81° - overcast/severe thunderstorm watch at 2:38pmApologies for lack of posts this week; busy times.
While taking a quick fast food break at my desk this afternoon, surfin' around the blogosphere, I came across a great piece (one of two, actually - the second one I'll get to later) from Seth Godin:
When you least expect it
I sent in a t-shirt order to customink a few weeks ago.
Three days later, I got a note from someone named Lori that said,
"Hi Seth,
I noticed that you have designed shirts that appear to be for a charity event. If that’s the case, CustomInk would love to make a small donation to your team or to the charity itself on your behalf.
Please let me know if your order is for one of these events. If you would like us to pitch in and support your cause, please include information about your charity event, a link if you have one or the organization’s name if there is no link to a team web page."
That's it. No policy, no standard operating procedure, no promise in advance. Just plain generosity.
It turns out that customink does this as a matter of course, regardless of whether the customer has a blog or not. They don't do it as an inducement, they just do it.
Formula: The value of a perk is inversely related to the expectation of that perk.
How could this be applied at your radio station? I mentioned here months ago about having members of your airstaff calling a few different listeners in your database to thank them for listening.
Dave Martin took it further by suggesting the airstaff do the same with advertisers.
What if your station did this with community organizations too? "Hi, this is Bob Morning Jock at WXXX. I noticed that your organization is doing X. I'd love to know more so I can talk about it on the air."
Unexpected. And who do you think that organization might contact when they're planning something really big?
Just a thought.
1 comment:
Dan,
As always, thanks for the mention.
We forget how very powerful it is for those not in the business to get a phone call or a note from a talent.
On the day job we work with TV stations helping them to build their local morning shows. Trade secret: One of our best practices is called "Names make news." We are in the hunt for local folks doing things right,locals celebrating (new job, promotion on the job, anniversary, wedding, birth, achievements by their children), locals coming together for good (church bake sale to benefit a family, charity auctions).
You get the idea.
Then we name drop them...
"Wow, did you hear, Dan Kelley and his family are moving to town. Yeah, Dan is the new VP at Our Town Electric. He's moving here from Alabama. We want to welcome the Kelley family."
"We are so proud of Andrea Kelley. She's the smart ten year old that won the state spelling bee this past weekend. The word that won her first place was equilibrium. Now, Andrea goes on to the nationals and a big win for us. Go Andrea."
The strategy works 100% of the time. When people get together they talk about PEOPLE. Our clients are never challenged on this because the competition thinks it's goofy. It is goofy only to those in the business.
Easy to do especially with the internets. Works even better on radio where you can leave a card in the studio and name drop all day long.
Folks will hear about it.
Your station, your talent will be the heroes.
"Can you believe it, Dan Kelley mentioned Angie having a baby on his show this morning! Who knew she was so cool and connected."
Once you start it your listeners/viewers will feed you items.
Also put it a salute on your website. Sell it! Get listeners to send you pics.
Names make news!
Dan, one last thing, thanks for the good work you are doing at MBA, you're fighting the good fight.
Blog on! All the best,
Dave Martin
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