IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!

This post is for all radio talent to read, reread, understand and absorb:

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!  You're success on the air IS ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE!!! (believe it or not)

I hate it when I hear a personality talk about how much she loves their new picture on the station website, or how much he loves their new BMW...  MOST OF THE AUDIENCE CAN'T AFFORD A BMW SO THEY CAN'T RELATE--THEY CAN ONLY BE JEALOUS.  Is this the emotional connection that you want to make with your listeners???  

Make your show about the LISTENERS--their wants, needs, desires, etc.  The listeners don't care about the fact that you are taking a ski trip without them this weekend...  

Even if 200 listeners are going on the trip the other 250,000 (or more) aren't!  

BUT...

You CAN tell stories about your trip, your new car, etc. that are funny or relatable to the audience, but you have to be a good story teller or a funny person for it to get through the speakers and into the hearts/minds of the audience.  If you don't connect emotionally with your audience, then you will not win in the ratings game (especially when PPM comes to our town!).

Everyday thousands of people invite you into their homes, their cars, and their personal space (think about people going to sleep with their radio on or listening to you in the shower!).  You are a friend, a companion, and a star in their life.  Take the opportunity to make a POSITIVE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH THEM EVERY DAY AND AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!  Make your listeners laugh, cry, yell, FEEL something about you and your show.  

The best way to do this is to VALUE the LISTENER: 

DO NOT put them down, scream at them, or talk down to them (this is the worst)!

DO NOT tell inside jokes with your co-host or producer.

DO NOT talk to your co-host or producer about office politics, office gossip, or other things that only pertain to you and the radio industry. 

DO include them in your show: put them on-air, read their email live on-air, shout them out.

DO let them scream & shout when they win a prize: don't interrupt--it's their moment!

DO let them laugh with you when you tell a funny joke/story--it means more when the audience is laughing than if you are laughing at yourself (this is why comedians try not to laugh at their own jokes!).

DO let them cry when they are sharing a powerful moment in their life: if the listener is crying and you're talking over her-you are missing the opportunity to have a listener for life!

DO let them hug you when you are out in public: talk about an emotional connection...this is basic human contact/intimacy!

DO let them tell you what they hate about the radio station, your show, or something you said on the air.  {You don't have to put this on the air unless there is a great POSITIVE and TRUE resolution to the issue.}

DO let them interact with the artists/celebrities on your show.  Make them feel like they are the stars that make your show HOTTER!

These things will create lasting memories (sometimes once in a lifetime moments) for your listeners!  Once the listener has a memory like this, he/she will have an emotional connection to you--this is how you win in the ratings game (DIARY or PPM it doesn't matter!)!!!

Lastly: 

RESPOND TO EVERY VOICE MAIL AND EMAIL FROM YOUR LISTENERS!  

If you don't, you lose the chance to make a connection to our listener.

If you do, you gain their respect and show them that they are valuable to you.  

How many times do listeners get surprised that you answered the request line or that you answered their email?  They shouldn't be surprised: it's common courtesy to return a phone call or email!  SURPRISE is AN EMOTION!  Make an emotional connection to your listeners today...even if it's only returning their email or voice mail!