My daughter handed me this note. There was a game on or something so I forgot to read it.

Whadareyoukidding? I tore it open immediately. I would have stopped traffic to read it. Nothing could have prevented me from reading this note from my daughter.

Our relationship has been formed on twenty-five years of common experiences, perspectives, and relationships . I was the first to see her and I was the one to walk her down the aisle. Simply said, what is important to her is important to me.

Maybe there is something our radio stations can learn from my experience.

Let’s see, my daughter’s note was…

Relevant. The most important relationships are the ones that are most relevant. Perhaps we should be relevant to our listeners.

Personal. Every moment with my kids is the continuation of a previous conversation, and one before that, and one before that. We talk as though we know each other. We talk as though we care about each other. Perhaps we should be personal to our listeners.

Timely. This was not just a note to Daddy. This was a note to Daddy on her wedding day. That one day, that specific day, made the connection even more important. Perhaps we should filter through ‘today’, or a point of view, or an attitude that resonates with our listeners.

What if these three concepts – relevant, personal, and timely – permeated your station, from traffic reports to lively deejay banter to the Bible verse of the day?

Sadly, the opposite is what we typically hear: random, impersonal, and generic. (See Frost Advisory #116)

But this is a new year! (Notice the clever application of ‘timely’!)

Maybe this is the time to begin a new relationship with your listeners.