Cover Photo: Taken in Pat’s living room by the New York crew that was filming, “They Were What They Played,” a documentary featuring O’Day and three other famous radio jocks from the ’60s and ’70s. It has been released and played recently at the Bellingham Film Festival.
Pub. Note: Even with his many accolades, icon Pat O’Day deserves further recognition for the many facets of his unparalleled career, beginning with being the King of Rock ’n’ Roll Radio on KJR here in the ’70s—for which he was inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame. He went on become the Voice of the Hydros, the innovator of today‘s music-concert format as head of Concerts West and the Voice of Schick Shadel Hospital (and one of its success stories). You can read his full bio on the www.marketingimmortals.com website. Here he reveals the secret to his success in all of these endeavors. Be sure to listen to the video linked at the end of Pat’s article!
By Pat O’Day
As my 84 years zip by like a shooting star, it’s maybe fun to pause, reflect and share some realities. While such thoughts likely will strike a chord with those my around age, they’ll be more useful for those with a lifetime before them. This is especially true for those who’ve chosen to make a living by motivating and convincing others to take some action.
It’s clear that the past 50 years of our lives have seen the greatest changes humans have witnessed since time began. The “Wow, I’m getting pretty old” reality hits when I see my four-year-old grandson spend hours and hours with his iPad. However, we can’t yet judge as we haven’t yet seen the outcomes from the IPad generation; it’s too soon to assess the long-term impacts as this technology plays to new and under-used sections of our wondrous human brains. So we as parents and grandparents must properly nourish, educate, insist on physical exercise and consistently discipline our youngsters. As we do our jobs and watch the potential growth, should we not, at the same time, share the knowledge we’ve accumulated over the years? Absolutely, and thus the following.
Radio entered the realm of human experience in the early 1920s. It thrived over the ensuing years because it provided essential information, entertainment and, most of all, companionship. Radio become a close friend of the family, but even more important, a close friend of the individual. Radio also became a new and sensational tool for the marketing of products and services because it reached a part of the brain that triggered emotions, deep feelings and the opportunity to sell on a person-to-person basis.
This one-to-one communications created emotions that were impossible to awaken with just the printed message. Oh yes, it’s true that clever, savvy writing can stir emotions, bring smiles and tears and evoke deep feelings. However, to accomplish such would likely require more print space than is generally affordable. Meanwhile, in just 30 seconds on radio, those with theatrical verbal talents can cause emotional explosions. Such brief explosions can totally convince your listener that his or her life will be improved through the purchase of your product.
Let’s go back to 1950. This method of marketing blossomed further with the arrival of television. While equaling the emotional impact of a great movie, television offered a new way to combine visual excitement and verbal messaging. This brought about a dynamic combination and, with print, created the foundation of our marketing world today. But regardless of these new developments and changes in delivery channels, people have not changed. Success always will be achieved with personal, emotion-triggering, one-on-one, person-to-person, communications. Let’s cite two famous individuals who prove beyond the shadow of a doubt the absoluteness of this assertion.
Because we both were born in Norfolk, Nebraska, It was special beyond words to once have had lunch at The Beverly Hills Brown Derby with the late Johnny Carson, when I was in my early 30s. I always joked that there had been a crib mix-up at the Norfolk Hospital and it was me who was supposed to be on NBC, not Johnny. (The fact that he was 10 years older didn’t dissuade me from that contention.) Our discussion was confined to his successes and those of others in his field who had achieved great impact.
Johnny told me that one of his communication idols was Evangelist Billy Graham. And he pointed out something that I now repeat to any young person seeking broadcast or communications advice from me. Carson explained that Dr. Graham once had stood on a stage at one end of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, before a crowd of 100,000, and speaking through an old-fashioned echoing PA system, made a person sitting at the other end of the stadium, 150 yards away, believe he was talking just to them. Not only that, he could bring them to tears of guilt or smiles of relief as he spread the word of God, Carson confided.
“Now that’s one-on-one, person-to-person, communication,” Johnny said. He quoted Billy as saying what has been my mantra since that day: “Talk to everyone and you talk to no one! Talk to one person, and you talk to everyone.” I always believed that much of my subsequent success in radio was because I always pictured one person being inside that microphone hanging before me. I always was trying to entertain and please that person as best I could. So, you may ask how does all this apply to me? Well, for starters, in writing this I was thinking just of you!
Over the years, systems, delivery mechanisms and information platforms have changed greatly but, again, one thing remains constant—and that’s people. No matter what any millennial tries to tell you, people have not changed. Love, companionship, personal comfort, absence of fear and a desire for happiness and contentment still are human needs that prevail. So, if you’re in the business of moving people to a product or a certain persuasion—be it visual, printed or via the spoken word—remember, that people remain the same as always. They need to believe you care about them as an individual. Give that person attention, love, affection, information, stimulation and respect as you fulfill their needs. Avoid exaggeration and offer proof, and, with a reliable product or service, great victories can be achieved.
Major radio chains are in serious trouble today—some because of great debt accumulated through overzealous acquisition. But primarily, in their efforts to cut costs and through ignorance, they’ve removed that “one-on-one” companionship from the air. An exception is Talk formats, be they sports, news, or politics, where the warmth of spoken words and human relationships continue to prevail. Music alone never will sell a product, nor will it bring maximum success to a radio station because music alone cannot create a relationship. Television, for the most part, has maintained its humanity through its anchor personalities and overall programming. Yes, you likely get tired of the obsession with weather reports in our newscasts, but, at least it’s an individual giving you info, and they seem to care how it will impact you as well.
So to summarize, as you plan that campaign, carefully identify just one target consumer! Pick out one person who needs and perfectly fits you product. Then script, design, film, record and deliver the message just to that person. Advertise to everyone, and impact no one! Advertise to one person, and you can impact everyone! This is a truth that you can employ successfully throughout your career and that never will fail you. It’s true whether you’re building ads, commercials, cars, airplanes or phones, or selling cosmetics, cantaloupes, condos or baby carriages. Simply talk to one person and one person only. Relate to them, appreciate them and get them what they need—one-to-one!!!
Pub. Note: This is a must-see video from Pat’s recent appearance at the Eastside Heritage Center, celebrating the halcyon days of the Lake Hills Roller Rink, accompanied by several bands from those days. The benefit event raised $120,000. Now take a few minutes to watch, reminisce and enjoy!
https://vimeo.com/friendlyvoice/review/260465505/2335860504
We would call him”THE LEAD”..because he was. We were in the Music Biz as Promotion Folks who represented Record Companies. We needed to get our Records Exposed @ Radio was the way to do that. Program Directors who put Records on the air was the key & if that Station was #1 in the market; well that was the goal.
Nice, thoughtful piece by Pat. I recall him telling staff and others of the need to
connect, that you are either engaging or not; there is no middle ground. He’s got lot to
say, so here’s to more from Pat!
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