Marketing Well Run Dry? Dig Up Your Dormant Database

Revenues are challenging. What’s right or wrong about radio is everywhere. Promotional budgets, well, let’s just say they are non-existent. Now that I’ve totally bummed you out, here’s the good news: you’re likely sitting on an awesome, underused resource.

Remember years ago, when everybody started forming “Loyal Listener” clubs? They were collecting email addresses and communicating with your listeners. Then, as digital, social media, and other new things came around, the database became somewhat obsolete – or at least forgotten!  

Well, I’m here to tell you that you are sitting on a goldmine of opportunity.

Have you ever noticed that just about every major retailer, airline, and large company is always asking you to sign up for their mailing list? They offer worthwhile incentives to get your most important asset: Your email address. Yet radio, for the most part, is allowing these databases to just sit on the hard drive of a computer and not take advantage of being able to “get your message out” to the listeners who matter the most, your P1s. 

So with all of this in mind, let’s re-ignite your database, get your current subscribers re-engaged, and grow it with new listeners. Here’s a step-by-step plan.

Clean It Up. If your database has not been used for a while, you probably have some people in there who are no longer with you or no longer interested. When you start sending them emails, they may choose to unsubscribe, or you will just get bounces. This is natural, and it’s a good thing. You want an “active” database with usable emails. 

Always Offer Value. The key to successful database marketing is this: The recipient must feel that there is value in your communication. The old “Here’s What’s Happening at WXXX” is a waste, and the subject line that will most likely lead to “unsubscribe”. Your emails must always contain a WIFM (What’s In It For Me) Moment. 

Keep It Simple. Keep the emails clean. I recommend “text only” emails that always start with a personal “Hi John” type greeting. I know it’s tempting, but no station logos and other distracting HTML stuff. You want to keep the focus on “the message.” 

Give them something they can’t get anyplace else. Always offer something that is specifically for people who get email. For example: You are having a call in to win ticket giveaway on the air. So, in your email, you offer a few pairs of tickets that can only be won by PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING THIS EMAIL, SO YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING ARE GREAT. Or even better. Have a totally separate promotion that is only for recipients of the email. Make sure you make this point very clear: “By the way, this contest is ONLY for people like you who are getting this email, so your chances of winning are good. We will not talk about this contest on the air.” Keep in mind: It’s not always the value of the prize as much as it is “the thrill of winning.”

Promote Sign-ups On Air. This is still the most effective way to build a database. Make sure you promote that being a member of your station’s listener club has many advantages that you won’t hear about on the air. People like feeling like an “insider”. 

Keep the message simple, easy to understand, and most importantly, keep the email short. We are living in the 3-5 second attention span world. That applies to email as well. 

Subject Lines Matter. Keep the subject line compelling. As I mentioned earlier, “Here’s What’s Happening at WXXX” is probably the worst. When it comes to subject lines, remember the “WIFM” rule. State “What’s in it for Me.” Better: Another “Private contest” just for you. 

Final Thought: The best reason to either reignite or start a listener database: It’s practically free. Plus, remember that most of the people who are already there or will sign up are P1 listeners. They care about you. They listen to you. Their heavy listening will pay off for you in the next set of ratings.