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The I.C.R. System from the book “I Can Relate”
By Joe Blair, Mornings, 105.3FM Evansville
In broadcasting we must have a relationship with our audience. How many times have you heard the adage that “relationships are the key” in the sales arena as well? Relate is the root word of “relationship,” so if we learn to relate better with our audience or client it is natural to assume we are doing a better job.
I created the I.C.R. system from many years of listening to the greatest in the business. I have had many great consultants, general managers, and heroes in the broadcasting business that I can thank for supplying me with the information that I have put down on paper.
The I.C.R. system, or something darn near like it, brought success to many great entertainers. People like Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Jay Leno. I am unleashing the secrets that these entertainers have held very close to the vest for many years. Here are some excerpts from “I Can Relate” to chew on. I would like to give a big thank you to Daniel Anstandig for convincing me to put these excerpts together. He is my current consultant from McVay Media. Both Daniel and McVay Media are fantastic and I thank them very much.
An explanation of the relating process in its simplest form is the bridging of two or more topics or subtopics into one big idea or bit that is multi-dimensional. This is the concept that has been used over and over by the greats. And this is the basis for the I.C.R. system found in this book. Building topical bridges ignites the creative process for speech writing, bit building, and sales presentations. Bridging topics together automatically hits more responsive chords and leaves a greater impression on your target. When you combine topics, your idea is more interesting or dimensional and is more likely to hold your target’s attention for a longer time. This will make you more successful in creating a recall image.
You may be thinking, “Combine topics? That sounds confusing!” Not in the slightest. You will see and realize that combining topics is the way to make your bits and presentations really come to life. In any higher art form you repeatedly hear the phrase, “Keep it simple.” In music, for example, a great jazz or rock guitarist will say the key to playing well is to not play too much. They will even say, “It’s what you don’t play” that matters most. A top-notch chef will tell you to use spices only to accentuate the natural flavor of the food. They will tell you that the less you do to the food, the better the flavor of the food itself shines through. The same applies to the I.C.R. system. These bits and ideas will basically jump out at you. You will know when they are right and when you have a winner.
The I.C.R. system makes writing bits fun and a whole lot easier. The following excerpt takes you a little deeper into the bridging of topics to hit more responsive chords. The essence of all communication is a question, or assertion, followed by a retort or answer. Even if the question, assertion, retorts, or you give answer, alone it is a complete thought in the communication process. If you don’t have the answer or retort the audience or your client is left incomplete and unfulfilled.
The same thing applies to calendar events. If you see someone dressed up like a pilgrim, you can be pretty darned sure it’s getting close to Thanksgiving. A guy in a turkey suit would tell you the same thing. A guy in a turkey suit being chased by pilgrims might even be better and funnier. Give the pilgrims forks and you’ve really got something! A bit using an element or subtopic about the holiday is a safe bet to strike some chords. Thanksgiving is always a good time to pass along a story about a dumb crook—like the guy who robs a store and leaves his wallet on the counter with his I.D. in it. A story like that is a good opportunity to use with the classic line, “He is a bigger turkey than the one I have thawing in my refrigerator right now!” The story about the dumb crook is element one; the Thanksgiving subtopic turkey is element two. Your topical bridge has been built.
Calendar events are fun and easy to use in bridge building. You’ve probably heard a morning show host who has done the dumb crook story and ended it with a line like, “What a dork! Man, it’s a wonder he can find his socks in the morning!” Not a bad line. The announcer may be a nice guy, but you sure are going to remember the line about the turkey in the refrigerator before you do the socks. Do you see how using a topic that relates to your listeners makes your bits and ideas more dimensional, interesting, and memorable? These are the kind of bits you want to create.
Valentine’s Day is a great relatable. Using the example of the dumb crook, here are a few different formats to point out how the I.C.R. method can produce multi-dimensional, relatable topics no matter who your target may be. This bridge building will target a “Classic Rock” audience, a “Country” audience, a “Soft Rock” female-oriented audience, and a young “Hip-Hop” audience. All of these examples are included to put to rest the argument that a system like this isn’t cool enough for the Rockers and Hoppers. I.C.R., used correctly, will enhance bits in any format for radio or television and will spice up your speeches and sales presentations.
First, how about a “Classic Rock” ending? “Well—as the Rolling Stones would say—he isn’t going to get no satisfaction this Valentine’s Day! Unless the jailer lets him have a conjugal visit!” A format for the “Country” target might relate to something involving hunting like, “Cupid ought to shoot him with an arrow just to practice! Drop him like a twelve-point buck!” A “Soft Rock” station with females as its primary demographic might bridge that crook story with something like, “That guy really needs some TLC! He probably hasn’t received roses in his life!” A softer bridge with some humor might be, “That guy’s box of chocolates has too many nuts in it!” For a “Hip-Hop” bridge, the sky is really the limit. This format tends to go to the edge more than most, so a workable bridge may be something like, “That boy better get his sugar before the heat comes down—cause his Valentine’s going be a big dude named Bubba this year!” I personally don’t like to go there, but for the sake of having an example, there you go.
Each of the dumb crook examples incorporates a different subtopic of Valentine’s Day. This demonstrates the effectiveness of choosing subtopics that best relate to each particular target. Later in this book I Can Relate you will see how I.C.R. will help you find an appropriate, relatable topic for your target. I will illustrate how to use the I.C.R. method with each of the dumb crook examples given in this chapter, along with the Johnny Carson bit and some real-life examples from my radio and sales days.
A sale’s example for Valentine’s Day could be something as easy as a line worked into your presentation like, “Mr. Prospect, you are going to love this product! I’m no cupid, but I know you’ll love this!” You could come up with several bridges having to do with Valentine’s Day—perhaps, “You’ll love this deal so much you’ll have to get me a card on the 14th!” If you said something to that effect, I would wager any amount that your prospect would remember you when it comes time to make a decision to buy your product. A little bridge like that is all you need!
My wife is the number one sales person for her company. She sells commercials for a television station in our city. She has used I.C.R. so effectively! This system of implementing building topical bridges has helped her to come up with some really effective television commercial concepts for her clients too. Some of her commercial concepts will be used as examples later on in our discussion of building bridges.
If you would like a copy of “I Can Relate” please go to my website at joeblair.com follow the icons to my publisher’s buy now page. You can also order the book from any bookstore. The web might save you a couple of dollars though. I’ll say goodbye with an excerpt from the end of the book. I hope that you’re interested in the I.C.R. system. Please email me personally with any questions or comments at jblair@joeblair.com
Another philosophy about performance I’ve picked up through the years will help anyone in the sales and public speaking arena as well. This philosophy is based on what most people want in an entertainer, associate, or friend. This is the same philosophy that you perhaps heard about as to why people go to the movies or watch entertainment television. People first of all want to escape, but they want to escape into an element they understand. They want to follow what you are doing, but they want it to be just a little bit larger than life. They want you to relate to them, but with just a little extra something. This philosophy is what I call the slanted-mirror philosophy.
As a performer you want to relate to your audience in such a way as to mirror their lives. But as I spoke about earlier, most people are having problems in their lives and a full, perfect reflection of their lives is too uncomfortable for them. In other words, they want to see themselves in you, but they want that bit of escape that makes them feel better. That is why you need to mirror your listener or viewer, but slant the mirror just a little. That slant can be a very subtle thing. Once again, I’ll use Oprah as a prime example of the slant. She is just like you and me in so many ways, but sometimes she really cuts loose and does a little dance or changes her voice just a little bit, which is something that most people would never do in front of a national television audience. She gives you a mirror image of you and me with that little added something.
The I.C.R. system is a perfect way to add that little extra something. It slants the mirror just a little because of the multi-dimensional view of a story or topic. Most of us naturally think of one thing at a time. If you can plan to look at a relatable bit in a multi-dimensional way, you will be able to slant the mirror of your listener or viewer slightly. You are giving that little extra zing that people look for in their quest to escape the everyday problems they are facing. I saved this observation until the end of the book because I wanted you to get the system first. I believe the I.C.R. system is exciting and has a lot of value. That is why I wanted to write this book and help students of entertainment and sales in their pursuit of success. But when you look at I.C.R. as a means to give a little extra slant on life for the listener or client, I think it makes even more sense to use it as a vehicle to reliability.
Start slowly. Build an I.C.R. model and look for a bridge with a story or idea you have from your life. Maybe your washing machine is scooting across the floor. Maybe you had a flat tire on the expressway. What can you find from today’s I.C.R. model that would bridge well with everyday-life situations to create a memorable bit? That is the slant on life that your listener or viewer is looking for. That is the added something that will image you better than your competition when it comes time to vote in the ratings or to choose between your product and the competition’s.
Remember the essence of all communication is a development and response. You can do both as an entertainer or just be the person who provides the response. It is usually the response that makes you the people’s choice. Again, that is why Oprah Winfrey is so wonderful in our eyes. She has countless people from every walk of life on her show talking about every conceivable thing. It is her response to these people and situations that endear her to us. It will be your response that will shape you in the mind and subconscious mind of your listeners or clients.
Enjoy your career. Have a wonderful time creating bits for your show or planning your next presentation. I hope to hear from you someday. I sincerely hope you will find success in your chosen field. Just remember to be yourself because you are the perfect you! The I.C.R. system doesn’t change you—it adds to you! It adds another dimension to you. This system isn’t a replacement for your talent. It is a way to make your natural talent shine even more. It is also a way for you to find your talent. I.C.R. can give you the confidence and satisfaction that what you are saying is relating. It can also give you that added edge that will cause your audience or business prospect to remember you.
Joe Blair is the morning host at Super Hits 105.3FM in Evansville, Indiana. He has been waking up listeners for over twenty years, and has been in radio for nearly thirty trips around the sun. His new book, “I Can Relate” is the result of a desire to help consultants, program directors, and general managers happy by making listeners happy. The book is for personalities and sales people—anyone who needs to relate to a target of any kind will benefit from the “I.C.R.” system of relatability.
Joe’s book is on sale at www.JoeBlair.com.
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