WMIT 106.9: Growing income from the business community
WMIT 106.9 The Light, an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is the station known throughout portions of seven southeastern states for sharing the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thanks to a 42,000 square-mile coverage area–the 12th largest FM coverage area in America according to Duncan Radio Reports–106.9 The Light blankets four Arbitron Radio Metros: Charlotte, Greenville-Spartanburg, Johnson City-Bristol and Asheville. That’s over 5 million potential listeners!
- The station is strategically located at the internationally recognized Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove near Asheville, North Carolina.
- Audience response to national and international ministry appeals are dramatic.
The need to reach business leaders
Although WMIT 106.9 The Light enjoys significant reach throughout the Southeast, the station had difficulty capturing the attention of business leaders in the region. Station leadership expressed frustration with a lack of revenue-generating tools to secure consistent four- and five-figure gifts. Such gifts from major donors and business leaders were necessary to support operations and priority expansion projects.
Laying the foundation for consistent growth
WMIT 106.9 The Light needed a clear plan to engage current major donors and prospects. The Light's leadership approached Advocace Media with their need for developing and directing a major donor fundraising approach along with training their staff in business development prospecting and principles for growth. Advocace’s skill in translating The Light’s uniqueness in the marketplace into compelling communications complemented the station’s increased focus on major donor follow-up. Working together, the station staff and Advocacē team forged a partnership in using the annual Sharathon as a primer for connecting with current and prospective business leaders.
The solution
Advocace immediately initiated training and development programs to increase income using the following strategies:
- Creating and applying development action plans for Sharathon to secure matching funds and increase major donor involvement
- Developing options for high-capacity business partners to begin business sponsorship schedules and outdoor advertising sponsorships
Establishing processes to coach leadership teams in major donor identification and relationship-building to match station funding needs (based on the relationship, capacity, and timing of top donors)
The results
WMIT 106.9 The Light experienced a record response of over $2 million dollars in their annual Sharathon, including $200,000 in matching fund commitments. Seven weeks after the Sharathon concluded, the station saw a record fulfillment rate of 51%.
The response from business leaders was especially encouraging. Business partnership income increased by 23% in just three months. In addition, business leaders and major donors contributed $200,000 to fund an outdoor advertising campaign in metro areas served by WMIT. Station leadership anticipates inviting almost 700,000 motorists to sample the station through this creative outreach!