The fastest human in the world once said that the key to winning races is getting off to a fast start. Legendary champion Usain Bolt claims that he wins races within the first five seconds of the beginning of the race. You may not be able to win a quarter-hour only with a fast start (great content has something to do with it, too), but there’s plenty of evidence you can lose a quarter-hour with a weak start. In this case, a poor start is an ineffective hook.
The same is true for every media. Great content fails if attention isn’t captured quickly:
* Music: Remember the “good old days” when songs had a 15-20 second intro? Now, lyrics start within a few seconds and often slam immediately into the hook.
* Books: Authors seek to inspire curiosity by pulling the reader into the action in the first paragraph.
* Videos: When’s the last time you sat through even 30 seconds of chit-chat at the beginning of a YouTube video without getting impatient?
* Television: A new show starts with action to attract viewers to the storyline. Producers know the first few seconds of a change in programming is the high-risk zone for tune-out.
* Podcasts: Studies show more and more listeners don’t make it through the first minute unless the hosts capture their attention quickly.
A Fast Start On The Radio
So it is with radio shows. Personalities risk losing attention and running off a substantial percentage of the audience every time programming changes. They have other options, and will choose them if they’re not engaged. The first few seconds are critical.
It may seem innocent enough, but audiences are harsh. Here are a handful of common things that cause listeners to run off:
* When a host spends 30 seconds talking about what they did last night, listeners become impatient.
* Starting the first break of the day as a “warm-up” is nothing but idle chatter to a listener. They’re already tuned in. it’s not THEIR first segment of the day.
* Spending a minute getting to the emotional essence of a story wastes the listener’s time. And they won’t put up with it. Their mind wanders and attention is lost, which is the first step toward tune-out.
5 Ways To Get Off To A Fast Start
Here’s how personalities can increase the chances of holding attention with a strong hook:
Plan and Prepare: Nothing fixes a weak area like prep. Great hooks result from making it a priority, and then committing time and energy to the project. Personalities should invest up to 80% of prep time to payoffs, hooks, and teases. The rest will usually fall into place.
Target An Emotion: Listeners react to content that makes them feel something. Consider the headlines that impact your behavior: A Slimmer You For The Holidays will always get more interest than How To Lose 10 Pounds in Six Weeks. When it’s feels personal, you pay more attention. So do listeners.
Ask For Help: Appeal to the emotion of greed by making listeners feel needed. They love to eavesdrop on problems and offer suggestions and solutions. Starting with “I have a problem” can be a great technique if it’s not overused.
Suggest Friction: Add the potential of drama, suspense, or conflict in an opening line to create a “this is going to be good” feeling. It doesn’t have to be an over-the-top blowup. Just a little friction is all it takes. A simple intro like, “Okay, it’s time for Laura to get back at her mom,” sets up a story!
Pick a Side: Make a statement that divides the audience into two camps. One side will nod its head and think, “You’re just like me.” The other will react with, “You got it all wrong.” Both are intrigued. One show launched a story about kids ruining their dinner at a nice restaurant by saying, “Every restaurant that isn’t fast-food should have a no-kids-under-5 section.” That’s a terrific opening line.
Conclusion
If the opening line or two doesn’t attract attention, the rest of the segment won’t be heard. A strong case can be made that this is the single most important part of a talk break. Are you investing the proper time and attention to launch strong?
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Tracy Johnson is a talent coach and programming consultant. He’s the President/CEO of Tracy Johnson Media Group. His book Morning Radio has been described as The Bible of Personality Radio and has been used by personalities worldwide.