Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #456: Liners Need to Die

Not long ago, just before a holiday weekend, I called Guitar Center about a guitar I’m thinking about buying.  A guy answered the phone with “Guitar Center, where you get fifteen percent off everything in the store through Monday.”

A liner.

Liners need to go away.  They’re boring.  Few people even notice them anymore.  It’s like waiting for a stop light to change.

Yes, I know… you spent all that time coming up with that catchy “Positioning Phrase” and you’ve hired a voice talent to say it a gazillion times with a smiley delivery.  So let’s make a deal… go ahead and use the liner in your promos and IDs.  But by all means, free the air talent from EVER having to say them.  They’re not good at it.

(I hear you.  No, they’re not.)


Tommy Kramer

Tommy has spent over 35 years as an air talent, programmer, operations manager and talent coach - working with over 300 stations in all formats. He publishes the Coaching Tip

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