By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Last week Apple shook the ad world tree again. This time recalibrating the contribution advertising delivers to their bottom line.
The announcement surrounding the “Today” concept in the App Store is particularly relevant to the radio business.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — What’s “our elevator speech?” they asked. Sales reps at a client station tend to pitch the AC FM with T-Rex numbers, and leave money on the table by under-pitching the news/talk station.
When I wrote, in great big letters on the whiteboard: “Because these are NOT normal times…” the owner proclaimed “That’s it!” and every rep was nodding and scribbling.
By Kathy Carr
Howie Carr Radio Network
President
BOSTON — What does “sales” really mean in this day and age? And just as important, where is your next great salesperson going to come from?
Here’s a quote from a best-selling self-help author named Og Mandino in his book, The Greatest Salesman in the World.
“Truly, many times have you heard me say that the rewards are great if one succeeds but the rewards are great only because so few succeed.”
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — “Hello Steven. My name is_________. Do you work with a financial advisor? Steven, are you familiar with the various resources available to you here at________. Steven, here is my card, please reach out if you need anything.”
As I sat in the waiting area of an investment center known worldwide, that cold call really happened to me.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — This Civil War now so clearly unfolding around us was roiling long before it erupted on January 6. We’ve seen it coming on stilts. So – regardless of whether or how Donald Trump is held accountable in various predicaments now escalating – expect few minds to change.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Is someone out there in talk radio land ready to help us understand the new boundaries of controversy in talk radio?
A little help here, I’m getting lost.
Abortion laws will quickly become a leading topic again as states begin to weigh in on laws. Social media is already buzzing about Brittney Griner’s sentencing and what about her stance on honoring our National Anthem? The January 6 hearings continue to produce new fodder for talkers as the Russia-Ukraine-China-Taiwan storyline is on the radar — literally. Those topics don’t touch what’s happening in your neck of the woods. Somewhere along the way one of your local talent or nationally syndicated talent will say something that will offend listeners, sponsors, or both.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — The pandemic shutdown changed the standard for remote broadcasting.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — The radio coaching concept seems quaint now:
Back to the future:
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Here is a simple question that every talk radio seller who wants to be successful must answer: “What is the one ‘thing’ every advertiser should know about my on-air talent?” In other words, what is the unique selling point that can be connected to your on-air talent and only the talent you represent.
And try your best to move past audience ratings because they come and go. “We’re number #1!” is an important validation, but when the time comes to move into the price=value equation, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — All this month, my column outlines “Inflation Hacks,” easy ways to cut costs as our listeners (and we) are coping. To catch you up, here are previous installments:
And finally, The Lightning Round…
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — No doubt you’ve been reading about The Great Resignation.
Seems we’ve hit a 20-year high in workers throwing in the towel and calling it quits. Who can blame them, with stipend checks and readily available job openings. The Pew survey says the top three reasons for The Great Resignation are: low pay, lack of advancement opportunity, and feeling disrespected at work.
By Bruce Putterman
The CT Mirror
Publisher
HARTFORD — I remember the moment I first fell in love.
I’m in college. It’s September 6, 1980… I find my way to WVBR, a commercial FM radio station, in Ithaca, NY, staffed largely by Cornell University students.
I am immediately infatuated with everything about radio: the records spinning on the studio turntable, the red “On Air” sign, the disc jockey introducing songs with casual wit, shelves lined with thousands of albums. But what really stirs my imagination is the UPI teletype machine… rat-tat-tatting news from around the world.
By Kevin Casey
TALKERS magazine
VP/Executive Editor
IRVING, Tex. — The last few years have brought enormous change to the media landscape and one of the bright lights in the sea of change is what’s been happening at Salem Media Group. Officials at the company say its rise to prominence in the conservative media arena has been
building for more than 10 years. In fact, in April 2019, The Hollywood Reporter published an article titled, “How Salem has Quietly Become a Giant in Conservative Media.” In the three-plus years since, the Irving, Texas-based company has continued that trajectory and in many eyes verifies the claims in that piece. When it comes to conservative media, it’s impossible not to see Salem’s giant footprint.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — Chutzpah!
That’s the way most AM/FM radio vets reacted to the recent SiriusXM ads. By now you should know about the upheaval over the “Why waste your time with AM/FM radio?” broadside attack launched last week.
Imagine, a frenemy like satellite radio calling our baby ugly. Chutzpah! Nobody does that to the people who gave most satellite radio talent their start, right?
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — All this month, my column outlines “Inflation Hacks,” easy ways to cut costs as our listeners (and we) are coping. To catch you up, here are previous installments:
Eating-out is in the budget crosshairs
By Mike Kinosian
TALKERS magazine
Managing Editor
MINNEAPOLIS — Back in 2000, Hubbard Broadcasting bought a pair of New Richmond, Wisconsin-licensed country-formatted stations (WIXK-AM & WIXK-FM) for $27 million. The company subsequently tested several formats for the FM, then upgraded it to a move-in signal at 107.1 for Minneapolis-St. Paul, roughly 47 miles to the west.
Country was jettisoned in early-June 2002 so it could give way to what has blossomed into a distinctively different approach to the talk radio genre.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Can we please stop the whining!
Have you noticed that annoying trait creeping up more often in your daily routine? From hospitals to hospitality, airlines to air conditioning repair, understaffed businesses are short-handed, resulting in unproductive pushback.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — All this month, my column outlines “Inflation Hacks,” easy ways to cut costs as our listeners (and we) are coping. To catch you up, here are the tips described here last week and the week before.
Shop “private labels”
Also known as a “store brand,” they’re simply products manufactured by one company and sold under another’s name.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Halftime is over.
July is here and Q3-Q4 is looking a little foggy. The crystal ball is clouded with recession, inflation and new competition.
The good news is by now you’ve met with your manager and second half adjustments are in place. You have agreed on the course correction expectations and the game plan that will help you power through the dynamics of a constantly changing business environment.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — It’s Tuesday, but the Monday Memo isn’t taking a week off. Inflation is THAT urgent. All this month I’m outlining easy economies you can share with listeners, and use yourself, to cope. In last week’s column: Your Renegotiation Hit List, and 4 Fundamental Frugalities.
When I say “Francis Ford Coppola,” you think “The Godfather,” right?
Have you tried his wines? In Rhode Island where I live, Coppola wines are $12 or $13, sometimes less on end caps.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — When the Supreme Court first ruled on Roe v Wade in 1973, talk radio was a fledgling niche format struggling to help re-establish fading interest in AM radio. Fast-forward 50 years to last Friday’s Supreme Court ruling that could drive well-programmed talk radio stations to the forefront of every community.
As the ruling to reverse Roe v Wade works through societal and financial issues, could 50 years of history be reversed? Could the impact change the next 50 years of talk radio? Here are three possible shifts that could change your talk radio marketing strategy.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — If you’re old enough for Medicare,* you’ve seen this movie before. In the early 1970s, gasoline – adjusted for inflation – was more expensive; and in the 80s, interest rates hit 20%.
Younger? You feel like you’re witnessing history. Either way, Inflation is changing listeners,’ and advertisers,’ and OUR lives, in almost every way. Rather than joining the blame-game unison, I will be using this column for the entire month of July to offer solutions, dozens of ways you can share on-air, and use yourself.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Seems there was a research release rally last week. Did you show up?
Probably not. Based on my sample base, most sellers were heads down doing what they like to do best. How about your manager? Did the boss bring something new to the tool kit? Sorry, bosses out there. If not, no worries. Read on as we scan my yellow highlighter for the quick notes.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — Quentin Tarantino reportedly listened to 14 hours of 50-year-old KHJ airchecks, to cull excerpts for “Once Upon A Time…in Hollywood,” and rekindle the vibe of 1969 Los Angeles where he grew up. And it sure worked. One of the more memorable clips was the late Robert W. Morgan ad-libbing a spot for Tanya, whose sassy jingle boasted that, “from Malibu to Miami, you’ll tan like you’re in Waikiki.”
Summer officially begins tomorrow, but listeners are already there emotionally
Most were quarantining two summers ago, and many were still in stay-cation mode last year (porch-and-patio guys and landscapers who advertise on my client stations were working overtime then, and are less-busy now). This year, cabin fever collides with pain at the pump and sky-high airfares and inflation generally; and stations that sound all-about-it will be conspicuous.
By Michael Harrison
TALKERS magaziune
Publisher
LONGMEADOW, Mass. — One of the most compelling stories in the radio industry has been the personal and professional journey of New Jersey Broadcasters Association (NJBA) president Paul Rotella. He is thankfully on the mend after suffering a terrible health struggle with meningitis that took him to the brink of death.
Seeing Paul Rotella at this past Friday’s TALKERS 2022 bravely walking with the help of
a cane and enthusiastically watching, absorbing, cheering and delighting in the comradery of the experience of being with his people was SO moving to me that I pulled together my sources, resources and data to pay tribute to him as quickly as possible – and that means TODAY.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Always taken for granted, forever undersold by radio sellers. So goes this 112-year-old celebration. Could it be because it was created as a complement to its senior partner, Mother’s Day? Or could it be because it was started in Spokane, Washington? It really doesn’t matter. Father’s Day is now a $20 billion dollar business that rarely dominates a radio sales meeting. Did you have a full sales meeting devoted to selling into the Father’s Day gift giving cycle?
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — Question for sales reps…and Side-Hustle Alert for talent: What is difficult for most people but comes easy to you?
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — What is with the plethora of bar graphs showing us what we already know? Do we really need another thermometer “Why listeners consume radio/audio” graph?
I guess we do need another study for the tidbit that is the premise behind hundreds of thousands of daily newscasts. This all started with a caveman pounding out the news on a log, then discovering fire, realized smoke signals attracted a bigger audience and the concept of results from a newscast was established. Maybe some of us are still at the campfire, or still selling like it.
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
BLOCK ISLAND, RI — Be there or be square. Legacy media are scrambling to follow eyes and ears beyond old towers and deliver the on-demand options users now favor. NBC’s got Peacock; CBS touts its Paramount+ and invites us to watch the rest of “60 Minutes” interviews online; and CNN sure stubbed its toe scrambling to catch-up.
Radio stations archive reruns of on-air shows, though typically little more.
By Mike Kinosian
TALKERS magazine
Managing Editor
NEW YORK — As we reported here on Saturday (5/28), longtime New York radio executive William O’Shaughnessy died this past weekend at his Litchfield, Connecticut home; the 84-year-old O’Shaughnessy had been battling urothelial cancer.
TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison issued the following statement: “Bill O’Shaughnessy was more than an accomplished broadcaster and author. He was a living symbol of the radio medium’s most glorious ideals – both in substance and style – and was one of modern-day America’s most influential and inspirational proponents of the First Amendment.”
During my tenure as Inside Radio’s Special Features & Personality Editor, it was my distinct pleasure to interview the genuinely colorful O’Shaughnessy; edited portions of that conversation appear below.
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — What critical personality trait connects you, the seller, to your leading talk show host? I’ll bet you never gave that a minute of your time!
This important trait in every top seller and top talker is present on every sales call and in every show. It is not a skill or learned technique, but if this one trait doesn’t shine properly, performance will suffer. Pause here as we zoom back.
