In our last article, we shared ten tips on how to be a great radio personality, from “Control Stress” to “Promote and support your staff.” We list another ten tips below from a convention address by UK Radio consultant John Simons:
- Always be out in the community
When something is going on, be there – and be sure the public knows where you are.
- Be friends with the sales department
Talk and come up with ideas to help them sell.
- Learn new skills
“The technology in a radio studio is phenomenal. There’s more screens in there than you know what to do with, so it’s important that you know what everything does, and that you learn and keep learning.”
- Share some of your life with your listeners
“Howard Stern is renowned as being this ‘outrageous shock jock,’ but actually, Howard only does something outrageous every 5 to 6 weeks to get a bit of press coverage. Most of the time, he just talks about what’s going on in his life and interviews people. Presenters who share their lives with their listeners become close to their listeners, one of their best friends.”
- Paint pictures
“The pictures on the radio are better than the pictures on TV because they’re in the listener’s head.”
- Know your audience, and live their life
“Watch the television shows that your listeners are watching. The new big movie that’s coming out in a few weeks, whether you like it or not, go and see it. Do the things that your audience does.”
- Use social media to stay relevant to your audience
“Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat – whatever the latest thing is, you’ve got to be aware of it; you’ve got to be involved in it. Facebook is still king. Doing videos along with stuff you do in the studio is so important.”
- Talk to one person, not the audience
“Don’t say ‘hello everybody,’ because we talk one-to-one. It’s a very personal – probably the most personal relationship – because you’re talking straight into someone’s head, straight into their brain.” There is listener engagement power by using the word “you.”
- Listen frequently to your airchecks
“Listen back to your own show every day. Listen to what you do. You’ll identify those verbal crutches that keep coming up in conversation; you’ll identify all sorts of things – before the PD does.” Put the listener first instead of using “I, me, my” in your content.
- Have something to say, and don’t be afraid to say it
Be you. Be spontaneous.
In closing, John said, “Live your life. Take chances. Be crazy. Don’t wait. Live your life. Right now is the oldest you’ve ever been and youngest you’ll ever be again.”
Pic from 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.