Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #144: A Series of Little Plays

In a recent tip, I stressed being visual in what you do on the air.

Here’s something that will help you get your arms around that. Think of your show as “a series of little plays” every day. My whole career was based on this, because it kept the show relatable and human. This “warts and all” approach takes away the posturing and bravado many deejays cling to, and there’s a residual bonus, too. Little stories you tell, if done the right way, get great phone callers with their own “takes” on what you’ve talked about. So now your show is more interactive, and becomes what I’ve referred to often as “a visit-driven” show, instead of a “bit-driven” or “agenda-driven” show.

When you reach the stage where your listener tunes in to visit with you, now you’ve got something tangible, something that no “55 minute music hour” or “12 in a row” claim across the street can make a dent in. And because you’re not competing with another station to see who can be the funniest, necessarily, you occupy a different space in your listener’s mind. You’re a FRIEND who happens to be visited by turning on the radio. Believe me, it works.

NOTE: There are specific techniques to use in sharing the little episodes of your life, one of which is to NEVER start into something by talking about yourself FIRST. For more on this, just call me.