Radio Still The Sound Of Success

Radio! I’m passionate about it. You can tell going back to my days with Yorkshire Radio Network (Hallam FM / Viking FM and Pennine) who became part of the Metro Radio Group then onward into emap territory.  I worked for all those companies as the transitions occurred and the differing Sales Managers and Directors who taught me a lot, it’s a case of “watch this blog”. (n.b. Sheffield’s’ Hallam FM is currently part of the bauer group).

I went on numerous courses regarding the intangible selling process from  American trainer Giff Gifford to Chris Lytle and one particular quote that came up time and time again was ‘work harder on yourself than you do on your job’…  if you work hard on your job you make a living, if you work hard on yourself you can make a fortune (Jim Rohn). So I kept a track record, which I’ll share with you on the power of audio communication on such subjects as Advance Language Patterns (Connie Ray Andreas) and Conversation –  The Power of Persuasion (Peter Thomson). Firstly back to basics  I thought we’d start at the beginning and ask the question “Why radio?”

8 reasons to use radio

1) radio is transportable

radio can be heard in town’s, cities, villages, suburbs, rural areas, indoor-outdoor all 24hours a day and can reach new and existing customers whatever job, pastime or recreational hobby they may be doing.

2) radio is local

The BBC has EIE – Educate Inform and Entertain; commercial radio goes further with their transmissions, which include advertising, to persuade and communicate on a local level, particularly with what’s on locally within their catchment area.

3) radio is emotive and personal

The station talks directly to your customers and personally. The one to one relationship between broadcaster and customer delivers a more receptive message, especially if it is a live read. Emotion is top of the buying process and radio creates ‘share of mind’ during the decision-making procedure.

4) radio is theatre of the mind

With radio you can actually reach people performing activities relating to your product. It creates pictures in the mind: colours, smells, taste, logos, graphics and those all important brand accosiations.

5) messages are intrusive

Well-scripted commercials can get into the listeners ear and stay there for a very long time. You can’t switch off your ears! This immediately increases receptiveness and awareness.

6) radio is and needs frequency

It’s been called the reach and frequency medium. You need to reach the audience and have a frequency of messages. Buying decisions aren’t made on Saturdays or Sundays only. Prospective sales can be made any day of the week 24  X 7 – so it boils down to “what you say times how many times you say it”.

7) radio informs

news, weather, sport, traffic – its all there and the great music, let’s not forget the music. Radio advertising identifies whom it’s talking to and what is the best time to deliver those messages (late night taxi companies versus theme parks on Bank Holidays). If they are great commercials you’ll get a receptive audience it’ll also aid recall when it comes to making a buying decision. It’s all about a positive response from the market.

radio is economic

Good scheduling can make radio a very economic medium. Your ads can influence not dominate or saturate the airwaves with a more subtle d.r.i.p approach. Used regularly with peaks and troughs identified, it makes good cost per thousand which equals value for money  to gain OTH – opportunities to hear.

It can do so many things and there’s more to come…

It’s no secret, and being a trustee of Sheffield’s’ White Rose Children’s Charity, I’ve always wanted to do a fund raising booklet to raise funds for them (!) and to act as a gentle reminder for others of what can be done with what’s out there.

You could say it’s a form of insurance for when you, me, we, run out of idea’s.

I’ve now formulated those lists of projects (with much more to add I may add) so if the book never materialises, at least we’ve got a word.doc or pdf download as a reminder for each other to use as a cheat sheet!

Oh and in part, it’s also there to help self-starters and new advocates of other great and heart-warming charities maximise their efforts and results.

But there’s a warning, just like in marketing, fundraising can be a bloody and aggressive business. There’s just so many organisations all vying for us to part with our hard earned cash (direct mail, TV ads, press advertising, radio requests, direct door to door selling etc. etc.)

For information, Guide Star UK holds data on over 169,000 registered main charities and voluntary organisations in England and Wales at the time of writing.

Now if you put that into perspective I’m sure it’ll make you think a little more seriously about ‘share of mind’ with you raising the cash, sponsorship, goods in kind, services, the volunteering to secure positive impact, and gosh, if that’s not enough, the much needed publicity that everyone from ‘epilepsy action’ to pet charity The Blue Cross are seeking to gain – and that’s just 2 of the 169,000 wanting single centimeter columns, sound bites or newsreel. Competitive – you bet, and does it seems a little daunting, of course?

But we’ve all been there at some time or another. Friends, colleagues and family are making this journey for …  I’ve volunteered for that… I’m doing this on behalf of…  I want you to help me with some funds … can you find it in your heart to sponsor me because…

Thankfully as a p.r.o. nowadays fundraising is very exotic and hugely enjoyable to become involved with – anything from an overnight stay at Her Majesty’s Pleasure to a lung popping climb up Kilimanjaro, perhaps a over-greased 34K swim across the English Channel to a sweaty 2430 metre trek to Machu Picchu – each and every one for a good, if not great, cause.

The ideas and challenges constantly get zany, the causes seem numerous, and using p.r. to stand out from the crowd is becoming progressively more and more intense.

But there is a solution.

I’ve gathered together hundreds of ideas and things I’ve done in the past and listed them in A to Z form. Of course the list is endless – there’s a few duplicates as the headings differed and some seemed more appropriate than others.

Moreover it fulfils my promise to share these ideas and promotions to the wonderful people I meet on this journey.  Enjoy, have fun and good luck!

11 Great ‘Be’ Tips

Be passionate about your cause

Be innovative and creative with your ideas

Be unerringly determined and never take no for an answer, if you do…

Be undeterred, try, and try again

Be target driven and

Be S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and on time)

Be precise with your goal setting

Be loud – tell everyone what you’re doing

Be friends with your local newspaper, radio and television company.

Be bold. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd and make a fool of yourself

Be nosey (and noisy). Check any celebrities associated with the charity and gain endorsements.

So here it is, the basic prompt list

A

Abseil / Aerobathon / Arts & Crafts / Antique Fair  & Roadshow

Auctions (of Promises) / Assault Course / Aluminium Cans / Appeals

Afternoon Tea / Airport Collection / Angling Competition

B

Bring & Buy Sales / Bric A Brac / Book Sale / Buffet (Cheese and Wine Party)

Bingo / BBQ’s Barn Dance / Balloon Race / Baked Bean Bath / Baby Sales

Bridge Night / Beetle Drives / Bottle Stall / Blow Football / Bookmarks / Buy A Brick Bring A Pound To Work / Bad Hair Day / Bed Push / Bad Tie Day / Battle of the Bands / Breakfast Party / Summer Ball / Bike Ride / Beat the Goalie / Bungee Jump Boat Race / Ballroom Dance Night /Baby Sitting (fees donated) / Burns Night

C

Car Boot Sale / Celebrity Signing (meet and greet) / Coffee Morning

Cabaret Evening / Car Show – new, used or vintage / Chess Competition (giant) Conker Match / Chinese New Year / Cricket Match Craft Sale or Fair

Clowns Gathering / Christmas Carol Singing / Coin Mountain / Character Event

Costume Event / Cake Sale / Carnival / Car Wash / Careers Advice

Country Comes to Town / Caravan and Camping Exhibition

Country & Western Evening / Casino Night / Carrot Crawl / Coach Trips

Collecting Boxes  / Calendar (Girls) / Charge for Favours

Computer Game Marathon / Concert / Candle Making / Champagne Lunch

Curry Night / Cook Book / Cookery Demo / Card Make and Sell

D

Dog Walking / Draw – Free Prize / Disco 60’s 70’s 80’s 90’s 00’s / Darts Competition Dance Off  / Draughts Competition / Dress Down Day / Donkey Derby / Diary Sales Dinner Dance / Dry Cornflakes Comp / Drawing, Painting Competition  /Duck Race

Doughnut Eating Competition  / Down Under Day (all things Australian)

E

Egg & Spoon Race / Easter Bonnet Competition / Easter Bunny Treasure Hunt Easter Egg Decorating / Egg Rolling / Electronics Fair / Eyebrow Plucking

End of the Pier Show / Eating Baked Beans with a Cocktail Stick / e-bay for charity

Eurovision Song Contest Party / Embarrassment (Out) Bid / Expeditions

F

Fire Walk / Farming Exhibition / Fancy Dress (Car Wash & Sports Day)

Fashion Show / Fetes (Garden) / Firework Display / Face Painting / Football Match Flower Show / Folklore Festival / Football Tournament / Ferret Racing / Fishing Stall Flag Day / Flea Market / Fortune Telling / Film Show / Sponsored Fast for a Day

Fish & Chip Event / Furniture Sale / Fun Day / Five A Side Tournament

Fantasy Football League / 50:50 Club

G

Garden – Open Day or Party / Garage Sale / Go-Karting / Grease Night

Games Night / Game Show TV Mock Up / Golf Handicap / Gala Show

Guess the Weight, Amount, Height, Money/ Glamorous Grannies / Greek Night

Gourning Competition / Gym Comps – Rowing, Cycling Power Walking etc.

Guy Fawkes Party

H

Hairdressing / Hot Dog Sales / Health & Fitness Show / Harvest Festival

Home Cooking Demonstration / Hobbies Fair / Health and Safety Exhibition

Household Sale / Hoe Down / Hoopla, Hula Hoop Knockout / House to House Appeal Halloween Ball / Head Shave / Hopscotch / Horse Show / Hat Sale / Hockey Match

Horse Racing Night / Heads & Tails Auction

I

Ironing / Italian Night / It’s A Knockout / IT Demonstration / Ice Skating

Ice Cream Sales, Challenge / Indian Head Massage

J

January Sales / Jail Break / Jazz Night / Jogging / Jumble Sale

Japanese Evening / Junk Mail Recycling /Jigsaw Puzzle Event /Juggling Comp.

Jelly Race / Jewellery Making

K

Karaoke Night / Kite Making or Sponsored Flying / Kissing Competition

Keep Fit (lose X pounds) / Knitting Competition / Key Rings

Knobbly Knees Competition

L

Lands End to John O’Groats However! / Lunch Money (go without) / Lottery

Little Tykes Play Area / Line Dancing  / Lunch Time Quiz / Line Dancing / Luncheon

Lego Building / Litter Pick / Latino Dancing

M

Match Box Items Cram / Market Stall (Car Boot Stall) / Masked Ball / Movie Night

Mothers Day Chores / Mastermind Quiz Night / Mexican Night / Mural Painting

Magic Show / Stage a Musical / Music Hall Night / Murder Mystery Weekend

Masked Ball / Musical Chairs / Make Up Demo / Marathons / Medieval Fair

Miss World / Matched Giving / Mini Olympics / Monopoly Pub Crawl

Memory Meal (food of the day from 40’s 50’s 60’s + Dress Up)

N

Nearly New Sale / No Uniform Day / New Years Party, Resolutions / Night In

No Smoking / No Drinking / Newsletter – Prize Draw Numbered / Nature Walk Name the Face / Netball Tournament  / Name the Baby Photograph

Noodle Sucking / Nostalgia Dance (1940’s)

O

Odd Job Day / Outings / Obstacle Course / Old Postcard Sales / Outward Bound

Open Day, House, Garden / Old Clothes Day / Opera Night / Orienteering

Overseas Challenges / Outgrown Exchange / Old Gold Appeal

P

Parachute Jump / Photograph Competition / Pan Cake Toss or Race

Pantomime / Pentathlon / Pet Show (Scruffs) / Payroll Giving /Pick-A-Straw

Plant Stall, Sale / Play Your Cards Right Stall / Pram Race / Price Is Right

Pin Badges / Pets Advice / Pop Concert / Poetry Day, Reading / Ploughing Match

Pie Eating / Pool Competition / Wear Pyjamas / Paint Ball / Patchwork Quilt

Pub Quiz (Pop, General Knowledge)

Q

Quiz Night / Question of Sport / Quilt Making Party

R

Running Races 5K 10K 20K – 1/2 Marathon, Marathon / Raffle / Night at the Races

Read a Book  / Re-Cycling Paper/Cans / Refreshment Stall / Raft Race / Rag Week

Record Breaking Attempts / Roller Blading / Rock & Roll Night / Rather Posh Party

Recipe Swap / Regatta

S

Sky Dive / Sponge Throwing / Smartie Tubes Fill / Strawberry Teas / Sponsored Silence / Stamp Collection Valuation / Snail Racing / Sandwich board Men Sponsored Sing Song / Skittles Competition / Square Dance / Street Collection Sleep Over / Sleep Out / Strictly Come Dancing Comp / Shocking Sock Tie Day

Swap Shop / Supper Dances /Swim Challenge / Sweepstake – Grand National

Shave Your Head! / Swear Box / Salsa Evening / Scrabble Comp. /

Slave for the Day / Sponsored Slim / Shave Your Beard / Shoe Shine

Steam & Traction Engine Rally / Santa’s Grotto / Snooker Comp. / Street Party

Sherry Evening / Supermarket Trolley Dash

T

Tea Dance / Talent Contest (X Factor) / Tea Party / Treasure Hunt / Toy Fair

Theatre Night / Tombola / Tee Shirts / Twenty Four Hour All Day Event

Tug O’ War / Teddy Bears Picnic / Theme Days/Nights / Three Legged Pub Crawl

Ten Pin Bowling / Tennis Tournament / Triathlon

U

Uni Cycling / Unwanted Presents (e-bay for charity) / University Challenge Umbrella Dancing / Ugly Legs, Face etc. / Underwear Party. / Ungroomed Day

Underwear Out Day

V

Valentines Day / Variety Show / Vintage Car, Motor Cycle Show /Vegetable Sale

W

Waxing / Wedding Fayre / Walks (sponsored) Three Peaks, Three Mountains, Lyke Wake etc./ Wellie Wanging / Whiskey Bottle Roll / Wheelbarrow Race

Window Cleaning  / Whist Drive / Wine & Cheese Tasting / White Elephant Stall

Weight of the Cake / Wishing Well / Wet Sponge Throw

White Water Rafting

World Meal (African, Caribbean, Cajun, Indian, Chinese etc + dress up)

X

Xylophone Recital / X Factor Competition / X-Files Party

Xmas Cards + donation instead of sending, Hampers, Gifts, Stockings

Y

Yard of Ale Competition / Yachting Competition / Yorkshire Pudding Eat-A-Thon

Yoga-thon / Yodelling Comp. / Yo-Yo Comp. / Yes Day

Z

Zoo Visit or Quiz / Zombie Party Night

Zodiac Evening (guest astrologer – charge for horoscopes and entry)

Zebedee & Magic Roundabout Party / ZZZ Sleep A Thon

Some useful links:

www.justgiving.com

www.guidestar.org.uk

http://www.how2fundraise.org

www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk

http://www.nonprofit.pro/start_fundraising.htm

http://www.dsc.org.uk/Training/TheFundraisingProgramme/FundraisingTips

So I ask, where does the pro bono work ethic fit into the moral principles of public relations companies however large or small – locally, regionally and nationally? Moreover, how, if ever, do practioners incorporate their valued time giving into their best business practices? And, finally, if one ounce of that colloquial statement is true, how do Business in the Community (BitC) and their admirable ProHelp (short for Professional Help) initiative sustain it’s existence for the benefit of the countless communities and charities begging for much needed marketing, advertising and public relations skills to aid their visibility in these days of riotous noise levels, constant bombardment and share of mind equals share of business by experienced corporate media savvy pr guru’s?

We are one of and band of business networks (of over 800 professional firms) happily ‘signed up’ to offer strategic support and professional advice for those unable to pay, the likes of community groups and voluntary organizations. Acting as mentor, advisor and soul mate to these fledgling trusts to help them make a positive impact where it is most needed to gain them monetary donations, volunteers, sponsorship, funding and public empathy through integrated marketing communications and top flight share of mind p.r.   The mantra ‘give a man a fish he’ll eat for a day, teach a man to fish he’ll eat for life’ is right at home with us.

Through ProHelp over £6million of free support is donated each year through 40 local groups but I say, it’s simply not enough – hence the blog.

There has always been a symbiotic relationship between business and society,

the message of conscious and social obligation has been around for a very long time, Titus Salt, Andrew Carnegie, Joseph Fry, John John JCadbury all were active philanthropic stalwarts analysing working conditions and living circumstances including ‘change remits’ to guide and educate others in medical and social conditions – so much so, governments of the day didn’t need to prompt those hero’s too much  by legislation it was purely an act of good neighbourliness and self regulation brought on by their devout beliefs.

Market forces since the seventies have seen a steady rise in csr in part due to the free markets obligations to stakeholders through transparency and accountability and the ‘buy-in culture’ of staff and customers to maintain loyalty through engaging in responsibility and company values.

Today these early ideologies are appropriately cast, as in their day, literally in iron, but organisations however large or small, need to be reminded of their ability to create change and also possess the integrity to govern themselves. To me it should be endemic and embedded in the very core and fibre of the agency to create a ‘culture fabric’ because the dividends are so remarkable.

So how’s it done? Each ProHelp member firm affiliates themselves to a local ProHelp group who meet regularly to respond to requests for complimentary support. Marketing and public relations always figure very high on the agenda of need, but there’s architects, solicitors, engineers, accountants, surveyors all sorts of highly experienced personnel around the board room table.

The chair person identifies suitable opportunities that have been vetted and we’re asked to provide a specific degree of involvement in the project to take them from where they are to where they want to be. A minimum specific amount of time is given each year  – but there’s no pressure on what you can be undertaken, opportunities abound.

The benefits are enormous, there’s gaining the hours for CPD for a start and no finer feeling that you’re doing your bit to help alleviate or remove some of the local social ills.  As well as gaining a favourable reputation with like-minded businesses. Surprisingly in a recent survey in ‘The Economist’ it placed community and environmental responsibility ahead of quality of marketing!

Since joining ProHelp in February 2001 we’ve delivered numerous specific tailored one day and half-day seminars called ‘Realising Your Potential’ and frequent ‘Headstart Projects’ to help 100’s of groups garner the secrets of good pr – helping them to win those hard fought radio sound bites, t.v. minutage or single column centimeters in newspapers and magazines.

Charities as diverse as Safe@Last for child runaways to aiding the purchase of three Sonorwand 3D Brain Scanners for Royal Hallamshire Hospital’s Neurocare, Credit Unions and a mini Eden Project called ACE (Adwick Community Enterprise) has fell to us to launch, market and create high visibility for.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a caring profile! It gives you a clear advantage over competitors when potential or existing clients have read or heard about the charitable work you’ve been engaged in – yes, it’s a great pr vehicle for you and enhances your reputation. And we’ve been known to accept free pints of Barnsley Bitter  by  total strangers in recognition for our charity work!  Other benefits are networking with other like-minded professional firms who are committed to social responsibility. It sharpens existing skill sets – and helps to learn new ones…

www.prohelp.org.uk

Business in the Community 020 7566 8650

www.bitc.org.uk