Radio’s Big Challenge Finds An Answer

By External Source

When you are out talking to radio people, what advice do you give them about how to build their businesses? What success tips do you offer?

They need to be able to see two things: First, a clear vision for the "new" industry that they would create. That vision involves being part of a bigger business than terrestrial radio. It involves morphing into a marketing powerhouse in which radio is only one part of the offering.

Second, they need to see the steps that should be taken today. Just what steps depends on where the station is at the moment.  If they're not selling marketing services--especially digital services--they should get started. If they're not thinking about buying a local newspaper or starting a direct mail initiative in their market, they should.  If they haven't set up a quasi-TV studio, they should.

You get the picture. These are all steps toward the vision of being the go-to marketing company in their markets.  If they're successful at that, they'll capture business from every flat-footed newspaper, TV, Yellow Pages, direct mail, and radio rep in their markets. – Consultancy firm CEO Gordon Borrell (Borrell & Associates), Radio's Big Challenge: Finding Its Way Forward In This New Digital World, as quoted in a recent Forbes feature.