The next month, Paul and I will be totaled almost 50 broadcasters through a few of the terrific tech adventures ever — CES 2020. This year promises to be greater than ever, an expected 180,000+ from around the world will make the trek to Las Vegas to find the most up-to-date and best in technology.
When people think about CES, they imagine the coolest gadgets and theyrsquo;re not disappointed. This season we’ll once again concentrate on connected cars, smart speakers and voice, the expanding use of Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality, and “hearables” — in-ear devices that enhance the listening experience.
However, CES is a lot more than toys, robots, and even drones. It’s a tribute to the spirit of invention. One of our side trips that are favorite is to Eureka Park in the Sands, in which over 1,000 bootstrap inventors get together to show their newest ideas — some genius, some inspired, and yes, even a little crackpot. This ’s a part of what constitutes CES so enchanting.
Yetthere’anything else each year amidst the displays and displays throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center. And rsquo & that;s emphasis on customers. The largest companies respect what they signify — the fan boys and women and their enthusiasts. And even the most Gargantuan brands are concentrated on impressing CES attendees, so making sure they come away with a positive encounter.
Part of that overriding philosophy is something that’s most ingrained within their worker coaching from Day One. In yesterday’s post, we talked about “Fans First,” the North Star doctrine for companies such as Google, Amazon, Ford, Intel, numerous others. And oftentimesit’s the largest screens — & — ldquo;city states” assembled only for CES by Samsung, LG, Haier, and many others — that have the best enthusiast outreach, because of well-trained advertising and marketing reps who just “do it. ”
Paul and I get to carry around press passes, guaranteeing better accessibility through which we go. From cease to stop, businesses work hard to make sure rsquo, people &;re. They respect the fan encounter, in addition to the power of a media story — or even the harm that could happen in a inspection. Whether its agents of TechCrunch, Wired, Engadget, or even Jacobs Media, everybody is working overtime to put their best foot forward.
But that’s CES — a number of the largest companies on the planet, in which billions of dollars have been invested annually on entertainment, shows, displays, traveling, and employees. What about the little guys — the equivalent of medium and little market stations not owned by the largest businesses in mass and radio media?
“Fans First” functions for these, too than for juggernauts such as Apple and Microsoft. You don’t need truckloads of cash to put your customers ahead of the bunch — you have to adjust your priorities about your customers.
For years, most radio channels didn&rsquo. The lack of local media helped create radio (and TV and papers ) hugely popular, successful, and rewarding. Sure, customers mattered — both listeners and advertisers — however companies held a pretty cavalier, haughty attitude. “If you don’t enjoy our programming, then go somewhere else” and phrases like it had been muttered — or even uttered — with regularity.
Nowadays, everyone has choices. Consumers don’t must listen to your radio station to listen to Jason Aldean, Led Zeppelin, or even Chance that the Rapper. It & rsquo; s pretty much everywhere, if they would like to listen to political ranting. And information and information has become so omnipresent, there aren’t enough time in the day.
From the new aggressive cyclone, media brands are learning that a “Fans First” approach isn’t intelligent business, it’s survival. A case in point league baseball in small markets.
Just like the radio channels that serve these “villes,” the locals have all kinds of choices, because of the Internet and other mass media platforms, accessible on the devices we’re holding in our hands.
The Savannah Bananas’ Jesse Cole
Thus, let me introduce you into the Savannah Bananas, a Class D team that shaped in 2016, symbolizing the Coastal Plain League. Theyrsquo;t sold out every home game. Owned by Jesse and Emily Cole and their firm, Fans First Entertainment, the Bananas aren’t in the baseball business. As its name impliestheyrsquo;re in the entertainment industry — and the attention in obviously on their fans.
As we pointed out in yesterday’s post, Pepsi had to detect its own & ldquo;cultural reality ” — that it was a #2 new. And they went from there.
That in which the vision behind the Bananas started — answering this question:
“What do about attending a baseball game, fans hate? ”
And they started building their approach out, their tactics from that point of friction. “We make baseball fun” eventually become the new mantra of the team — it’s been the “key sauce” that has turned a very precarious business into a wildly successful occurrence, attracting attention from media organizations around the world.
And the accidental outcome? The Bananas are winning names and establishing attendance records — and Jesse Cole is convinced it starts with putting “Fans First. ” In a fantastic story in Entrepreneur by Jennifer Miller, the details abound — as well as the story of of this team follows a similar course you see from this elite group of highly successful community radio channels.
Jesse Cole has been a self-described “baseball purist,” so many of the antics that the Bananas now adopt didn’t come easy for him. When he looked at the challenge of making his league team 16, the rally happened. This rsquo;s if he ceased thinking like a baseball team proprietor at the bigger picture view of what had been in front of him. He owns seven signature yellowish tuxes, and has become a fixture at Bananas games. He’s the enjoyable spirit’s embodiment that has enveloped his team.
Along with the Bananas soul is infectious, thanks to attention-getting, interesting promotions that are seemingly non-stop — from the dancing first base coach (who knows zero about baseball) into the Man-Nanas — a troupe of over the mountain, out of shape men who 
be the team’s cheerleaders.
As Jennifer Miller notes, that the shift came when Cole understood he need to pay attention to ldquo;mending any feature of the fan experience that didn’t inspire joy. ”
Now imagine that exact same doctrine being applied to local radio, if it’s the station is located in a major market such as Philadelphia or even a little city such as Pine Bluff.
The simple fact that Cole and his baseball club are pulling this off in a little market that didn’t precisely adopt baseball gets the Bananas’ story even more compelling.
As we pointed out in yesterday’s article , it starts with identifying your new ’s & “cultural reality ” from your fans, then eliminating the things they can’t endure. For Colethis supposed thinking about the sport from the fan’s point of view:
“Is their expertise boring or exciting? Easy or complicated? Fun or frustrating? If at any stage it’s that the latter, then you’t got a problem. ”
It’s possible to boil the achievement of the Savannah Bananas in 10 steps.
1. There’s visionary at the very best — Like every terrific radio station I’t ever had the honor of becoming connected with, there’s become a pioneer — frequently the PD, however sometimes the supervisor or even the proprietor — that creates the magical and passes it down to everybody in the organization, from ability to visitors to the secretary. Everyone knows the drill since it emanates from the vision of its creative captain.
2. The team From your service team to the players into the training team, everybody “makes it. ” They notice the vision functions, they understand their role, plus they’re all in. The fans are greeted by players before every Bananas game. They appear in movies that show how infectious having fun can be. Yes, they’re there to play the sport, however theyrsquo;t come to realize the enthusiast experience runs deeper than a well-placed bunt or a stolen base.
3. It’s entertainment — Sometimes you hear that an broadcaster state, “We’re not in the radio business. ” That’s precisely how Cole sees 
that the Bananas. Yesyou’ll find ’s a team on the field, in a league, that plays games against other groups. However, the Bananas brand is more than the tradition of baseball. Theyrsquo;re in the entertainment business, and they’re not the least bit embarrassed to admit it. From that point, it becomes easy.
4. “Being normal gets normal benefits ”– Just like in radio, you’t seen a baseball game, you’t pretty much seen them all — especially if you’re only a casual enthusiast. So, Cole concentrated on stimulating attendees to state “I can’t believe what I watched tonight. ” In radiowe can be quite so aim with playing by the rules that we create dull, although effective radio channels that people barely notice. There rsquo; ldquo & re only; they , & rdquo; and in this entertainment surroundings, that & rsquo;s recipe for mediocrity.
5. Fun promotions work — The more fun you have, the greater your experience. And the more you have the fans, the more addicted they turn into to the team, the gamers, as well as the game itself. Practically all league baseball is now something of a circus. However, for the Bananas, selling out their 4,000 seat stadium and having a waiting list for tickets starts using promotions, and a sense you never understand what’s coming next.
6. They consider in multimedia There’s more to the fan experience than the game on the field or having a hot dog at Grayson Stadium. A trip to the Bananas’ website is a full social media experience: videos, podcasts (“Unpeeled”-RRB-, also of course, social media are all part of the Bananas encounter — a way for fans to participate with the team and the brand.
7. They get everybody concerned — FanFest is an event that joins the team and the gamers. 
Aside from remotes and that occasional station festival, the radio tends not to socialize with station fans. For your Bananas, obtaining the fans engaged — especially in a small city setting — is crucial. The team is 3 years old, so the should create a connection — and do it is of overriding significance. The title “Bananas” has been a notion that came out of a “title the team” contest. Along with the logo followed.
8. Enthusiasm breeds functionality — Here’s the part. The team is currently winning divisions and has enhanced its own stats in consecutive years. As manager Tyler Gillum points explain, “You can’when you’ve got all that excitement going 31, t help but play up to a different level. ” A enjoyable experience keeps the team, and makes for a better product. Just imagine that soul at a radio station.
9. They require a pure material approach — That is, instead of producing new vehicles and focusing on how to monetize themthe holistic approach is to put out a fun product, and marketing and sales take good care of these. The Bananas cost $15 a ticket (on the large side), however seating is general admission and the meals (not alcohol) is unlimited. Unlike an ordinary sporting event where rsquo & there;s a hand in your pocket attempting for some thing else to be paid for by you, the Bananas concentrate on the enjoyable, the promotions, the joy, and the jolt.
10. Yes, they believe in merch — One of the most chances in tv is something that rsquo & hasn;t escaped Cole and his team. There’s Banana Beer (sound familiar, Rock channels?) As well as a full collection of logoware and other products that feed the success and excitement of the team. Wearing Banana equipment produces a statement. A look around Grayson Stadium — or Savannah in general — tells you that the Bananas’ merch plan is currently working.
Cole is starting to go beyond sports, and right into brand marketing. His team works with local advertisers (yes, such as an in-house bureau ) in a vertical called “Fans First University” to imbue the Bananas’ values into hometown companies. Cole now has a speaking/motivational company — “Find Your Yellow Tux” — educating companies how to stand out. And yes s written a book.
Then there’s Fans First University, coaching courses for marketers and content creators using the motto:
“Stop Marketing — Map the Experience — Create Fans for Life”
It’s & “Fans First” — not “Monetization First” just enjoy it is so frequently in radio.
Theyrsquo;re offering a free training fourteen days from today, also I’ve signed up.
And you can bet I’ll be wearing yellow.
We have three slots available for our CES Tours following month. Join us for a guided encounter at the largest consumer electronics show on earth. Info here.
Buy Tickets for every event – Sports, Concerts, Festivals and more buy tickets dot com concerts