Every manager has the goal of improved performance in the New Year.   Consider these steps to improve your station cluster in 2025.

Look to the Past to Guide Your Improvement

What happened in your 2024 ratings?  Fall figures should be released within a month in diary and PPM markets.  Conduct a thorough rating review; produce a multi-month trend.  Set goals for improvement of TSL, cume, AQH, dayparts, and demos to track achievements and changes since the previous report.  How did you meet or exceed your previous goals?

Write your “State of the Station Report.”  List what promotions and contests were conducted throughout the fall with dates and note what the competition did.  Also, examine competitive changes in programming, music, external marketing, and ratings that occurred in the last six months.

What are You Doing Now?  (The Present)

Conduct an evaluation of your programming, including music software, syndicated shows, format enhancements, air talents, news, etc., and make calculated adjustments accordingly.  What needs a tune-up?  Have all talents benefited from an air check coaching review?  While stations program Christmas music, what is planned for December 26?  What will be special for New Years Eve?

Future Planning

Set strategic goals for 2025.  Utilize the Lund Strategic Planner to create an action plan and set objectives.  Write your goals and plan where you need to grow… and how you will get there.

+  Define your target in terms of demographic (i.e. 25-54), gender, educational background, ethnicity, etc.

+  Describe your listener’s lifestyle, media usage, occupation, leisure activities, social media usage, consumer purchases, etc.

+   Create promotions, contests, and external advertising based on goals and budget.

+   Commit to frequently updating the station website and social media and being totally in touch with your listeners and clients.

+   Plan a promotion and marketing calendar for the year.  Consider the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, televised Award Shows (Grammy, Academy Awards, Emmy, MTV), Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduations, Memorial Day, Independence Day July 4th, back-to-school, Labor Day weekend, Halloween, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas programming.

+ Don’t sound automated!  Update your liners often to keep a fresh sound for avid listeners. 

Lund Observation:  Virtually everyone goes to a radio station’s app to hear the programming.  Don’t make it difficult.  The programming audio should begin the second one goes to the app.  Don’t make them click the button to hear the audio.  Promote your digital qualities several times an hour – the app, website stream, and smart-speaker usage.

Create a plan to thrive in 2025!

Pic from Deeangelo60141735 for Envato Elements.

John Lund is President of the Lund Media Group, a radio programming consulting firm with specialists in all mainstream radio formats. Did you find this article useful?  You can leave a comment below or email John at John@Lundradio.com.