Oh, the irony! In a format all about belief, few CCM stations ever declare what they believe.

As a result most stations are simply a commodity rather than a distinctive brand.

If your station is known simply for the characteristics inherent in the music you play, you don’t have a brand. Your station is not distinct from nor preferable to other stations that play the same music.

That’s why it is critical that your station have a flag in the ground. To stand for something meaningful, distinct, and that resonates with your listeners.

My friend Randy Fox likes to tell the story of arriving in Houston for his job interview with KSBJ. The shuttle bus driver engaged him in small talk about why he was in town. When Randy replied that he was interviewing for a position at KSBJ, the driver responded with, “oh, that’s the station that helps people.”

Everyday at twelve noon KSBJ shares the Lord’s Prayer, but it’s not just the same thing done the same way every day. Instead, “Pray Down at High Noon” has become a flag in the ground for reflecting the values of the community voiced by a spectrum of celebrities, local athletes, artists, political figures, pastors, and everyday moms and dads.

It’s also one of the most memorable features on the station. (KSBJ has numerous initiatives that convey its unique brand values).

During this Inauguration week maybe we learn from the Gulf of America. It’s one of the ways that Donald J. Trump has put a flag in the ground for his vision of returning to American values. He chose renaming the Gulf of Mexico because it was a bold and declarative idea, symbolizing how the USA was no longer going to be at the mercy of the Mexican drug cartels.

Say what you want about this particular idea but declaring his intention to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico was bold, surprising, and unforgettable.