All talents conduct show prep; they know and relate the Top 3 “Big Events” on listeners’ minds daily. They also work the “Big Event” (everyone is talking about it today).
Talent sound like a “local” and have at least one local bit/observation an hour, a “local relatable.” Each talent sounds topical, fresh, exciting, and in the demo of the listener.
Elevate voice track shows, so they sound live and interesting with phone calls and benchmarks.
Invite participation. Capture and air listener interaction:
+ Always have two listener phone calls an hour (utilize Lund’s “Wall of Calls” to bank phone calls) to sound “live,” local, and responsive to the audience. Take the lead, if a caller has a request or question, ask them their opinion on your topic, the “Big Event.”
+ Social Media – FB and Twitter relatability; generate buy-in and “likes.” Find out the “influencers” among your audience and post on their Facebook pages your content asking for engagement.
+ Facebook posts – Have 4-5 short and exciting posts a day
+ Relate to emails and texts on air
Do benchmarks and bits (three major Benchmarks in the AM Show; one or two benchmarks in other shows and voice tracked shows). What did you execute this hour? Develop benchmarks that are not the mere reading of show prep. PPM research says “lists” like Celebrity News, Birthdays, and This Day in History are tune outs. Develop benchmarks which engage the listener.
Provide daypart relatability (Driving to work, lunch, going home, etc.; listener usage).
Practice the eight-second rule – engage the audience fast out of music; sink the hook with a dramatic statement/audio or an enticing promote-ahead.
Exhibit music passion and artist knowledge beyond saying the title and artist to connect with music. When conveying artist information, focus on current information. Listeners do not want a “history lesson.”
Always go into stopset with a creative promote-ahead. If you don’t want to go from a bit to a promote-ahead to spots, do a produced “donut promo” after a bit into spots. Push to expand the average TSL beyond 10 minutes. Practice the 80/20 rule in promoting ahead. Instead of providing the answer, give enough to intrigue the audience with 80% and hold back 20%.
Provide compelling appointment setting – sell a specific reason and time to listen next hour, next daypart (next show), later in the day, and the next morning.
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John Lund is President of the Lund Media Group, a radio programming consulting firm with specialists in all mainstream radio formats. Did you find this article useful? You can leave a comment below or email John at John@Lundradio.com.