Note: Since I totally forgot to post a tip last week (I plead Christmastime madness), I’m doing two this week. Here you go…
One of the reasons I still watch “Survivor” on TV is because of how it defines connecting with the audience.
Frost Advisory #796 – You Never Have A Second Chance…
By the time you are reading this, Christian music stations up and down the dial have swapped out their typical playlist for the 137 best versions of “Holly Jolly Christmas.” While the strategic upside to that wacky Clark Kent-to-Superman identity change has been well chronicled in these 15+ years of weekly Frost Advisories, I reckon’ one aspect of this format flip may not have received enough attention. That’s the part that isn’t about the music.
Continue reading“You never have a second chance to make a first impression.”
Will Rogers
Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #651: The Importance of Timing
There’s a good lesson to learn from the World Series. Or the Super Bowl. Or the NBA Playoffs.
They all have one thing in common: It’s about doing the right things.
But not just that. It’s doing the right things at the right TIME.
It’s the same, in any music format, for what you say on the air when you make a comment. First, did you cut off the very end of that last word in the song’s vocal? Is that because you’re too anxious to talk? (Would you do that if you were the emcee for that artist’s live show? Chances are, the crowd would boo you, and the artist would never want you to be the emcee again.)
Patience.
Timing.
A sense of rhythm.
These things are essential to a great air talent.
Frost Advisory #795 – Encourage Me And I Will Not Forget You; A Thanksgiving Message
This week’s Frost Advisory is a bit of a departure from my weekly musings on how to make your radio station really nifty. Instead, I’d like to take this moment during Thanksgiving week to encourage you in the important work you’re doing at your station.
I’m told that the word “encouragement” means literally to pour courage into. This word for “encouragement” appears over 100 times in the New Testament.
Continue readingTommy Kramer Coaching Tip #650: The Non-Competitive Pitch
If you’re not familiar with baseball pitcher David Cone, here’s a cool fact:
On July 18, 1999, he threw a perfect game (that’s 27 batters in a row,no hits, no walks, no runs, no errors). Pretty cool.
But even more notable was that it was “Yogi Berra Day” at Yankee Stadium, with Yogi and the pitcher of the only perfect game in World Series history, Don Larson, in attendance. (Yogi was the catcher in that 1956 game.)
David Cone is now an excellent baseball analyst. And one of his terms really stuck with me; what he calls a “non-competitive pitch” – a “waste pitch” that a pitcher will sometimes throw that’s out of the strike zone. It doesn’t make the batter do anything. No adjustments need to be made. No fielders move to field it. No baserunners try to advance on it.
As it applies to radio…it’s kind of the same when you do a break that’s just some “click bait” thing that you’ve added a punch line to.
SO predictable.
Nobody goes, “Oh wow, I’ve never heard that before.”
You have to search for what matters to your listener today. Don’t settle for anything less than that. It cheapens the whole listening experience.
– – – – – – –
Tommy Kramer
Talent Coach
214-632-3090 (mobile)
e-mail: coachtommykramer@gmail.com
Member, Texas Radio Hall of Fame
© 2025 by Tommy Kramer. All rights reserved.
Frost Advisory #794 – The Outside Shot: How Your Station Can Be Transformative
Over the years I’ve learned that there are basically three different levels of discussions that happen about programming.
There are conversations about being competent. Basic stuff like having real people (even if voice-tracked) offering companionship in your listener’s life RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW.
And there are conversations about incremental improvements. Move this widget here, etc.
But those two topics are not necessarily transformative.
Continue readingTommy Kramer Coaching Tip #649: There’s Only One Choice
Master Marketing gurus Al Ries and Jack Trout say that “every race becomes a two-horse race.” McDonald’s versus Burger King, for instance. Coke versus Pepsi in the Cola wars. Rawlings and Spalding instantly come to mind if you want a baseball glove. Chocolate versus Vanilla. You get the idea.
Frost Advisory #793 – Authenticity, Lessons Learned From “Dear Younger Me” And…
And… FOX news! (Seriously!)
Have you seen FOX News’ latest image campaign? To me it’s reminiscent of ESPN’s classic campaign awhile back where famous athletes in uniform appeared in ordinary situations in the ESPN headquarters – in the break room, walking through a hallway, in the parking lot.
In other words, making celebrities (Aaron Judge, Payton Manning, Derek Jeter) ordinary, and making ordinary people (the ESPN anchors) celebrities.
Continue readingTommy Kramer Coaching Tip #648: Two Talk Tips
Some people say that 99% of the tips I write are for MusicRadio stations. That’s true, but I’ve worked with a LOT of Talk stations, too, and I can’t even count how many individual Talk Radio air talents.
Two of my main “rules” are actually the same as in MusicRadio. Talk is just a different format, in terms of how much time you have to talk.
But… Continue reading
Frost Advisory #792 – What Is It You Value?
It’s the most important question we can ask. Or better, it’s the most important question we can ANSWER.
Our format is foundationally based on values. It attracts people that share those values. Our most loyal listeners and donors and even staff are those that share those values the deepest.
That’s our WHY!
Continue reading