When you’re a Program Director the pressure is on.
You either need to attain #1 status in your market or you need to maintain it.
It’s relentless and every listener counts.
While there are no shortcuts to being #1, there are certain tactics you can use to tip the balance in your favour.
As a programmer have you considered that one of the quickest ways to get your station to #1 is to focus on your weekend output?
I know that challenges conventional thinking but let me explain.
Weekends count for almost 30% of your entire output, so get this right and you’ll immediately add rocket-fuel to your ambition.
But how easy is it to use this strategy to your advantage?
Shifting Your Focus
It’s probably fair to assume that most PDs spend the majority of the working week concentrating on their breakfast and drivetime dayparts because they have traditionally always demanded the most focus.
After the breakfast & drivetime dayparts, conventional wisdom dictates that the focus should shift to other weekday dayparts such as mid-mornings, lunchtimes, afternoons, evenings and lates.
Therefore, the trickle-down effect means that weekend output becomes more of an after-thought and, by default, hardly registers on the typical PD’s radar.
Using This Tactic In The Real World
So if you wanted to target your competitor’s ‘weak spot’, 9 times out of 10 it’s safe to assume that it will be their weekend output.
By simply shifting your focus to getting your weekends firing on all cylinders it can mean the difference between being placed 3rd or 4th in your market or being the hot contender for #1.
But in order to truly focus on weekends it means you need a strong, energised and consistent line-up of top talent.
Banishing ‘6th Show Syndrome’
Firstly, your regular presenters need motivating into performing as strongly as they would if their weekend show was airing on a weekday.
However, on a weekend, chances are they are in an empty building with none of that weekday ‘buzz’ about the place.
This is their 6th show of the week; they’re tired and this is the show where they can afford to take things a little easier.
But in order to really make your weekend output fly, it’s not just a change in mindset from your weekday presenters that’s needed.
You also need to support them with resources to make weekends sound as richly produced as your weekdays.
But that all costs money, right?
Well that’s where we can help.
Radio Express invests in weekend programming that has all those resources and more besides.
Our award-winning team of researchers, producers and presenters will work tirelessly to ensure your weekend output matches the quality and consistency of your weekday output, but without you having to make a huge financial investment.
That’s one of the main reasons stations’ worldwide trust us to deliver cost-effective, richly-produced content each week that helps them to become market-leader.
By utilising this strategy you too can dominate the ratings.
If you’d like to have an informal chat to see if we can help you increase your audience, and make your weekend programming the best in your marketplace, reach out and let’s talk.
Email: radioinfo@radioexpress.com
We can talk through your goals for your station, your weekend programming and see if we can help you reach your station’s target and goals.