If there were a magic button to grow audience without spending money, every station would already be wearing the paint off it. The good news? That button actually exists—and it’s called Promoting Ahead.
That was the #1 internal marketing takeaway from John Lund’s NAB session on Talent Coaching. The question for every show and station is simple: once you’ve worked so hard to get people to tune in, how do you keep them from wandering off after one song and a sip of coffee?
Great programming is the best place to start. But let’s be honest—that alone won’t do it.
The average listener has a 10-minute listening habit. Ten minutes. That’s not a commute; it’s a pit stop. So if you want to grow your audience the easiest, least expensive way possible, focus on two things:
- Increase Time Spent Listening (TSL)
- Increase the number of listening occasions per day
The secret weapon for doing both? Constant, strategic teasing.
Television figured this out years ago. Radio… not so much. Yet the principle is the same: give people a reason to stay, and a reason to come back.
Why do TV newscasts tease everything? Because it works. They don’t assume viewers will stick around out of loyalty or habit—they earn the next moment. As TV news consultant Graeme Newell put it:
“Teasing isn’t journalism—it’s advertising.”
And good teasing sells.
The same applies to your show and station. Teasing increases listening occasions. It stretches TSL. It creates anticipation. And it taps into core emotional drivers—curiosity, surprise, relevance, and “I don’t want to miss that.”
One critical lesson from TV: never tell the audience you’re leaving.
Smart TV stations don’t say, “We’re stopping now,” “We’re going away,” or “We’ll be right back after the break.” Because the moment you say you’re leaving… the audience does too.
Radio should follow the same rule. If you tell listeners you’re “going to a break,” they might decide to take one as well—and possibly never return. Instead, sell what’s coming after the break. Promote the benefit. Tease the moment.
Teasing Rules to Live By
- Make a Promise — Give listeners a clear, compelling reason to stay.
- Be Specific — Vague kills anticipation faster than dead air.
- Give a Taste, Not the Full Meal — Curiosity beats completeness every time.
- Tell Them When — “Coming up next,” “In five minutes,” “At 2 o’clock.”
And again, never say you’re going to take a break. Sell the next moment, not the pause.
Tease Like a Legend
The master class in teasing came from Casey Kasem on American Top 40. He didn’t read lists—he told stories. He teased one song in a way that made you lean in. He made a promise. He created emotion. He gave just enough information to keep you listening—and never the whole story.
Casey’s blueprint still works:
- No lists
- One strong hook
- One clear benefit
- One unforgettable reason to stay
Promoting ahead costs nothing. It requires no budget meeting, no extra staff, and no approval from accounting. It simply requires discipline, creativity, and the willingness to sell the next moment.
Do that consistently, and your audience will stick around longer… and come back more often.
Which is how you grow ratings without growing expenses.
Pic designed by DrDotBean for Freepik.com.
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.