Don’t get caught

My wife has a little pillow she loves that says, “I’m striving to be the person my dog thinks I am.”

People who know me know how strongly I feel about creating emotional connections with others.

At least half my blog posts are designed to stir you emotionally — not teach you, not preach at you — just make you feel strong emotions.

So you won’t be surprised that I love this article from FAST COMPANY.

It made me think about most of the great radio stations I’ve heard around the world. They all share some common traits, but the main one is they don’t tell you what they are, they are what they are, and you feel it every time you listen.

It’s a recurring theme with me: Don’t say it, Be it.

Don’t tell me how funny your Morning Show is. Hire a really funny Morning Show so that every time — every time! — I listen, I laugh.

Don’t yell at me about “Good times and blah blah blah…”, make it fun to hear your station every time I listen.

Don’t autotune a promo about all the hits you play, introduce me to new songs I love every time I tune in. I’ll figure out you’re the “hit station” by what I hear musically, not orally.

And, as often as I preach creating emotional content to talent with whom I’ve worked over the years, I shudder when I hear the fake brand, the stick-on emotion.

Listeners can feel authenticity, and they get really pissed off if you try to fool them by seeming to care about something you don’t.

Read the article. Then ask yourself what your station is doing in your community to generate emotional connection, authentic emotional connection, with the people you want to be part of your tribe.

Stop faking it. Stop persuading yourself you’re connected when you do a 2-week series of PSAs for breast cancer.

Put your money — your air time — where your mouth is.

Don’t settle for being another button on the car radio.

Make a difference in the lives of those who listen.

Be unforgettable today.