I’ve been in the broadcast industry for nearly 30 years. To this day, I still remember how excited I was to get started. Just imagine, a 19-year-old boy so excited he could barely control himself. I knew I would be talking to thousands of people at once, playing their favorite songs, and keeping them company throughout the nighttime. For a 19-year-old kid, this was a dream come true.
So my first night on the air, I knocked it out of the park, at least so I thought. The music was right, and there I was, with all of my enthusiasm, “Good Morning Everybody, it’s Rob hanging out with Y’all tonight. I’d like to talk to Everyone listening…give me a call at 555-……and so it went.
The Power of One to One Communication
Well, when I went into my first meeting with my new boss, I couldn’t wait to tell him about what a great job I had done. But very early on, he taught me a valuable lesson about how radio works, one that stands the test of time: For a communicator to be effective, you talk to ONE person, no matter how many thousands may be listening. One of the unique things about radio, is it really is one-on-one communication. That break above changed and became more personal: “Good morning, it’s 6:20, A great day to hit the pool. I’m Rob Meyer and I’d love to hear from You.”
I know it’s a small difference, but as a radio personality, we are here every day and tend to have a lot of the same listeners every day. The more the announcer shares about him or herself, combined with one-to-one delivery as explained above, the more that on-air personality becomes a familiar, friendly voice that listeners know and begin to trust. A bond is formed.
Controlled Word of Mouth
Live endorsements on the radio provide one-on-one communication from the on-air personality who talks directly to listeners about your business. If done properly, endorsements can come across as “word-of-mouth” advertising, as opposed to another ad that screams a bunch of facts. Endorsements are more conversational, and the on-air personality conveys a message that the audience can relate to and act upon.
A recent study from University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism showed that 75% of respondents turn on the radio because their favorite personality is on the air, and 72% of respondents talk to their friends about their favorite radio personality or what they heard on the program. Imagine if they were talking about something going on at your business!
Not to mention that all of this talk is going on “inside their shows” as opposed to being another message in a commercial break!
On and Off Air
But it doesn’t stop there. Today’s air personalities are connected to their listeners like never before. When their shows end and they are off the air, these personalities continue to interact and connect with their listeners through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Snapchat! With cell phones and webcams, videos have never been easier to produce and often add even more interaction with the audience!
There is no doubt that radio personalities and endorsements can add a personal touch and deliver your message to an engaged audience. Find out more by talking to your Zimmer Radio professional today!
