If You Think You Can’t, You’re Right

An actual conversation recently had with a talent:

Steve Reynolds:  “To make that idea ever bigger, why don’t we invite the sports guy from channel 4 to do a humorous play-by-play?”

Talent:  “He can’t come in when we’re on because he isn’t awake.”

Steve Reynolds:  “You’re right, because you said ‘can’t’.”

 

Can’t.  Won’t.  C’mon man, where’s the innovative spirit to make things happen?  The mindset that we can do anything?

There was a great news story a few weeks ago about Danny Cashman, who for years had a weekly TV talk show in the state of Maine.  After 15 years, he decided to end the program.  He wondered who he could have on as a guest who could best relate to walking away from a show like that.

So, he sent off a letter to David Letterman inviting him on.  And Letterman said yes.  The story is here and here.  Letterman’s appearance is here (it’s tons of fun – watch the reaction of the audience as he surprises them).  Cashman’s appearance to talk about it on Howard Stern’s show is here.  There was no “can’t” or “won’t” in Cashman’s vocabulary.

There’s an old story I’d heard years ago about JohnJay and Rich on KISS in Phoenix who wanted Oprah on their show.  The easy putt was to say that’d never happen and move on.  Throw some innovative problem solving to get to the goal and the can’t and won’t never appeared.  They found Oprah’s dad, interviewed him, sent the audio to Oprah who loved it so much that (wait for it)…she came on their show.

When I moved to Raleigh years ago, my partner and I decided we wanted to get the governor on, considering we are in the state capital.  We were two yahoos from the north and could never make that happen, right?  Let’s abandon the thought and read celebrity birthdays instead.  Nope.  I wrote a letter every month to his wife, inviting her on our show to promote any cause important to her.

Two years and 24 letters later, the call finally came.  Her PR person said they’d received all my letters and wondered if Mrs. Martin could come on to promote a benefit she was involved with.  What we found was that Mrs. Martin and I had the same sense of humor.  Three guesses what eventually came?  We ended up getting the private phone number into the residence of the governor’s mansion and a treasure trove of ideas came alive, many with the governor, for two reasons:  we built the relationship and because “can’t” and “won’t” weren’t how we put the show together.

For radio to thrive and survive, we must be imaginative again with our content.  For my wonderful talent, on whose shoulders rest our relevance and success, shoot high and never, ever, ever, ever believe it’s not possible to get anything done without perseverance and imaginative problem solving.

Drop the ‘t and watch what you can do.

PS – remind me to tell you how we got the legendary Coach K on our show to talk about how the music of Barry White helped his romantic relationship with his wife.  Tapes still exist of that…

Scratch It for the Graduate

Graduation is upon us.  Put listeners on whose kids are graduating, letting them gush.  Then, if they’re going to college, have a scratch off lottery ticket, and reveal what they’ve won to apply against their grad’s college education!

The Morning Wolfpack, KKWF, Seattle with Getting Right to the Content

First let’s talk about the content.  Story-based, lots of drama, and multiple points-of-view.  Gabe on the Morning Wolfpack with Matt McAllister, Gabe, and Captain Ron, KKWF, Seattle posted a Tik Tok video that pissed off her boyfriend’s father.  It’s a pretty simple story to tell and mine for gold.  Here are two segments of the drama on the show.  There are a couple of things I want to note before you listen to them.  First – in radio we often have a story and then the cast member in it tells everyone’s side.  That’s pretty one-dimensional and deprives you of first hand extra voices with perspectives.  The show invites on Gabe’s boyfriend in the first break, and then her father to tell their side of things.  Both those people add much more to the story,  The other item to note – the song ends and the content (story telling) starts.  They spend zero seconds up front with nonsense.  They get right to the content!

Men Can’t Morgan, But Women Can Wallen

Morgan Wallen is the hottest thing right now in country music (and some crossover formats).  He just released the behemoth of an album (37 tracks).  Time to tap in around this Hot Topic with Men Can’t Morgan, But Women Can Wallen.  Using his hits, get men and women to do karaoke separately to prove the thesis that men can’t sing his songs, but women can.

John and Tammy, KSON, San Diego with Winning an “ACM”

A running theme on John and Tammy, KSON, San Diego is that they always get nominated for awards, but never win them.  They’re the Susan Lucci of local radio!  As a tenured show, the rules are different.  They can mock themselves and treat sardonically not winning an award.  This is a connection point with their audience, as their fans don’t win any awards, too.  Because they are so well-defined after 10+ years on-the-air, it’s okay to do this.  They were up for an ACM (Academy of Country Music) award this year, but didn’t win again.  So they did the next best thing the morning the ACM show was on TV.  They broadcast live from ACM Auto Body and Paint in San Diego.  The client was smart and gave them their ACM.  Here’s a video they put on social to continue that story line.

Elizabeth and Radar, 99.1 The MIX, Milwaukee with Pope or Nope

Being creative to grab listeners doesn’t take much sometimes.  It could be a simple twist that rockets a break from passive to active.  As proven by Elizabeth and Radar, 99.1 The MIX, Milwaukee.  A new Pope emerges and he’s from America!  We have a new rabbit hole of information everywhere.  Many shows will just read stuff online and discuss it on-air.  But here’s a simple twist, turning that information into a vicarious game played with a listener called Pope or Nope.  Sometimes it isn’t too tough to create a fresh treatment to this very relevant topic.  Elizabeth has a bunch of facts and she engages Radar and caller on each, thus creating humor around something that’s very topical.  At times we default to just conversation.  But a little creative push can sometimes make the difference to earn the right images to impress and engage your fans.

Pope or Nope

So, what do you know about the new Pope?  It’d be easy to just recite facts that you read online to your audience.  But, playing Pope or Nope is better.  Get a bunch of listeners on, then quiz them fact by fact.  Is it “pope” or “nope”.  Thanks to Elizabeth and Radar 99.1 The MIX, Milwaukee for this idea.  Hear it on the kick ass audio page.

Creating Credible Connections

All the ratings gimmickry in the world can’t beat a personality who is emotionally connected to his or her listeners.

When starting with a show, I ask what two unaided things they want the audience to say about them in two years.  Almost every time I get back the right answers:  that the show is fun to listen to and “I feel like I know them.”

Those are the images you want:  fun and authenticity.

  • In whatever topic you’re talking about, are you being honest with the audience? Years ago, when I was on-the-air, our consultant told me that I had to talk about the TV show Melrose Place because it was #1.  While I certainly had a working knowledge of the program, I hated it.  I asked the consultant if I could share that.  He said no, because it was #1 and that meant “everyone loved it”.  That didn’t pass the smell test for creating connection to me.  I disagreed with the advice, and we ignored the topic because I couldn’t be honest.  You do you.  Have a knowledge of and take on everything going on now.  Then forge honest conversations with your team and do interesting things from those perspectives and you will define who you are.
  • Share those parts of your life that prove to the audience you’re just like them. That doesn’t mean everything is fair game.  Understand everyone’s addiction to drama.  If your story doesn’t have drama, you don’t have good content.  The lines were long at the ice cream shop might be relatable, but it isn’t interesting.  The lines were long and three Karens showed up to scream at the manager and one got arrested is.  Brene Brown said that “vulnerability is the birthplace of belonging, acceptance, creativity, and empathy.”  Let me in and that connection starts to happen.

This is not code for talk more about yourself.  It’s a balance that creates an engaging dynamic.

Think about your personal circle of friends who are honest and vulnerable.  You actively choose to be around them because they are those two items above.  That’s called cume and TSL.  And it’s a must if you’re going to develop a significant relationship with your audience.

Radio’s survival rests on the ability of personalities to form stronger human connections.  It’s a super power TV and podcasts don’t have.  Only radio does.

If you can’t share who you really are, you can’t create a genuine connection with your listener.  If you fail at creating connection, you’ll just be another bland option for those in search of people just like them who can tell stories that entertain and engage.

But, curate and prep your content to do the above?  Well, that could be lethal.