At Leighton Media, we believe in serving, connecting and celebrating our community. That's our passion statement. For our company, our passion statement acts as a guiding principle to help us make decisions to drive business forward. We rely on our passion statement to help us align with the right companies and individuals to make the biggest impact on our communities.
Radio advertising has deep roots dating back to post WW1 as the American economy recovered from wartime. The genre shifted from pure entertainment and communication tool to a platform about awareness and yes, some of it had a sales and advertising slant to it. Since then, radio broadcasting's role in our communities has continued to expand to generate awareness of the small businesses, resources and opportunities for listeners right where they live and work.
It works twofold. First, our local businesses and brands have the unique ability to reach their target audience in a memorable, authentic way. Secondly, radio listeners develop a sense of the community simply by tuning in and listening to the multiple ways radio advertising clients support the local area. Here are two examples of this in action.
Bernie Perryman is the Batteries Plus Bulbs owner. She said, "Everything we do - and we have 19 employees - is about thinking about our community. What I mean by that is our meetings are around customer service. Yes, we own a storefront, but people have to come to us. How do we make that a valuable visit? It's not just selling something; it's always about helping someone."
She continued, "An example I think of is about a woman in our store who had Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. She had been in our store four separate times and was waiting in our parking lot. One of my associates said he'd go outside to try to help her. He went to her car and approached her in a gentle, kind way. He asked enough questions but didn't cross a line of privacy. It turned out she was meeting her son for dinner and needed to confirm the time, but her phone was dead. She knew she needed a battery, but didn't know the next steps. My guy told her to stay put and he brought her phone inside where he swapped out her battery. I told him - you're not charging her. There was no need to continue with the process of having her come inside or collect payment. Just give it to her and help her on her way."
Bernie talked about instilling this community-minded focus within her organization. "Our culture is one that's very much about being local. We aren't Amazon or a big box store. Every time someone comes into our store, it has to count. The little wins in our world make a big difference. If it's helping someone with a car battery, that win is about my guys listening to the customer's needs, and assessing whether or not they actually need a battery, or if it's something else altogether like an alternator a mechanic needs to address. We never just sell something for the sake of revenue. Everything we decide to do makes a difference in our community."
Bernie and her team are active contributors and members of Rotary, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity, and the Economic Development Authority of the City of St. Cloud.
Another in-depth feature of Bernie Perryman can be found in the January/February 2017 issue of St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Business Central Magazine.
Coborn's, Inc. is a family-owned grocery store enterprise that's been a staple in Central Minnesota since 1921 when the brand's first produce store opened in Sauk Rapids, MN. Today's version of Coborn's looks different - it features 54 grocery stores and 70 convenience, liquor, and other retail locations throughout the Midwest, employing roughly 8,000 employees. Locally, the Coborn's name and family legacy are tied to about every cause and passion our community has. As a Leighton Media partner of 40 years give or take, it's our honor to work with their brand to fortify and support this area through mutual efforts.
Whether it's featuring Coborn's in an on-air sponsorship or working alongside the Coborn family at community events, I can truly say they embody what our own mission represents. Kris Priebe is one of our AE's and has worked with Coborn's, through Leighton Media, for the past 20+ years.
She said, "I'm honored to collaborate with Coborn's. The entire organization is comprised of fabulous people. The support system the company has in place helps them be visionary and successful at the same time. When I think of Coborn's, I don't think just of grocery stores. Instead, I think of the Coborn Cancer Center through CentraCare. I think of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the United Way and the countless other events and charities they embody."
These two stories are just a sample of the dozens of examples I could share, in this post. We enjoy strengthening the efforts our clients are putting forth to make our communities a better place to live, work and enjoy.