“Why are you playing Christmas music on Election Day?”

The complaints pour in.

“Why are you playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving?”

Think about it. If I’m driving around in my car and I tune in to your radio station in the middle of November and hear Burl Ives instead of Matthew West, I could be confused. Unless I understand “the why.”

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. And what you do serves as proof of why you do it.”

Simon Sinek, “Start with Why”

On Election Day our station votes for comfort and joy. In this political season our station is an escape from the negative headlines.

Consider this…

Every Christmas for the last several years I’ve thrown a few coins into the Salvation Army bucket down the street at the Piggly Wiggly. But not this year. Nope. They’ve changed their bell ringer. The guy standing outside the store ringing the bell is going to be different this season, so I’ve decided not to give.

Ludicrous, isn’t it? Obviously no one would stop donating to the Salvation Army because Bernie replaced Barry at the bucket.

Then why do we hear these kind of complaints?

“YOU’VE CHANGED PROGRAMS!”

You’ve changed the disc jockeys!

“You cancelled Adventures in Odyssey!”

You did this ONE thing that I don’t like… so I’m not going to donate to your station anymore… ever… ever!

What they are basically saying is… you’ve change the bell ringer. And that bell ringer is the very small filter through which they perceive your station.

But that’s not you.

I know what the Salvation Army stands for. I believe in their cause of helping those who can’t help themselves. My understanding of the vision and purpose of their ministry is far more important to me than who stands outside Winn-Dixie ringing a bell.

TOMS shoes is an example of a company that succeeded more because of their story than their product.

“For every pair I sell, I’m going to give a pair of new shoes to a child in need… The giving component of TOMS makes our shoes more than a product. They’re a part of a story, a mission, and a movement anyone can join.”

Blake Mycoskie, “Start Something that Matters”

Needless to say, no one has ever stopped buyinsg TOMS simply because they discontinued the plaid slippers.

So this season as you field those complaints about Christmas music, consider digging a little deeper. Maybe you haven’t effectively communicated your WHY.

*This Frost Advisory was inspired from a conversation with my brilliant friend Dean O’Neal at Z88.3 in Orlando.