Charlie Cook On Air: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The last two months of the year are just so darn different than any other time of the year. It’s not just the holidays, that starts now with Halloween (not officially part of the last 61 days) as a big time holiday celebrated by every age group.
The note this week is really directed towards radio station program directors who are guiding their radio stations through what can be bumpy waters for the next two months.
We have two HUGE holidays this month. You’re thinking Thanksgiving but what else? I contend Black Friday is as big a day, and more anticipated by a majority of your listeners and sponsors.
The female portion of the audience tolerates Thanksgiving. It is filled with them having to cook and clean while their (mostly) lazy husbands, boyfriends or male relatives use the day as an excuse to over eat and watch 12 hours of Pro Football.
The tryptophan that immobilizes the male portion of the audience is the perfect way set up the shopping frenzy your female listeners look forward to starting at midnight Friday morning in many places.
Because Thanksgiving is as late this year as possible, Cyber Monday is a December holiday. It could be renamed “Goof Off Monday”.
The term is only eight years old, first being introduced in 2005. Last year over $1B was spent on Cyber Monday. Since it became a significant shopping day it has grown about 15 percent every year. Even with a soft economy again this year, retailers expect a double digit increases in 2013.
If you are not part of this incredible AMERICAN weekend, you are missing an opportunity to connect with your listener’s life. You need to insert yourself into this weekend.
1. Have your morning shows participate in local food bank/church activities on Thanksgiving.
2. Have your personalities at local malls on Friday.
3. Have your station giving tips all day Monday about sites with Cyber Monday sales.
As December progresses toward Christmas Day your programming begins to change and the listening levels begin to change. If you’re the Christmas Music station in town you are welcoming in new listeners. What are you doing on the air to keep those people into 2014 when the holiday music ends? If you compete against Christmas Music stations, what are you doing to make sure you get your fair share of listening through the holiday and then the listeners reset their listening habits in the new year?
Will you run promos the last couple of weeks reminding listeners you’ve been there for them for months and that come 2014 your plans include, A, B and C?  Any thought in going commercial-free the first of 2014, when spot loads are light to non- existent, to win back Christmas Music listeners? Better yet, how about a “pay your bills” contest during the month of January? Even $100.00 a few times a day to win back those listeners and get back into their old habits helps.
What are you doing between Christmas and New Year’s Eve to appeal to the listeners who are not travelling, but are easing back into their routines?
This is the most wonderful time of the year. It is also an opportunity to solidify your position as the most wonderful radio station partner.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)