Jerry Woods “All I Want for Christmas..”

All I Want for Christmas is a Different Promotion

‘Tis the season for promotions that promise big gifts for your listeners. You’ve seen and heard them, and they sound like this. “We’ll pay your mortgage for the next 12 months courtesy of Happy Christian Mortage.” “Celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas with the 12 Gifts of Christmas,” or “Win a Cruise for Christmas.” There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these promotions, and they could work on any station, but they lack just one thing – a giving spirit. It’s easy to fall into the other spirit of the season – commercialism. As stations with a higher calling, our Christmas promotions should reflect that. Christmas is all about Christ coming to earth to give. Our promotions are powerful when they encourage listeners to do the same.

Some of the most powerful promotions I’ve seen are the “Christmas Wish” promotions.  These are promotions where someone wishes for something they need. It could be heat, a new roof, a pair of glasses, car repairs, etc.  Some stations have a sponsor, and the station selects which needs to meet. Other stations take the wishes directly to the audience and ask them to meet the needs directly. Some stations do both. At KTSY in Boise they have given away “Heat for Christmas,” by installing a new heating system for someone who needs it. Now they do “Hope for Christmas” Extreme Makeover,” where someone in need gets their entire home redone top to bottom.

I’ve seen stations reunite families at Christmas, collect presents for the women and children at a home for abused women, and hold toy drives at concerts for the Salvation Army. SOS in Las Vegas does “Hope for Prisoners” where listeners contribute gift cards and gifts for a special day where moms and kids are reunited with incarcerated dads for one day to celebrate Christmas together. These are all great examples of stations going beyond the typical to doing Christmas promotions that are mission-minded.

The bottom line is we have a unique opportunity model to our listeners that it truly is “more blessed to give than receive.” In this season of giving, let’s give our listeners a chance to give too. That’s a gift that will last long after decorations have been stored away.

Jerry Woods the morning show host and marketing director at WGTS 91.9 in Washington, D.C. He also spend some time coaching a limited number of stations on their promotions and marketing through his company JAWS Consulting.  You can reach him at woodje33@gmail.com