You know your on-air product is good because your listeners tell you so and because your audience research proves it.  However, is it enough for you to provide good programming?  Will that programming ensure the station's future?  The answer is no...   Afraid not.

Let's ignore all the things that threaten us on a national and international level, small things like federal funding and changing technology.  Let's focus only on the local picture and let's look at a single factor--competition.

How many nonprofit organizations are located in your community?  I don't mean just the biggies, like the United Way or the local symphony.  I mean the entire list, including the Girl Scouts, the Bulldog Boosters, the Willow Hollow Church Circle and the Goat Ropers Society, to name a few.  If you haven't looked at a recent list of ALL the not-for-profit organizations in your community you don't have a clear picture of the level of competition you're facing.  And it is formidable.

We're only one among a crowd, a bevy, a gaggle, a veritable herd of nonprofits, one and all stampeding toward those unsuspecting (I don't think so) donors at warp speed velocity.  Depending on the size of your community, there can be hundreds of organizations--some of which can make a more compelling case than you can.  How does your station manage to stand out from the pack?

One way is to posture your station as an active partner in the community.  An effective method for accomplishing this is through the creation of a Secondary Positioning Statement (SPS).  What is an SPS?  It is your station's annual commitment to the top issue or concern in your market.  Community issues are identified through surveys and interviews, much like the old ascertainment process. (Been trying to figure out what to do with that Community Advisory Board or how to engage your Board?  The SPS is a dandy tool for doing so.)  Once the top concern has been identified, it is summarized in a concise statement for press purposes. Then for the following year, as time and available personnel allow, station resources are dedicated to that issue on-air and off-the-air.  Public affairs features, interviews, station-sponsored forums and debates are all fair game.  The scope of activities can be as grand as your inclination and human resources allow.

By giving something back to the community--in addition to good programming--you will forge a stronger relationship with your audience and with the community-at-large.  As a result, you will be viewed as a partner in the community, not just a radio station.  In the process, you will set yourself apart from the "pack" and help ensure your future.