Leave it to the radio station to find ways to attract listeners (cume) to your dial position.  Commonly used tactics include TV commercials, billboards, mail out campaigns, posters, large contests, station sponsored concerts, etc. etc.

Leave it to the program director to help in this regard by giving the overall station a product and vibe that could make listeners interested in the station’s culture.

The Air Personalities job is to have those listeners listen as long as possible.  To do this you’ll have to actually do something that creates interest and drags listeners along from quarter hour to quarter hour.  You’ll need to come up with content!

The most common way to get listeners to stay longer is by giving them a reason to be with you in 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes or more from now.  You do this with the “TEASE”.  A tease is nothing more than intriguing the listener to stay for something just around the corner. Casey Kasem has made a career by effectively using the tease.  You can too!

Tease Examples:

• “Coming up next I’m gonna play you a track that was recorded in a women’s bathroom.  I’ll tell ya why and play it for you in just a few minutes...”

1. •If you like Dave Grohl doing tracks from the new cd then you might actually like Dave singing twisted nursery rhymes to his kids.  I’ll get you a taste of that right after this track...”
   

2. •“How do you become 50% more datable? I’ll tell ya how right after the break.”
   

3. •“In one hour from now I will be asking Marylin Manson why he’s so freakin’ messed up!  I’ll have him in the studio right after 6PM today...”
   

4. •I’m expecting a currier with the new U2 cd in the next hour.  When I have it I’ll play you a healthy serving of tracks...
   

To recap:  Have something of value to tease (content) and then tease away! 

One more thing, telling listeners that you have music from Nirvana next is barely a tease aka a cheap tease.  Telling the listener that you have a track next that was inspired by a deodorant for teenage girls... not so cheap.