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I am asked very frequently about how
to localize a radio station. I mean super localize it!!! I
always reply “use your imagination. There are many ways you
can link your station (s) to a local subject…and sometimes
your station can become a local giant as a result”. Below I
have used my imagination as an example.
I have taken a flu shot for the last 20 years. They have
worked for me. Suddenly, this year half of the potential
vaccine was tainted and unusable not only for me, but also
for many of your listeners. How can my radio station help?
Hey, I need to find 20 thousand vaccines and bring them to
my home town to distribute to doctors, hospitals, senior
homes, etc.
How is this accomplished? Well maybe the late Gordon
McClendon (whose promotional talents will live forever), and
his two ace promotional people, Don Keyes and Ken Dowe, will
have an answer. Let’s assume that they are in conference
addressing the no vaccine problem. Gordon says “I’ve got an
idea…Don you and Ken help me work it out”. Within minutes
Don and Ken have discovered that a vaccine making factory in
Switzerland is making vaccine for other parts of the world.
Don says, “Let’s call Ross Perot. He is a man who helps the
world with his words and money”. Ken says, “Gordon, why
don’t you call Ross and explain the problem, and the two of
you grab a private jet to Switzerland…and please tell him to
take his checkbook”.
Gordon and Ross arrived the next morning in Switzerland, and
after some arm twisting the vaccine lab agreed to sell them
20 thousand parts. They were soon on the jet returning with
vaccine in hand. Gordon called Don and Ken and said, “OK
guys. We’re on the way. You know what to do”.
Don and Ken wrote and recorded announcements that their
station had obtained the vaccine, and announced how it was
to be distributed to doctors, hospitals, etc. “This is just
another public service from OUR radio station to OUR
community”. WOW!!!!!
Local and national TV and newspaper coverage was enormous.
Even the New York papers made it a front page story giving
full credit to the station in the southwest that did
something super great for their community.
End of story. Far fetched you say? Not when you consider the
above cast involved!!! They are brilliant with this sort of
localism, providing a major contribution to the community. I
WAS THERE with my imagination at least!!!
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
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