Freight Train

Asked how this new sign-on would hit our competitors across the street, I replied: "Like A Freight Train." It wasn't bravado. This isn't the 90's anymore. We were squaring off against a good radio station, with good people, and good leadership. We just didn't think they would see us coming. Or, better stated, we didn't think they had the proper emergency plan in place.

Can You Survive The Impact Of "Freight Train"?

If you're going to play on the field, you have to be prepared to take a hit every once in a while. Great plans have alternate strategies, though, and those can be the "cow catcher" that bounces you out of harm's way with less critical injuries should a "freight train" rumble in your direction.

Is Your Emergency Plan In Order?

Late 2001 taught all of us -- some the hard way -- the importance of having a strong "national emergency plan" in place for our stations. 2004 and 2005 brought flooding, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfire, and hurricanes to many parts of the country -- more powerful reminders of the necessity to have our teams well-versed on a "natural disaster emergency plan." But what about your "civil defense" strategy for your broadcast competitive landscape? Will YOUR "front line" be ready to defend against an attack?

"Plan, Prepare, Practice"

All the same stuff you run in PSAs on your own air applies to your "business emergency preparedness plan." There's no better day than "today" to review and revise YOUR plan to make sure it is up-to-date and relevant. It's kinda like changing the batteries in your home smoke detectors -- you DID do that this past weekend, right?

Things To Consider For Your Plan:

1. Work through "What If" scenarios involving format flips, ownership changes, major personalities changing shifts or changing stations.

2. Involve input from all levels of your organization -- sometimes the best "recon" comes from outside the executive board room.

3. Work through proposed alternate strategies and defense options.

4. Have the confidence in yourself and your people to "pull apart" your own products for opportunities.

Trust In Your People

The perfect defense mechanism won't help you when it's locked away inside your desk and you're out of the office. You're not dealing in nuclear launch codes here. Spread the good news of your defense plan confidently among your troops.

Best of all, you'll be building trust points with your team. Crisis or not, that WILL pay off in great loyalty and dedication. You will be amazed at how little of this information ends up in enemy hands because you have built an environment of trust and confidence. Everybody wants to be a part of that.

If it leaks? So what? The best aspects of a defense plan are the "deterrent" items. Maybe you'll scare a competitor out of taking an offensive position against you; no army wants to dance across a known minefield and get blown up.

Keep An Ear To The Ground

Back to the "recon" thing: Make sure you're getting good intelligence from the field. Don't waste time spying or dumpster diving. Spend that time improving your station and focusing on bettering yourself. Just make sure everyone on your front-line knows how to feed important information to the "war room."

It's your receptionist who will get the calls wondering if that research project is for your station. Your reps will be the first ones to hear about the big TV buy to advertise the "new" station. You'd be amazed if you knew how many competitor format flips went unreported to PD's and GM's because the front-line people assumed the command room knew already. If you're a General or Lieutenant with no (or poor) intelligence, you lose the battle and the war.

The Best Emergency Plan

Is the one you never have to use. I hope you make solid, thorough "contingency planning" an important part of your "Spring cleaning" activities this week!

Make it a GREAT Spring Survey!