When working with radio personalities on character profile exercises, we often pose a thought-provoking question:
“If you were to disappear from the radio and never return, what unique qualities would listeners miss about you?”
Furthermore, how can you tell if your answer is accurate? Although this is a significant question, it can be broken down into smaller, daily inquiries:
“If a listener didn’t tune in today, did they miss anything?”
A common strategy for enhancing radio shows is building equity in the strongest features while eliminating weaker content. Radio personalities often become attached to segments that don’t resonate with their audience, usually because it’s easy to prepare and perform or out of habit.
Will They Miss Anything?
A client was experiencing growing pains and recently refocused on a strategy to establish tune-in moments through features. As a result, weaker content had to disappear. One of the personalities was personally attached to a segment going nowhere. He loved it, probably because it was easy to do each day. However, research showed it was weak, and there was little interest in this type of content. We agreed to take it off the air for a month to see what happened. No listener complained or even asked about it. Yet the personality insisted on bringing it back, despite the absence of evidence supporting the idea.
He admitted the new features were working, but he missed the segment personally. His ego was blocking good judgment. Management (and I) convinced him that if, after a month, nobody missed the segment, it should not be on the air because each and every segment is an opportunity to build a personality brand with content that listeners would miss if it weren’t there.
How To Evaluate Content
There’s a lesson in this story.
Choose a competitor’s show or talent from another market and evaluate it carefully for a day or two. Were there any memorable moments that could have inspired a listener to tell someone else what they heard? What were they? How did it affect you? What was it about the show that makes you want to listen again? Was there anything?
Now, listen to your show. Evaluate every segment with the same criteria. If you didn’t tune in, would there be anything you missed?
You’ll likely hear mechanical breaks featuring live reads of liner cards that sound like we’re reading an ad. There are a few teases and promos with a call to action, but nothing to inspire that action. How many ordinary segments had potential, but there was no emotion because of shallow or non-existent show prep? And how about the information segments (news, entertainment updates, weather, traffic, etc.)? Did they sound like someone forced you to do it at gunpoint?
After your evaluation, brainstorm what could make each stand out, even if its a minor tweak. What one thing had the potential to be an “I wish I heard it today” moment? How could each segment be energized to cause the audience to feel a connection, and what should have been relegated to the cutting room floor?
Next Steps
Assess your content: Listen to your show and evaluate each segment. Are there any moments that could spark a conversation between listeners? If you didn’t listen, would you feel like you missed something important?
Identify areas for improvement: Be aware of the common pitfalls in radio content, such as features executed without passion.
Brainstorm ways to enhance your content: Consider how each segment can be more memorable and engaging. Identify the elements that could transform a segment into an “I wish I heard it today” moment, and don’t be afraid to discard content that doesn’t add value to your show.
Every time you turn on the microphone is an opportunity to create a unique and memorable experience for your listeners. Treat each moment as a gift to showcase your personality, entertain your audience, and forge meaningful connections. Prepare, develop, and perform each segment to leave your listeners with a sense of FOMO- the fear of missing out.
Pic designed by Benzoix for Freepik.com.