Talent Development Workshop Overview

This program begins with an initial evaluation of two consecutive hours of each show. The show is evaluated on many different major areas, ranging from structure to content to character development.

The Talent Development Workshop is designed to be a two-day retreat. Everyone involved with the show gets clear on the big picture and goals for the show. Focus is on the show's strengths, while helping each personality manage their weaknesses and understand everyone's potential.

The first day of the workshop focuses on helping talent identify their own unique qualities, passions and vision through an extensive characterization process. This will be used to infuse personality into their roles, making the show more memorable. Personality infusion makes the difference, for example, between a robotic waiter at a restaurant and one you hope you will get again.

The second day concentrates on planning and prep, content, structure, branding, effective AND INEXPENSIVE marketing, specific steps the show can take to have better ratings through content choices, focused teasing techniques, audience recycling, and how to work more effectively together off air and with management.
Details of what is covered under each of these areas is outlined below:

Topics Covered in the Workshop

The Morning Show Marketing Life Stages: Where on the awareness spectrum is the show? Once we determine the Morning Show marketing life stage, we supply priorities for the show based on the stage determined. This is particularly useful with syndicated shows that are in various stages in different markets

Show target and super target demo/psychographics: Who do we want to own, what lifestyle, demo, gender? Talking about this with all the players of the show helps keep the target top of mind.

What is the Morning Show Market Position and what are the positions of the competition? What does the Morning Show want to be known for? What are the competitors known for? How is the show different from it's competitors?

Ratings and personal goals for the show and each player of the show are set. Everyone is a part of the goal process for the show, which helps assure the goals are agreed upon and reached.

We establish a Promise for the show. What is the promise the show makes to listeners, and how is the show going to successfully deliver on that promise?

Off Air Role definitions are reviewed for each character on the show. Potential growth areas for each person on the show are identified and a plan to increase each character's off air role is made.

Management/Sales Relations are discussed. Most shows win when the entire team at the station is behind the show's success. "You've GOT to be popular in the halls if you want to win the on-air war." All businesses naturally have conflict between product and sales departments. We look at strategies to improve what CAN be improved and effective ways to communicate with sales, management, and talent.

Arbitron is still a game of memory and recall. What is the show doing to maximize TSL from every piece of content? How can the show be better at increasing audience share? The concepts of vertical and horizontal teasing are explained and examples of effective TSL content and promotion are offered for all the show participants.

Techniques for increasing perceived listening by the audience without necessarily increasing actual listening are covered along with the concept of the 80/20 teasing technique to hook listeners through stopsets and music.

The basics of Arbitron are covered for anyone who is unclear on what terms like AQH, CUME, TSL, P1 vs. Partisan, Market Totals, etc. mean.

Show Planning is reviewed with an eye for increasing participation in the planning process by all the shows members. We have a proven workable strategy that even the most "planning averse" morning shows like, use and grow with. It's simple, it's short and it's effective.

Creating show content that increases the bonding and relate-ability with the audience in newer syndication markets will be addressed. Specific recommendations of content ideas are made based on similar shows throughout the country. We supply audio examples to illustrate execution for each show and give the behind the scenes "how it's done."

How can a Local or Syndicated Morning Show sound more local? What types of content can work for the show to help Morning Show sound more a part of each syndicated market? How can the show/station become known as "the station that is most a part of my community"?

Show Imaging is discussed and examples of effective show imaging are played. We’ll show you how a Morning Show make sure that each day's great content gets exposure to more than just the portion of the CUME listening at that moment. Effective show imaging can make character definition and audience-bonding happen much faster and can recycle content to the entire show and station CUME.

What is THE MOST EFFECTIVE marketing tool morning shows ALL have. It's FREE and available whenever they want it and it's marketing to people who already use the station. Using it correctly can make new morning show's household names in months versus years.

The role of the Randy Lane Company is to help the management team inspire each individual talent and the show as a team to peak performance. We will work together to help the show achieve a balanced blend of creative expansion and structure.

This program is as valuable to management as it is to talent. A lot of focus is placed on helping management more effectively manage their air- personalities and vice versa. Both sides of the talent/management partnership can and need to understand each other's perspective