Are you looking to secure 2024 new business opportunities from companies actively seeking your services? It’s time to position your radio station as a recruitment and retention powerhouse, targeting the booming transportation, warehouse, and construction industries. Why focus on these sectors?
In December, leading staffing firm Robert Half released its State of U.S. Hiring Survey, revealing that more than half of U.S. companies plan to increase hiring in the first half of 2024. A search for male-dominated industries hiring in 2024 revealed our three 2024 targets. Have you got any males listening to your station? Yes!
Sports radio offers a unique opportunity for industry recruiters to engage their current employees, improve retention, and find new ones. Consider what you can bring to the recruiting party and why you deserve a seat at the head table.
Understanding the Audience
Most Sports radio stations have about 80% male listenership. That works perfectly with the workforce of warehouse, construction, and transportation industries. 82% of warehouse employees are men, 9 out of 10 construction employees are male, and males make up 85% of transportation business.
47% of all people in the U.S. watch and talk sports daily or several times a week. Leveraging this with your creative and promotion will resonate with potential candidates.
Crafting Compelling Advertisements
Highlighting the dynamic nature of jobs and incorporating real success stories from employees adds a personal touch, making opportunities more relatable. Interview employees for ads and explain the “What’s In It For Me?” of working on the job.
Get real-life examples of what the culture is like working there. Run the ads heavily in am/pm drive to maximize the working crowd.
Selling Radio Ad Packages with Experiences
Offer ad packages that go beyond traditional airtime. Package in Experiences, such as a “Work Hard, Play Harder” package with tickets to local sporting events, your cluster concerts, or anything family-oriented.
Make the employee look like a big shot with his friends and a hero at home.
Culinary Experiences to Boost Morale
Have your personalities do coffee and donut breaks on the job site. Trade out a food truck to visit the gang. Deliver ice-cold Gatorade to construction site workers in the summer. Make it quarterly. Package in hard costs or look for promotional partners.
This fosters camaraderie among employees, where they get a break and add good water cooler buzz for your station.
Exclusive Perks for Employees
Offer exclusive perks like access to catered suites during games, autograph events, and cheap group night tickets with video board acknowledgment.
Host a happy hour or watch party for company employees only with special pricing, seating, and a station personality in their area.
Personal Interactions at Job Sites
Bring personalities to job sites for 15-30 minute live Q&A sessions during breaks with any of those food and drink deliveries. Pay the talent fee.
This week, the RAB hosted a live presentation on how radio works for recruitment. The 1-hour seminar will help you prospect the category, and you can watch the presentation on demand at the link after logging in.
By combining the dynamic appeal of sports radio with the intrinsic benefits of job opportunities, shared meals, exclusive perks, and personal interactions, recruiters can score a winning play in retaining employees, promoting the work culture, and acquiring new talent.
Jeff Caves is a sales columnist for BSM working in radio and digital sales for Cumulus Media in Dallas, Texas and Boise, Idaho. He is credited with helping launch, build, and develop Sports Radio The Ticket in Boise, into the market’s top sports radio station. During his 26 year stay at KTIK, Caves hosted drive time, programmed the station, and excelled as a top seller. You can reach him by email at jeffcaves54@gmail.com or find him on LinkedIn.
