Differentiation is critical for establishing and maintaining your station’s niche. One easy way to reinforce how your station is different from the competition and sell the unique benefits you offer is through liners.

Just remember: Promise only what you can deliver. NEVER use a liner that does not match what you actually do on air. It’s better not to air a liner than jeopardize your station’s credibility.

Recently I was rereading Jack Trout’s Differentiate or Die. If you’ve read Ries and Trout’s 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing and Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, you’ve seen some of this before. Trout’s strength can be called branding, positioning, differentiation — they’re all closely related. In Differentiate or Die Trout, and his co-author Steve Rivkin, contend that the only way a company can survive is to differentiate. This is true for radio stations too.

Let’s take a quick look at how these basic principles can be put to work for your Talk Radio station.

• REFLECT THE TALK FAN’S ATTITUDE

Objective: Show that your station attitude is a mirror of the issues oriented talk fan’s attitude. Remember the talk fans are rebellious and don’t believe in sacred cows. They love to hear the sizzle when the feet of the movers and shakers are held to the fire.

Following are examples of liners we’ve used when differentiating our stations against an all news station or a talk station that avoids controversial issues.

NewsTalk Radio 1270, WXTX… Tackling the hottest issues, like no other Detroit Radio Station. NewsTalk W-X-T-X.

TalkRadio 1270, KBQQ… The Power of Your Free Speech… in Action!

TalkRadio, K-B-Q-Q.

NewsTalk Radio 1270, WXTX… Asking the Tough Questions, like no other Detroit Radio Station. NewsTalk W-X-T-X.

• TALK FANS AND THE POWER OF INFORMATION

Objective: A BIG talk fan hot button is NEW information. They love to tune-in and hear “something I don’t already know”. Show through liners that your station satisfies that hunger.

NewsRadio 790, WJBZ… Delivering the story behind the Headlines…. NewsRadio WJBZ

NewsTalk 560, KTSZ … Digging deep to uncover the inside story… NewsTalk KTSZ.

TalkRadio 910, WCVT… The More you Listen, The More you Know… TalkRadio. WCVT.

• TALK FANS LOVE TO TALK BACK!

Objective: Talk fans have discovered the power of free speech in Talk Radio. This is one of the reasons its popularity has mushroomed since 1990. Show through liners your station understands this and gives them the opportunity to get on the air and sound off!

TalkRadio 740, KHBQ…Put the power of your free speech in action! Phone 644-3476 and Get on Line! TalkRadio KHBQ.

NewsTalk 850, WBZT… Sound off!, Express yourself! at 644-3476. NewsTalk WBZT.

NewsRadio 1350, KQRS… Turn your phone into a microphone and Talk Back! at 544-3476. NewsRadio, WBZT.

OK, you get the idea. Put your creative juices to work, point out your competitor’s weaknesses by showing how your station is different and drive the PD across the street crazy! —- Michael Packer www.PackerSmartTalk.com