Regardless of how you feel about the outcome there was a lot for all of us to learn in radio programming from the tactics and strategies of the Obama and Romney teams. Some of the lessons include:
Demographics and Target Audience: The post election analysis all points to Obama's ground game and their ability to get out their vote. Many thought that Obama couldn't turn out the numbers he had in the 2008 election again - the thrill was gone. But instead the Democrats worked a ground game that pinpointed the key demographics and voters and got them to act. In the end Obama actually ended up with more Women, Hispanic and Afro American voters and their numbers in the population all grew over the GOP turnout. They used all the data they could find from their email lists, past voting records, party affiliation, and perhaps most importantly the 2010 census. The GOP seemed to put their hope on lots of PAC TV spots and that fact that the economy was struggling.
The lesson here is know where your audience is and how to reach them. Also track the changes in the population trends and make sure your message is on target. Another trick here is that they got their audience to vote - our goal is to get them to listen and also to report or record it with their PPM actions or their diary.
Carefully Evaluate Your Research and Ratings: The GOP seemed to be going into election day doubting many of the key polls and were actually betting on a big win for the GOP. They felt the polls were biased mostly from their model on voter turnout. The thinking was that the Dem voters were not as passionate as the GOP voters and wouldn't turn out.
Look at the trends in your ratings carefully. This is why we look closely at TSL, CUME patterns and now are able to track tune out tendencies with PPM Media Monitors. It also affects us in reading and evaluating research studies - you have to know the sample and understand what is motivating their actions.
Social Media Matters: A lot of effort was spent on Social Media, Email blasts and Web Banners for this election. While there were no shortage of attack TV spots much of the Billion Dollar war chests were spend with the precise targeting of Social Media and the Web.
Using Social Media, Email databases and the Web has to take center stage in your efforts to engage the audience.
Know your audience and stay close to them - in the end a pretty simple formula.
Demographics and Target Audience: The post election analysis all points to Obama's ground game and their ability to get out their vote. Many thought that Obama couldn't turn out the numbers he had in the 2008 election again - the thrill was gone. But instead the Democrats worked a ground game that pinpointed the key demographics and voters and got them to act. In the end Obama actually ended up with more Women, Hispanic and Afro American voters and their numbers in the population all grew over the GOP turnout. They used all the data they could find from their email lists, past voting records, party affiliation, and perhaps most importantly the 2010 census. The GOP seemed to put their hope on lots of PAC TV spots and that fact that the economy was struggling.
The lesson here is know where your audience is and how to reach them. Also track the changes in the population trends and make sure your message is on target. Another trick here is that they got their audience to vote - our goal is to get them to listen and also to report or record it with their PPM actions or their diary.
Carefully Evaluate Your Research and Ratings: The GOP seemed to be going into election day doubting many of the key polls and were actually betting on a big win for the GOP. They felt the polls were biased mostly from their model on voter turnout. The thinking was that the Dem voters were not as passionate as the GOP voters and wouldn't turn out.
Look at the trends in your ratings carefully. This is why we look closely at TSL, CUME patterns and now are able to track tune out tendencies with PPM Media Monitors. It also affects us in reading and evaluating research studies - you have to know the sample and understand what is motivating their actions.
Social Media Matters: A lot of effort was spent on Social Media, Email blasts and Web Banners for this election. While there were no shortage of attack TV spots much of the Billion Dollar war chests were spend with the precise targeting of Social Media and the Web.
Using Social Media, Email databases and the Web has to take center stage in your efforts to engage the audience.
Know your audience and stay close to them - in the end a pretty simple formula.
