(By Loyd Ford) Today is your only opportunity. There is a difference between being ‘on the air’ (this is a status update) and making authentic local impact.
In multiple recent conversations the subject of talent coaching has come up and the response in the conversation is about the disappearance of all coaching. As consolidation and the consequences of some of the newer corporate business models have rained destruction within programming ranks, more and more jobs and tasks are being done by fewer and fewer people. Of course, if you work in radio, you have been familiar with this for a long time. Yet it may still be your passion to be on-air in your market or even to voice track multiple markets. This article is for you.
You live in a temporary world and it’s not just radio. Companies are consolidating and business owners of all kinds are working to understand the best way to survive and thrive in their business. You should be working on yours, too.
What’s My Value?
You should always keep this in mind because chances are the managers and business owners are working on figuring that out everyday when they wake up.
How Do I Get Ahead Of The Curve?
Now we’re talking. No matter what your job today, you should examine how your employer generates revenue and position yourself to be a part of the story of how the business generates revenue. Chances are pretty good you touch revenue today, but what you want to do is place your big fat head in the center of how your employer thinks his or her revenue is produced.
Real Talent Is Money
Talent does this by studying how to be the most powerful, productive, active and engaging endorser. Being an influencer in your market can be powerful and the visuals can be unmistakable. How are you doing on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Clubhouse and a variety of other social platforms?
Real Talent Engages Sales
Sales is hard. Go ask a salesperson. They will tell you. What are you doing to develop relationships with your sellers? What are you doing to make their days better? Have you been on a sales call? No, I’m not kidding. How do you help local sellers look like experts? How often do you suggest revenue producing ideas (with you in the middle of them, of course)?
There’s A Difference Between Being On The Air & Making Local Impact
How are you really impacting the lives of listeners? Advertisers? Local community leaders? These are real people, with real problems, family and lives. If you are really honest with yourself, are you impacting these people? I’m here to tell you that being on the radio you can.
All That You Hear About How Radio Isn’t As Cool As Ever Is A Lie
The truth is that real talent engages the now, they move into the heart and the emotion of their audience and they spend time learning new things so they can consistently expand their sphere of influence. Your value to your employer, your listener, your advertiser, your community today is your ability to create influence, really connect emotionally and get in front of the important parades in your community.
Radio Is A Launch Pad
Stop seeing radio as the only thing you do. It isn’t or it shouldn’t be. It should be the launch pad for other areas that you influence. I’ve said this for years, “Once you have a radio station, you can get anything else you want.” That doesn’t mean your work is done. It means that today is your only opportunity. YOU are in charge of your career. You are charting the direction of your career and here is THE TRUTH:
You have more weapons, tools, resources and opportunity today to grow your real influence than at any time in human history. But your company isn’t likely going to do it for you. YOU have to do it.
And you CAN do it. You can become more influential today because you are already on radio. You can grow your personal business, too. So, let’s see your stuff!
Loyd Ford consults radio stations, coaches personalities, and provides behavioral and strategic programming to radio with RPC. If you’re on the Clubhouse app, you can join Loyd’s radio pro encouragement group “The Encouragers.” Reach him anytime. 864.448.4169 or [email protected].
