If you need a good example of how NOT to bring more people into the fold, Sports broadcasting is it.
The other day, I watched an NFL game, and the “color” commentator said, “They’ve got a linebacker there playing three-technique…”
Huh? What does that mean? The average viewer (or listener) has NO CLUE. Apparently, it means that some linebacker either has three legs, or just ordered three pizzas from Dominoes.
I’ve heard that the most common New Year’s resolutions are about losing weight, quitting smoking, and getting more exercise.
I have an idea! What if we took those same resolutions to help give our radio stations a fresh start in the new year? They say it’s easier to disrupt a habit if you reframe it as a fresh start.*
Continue readingAs your career advances, radio changes you. Early in your career, you might think that everything needs to be stressed. So it’s easy to talk about something in a way that makes it seem like you’re battering me with things. A little too much “hype.”
The Christmas season brings our format’s greatest opportunity to welcome new listeners. While this may seem a no-brainer, it is not something to be taken for granted.
No other format has the opportunity to eliminate its biggest barrier for growth (that it plays unfamiliar music for new folks) while also doubling down on the core “why” of the format – that God became man and changed history (even for unbelievers).
So, how does a first time listener become fan? More specifically how does someone that doesn’t know Big Daddy Weave from Bo Diddley become a fan of your station?
Continue readingThe best way to build a larger and more loyal audience is to open the door a little bit wider each day. The message is a simple one: “Come on in. Here’s what you and I have in common.”
There are certain techniques I coach in order to avoid people thinking all you do is talk about yourself, but the bottom line Is you want to do this every day. If I don’t learn something today about you that I can relate to, there’s really no connection. Anyone can just select something to talk about, then add a punch line. But that’s not necessarily revealing.
And to REVEAL… is to Connect.
The Christmas season brings out the best in us. More people tune to our stations than at any other time of the year, some stations topping a million listeners per week, once unthinkable in our format.
Many stations do their best job of connecting on common values with stories of hope, forgiveness, and fresh beginnings. Over the last several weeks I have heard some amazing stories and songs.
Continue readingWow, there are a lot of Contests and Promotions going on these days. But many (most?) of them don’t seem to generate a ton of interest. The reason is simple: they’re too complicated.
“Stop by each of their 5 locations and register at each one.” Nope. Not gonna happen.
“Go to our website and sign up. Then listen for the Daily Clue all month long. When you hear your name called… etc.” No. I don’t have that kind of time. Continue reading
If your station is playing Christmas music, I’ve got good news and bad news.
The good news is you’ll help minimize your station’s biggest barrier for growth – playing unfamiliar music to those tuning to your station for the first time.
The bad news is new listeners have no context for understanding what your station is about.
Continue reading“More Music” used to be a big thing. Talk – of any kind – was pretty much the enemy. (One station in Dallas promoted “No Disc Jockeys.”) And a lot of stations had the goal of playing as many songs as possible in every single hour.
That approach just won’t work very well anymore. Here’s why:
Our neighborhood’s official start to the Christmas season begins at the gazebo next to the lake with the main attraction being the arrival of jolly ole St. Nick on the top of a local multimillion dollar fire truck! Your tax dollars at work!
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