3 Secrets Radio Personalities Don’t Want You to Know
The Public Speaker talks with popular radio personality, Jeff Brown, host of the Read to Lead podcast, to learn secrets successful broadcasters won’t tell you.
Lisa B. Marshall
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3 Secrets Radio Personalities Don’t Want You to Know
Recently I caught up with Jeff Brown. He’s an ex-radio guy with years of industry experience. These days, Jeff shares his love of reading with the world in his new and very successful podcast, Read to Lead.
I invited Jeff to join me on this week’s Public Speaker podcast to share with you the 3 secrets radio personalities don’t want you to know.
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In the past, getting into just about any creative field meant finding your way into the good graces of the powers that be. Even if you eventually managed that, you still had to slowly and ploddingly work your way up the ladder. You had to prove yourself worthy first. In Jeff’s case, it took 8 years of working part-time, mostly overnights and weekends, before he landed his first full-time on-air gig and eventually Jeff went on to co-host a nationally-syndicated morning show for the last 6 years of his on-air career.
As you know, the internet has leveled the playing field for a number of industries, and broadcasting is no exception. Today, the only thing standing in your way of hosting your own show is you! Virtually anyone can launch a podcast and have the potential to be heard by tens of thousands, or even millions, of people.
But wait! I know what you’re thinking. “If anyone can do it, doesn’t this mean that a lot of marginally talented people are producing subpar content?” I can assure you that, yes, this is indeed true.
The way I look at that however, is that it just makes it easier for your awesome content to stand out! As Seth Godin would say, “Instead of waiting to be picked. Pick yourself.”
So let’s get started with Jeff’s top 3 secrets!
Secret #1: Stop Trying to Please Everyone
Jeff: Early in my radio career, I worked for a station whose mission included reaching and impacting teens with positive music. Some felt we weren’t doing a good job of serving this demographic, so we added specific songs, promotions and events to what we were already doing in hopes of better serving teenagers, while continuing to try and successfully serve our target demographic – the 28-year-old, married female).
Unfortunately, not long after doing so, we noticed our overall listenership began to decline. This included continued struggles with attracting teenagers.
After a while, we convinced the powers that be to reverse course. In doing so, we found that as we super served our target demographic – the largest piece of the market pie – with a laser-like focus, we enjoyed higher ratings in all demographics. In other words, by filtering everything we did with a specific individual in mind, we reached more people in all demographics, including teenagers. It sounds counter-intuitive, but by narrowly tailoring your content, you actually broaden your potential audience.
The wonderful thing about podcasting is no matter what your passion, you can probably build a podcast around it. If you do, approach your podcast with laser-like focus. Write down who your target listener is or who you desire them to be, even down to specifics traits or proclivities you think he or she might possess. Cut out an image from a magazine or newspaper that represents, as closely as possible, your target demographic. Then, tape that image to your computer screen or on the wall next to you. You’re going to need it for the next secret.
Public Speaker: Great tip Jeff! Focus on your target demographic. What’s your next secret?
Secret #2: You’re Never Talking to More than One Person
Jeff: Here’s what I mean: If you’ve heard radio hosts or podcasters say things like “Hey all you listeners out there,” or “Good morning everyone, we’re excited to have all of you here,” then you’ve heard one of my biggest pet peeves.
It sounds counter-intuitive, but by narrowly tailoring your content, you actually broaden your potential audience.
Radio, and by extension, podcasting or any other form of audio content delivery, is a highly intimate medium. People listen in their car (often while alone), while out for a morning run, on the treadmill, or during a workout, or while performing chores around the house. And, more often than not, you’re in their heads, almost literally, via earbuds or headphones.
Anytime you begin to speak, you should do so as if your target demographic (whoever he or she is) is sitting right there next to you. Speak as if you’re talking to that one person. You’ll be amazed at the impact this simple subtlety can have on your listeners. They’ll say things like, “I know we’ve never met, but I feel like I know you.” Or, “Wow, I really felt like your show the other day was just for me.”
I often hear this pet peeve come out when a host is attempting to differentiate who they’re directing a statement to.
For example, while interviewing a guest on my podcast, I could say something like, “Welcome to the Read to Lead Podcast, Lisa. It’s great to have you on. For those of you who don’t know, Lisa is the host of the Public Speaker podcast.” The phrase “For those of you” lets you know I’m transitioning from speaking to my guest to speaking to the listener. But just like in this example, hosts often do so in the plural sense. It sounds unnatural, and less intimate.
It would be far better to state it like this: “Welcome to the Read to Lead Podcast, Lisa. It’s great to have you on. In case you don’t know, Lisa is the host of the Public Speaker podcast.”
This example illustrates a seamless and natural transition from engaging you, to engaging a single listener, not all of them as a group.
Public Speaker: Jeff, I agree. It’s important for a host (or a public speaker) to imagine as if they are talking to one person. In the case of podcasting, I think it’s very personal. I always assume I’m talking to just one person. In fact, I like to keep a picture of my friend Linda on my desk to remind me that I should talk like I’m talking to a close friend. Two great secrets so far, I hope you’re saving the best for last!
Secret #3: Be the Moon and Not the Sun
Jeff: Years ago my talent coach, Tommy Kramer, taught me that I am not the center of my listener’s universe, no matter how popular my show becomes.
The same goes for you. If you approach your audience under the assumption that you’re the center of their universe, you are sorely mistaken. Your job is to serve them and this begins by having a complete grasp of what they care about and what their concerns are. A self-centered host views what’s happening around them as how it affects them personally and then proceeds to approach it on the air from that angle exclusively. It’s only natural, right?
But a selfless host immediately asks things like “How does this thing affect my listener?” Or, “Among all the angles I could take on this story, what’s the one that’s going to resonate with my listener most?” Do that and put your own unique spin on it, and you’ve got content gold.
The moon reflects the sun’s light. Your job is to reflect back to your listener what’s important to them. It’s their universe and you are revolving around them, not the other way around.
Public Speaker: I love that analogy, but I’m one of those practical people. Can you give me a concrete example?
Jeff: Sure. I might want to chat about yesterday’s football game, but if my target is that 28-year-old married female, doing so is probably putting my agenda first. That’s not to say the NFL doesn’t have female fans. Nothing could be further from truth. But it’s probably not the first thing on her mind come Monday morning as she’s trying to start the day.
Public Speaker: OK, got it. Well, Jeff, thanks for sharing your 3 secrets and and also for agreeing to co-host this episode of The Public Speaker. You can listen to Jeff on his show, the Read to Lead Podcast, where he interviews successful and inspiring nonfiction authors every week. You can find his show on iTunes, but you can also visit his website: ReadtoLeadPodcast.com.
This is Lisa B. Marshall, Helping you maximize sales, manage perceptions, and enhance leadership through keynotes, workshops, books, and online courses. Passionate about communication; your success is my business.
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About the Author
Lisa B. Marshall Lisa holds masters with duel degrees in interpersonal/intercultural communication and organizational communication. She’s the author of Smart Talk: The Public Speaker’s Guide to Success in Every Situation, as well as Ace Your Interview, Powerful Presenter, and Expert Presenter. Her work has been featured in CBS Money Watch, Ragan.com, Woman’s Day, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and many others. Her institutional clients include Johns Hopkins Medicine, Harvard University, NY Academy of Science, University of Pennsylvania, Genentech, and Roche.