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Getting The Sale vs. Building The Relationship – Episode 198
Are you focusing on the sale or are you focusing on the building the relationship with your client?
I am often asked how to make money with a podcast. The short answer is easy – have something to sell. The longer answer is build a relationship with your audience that includes trust, and cultivate that relationship over a long period of time. That is what we are going to discuss today.
RADIO RELATIONSHIPS
While in radio, I programmed in many different formats. Top 40, country, alternative, adult contemporary, classic hits. There have been many.
As a program director, I would be responsible for everything that came out of the speakers. The music, on-air personalities, contests, promotions, imaging, commercial production and anything else you heard was under my direction.
While programming country and top 40 stations, I would often be asked about the differences between the two genres. Garth Brooks and Thomas Rhett couldn’t be more different than Usher and Katy Perry. The differences don’t simply lie in the music. They way they handle their relationships are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
The relationship an artist has with a program director at a radio station has a great deal to do with the longevity of the career of that artist, because the program director determines what music gets heard on the radio. It is just like any business. If you want your product displayed prominently in the store, you need to have a solid relationship with the storekeeper.
In the country format, the artist works hard to develop the relationship with radio. Many country artists are working to build a career that will span decades.
Garth Brooks had his first hit in 1989 and still has hits on the radio today, though it is more of a comeback. Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Blake Shelton all began two decades ago. Even New Artist of the Year nominees like LOCASH have been around for 10 years.
Country artists will put in the time and effort today in order to have a career for years. They will make radio visits at the beginning of their career just to meet the station staff and play a few songs. We have had Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Eric Church and many others at the station for a visit. That is how they start their careers.
Artists on the top 40 side are a complete different story. The career lifespan of a top 40 artists is usually less than a decade. It is rarely longer than an album or two. Many have a hit and never release an album.
With such a short career on the radio, top 40 artists need to get it while they can. They have meteoric rise and fall just as fast. They have very little interest in building a relationship, because the longevity of their careers don’t give them time to do so.
It is interesting to wonder if the career of the top 40 artist would be lengthened if they worked on the relationship. It may not extend their life on Top 40 radio. However, it may keep them in favor in some of the adult formats.
Let me give you a few examples of the differences between working on the relationship and focusing on getting paid.
Please don’t think I’m special. In telling these stories, I’m not dropping names trying to make you think I’m important or I think a lot of myself. Artists do this for many radio program directors. That is how they create their relationships.
THE COUNTRY RELATIONSHIP
First, the country side of things. Blake Shelton is everything you think he would be. Fantastic guy.
Blake Shelton had been a television judge on NBC’s musical talent show The Voice for a few seasons when I headed backstage to meet him for the second time. I had briefly met him at an industry party a couple years before this.
On this particular hot, sweaty, summer day, Blake was headlining the Country Stampede near Manhattan, Kansas. This is a multi-day, outdoor music festival that involves tens of thousands of people camping, drinking and enjoying some of their favorite country bands.
Prior to Blake’s set, he was scheduled to do a meet-and-greet with a bunch of fans and radio listeners from around the area. It would last about 20 minutes under a hot tent meeting fans, taking photos and signing autographs before he went onstage to perform for 90 minutes.
I was out front-of-house chatting with my rep from the record company. He said, “I want to take you back to say ‘hi’ to Blake before he goes on.”
The two of us head back to Blake’s bus and rap on the door. Blake comes out, give us both a big “how ya doin’?”, and we get to talking. We talk about everything. He tells us about the drama with The Voice judging. He tells us about working on the new album, his relationship and his love of this part of the country (he’s from Oklahoma).
We are chatting for about 10 minutes or so when I notice his road manager beginning to linger around and checking his watch. I know Blake still has to do the meet-and-greet and then hit the stage on time. I don’t want to be the guy to hold him up.
In order to keep him on time, I say, “Well, we’ll get out of your hair and let you get at it.”
Blake says, “What, you’re leavin’ already?”
I said, “Well, this guy looks like he has a few things for you, and I think you have a little something to do after this.”
“Ok,” he says. “Thanks for comin’ by. Hope you enjoy the show.”
He is awesome. Always gracious and shows appreciation that we came to the show. I have met him a few other times backstage and it is always the same. He is a class act always building the relationship.
THE TOP 40 DOLLAR
On the top 40 side of things, radio people are usually treated just like everyone else. Sometimes, it isn’t even that good.
Usher is a great example of “get it while I can”.
Usher was playing Kansas City. He was also doing a meet-and-greet prior to his show. I was allowed to accompany our few station winners backstage to meet him prior to the show.
Our winners to added to winners from various other stations, plus fan club members, friends and family. There must have been 60 or 70 people in this group.
The entire group was led backstage to a small meeting room. We all packed in and then grouped by classification. Fan club winners were first. They were followed by radio winners. Finally, friends and family wrapped up the end.
After we waited in the room for 10 or 15 minutes, a large gentleman came into the room wearing a shirt that I’m pretty sure was a size or two too small. His arms alone were stressing the stitching.
I am assuming this guy was a personal assistant or bodyguard for Usher. Not sure. He didn’t take time for warm greetings and salutations. He had a radio to communicate with others, so I figured he was important somehow.
He says, “Can I have your attention? Here’s how this is gonna work. I need you all to form a single-file line along that wall. In a few minutes, Usher is going to come through this door. He is going to stand right here. When you get to the front of the line, you will hand your bags to this lady to hold and your camera to this gentleman right here. He will take your picture with Usher. He will give your phone to the lady with your bags. You will collect your belongings and step into the hallway where we have pre-signed 8x10s for you. Usher will not sign anything in line. Please do not ask.”
The bodyguard guys then says, “When Usher comes into the room. Do NOT take any photos of him. Put your cameras down. This gentleman is the only person who should be taking photos. If you DO take photos of him, your camera will be confiscated, your tickets will be taken and you will be escorted out of the building and not allowed to see the show. Any questions? Good. Usher will be here in just a few minutes.”
When we did get to the front of the line, I followed the directions as we were told. Usher stood there with his hands folded in front of him and sunglasses on. He didn’t say a single word or shake my hand. I smiled for my photo, collected my belongings and went about my business.
That was the only time I ever met Usher. He hasn’t had a hit on Top 40 radio for quite some time. That’s the way it is with top 40. Get paid while you can.
LIFETIME VALUE
I have had dinner at Reba McEntire’s house. I couldn’t even get back to say hi to Bruno Mars.
Brad Paisley invited me and my kids onstage during a show. I have been on Zac Brown’s tour bus. Katy Perry wasn’t meeting people. Beyonce stayed on her bus until it was showtime and went straight back to her bus when it was over … and I was the one putting on the concert. There was not even a thank you.
Top 40 artists are looking to get paid now, because they aren’t sure how long their careers will last. Top 40 artists that were on the radio ten years ago are rarely heard from today.
Country artists are working to develop the relationship for a long-term career. They realize they could easily still be on the radio twenty years from now.
With regard to your podcast and online business, are you working to generate the sale and get rich quick? Or, are you working to develop a long-term relationship where you might make less now, but the lifetime value of the relationship could be worth many times more?
Take your time. Build your tribe methodically over time and cherish each relationship. Make each member of your tribe feel special. The stronger the foundation, the longer the house will stand.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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