CPR Promotional Check-Up

2nd Q Sales Ops

In just a few short weeks the dreaded 1st Q ("dreaded" even in good financial times) will be behind us.

There's a lot of stuff to have fun with in the next 60 or so days. And things that clients could/should be tied-into. If you were a client, well, you'd be getting a huge list of these. But here are a few things to at least get you started.

Tax Night

"AM Assistance"

Good luck finding an accountant or tax preparer to do this on the morning of the 15th, but it would be topical to have someone working the request lines, answering people's last-minute questions.

"Break From The Taxes Club Gig"

You could have some fun with a club night. Host a "creative deductions" contest. Have the bartender hand out receipts for ten times the price of the drink. While you're at the club, do a contest that will allow the winner to...

A Club Idea

Big Ant at WEUP in Huntsville had the brilliant idea of doing a club night that evening and all the drinks would be sold for just the tax on it, ie: a beer for sixteen cents.

What could you do at client's location that day?

"Tax Dodge"

KRTR 96 in Honolulu got a piece of crap Dodge and let people take their 1040 frustrations out on it with a sledge hammer, for $1 a whack. All the money went to charity.

Stressed Out, Achy Muscles

KLUC in Vegas did this and had a massage table set up on the sidewalk in front of the post office, offering last minute tax filers a soothing rub down to un-twist their cramped up neck and back muscles.

"Taking Out Your Frustrations"

The morning show producer at KSFM once went out on the streets dressed as Uncle Sam and let po'ed tax payers beat the crap out of him with a Nerf bat. KDWB in Minneapolis did this in front of the post office. You could also tape $1, $5 and $10 bills to him, and they win whatever the whack off.

"Polygraphing The Public"

Since all the other stations are going to be down there vying for attention, you'll want to do something photogenic and original. Contact a PI and have him/her hook you up with a polygraph machine and technician. Set up right next to the mailboxes in front of the post office and challenge people to beat the machine and tell the truth about their taxes. Essentially, try to bust them lying about business/household expenses and deductions. If they pass the test, reward them with an instant tax refund.

Easter

"Egg Hunts"

Obviously Easter Egg Hunts are a big deal and hopefully you've affiliated yourself with one. If you aren't already, you'd better get hopping. Sorry. Or put on your own. There's a concept. We all know how huge of a pain in the butt these can be but it's worth it; these are the ultimate family event and are always well-attended. Another option is to fill the van with candy and hit as many of these over the course of the day as you can. The visibility and call-ins will compensate for not being the official sponsor. As anyone who's ever done one of these can attest to: get lots of security. Not for the kids...for the parents. They'll rush the field and trample toddlers trying to get candy. Don't laugh. I've never done one of these where the adults weren't the problem.

"Bunny Races"

Again, it just does NOT get better then Bunny Races. Taking infants in diapers with a little cotton tail on the butt, and having them do a diaper crawl race. WIOG knocked this out of the park and Kid Carson at The Beat did it in 2007. Huge. There's something about crawling infants and frantically cheering parents that TV can't ignore.

"Food"

Just like Thanksgiving, a mega-family meal is a big tradition for this holiday. What turkeys are to Thanksgiving, hams are to Easter. The station with the most generally wins. KRTR in Hawaii always hooks up with the Hyatt for Thanksgiving and gives away fully prepared meals: the turkey, the sweet potatos, the lime jello mold...the works. A huge prize that they always get some mileage out of. This is easily adaptable for Easter. Either to take home or give out brunches at one of the biggest restaurants in town.

"Free Crack"

As a game for remotes post-Easter one of the stations hosted Crackapalooza (imagine who showed up just because of the name) during the morning show on the Monday after Easter. At a client, they invited listeners to come by, reach into a basket, select an egg randomly, and crack it on their head. All were hardboiled except for one. The guy who got gacked won some fabulous parting gifts.

Earth Day

"The Biggest Loser"

Do a competition between several households to see who can, in April '10, can shed the most bucks off their energy bill.

"Back Dat Bike Up"

Encourage people to ride their bikes downtown to work. Get some fencing, create a corral and have an intern sit them through the workday. Goodie bags of client products for people who choose this alternative way to get to work.

"Get On The Bus"

At least three stations are doing promotions with their local transit companies. What about going out to transit stations and giving out free organic coffee to commuters?

"Share The Ride"

CBS in Phoenix is one of the clusters that have posted links that allow people look for car-poolers. Very sponsorable.

"On-Line Tips"

Absolutely no reason why there should be Green Tips on the website. And sponsored. I can't go to msn.com and not see a dozen stories of how people have cut down on bills. Same thing, but on household energy expenses.

"Less Is More (But Only When It Comes To Gas"

One of the stations is going to do an event at a car dealer where people can roll through and get a quick check-up on things they could be doing to save on gas usage. Tire pressure. Sparkplug gaps. Filters. Just basic stuff that adds up.

"Giving Away The Green"

Have lobbed this out before and Justin at Pamal found a place that will sell them. The McDonalds in the Twin Cities do a bit on Earth Day; go in and get a sapling for planting in your yard. They do 10 or 20,000 in one day. People line up to get them.

"Or...Size DOES Matter"

McDonalds, on their trayliners, have entry forms. Tear it out, fill it out, mail it in, and they give away in the metro area four or five full grown trees, complete with transplanting. A great hook if you have a nursery and a client that wants on-site entries.

"Off The Grid"

Some of the rock stations dropped "electric" music and went all acoustic last year. Very sponsorable

"And The Horse You Rode In On"

Another bit from last year, a couple morning shows went to work on horseback. Work a buy into THAT and be a freaking hero at corporate.

Secretaries Day (Yes, I know)

"Bad Bosses/Day Off From Work"

Open up the phones and e-mail and let employees call/write in why their boss is the ultimate ogre to work for. Award these poor, suffering individuals with a day off from work and cover for them by picking up the tab for a temp. Winners could have a day on the town in a limo. Send them out to lunch and then for a makeover and hair session.

"Drive Your Boss Crazy"

Lisa Fields, formerly of Kiss 102 in Charlotte, did this at Magic 96 in Birmingham. Secretaries faxed in what they would do to drive their bosses crazy, and would be willing to do "live" in front of thousands of people at lunch time at the River Chase Galleria. Selected entrants got to act out their fantasies on stage, with their bosses. The winner put her boss in baby diapers, poured molasses over him and beat him with an open-ended feather pillow. The winner and her boss each got $500, a weekend hotel package at the luxurious Winfrey Hotel, and she got a day off with a temp provided by the station, and a gift pack of Paul Sebastion fragrances. The judges included a local standup comic, a TV weatherman, and a newspaper reporter.

"For Secretaries Only"

KJMZ in Dallas was one of the stations that did For Sisters Only expos, and in '96 they did a For Secretaries Only party after work. In addition to prizes, free food and discount drinks, the party featured a type-off. On the house mike the jock dictated a memo and the first secretary to type it with the fewest errors won a personal computer. You could also do this on thewith your announcer dictating a letter to the listeners. The first person to bang it out and email it in would win.

"Office Olympics"

Another name for what KJMZ did with their For Secretaries Only party. Since few people ever socialize with their co-workers after 5:30 pm, you'd be a hero for getting these people out together, bonding, having fun and participating in silly games. KUBE did this event in '93 and did contests like speed typing, faxing and shredding. The winner got a trip to Hawaii and an IBM laser printer.

"Secretarial Pool Party"

Get businesses to let their secretaries out a little early on the 21st for a Secretarial Pool Party. Take over the pool-side area at a local hotel and throw an Appreciation Party for these hardworking individuals. Do a swimwear fashion show. Hire a reggae band. Do a limbo contest. Invite the bosses to come down for the First Annual Bosses Bellyflop contest. If you're still thinking about doing a Typewriter Toss, why not throw them in the pool? Very photogenic. Do it like an Olympic diving competition and have judges there to rate the tosses and their entries into the water. KSFM in Sacramento did this several years in a row. Everyone was plowed by noon.

"S.O.B."

Secretaries On Break. Once again, a hotel pool, race track, indoor adult entertainment center like a Dave and Busters; these would all be great places to have a bunch of your mid-day audience hanging and relaxing for a day.

Stuff You Could Do At A Client

"Rage Against The Machine"

"Office Space" came to life in Ottawa in '06 when listeners with bats beat the living crap out of a computer printer.

"Copying Machine Drop"

When my buddy Jennifer was in Tulsa, her station did this. And why not? Who hasn't, at one time or another, wanted to kick the %$#@& out of their copying machine. They always break down at just the wrong time. Plus, some of these take a rocket scientist to operate. Secretaries called and faxed in their worst horror stories about their experiences with the company copier. The lady who sent in the most horrific sob story was hoisted 150 feet in the air with the morning show and the copying machine that caused her all the grief. She personally cut the cord that sent it plummeting to its death. In addition to some personal prizes, her company got a $10,000 new copying machine, which the station traded. Everybody who submitted testimonials got roses. Huge. Typewriter tosses are good, but who uses typewriters anymore? And don't forget the "boom" factor.