They say there are more “religious” radio stations than any other format category. They also say those religious stations have fewer listeners than any other. Having worked in the format for more than twenty years now I’ve believe the reason is fairly obvious.

A radio station cannot grow unless it is designed to grow. And that requires a different kind of thinking. Strategic thinking.

A growth strategy is one that incorporates big picture concepts such as:

• Why does the radio station exist?
• Who are our listeners?
• What do they desire and expect from our station?
• Who and where are other people like them?

It’s ironic to me that most Christian radio stations aren’t strategic. Ironic because our Christian faith may be the most strategic thing there is.

Our faith flows from the ultimate big picture. There is a God. He made everything. He created us for a purpose. He desires a relationship with us. Jesus Christ is the focal point of that God-man relationship revealed to us on that first Easter morning.

It seems that many Christian radio stations play little attention to strategy focusing almost exclusively on the day to day tactics – the songs, the contests, the liners, the deejays.

“If a tactic fails, you should consider abandoning it. Your strategy is what you keep doing even after you walk away from a tactic.

Tactics are disposable.

Strategy is for the long haul.”

Seth Godin

Your radio station can be transformed if you’ll simply answer two questions:

What do people want and expect from your station?

How consistently to do you THAT?

Congratulations! In answering those two questions you’ve begun the journey of thinking strategically.

Happy Easter!