18 May Lund Management Memo: Going High-Touch
While many search for ways to play the ratings game to gain higher shares, there’s one unassailable fact: great talents draw regular listeners and higher ratings. One common thread is the “touch” factor. A great morning talent touches his/her listeners to the point that they feel a kinship that leads to a “can’t miss a day” habit. These are no liner card talents; they are performers who find that magic connection with their listeners. They are known to their audience and admired. It might be for the good they do (the DJ who helps a family recover from a tragedy) or for the entertainment value (think Ryan Seacrest). We know that local talents who connect with important local causes have larger followings.
How do your talents rate? Does each first-team talent have a community bond you can describe? Do your sales people know about this and how to pitch this? How do listeners identify your talents? If they cannot name them or tell you about them, there’s room to grow! How does each talent build bonds with your audience? What feedback do you get beyond ratings reports?