How To Win The New Normal

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(By Loyd Ford) Oh, you can say things will return to the way it was before Coronavirus. How many things in your adult life have changed and then changed back to “the way it was?” None, right?

So, how do you prepare your radio brand to win the new normal? Here are some things to get you started.

Give listeners what they crave.

  • Hugs, connection. You create this in your promos and liners, the way you craft the emotion of your brand.
  • Escape. This isn’t new, but it has never been more important. So many rules, so much data, so many voices saying, “We’re all in this together.” Be the voice that say, “Come with us. We’re gonna have fun.”
  • Think differently about even the smallest contests. Safety is the new currency for restaurants and other businesses. Think about how you could create a really unique VIP dining experience giveaway with a local restaurant or something similar focused on how people return to their social lives. You can turn this into dollars (or at least goodwill) with local clients and do something really different and fun with listeners. Just think about unusual ways to reinvent your contests around inversing the craziness of our time or “going with it” to create unique experiences.
  • Give your audience a place and space where they can act irresponsible. Morning show, contesting, social media. Be willing to relax so many rules and express your brand as a place for freedom.
  • Offer surprise without exiting the expectation of your format. Everything is so….expected. Plan a little unexpected and fun disruption.
  • Be the place on radio where they can “let it all hang out.” When everything else is so tense, being the one place where everyone can be themselves and let go can make you the obvious winning experience.

It’s Time To Give Listeners What They Want In When Things Are Chronic

Life has changed for your audience. You change to accelerate why they run to radio, want to spend time with radio, connect with radio. You be the source they look forward to connecting with tomorrow morning, this weekend, during the workday or on the way home.

Life is different. It isn’t over. Use your creativity and the immediacy of radio to arrive on the scene of relief and emotional connection before any other media. And before your competition.

Loyd Ford consults radio stations, coaches personalities, and provides behavioral and strategic programming to radio with RPC. Reach him anytime. 864.448.4169 or [email protected].

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