Here’s How Much Your Listeners Think About You, Your Show and Your Radio Station – Not Much!

Anyone working in the radio industry is so close to the action that they usually can’t see the forest for the trees. Radio people can at times tend to be too inwardly focused and can fall into the trap of thinking all anyone in the world thinks about is radio.

And that is a long way from the truth. They don’t care that much!

So it’s not easy for you, your show or your station to cut through.

You would be surprised just how little the average person really knows or cares about any of those things.

I was in my local barber shop the other day. There were 6 people having a discussion. They consisted of a female staff member (28), a male barber (40), a young male barber (26), a male customer (26), a late 30’s female and a male (35).

They were listening to an “ All 80’s “ digital radio station when someone said “Can we listen to a station that plays ads” She was bored ! She was missing the ads, the production, the announcers and information – the stimulation.

The conversation went something like this:

Can we change the station to one that plays ads?

Sure which one do you want?

The new one

What new one?

Is that 105?

Or 106?

Yes 106.5 

Never heard of it

Me either

That’s the station Kyle’s on

Kyle who?

Kyle Sandilands? ( chuckle )

Oh yes 106.5

Isn’t that Mix?

They play a mix of music

That Kyle he’s a funny guy

Is it Kiis?

Is that the new one?

A fairly typical conversation about radio.

The key takeway from this is that the group managed to recall just three things. In order they were:

1. Talent – Kyle
2. Frequency – 106.5
3. Brand – Kiis & Mix 

It just showed how so little cuts though, gets remembered or is recalled by listeners.

Kyle was remembered and talked about the most.

There’s not many talent who cut through like Kyle, and that’s due not only to his longevity in the market but also the press he generates, TV cross promotion and marketing, but mostly his uniqueness and the content he delivers on air each day. Kyle being himself, Kyle.

They first remembered one talent name – Kyle.

There are not many great talent who are remembered and few who can be recalled easily in just one word – Kyle!

If you can be remembered in just one word, you are probably well on the way to making it to the big time.

A few past and present examples that spring to mind include: 
Eddie
Amanda
Mulray
Hadley
Fitzy
Wendy
Jones
Matt
Denton
Marty
Robyn
Hughesy
Kate

So it’s worth you giving some thought to.

Are you, your show and your station cutting though?

What are you going to do to cut though in the future?

What are you doing to get people talking?

What are you doing to be remembered?

Brad March is a Director of Radio Today, is a former CEO of Austereo and has been named Media Executive of the Year. He’s Director of Marchmedia and Pacific Retail Management.