Moneyball: A Butterfly Flaps its Wings and …

We’re showing off programming and marketing micro-tactics from NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study 23 in a second season of Moneyball for Radio. You can find new videos every Thursday at nuvoodoo.com/webinars. We’re focusing on the radio version of “the butterfly effect,” the incremental things that can add up to the additional tenth of a rating point that is the goal for stations in rated markets.

At NuVoodoo we’re preaching the tremendous value of building first-party data with listeners. The cost of contacting them drops to nearly zero and you open the door to potent remarketing capabilities. Plus, aggregated digital engagements also allow stations to model for other people who “look like” your listeners and reach them across every major platform and via programmatic media. It’s like being able to steal listener databases from your competition.

Contest entries are a great way to build listener databases. It’s a case where you’re starting a relationship – don’t expect too much on the first date. NuVoodoo’s best practice is to ask for email address or mobile number and a check box to attest that they’re of whatever is the minimum age to participate in the contest. Every additional piece of information you require reduces the number of listeners who feel comfortable giving up their information.

From the 3,208 14-54s nationwide in Ratings Prospects Study 23 we learned that while nearly half our sample haven’t shared their email address or mobile number to enter a contest, better than two-thirds of the subset of the sample most likely to participate in the ratings have shared an email address or mobile number (labeled “RPS Yes” in the chart below).

No contest budget available? What about getting listeners to subscribe to a station newsletter? While only 29% of our total sample seemed likely to give up personal information to get a newsletter, the number better than doubles to 60% among the “RPS Yes” group – those most likely to participate in the study that gives radio programming its report card.

The first week of the book is ending as the last of the February monthlies are rolling out. If a bad surprise causes you to rethink your spring book readiness, the NuVoodoo research, marketing, and digital teams are at the ready. Efficiently targeted digital marketing campaigns can be spun up in just over a week. Many library music tests can be turned around in less than 4 weeks. A profitable station merch store can be added to your website quickly. An email to tellmemore@nuvoodoo.com will get you the help you need.