On last week’s show (see Big Dog, Little Dog, Part One) I shared that I’m often asked why many Christian music radio stations don’t have larger audiences. The answer in almost every case is because they are designed for small audiences, many times unknowingly. Continuing from last week’s theme there are lots of little dogs but few big dogs.

In programming nothing GOOD happens by accident.

Reading this week’s Frost Advisory may be the first time that some stations have even considered how their station is designed, or for whom.

Continue reading →

When my girls were small they used to love having their daddy read them “Big Dog, Little Dog”, the story of two dogs that are opposite in every way but also the best of friends.

Big dog, little dog can apply to radio stations, as well. Big stations are that way for a reason. But so are little stations.

I’m often asked why many Christian music radio stations don’t have larger audiences. The answer in almost every case is because they are designed for small audiences. And many times they don’t even realize it.

There are examples in almost every format.

Continue reading →

Last week in a Frost Advisory cleverly titled “We are Fam-i-ly, Part One” I shared how the need to belong is built into us. With every “I’m a proud parent…” bumper sticker, posting of a political statement on Facebook, wearing the colors of our alma mater, or championing our favorite radio station, people desire to show others they belong to something important.

My Pyromarketing friend Greg Stielstra shares this story. Continue reading →

In 1979 Sister Sledge’s “We are Family” became the anthem for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that symbolized the hope of a northeast industrial city facing economic hardship.

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up ev’rybody and sing
Ev’ryone can see we’re together
As we walk on by
(FLY!) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won’t tell no lie
(ALL!) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We’re giving love in a family dose

This season Pirates’ fans gather to watch their first winning team in over 20 years. But this scene is different. Yes, the stands are filled with fans wearing team colors, chanting in unison, and supporting their heroes on the field, but the difference in this setting is there was no team on the field.

Continue reading →