The TEN Most Important Dates of 2006 (First Six Months Edition)

The 2006 Point to Point Ratings Calender arrived in my mailbox yesterday, with its reminder that an ARB or BBM survey is not one 12 or eight week survey. It's 12 (or eight) ONE WEEK surveys, weighted and distributed across your survey area in four week phases.

For ARB, the three most important dates of Winter are January 5, February 2 and March 2. For BBM: January 9 and February 6.

For Spring, ARB's monthly phases start on March 30, April 27 and May 25. BBM: April 17 and May 22.

Of course, it would be terrific if you could dominate your market's top of mind awareness for radio in every week of each survey. BUT, it's a great start to begin with these very important dates .. and move on to more Mondays and/or Thursdays only after you have a great plan to create positive strategicly-driven BRANDING BUZZ on the first date of each phase first!

Bonus dates: if you have the ability to co-promote with local television, here are THEIR Neilsen winter and spring 2006 survey sweep dates - February 2-March 1 and April 27-June 28. That's when they need our help in creating top of mind awareness for their best programming. They'll be more open than usual to 'watch, listen & win' ideas. And, if you can afford it during those dates, TV's reach is at its highest, since those are the dates when they put their best foot forward.

(And, don't forget to talk to cable. Those same shows are on cable too, of course, often at much better rates and targeting the most important communities in your hottest zip codes areas..)