Tell Me A Story…

by Uncle Alan

I was in negotiations with a talk radio network recently. We explored the possibility of producing a weekly talk show featuring Uncle Alan. We couldn’t come to terms, so the deal fell through. But, I thoroughly enjoyed talking with the President of the network about radio and its future — and about talk shows, in particular.

Before negotiations were closed down, we spent a considerable amount of time time on the phone. The guy’s obviously forgotten more than I’ll ever manage to learn about the broadcasting business and I hung on every word. Despite his 35 years in the radio business, his business model, while flawed, didn’t fit the “dinosaur industry” image so often applied to over-the-air (terrestrial) radio.

He’s covering all his bets when it comes to maintaining a profitable radio broadcasting company, especially in the face of current trends away from terrestrial radio (and terrestrial-based television and print media), to the Internet.

I’d like to share some insights I picked up during those discussions.

Build Your Media Business To Last

The president of this radio network understands that the terrestrial radio broadcasts we all pick up with a simple antenna are fading, in favor of satellite and “on-demand” Internet podcasts. His company currently has terrestrial-based talk shows and short features on the air on more than 1,000 terrestrial radio stations, reaching more than 3.5 million people. But, he’s also put together shows that are delivered as online podcasts. The online shows are promoted on the company’s over-the-air programs, to drive traffic and build up the audience, and they are monetized with sponsors and/or subscriptions to newsletters from the hosts, books, etc.

The network has 40-50 talk shows online at any given time.

For now, the president of this company looks at his online shows as their “AAA” tream – a training arena for potential hits that can be moved to their over-the-air line-up. But, they also pursue sponsors and other revenue streams for them. Shows that never make the move can be profitable enough to warrant continued production for regular online airing.

I like this approach!

The way this company has been structured, it doesn’t matter what happens to terrestrial radio — he’ll profit. As long as things stay the way they are today, he can keep building his “AAA” team, finding the occasional diamonds he can move over to terrestrial broadcasting while he builds the profits of his online offerings.

If things continue to trend downward for terrestrial radio (which it will – and he knows it), he’s got multiple shows with a following and sponsors or other profit centers already built in, so he just continues building that side of things.

In other words, the man works in radio broadcasting, not terrestrial radio broadcasting. There’s a huge difference between the two.

The point? He’s a specialist. He’s a master of broadcast radio. But, he’s not pinning his future or the future of his company on a particular method of delivery or one profit model. He’s not letting his own vision of “how radio ought to be” get in his way.

He’s built his broadcasting company to last, to weather the storms of change. I believe he’s poised to profit, whatever happens.

This is exactly how you need to build your online media business.

The Voice Within

During one of our conversations, this radio network owner revealed his love for the medium. He talked of the power of radio and, especially, of podcasts. And he described it as one of the most personal mediums in existence.

When people listen to online podcasts, he said, a huge percentage of them listen with ear buds. This puts the voices the listener is hearing on the show directly inside the heads of their audience!

“You become a part of their body, Alan,” he said. “A part of their internal systems, able to capture their attention in ways that simply aren’t possible with any other medium.”

This is important stuff to consider. It underscores the value of creating audio programs and, in particular, podcasts, as an important part of any products you create – especially promotional products.

Thanks to that perspective, I can now see that giving podcasts away, to pull in prospects for your products, is still an excellent way to slip inside your prospects and whisper sweet nothings that make them want to buy. Posting podcasts on your blogs and in your email newsletters allows you to better get inside your audience and become a part of their internal conversation, branding you and forming that much-desired bond with them faster and better than almost any other medium can.

What They All Really Want

But – the network President said something else even MORE important to me, something that cements the deal and makes the impact truly irresistible.

“So,” he said. “There you are, directly inside their head. Whether it’s just you talking or you talking to other people, you’re a part of them. And — you know what they all want? You know what they’re all asking for?”

He paused a bit for effect. I could almost hear him bending closer to speak into the phone.

“They’re all saying, ‘Tell me a story, Alan. Tell me a story and I’ll listen.’”

Tell me a story.

We all love a story. A good story captivates us and pulls us in, making almost any message virtually irresistible. This is true of podcasts – in spades. It’s also true of any sales copy or product description or information product you produce.

Books without stories – even nonfiction – are never as effective.

Tell a good story and make them a part of whatever information you produce. More people will find it memorable and enjoyable. Good stories in training materials such as courses and workshops actually make people learn better.

Whatever information you’re working to produce, ask yourself: “what story can I tell that ties into this? How can I fashion my message into a story?”

It’s the perfect example of show, don’t tell.

Your stories don’t have to be classically-structured pieces. Just a good opening, climax and conclusion is good. Treat each story like a one-act play. Consider the person consuming your information. What would catch their interest and feel like a fun story to them, while providing you with an opportunity to make a point, teach a lesson or otherwise get them to eagerly consume your information and enjoy the process?

Got a product you want to sell? Tell the story about how you found that product and tried it out. Keep the plot moving forward by telling your prospects your own experiences trying it out. Maybe provide some stories from other customers who have put what you want to sell to use.

Stories about people who have found unique uses for your product, uses that your prospects might not have thought of on their own, are especially powerful sales tools. Work the benefits of what you’re selling into the storyline and they’ll be remembered.

But – what I really got from the radio broadcasting expert I talked to was the idea that, for many of your listeners, you need to remember that you’re literally inside their head, t

Develop a good story-telling style, whether you’re writing, speaking on stage, doing an audio presentation or conducting a board meeting, and you’ll have no problem directly relating to people quickly.

If it’s audio you’re using, remember a lot of people will listen with headphones or ear buds, putting you inside them when you speak. Talk more like you’re a part of them and you realize it. Rather than interview someone, try conversing with them. This makes the listener, on ear buds and headphones, feel more like someone who is sitting right at a table with you, fortunate to have the opportunity to listen in.

Fortunately, reading great fiction is a superb way to learn storytelling technique. Start studying the story lines in top-flight movies and TV series, if nothing else, and you’ll get some benefit – but reading is best.

This one fun step makes story-telling a lot easier, more fun and more profitable!