You Can't Tell A Story When Nobody's Listening

You might be a great storyteller, but if nobody’s paying attention, they won’t hear your amazing conversation. There’s an easy way to help someone go from passive to active listening so that they mentally and emotionally join you.

Here’s an example:

Recently, Velveeta Cheese announced that they were launching a new line of …wait for it …nail polish. If you missed it, you can read about it here.

You might have a compelling POV to share, but you can’t just start talking about cheese or nail polish. It’s critical that you engage the listener’s imagination first. Here are a few suggestions to help get your juices flowing:

“It’s one thing for fingernails to look pretty and it’s another for them to smell good.”
"If you start noticing women smelling their fingers this may be why.”
"There’s a new nail polish coming out soon, but it won’t be for everyone.”
“Imagine your fingernails looking AND smelling…well…like cheese."

HERE’S THE TAKEAWAY

Everyone loves a good story, and storytelling is an essential part of a successful radio show. But your listener has so many things on his or her mind and so many distractions all around that you must first capture their attention. Clear bring-in/hook lines will help you pull someone who’s listening passively into your conversation.

After spending 25+ years working at some really great radio stations, Todd launched a coaching and consulting business, Beyond615.com, on March 15, 2021. There he strives to help others build confidence so that they can connect on a deeper level. He also serves as the Contemporary Christian Format Editor at AllAccess.com. He and his family live in the (615) area code, aka the heart of the CCM industry