Jeff Bezos is the latest high-profile believer in The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life. Other early-risers include Tim Cook, Michelle Obama, Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, and many more. The core philosophy of the book and podcast is to use the early, undisturbed hours to cultivate personal growth, leading to long-term success and elite […]
Back in the day, there was a morning show character formula called “Dick, Dork, Dear.” It was simple and easy to remember. Many shows tried to force themselves into that three-person box. But today’s successful shows don’t follow a fixed formula. We see four-person casts (a few), three-person teams (several), two-person shows (the most common), […]
“Is our show or digital more important?” That’s a question I hear often from talent and programmers. Today’s personalities are expected to do everything: host a radio show, a podcast, a YouTube channel, and stay active on all the socials. In many ways, today’s talent has the same opportunity that made Howard Stern the “King […]
Endorsements from trusted radio and podcast personalities can have as much, or even more, impact than a personal recommendation from a friend. When endorsements work, they deepen the host’s relationship with the audience. When they don’t, they sound like a speed bump that can weaken your brand. 8 WAYS TO MAKE ENDORSEMENTS WORK 1. Only […]
Evaluating the competition is one of the most underused growth tools for radio shows. Many teams either ignore competitors or pay attention only when the ratings come out. But when done intentionally, competitive analysis can sharpen a show in several important ways. Here are some of the key benefits. 1. Clarifies Your PositioningWhen you study other […]
When I was a young PD, some managers would urge me to conceal ratings from talent. Most often, because when ratings were high, they didn’t want talent letting them go to their head, or worse, asking for a raise! Today, most managers share ratings with talent. That can be a positive, but many talent freak […]
Here’s one sentence that changed the path of my life: “Manage internally before managing others.” That was wisdom from Dr. Holly Latty-Mann, president of The Leadership Trust years ago at Wake Forest University. “Care for your instrument,” the phrase Dr. Holly used to help me realize that my “instrument” was a wreck. As a first-time program director, I […]
What’s the most dangerous thing that can happen to a successful show? It’s comfort and familiarity. Not trying anything new or going anywhere unfamiliar. It’s walking through your day, half paying attention. It’s having conversations and not really listening. That’s autopilot. And autopilot is where creativity goes to die. Your Unique PerspectiveRadio people often ask me, “How do […]
One of the best growth tools you have is simple: listen back to your own show. Sometimes it’s cringy, sometimes it’s inspiring. Guest segments, even with big stars, often tank in PPM. They can slow the pace and feel promotional. And the second, the conversation drifts into industry talk, listeners bail. But guest interviews don’t […]
Personality radio shows often believe they’re in the content business.They’re not. They’re in the emotional experience business. Portland, ME morning ace, Blake Hayes at Coast 93.1, shared an episode with me from the brand-oriented How I Built This podcast with Guy Raz. Guy advised a businesswoman who owns a puzzle company that she’s not selling puzzles; “What you’re selling is an emotional [...]
