding and successful sales activity! I continued this practice and expanded upon it for larger meetings and conferences to holidays (New Years being the way around any PC issues). Thanks for the post as always.
Keep up the brilliant work
Fred Jacobs god bless.
Thank you, David.