Frost Advisory #537 – How Your Station Can Be More Like Disney

If your station is playing Christmas music I’ve got good news and bad news.

The good news is that if you do it well you’ll eliminate your station’s biggest barrier for growth – playing music that is unfamiliar to a new audience.

The bad news is new listeners don’t understand what your station is about. They don’t have your perspective. They don’t understand the relationship of Ken and Barbie on the morning show, they don’t understand who for King and Country is and why they are doing concerts at a drive-in movie theatre, they don’t understand that your station plays Christmas music every year, and they don’t understand why you’re asking for money. (I once heard a general manager insist that new listeners loved fundraisers. No, he loved fundraisers, and his perspective impacted the station’s ability to be attractive to new listeners).

Do you know why Disney cast members wear tags with their name and hometown?

Frankly, Disney knows that you don’t care where they’re from – unless you’re also from there, or from near there, or have just been there, or have always wanted to go there, or wonder how they got from there to here. Disney knows that the name tag simply begins a conversation that can begin a relationship which can change the experience. And experience is what they are all about.

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Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #390: “Slug lines” on Promos

Often, promos get waylaid by trying too hard to say too much.  In particular, “slug lines” (tags) on the end try WAY too hard.

“He’s a little bit goofy.  She’s a little bit ditzy…”
“Making you laugh every day…”
“They’re here to lift you up…”

Blah, blah, blah.

You don’t need these.  Here’s the template…

1. A quick intro: “Jack and Belinda…”
2. A sound bite from the show.
3. Then a tag: “Jack and Belinda, Mornings on 93.9 KBGL…”

Cut out the adjectives and superlatives.  Let the clip do the work.

Frost Advisory #536 – November 22, 1963; The Day The World Changed

We’ve chatted a lot over these 536 Frost Advisories about how to grow your station. Growth is the fruit of adopting common ground; of making the unfamiliar familiar.

Many Christian stations serve only the Christian sub-culture talking primarily to churchgoing folks with a heavy emphasis on religious or spiritual content. Other stations desire to reach a broader audience which is often described as “spiritual, but not necessarily religious.” Those stations strive to be culturally relevant and talk like friends in the room. But that doesn’t mean that you talk about just anything.

Take this infamous day in history, November 22, 1963, as an example.

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Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #389: Selling versus Telling

There’s a huge difference between “selling” and “telling.”

“Selling” something isn’t nearly as effective as simply Telling me about it; sharing.  There’s a built-in resistance to someone pounding a message home.

Disc jockeys are told to “sell” liners, copy points, etc.  But you don’t “sell” your friends on something.  You just share what you know or believe.  (If you do “sell” all the time, believe me, your friends are tired of it and you need to stop.)  This is why disc jockeys aren’t doing movie trailers and national ads.

In working with many voice actors that you hear every day on national spots, I’ve often stressed just talking to the listener/viewer.  A great example from the past is voiceover master Mason Adams, famous for “With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good.”

Just talk to me.  It works.

Frost Advisory #535 – Brace Yourself For The Complaints

“Why are you playing Christmas music on Election Day?”

The complaints pour in.

“Why are you playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving?”

Think about it. If I’m driving around in my car and I tune in to your radio station in the middle of November and hear Burl Ives instead of Matthew West, I could be confused. Unless I understand “the why.”

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. And what you do serves as proof of why you do it.”

Simon Sinek, “Start with Why”

On Election Day our station votes for comfort and joy. In this political season our station is an escape from the negative headlines.

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Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #388: Degree of Fit

When a break is too wordy, you have to rush. And that’ll usually mean you’re going faster than the song, which the listener may not consciously think about, but the ear notices.

Being concise cures this. Only do what fits, conversationally.

Follow this rule: if what you want to say won’t fit over an intro, SAY LESS. Being concise is an art. When it comes to Content, the person who doesn’t waste the listener’s time wins.

Talk radio hosts: you might want to think about being more concise, too. Beating a subject to death doesn’t work as well as a more concise, better organized statement. Past a certain point, you’re in danger of just coming across as a loud, droning noise.

Remember…

The most recorded song in our lifetime is “Yesterday” by the Beatles. It’s only two minutes long.

The most quoted speech in history by an American President is the Gettysburg Address. It’s also the shortest.

The most powerful piece of scripture in the Bible is only two words long.

Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #388: Degree of Fit

When a break is too wordy, you have to rush. And that’ll usually mean you’re going faster than the song, which the listener may not consciously think about, but the ear notices.

Being concise cures this. Only do what fits, conversationally.

Follow this rule: if what you want to say won’t fit over an intro, SAY LESS. Being concise is an art. When it comes to Content, the person who doesn’t waste the listener’s time wins.

Talk radio hosts: you might want to think about being more concise, too. Beating a subject to death doesn’t work as well as a more concise, better organized statement. Past a certain point, you’re in danger of just coming across as a loud, droning noise.

Remember…
The most recorded song in our lifetime is “Yesterday” by the Beatles. It’s only two minutes long.

The most quoted speech in history by an American President is the Gettysburg Address. It’s also the shortest.

The most powerful piece of scripture in the Bible is only two words long.

– – – – – – –
Tommy Kramer
Talent Coach
214-632-3090 (iPhone)
e-mail: coachtommykramer@gmail.com
Member, Texas Radio Hall of Fame
© 2020 by Tommy Kramer. All rights reserved.

Frost Advisory #534 – So, Who Won The Election?

As you’re reading this you’ve probably seen people celebrating in the streets over the results of the election. But you also know that challenges are going to be filed in court this week related to possible voting irregularities.

So, who won the election?

More specifically for our little radio family… did your station “win” during this election?

That can only be answered, obviously, if we DEFINE the win.

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Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #387: Re-imagining Interviews

You’re playing a recorded interview (and in Music Radio, ALL interviews not done live in the studio should be recorded whenever possible). Something happens that takes the guest and you by surprise. But the guest’s agenda (what they want to promote) hasn’t been taken care of yet, or you’re not ready to pull the trigger right then.

Ho hum. So we hear a little too much, and the one truly spontaneous moment gets “lost in the blah-blah.”

Here’s an alternative to just mindlessly playing what you recorded: Think of the audio as just ‘sound bites’ (and break them into pieces accordingly), so you can interject a thought or a comment, then play more audio if needed. Way too often, I hear bland interviews treated as being sacrosanct, which keeps them from sounding like an organic “visit” with the artist.

Remember:

  1. Not everything needs to be included in the audio. You can add stuff live.
  2. And not everything that IS in the audio needs to be played.

Frost Advisory #533 – What, Not Who, Are You Voting For?

These are curious times. Perhaps you’ve noticed.

“Everyone is upset about something today. As a result, a growing dearth of kindness is apparent in our marketplace interactions, most notably in our media and political discussions and debates. A spirit of unforgiveness has been unleashed in our land, and it’s consuming us.”

Joe Battaglia, noted author and Yankee fan

Recently our niece shared how much she loved the Hallmark channel’s “Christmas in July.” She said, “I’m just looking for anything with a happy ending.”

Tuesday morning is coming. Election day is near.

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