How to Have a Better Idea

If you want more listeners - especially more younger listeners - then you need a better idea. A better message, a better promotion, a better way to connect, a better event. Just...better.

The best way to cook up better ideas is not to look to your left and right and do what your peers are doing. They may have more information than you do, or - more likely - they are looking left and right just like you are and seeing all the same things you see.

Nor do the better ideas come from in-station brainstorming sessions. Rarely do these sessions follow the strict rules of brainstorming (e.g., "Set a timer for idea generation," "Don't judge ideas until they are all presented," etc.). And all too often the first question on the table is: "What are other stations doing?" or "What's an example of a station doing this well?"

It's human nature to look left and right first. And to follow the leader second.

The truth is, the best "better ideas" are new to your brand, new to our format, and probably new to the industry. Everything else is derivative. And while there's nothing wrong with derivative per se, you don't attract more listeners by doing what doesn't work for everybody else or what somebody else is already famous for.

So what do you do?

Here's an approach from one client that was fun, team-building, fresh, and effective.

It was a good-natured competition.

They divided the staff into different teams (and if you are a network of stations, you could divide the teams by station). Each team was responsible for pitching a breakthrough marketing plan - a contest, an event, a promotion, whatever. Something which promoted the brand to more people in a fresh, effective, and meaningful way.

One after another, these groups rose to the front of the room, fired up their Powerpoint presentations, and pitched their hearts out. Each group got to see the pitches from all other groups.

The group head (or whoever is in charge) was the primary audience. That group head would judge the winner based on variables like cost, creativity, impact, ratings, revenue generation, etc.

The winner won a prize, but not a cash prize. In this case, this group head had a private plane and a box seat at a Major League baseball stadium. The prize was a trip with the boss via jet to the ballgame. There was no cash or other incentive.

And the groups competed for this prize like mad.

The proud winning group was celebrated for their win with a fancy plane ride (that the boss would have taken anyway), great seats at the game (which the boss had at his disposal), and probably some ballpark hot dogs and a beer or two. The lottery, it ain't.

The result was that several great marketing promotions were developed, each one brimming with creativity and punch.

There may have been only one winning team, but the entire brand and every member of every team were the real winners. They all won the prize of being more highly valued.

Total cost of the escapade? Almost zero.

Total benefit to the brand? Priceless.

Mark Ramsey Media does audience research for Christian Media - Perceptual research, digital studies, donor studies, music studies, etc. Learn more here. Call Mark at 858-414-4191 or email markramsey@mac.com.

And if you want a strategy to solicit major donors to pay for your research, look here and download this Listener Impact Study solicitation for donors from WAKW-FM.

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