Lend Me Some Sugar (I Am Yo' Neighbor)

It was a picture-perfect sunny summer morning. Birds were singing, a gentle breeze was blowing, the scent of fresh cut grass filled the air. Or was it dust? Eh, that's not important.

This had all the markings of a damn fine day. I won't bother giving a date because, though this is my story, it's the sort of thing that's probably happened to you too - probably a few times.

...I arrived at work with a smile on my face, partaking in casual chit-chat and greetings while walking along the gauntlet of desks and offices that led towards the kitchen. Yes, this was looking like a fantastic day indeed. But then, in an instant, everything changed.

A multi-million dollar broadcast property ground to a halt due to the lack of an item that costs a dollar fifty nine.

"What do you mean we're out of sugar?" The squeaky voice of my G.M. was booming through the building with a tremble of honest-to-god panic. "How did this HAPPEN?" ...OK, the 'how it happened' part is pretty obvious... but still...

"Drink it BLACK?" Bad suggestion...

And with that, sales meetings became irrelevant. Marketing took a back seat. The conference call was forgotten. All that mattered was finding an intern - or a promotions person - even somebody from sales would do... anybody! "Jesus Christ! Who're we gonna send to the store?" he pleaded. "Our midday numbers suck! Send HIM. It's not like anybody's listening."

Ouch. Low blow.

I learned a lesson that day. Keep a secret stash of essentials for your coffee? Sugar, creamer, filters?

No. (but our crafty commercial production director did precisely that)

What I learned that day was how quickly just about anyone can be forced into action - or inaction - if the situation truly warrants it.

So, I guess my question to you would be, what's happening today on your radio station that will make a listener stop what they're doing and listen... because they want to, or almost even 'have to'? What situation are you creating that warrants it?

The trick is that the urgency has to be genuine. Hype only goes so far. No missing salt packets were going to make my G.M. lose his cool in front of the hot new saleswoman he'd been flirting with.

But a man has needs.

So does a listener.

Just in case you didn't quite get the title to this post:

click here.

Grin.

Shake it!