What's Your Station's "Elevator Speech?"

Remember Public Speaking 101? “At the end of the speech, what ONE THING do you want ‘em to remember?”

This durable guideline applies to everything on the station: commercial copy, imaging, news copy, you name it. And now-more-than-ever, with so-many-things-on listeners’ minds, and so many competing media sharing their attention.

Applause for a sign in the newsroom at client WPTF/Raleigh that says “Every Word Counts.” Amen. If you’re a manager, broach this with everyone you direct.

And, in addition to all the pieces that comprise your on-air product, have this conversation about the station overall. How would your staffers answer these two questions?

· WHO do we want listening?
· WHY would they?

If you go-around-the-table and everyone answers differently, don’t take it personally. But DO talk-this-through, as a group, so everyone’s on-the-same-page, and executing accordingly.

Try kicking-things-off this way:

“You’re wearing your handsome, station-logo’d golf shirt, as you step into the elevator, from the lobby. You press the 7 button. The elevator stops at 2, and someone gets in and presses 5. Noticing your shirt, she says ‘tell me about your station.’ How do you answer?”