PLEDGE DRIVE SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES WEAKNESSES THREATS

PLEDGE DRIVE SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES WEAKNESSES THREATS • Music: LOCAL hosts & community connection • Music: Voice of the Arts/A Place Where Artists Gather • Music: You support the station that supports artists, music discovery • Music: We exist to make your life better • News: National news coverage, credible, fact-based, journalistic integrity • News: Local journalism center, holding leaders accountable, we live here, too • News: Trusted, committed to the community, growing while other sources shrinking • News: We exist to make you and your neighbors better-informed • Listeners cannot imagine life without the station • Station’s mission is vital to democracy and cultural expression • Public media is a free community asset • Pledge drives adversely affect listening • Internal station resources may be stretched as demands grow on FTEs • Drive messaging needs refreshing • More discipline & training needed for drive execution • News: Audience may not be aware of financial pressures local news outlets under • News: • Music: Physical media sales declining in U. S. ; • Music: Triple A audiences <50 still elusive in some markets • Music: Classical audiences aging with format in some markets • Need to grow midlevel & major donor files; donor journey needs to be defined • Pledge campaigns are discrete from one another; adopt year-long campaign to tie multiple channels/platforms/branding for cohesive messaging • Public media needs to improve training of next generation of managers & air staff • News: Elucidate distinction between non-profit journalism & for-profit media • News: Public media cuts through election meddling, muddying, disinformation • News: Create ticketed events that engage listeners in rational discussion • Music: Position station as inextricable from local arts/artist community • Music: If possible, create live, in-studio performance events during pledge drive • Music: Create ticketed events that excite listeners about live music • Reinforce donor’s role in creating value for the community • Freemiums (in addition to other TY gifts) popular, e. g. pocket US Constitution • Digital & tech premiums are gaining momentum • Tech sweepstakes such as Apple products generate significant participation • Convert multi-year ‘believers’ into evangelists for public media • Dearth of new donors in the U. S. • General election year often depresses non-profit fundraising • “Marie Kondo Effect” – people want less ‘stuff’ in their lives • Sustainers: leveling off in some markets; are our listeners ‘over-subscribed’? • Smart Speaker adoption by public media cohort; potential donors have own ‘pledge free stream’ • Bluetooth in vehicles provides flexibility to tune to other streams or podcasts • News fatigue • Other sources of news on apps providing instant coverage • Other platforms such as Hulu, Netflix, Sling, cable TV, Twitter, Facebook (time is precious) • Entertainment budgets based on discretionary income • Another federal budget cycle brings threats to government funding of public media © 2020 BARRY NELSON, NELSON & ASSOCIATES FUNDRAISING