by Tracy Johnson
Most personalities believe that one of the problems in delivering great content is format and clock limitations. In a world where song intros have grown shorter and programmers are more particular about the length of talk segments, it’s a challenge to be sure. But This is proof that you absolutely, positively can deliver a great break in 7 seconds.
As a matter of fact, you could make the argument that this break would have had less impact if the talent had more time.
The talent was on in the afternoon in Miami. I can’t remember the station or the personality. I only heard a couple of breaks, so I wasn’t sure if he was a full-time jock or a weekender. But it doesn’t matter. This is as good as it gets.
I wish I had the audio to share. This break was that good.
It was the middle of February. A lovely day in Miami, but a massive blizzard was hitting the northeast, and most of the east coast of the United States was blanketed with snow and high winds.
Listeners in Miami heard this break:
The song starts… the personality says:
If you’re on Facebook today, you might want to invite your friends in the Northeast to come on down. It’s another day in paradise on South Beach.
On the surface, this is really simple.
You’re probably thinking, “What’s the big deal?”. It’s a simple break. it’s not rocket science. But it kind of is.
Break it down. There’s a lot to like here.
It’s personal: He uses the most powerful word in radio twice in the break: You. It’s all about the listener as he focuses attention outward, speaking one-to-one.
The content is topical: Everyone was talking about the blizzard in the U.S. But in Miami, how do you relate? Just another 80 degree day covered with sunshine. This personality didn’t just say, “Hey, how about that blizzard. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.” He found a way to make it relatable. And notice he didn’t have to explain the blizzard. There was no need. Listeners already knew. This is a great example of being in the moment while paying attention to the local audience experience.
It’s local: The topic was the blizzard, but he’s in Miami. Without even mentioning the actual topic, he turns a national story into localized content.
It’s relevant: He doesn’t just reference the topic, he connects the topic to Facebook. What could be more “now”? It’s community pride: One of the emotions most personalities miss is relating to pride in the community. This is a small thing, but it ties in nicely to cause the audience to feel a connection to the city. The way he phrased it and delivered it oozed pride in being from South Florida.
It was just one break, and only 7 seconds. All of it was over the short intro of an uptempo song. But it was fantastic personality radio. This break made listeners feel great by adding to the listening experience.
This is proof that you don’t have to talk a LOT to entertain, connect and relate to your audience. It just takes creativity, intelligence and time to prepare. And the funny thing is that the less time allowed to entertain, the more effort it takes to prepare.
Want their attention? The clock is ticking.
Tracy Johnson specializes in radio talent coaching, radio consulting for programming and promotions and developing digital strategies for brands.
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