The 50-something “North Van Brad,” as some listeners have dubbed him, has proli
fically competed in dial-in competitions across the Lower Mainland for the past three decades.
Reselling contest tickets are against most radio contest rules, but Williams — who insists he’s innocent — claims he’s being singled out for winning 500 times too much.
“You can only imagine how often I was in their (station) tower,” he jokes.
“I don’t really do it for financial gain,” said Williams, who works at home for his wife’s legal research firm. “I do it because I like to go to the concerts, the nice restaurants. I’ve won some trips. I’ve won some cash. I’ve won just about everything short of a house.”
I know the radio promotion people and our air personalities generally prefer to limit folks like Brad to "you can only win once per month" or similar limitations, but in spite of this excess, I still feel that's a mistake.
They are heavy radio users and, like Brad, if they can't win from you, they'll quickly go to another station. If that's the week they happen to have a diary .. or even worse if this is the year (or two!) that their household happens to have a meter (or many of them!) .. you lose.
Radio contests are about making it fun and rewarding to listen. Smart stations make it easier and simpler for the kind of folks who love to play radio games and contests + participate in radio research to win more often.
North Van Brad hasn't convinced me I am wrong about THAT.
Take the limitations off your contest rules, but you might want to lurk on Craigslist now and then as well as being sure that your prize rules prohibit reselling prizes.
How do you get weekend listeners to tune in Monday? Here's how they are doing it in Denver: 98-5 KYGO gives you control of what we play on the air. That's why every Monday is KYGO's My Triple Play Monday. You tell us the three songs you want us to play and why. Then every hour from 9am to 5pm we will play'em back! Submit your three songs below and listen every Monday from 9am to 5pm! KYGO is built by Denver for Denver...new country 98-5 KYGO.
"It's your own reality show with its own social-network. I launched this site locally for those consumers who are addicted to winning contests. Easy to execute in your city too."
Here's the promo, heard in Washington, D.C.: The Money is in the Music -- with the WMZQ $1000 Cash Song Of The Day. Listen weekday mornings at 7:35 for the song of the day to play -- then be caller nine and you win $1000 for your workday or $5000 on Thursday. And we really, really want you to win -- so you've got an extra chance to enter online. Check our web site for a calendar of songs to listen for.
1. Could "we" please ban plural pronouns from all stationality? The words "us" and "we" offer one more opportunity to brand your product.
2, If you really, really, really, really want to get more people to participate, why not make more specific listening appointments than just one per day at 7:35 and tell me exactly when you'll play the song on the web-based music calendar, or even better on the air right now so I don't have to do anything but LISTEN?
OK, I am feeling better now, thank you.
I love this kind of umbrella promo, where 1 + 1 = fun for the listener and $$ for sales too. 
