Why does she read, watch or listen to you?

Oh, yes, we know our marketing rules.  We have our Audience description.  Our Demographic and our Secondary.  Their Needs and our Summary of Response.  But is this enough?

It’s all good and necessary and basic.  But on the heart level, why?

Why does she do what she does?  Why does she make a note on her calendar to hear you?  Look forward to an hour in the evening to read you instead of watching HGTV?  Ask what the lesson was on your Facebook feed because—oh, no—she missed you, and she thinks it’s hard to locate via podcast.

Just this morning I saw that listener to an upper Midwest radio station posting on the station Facebook page: “I missed it—and I wanted to hear the program today in their continuing series.  Can someone share what the lesson was? Oh, thank you!”

This is a key question our media group asked in a survey to listeners of Christian radio stations and programs.  We got a surprise when we asked—and 26,800 responded.  The number one reason was “I want to worship God throughout the day.”

In the Finney Media Why Listen? 2018® study, respondents rated the importance of 20 possible reasons for listening using a simple scale—and the statement on worship was far and away at the top. (Reader note:  You can find more information on the study at finneymedia.com specifically under the Why Listen tab.)

Put in business language, the destination for the content seeker is a book or show or post that fulfills their expectations.

If you ask, you, too will be confirmed, challenged or surprised.

So as you have opportunity this summer, when you meet a reader on the plane, or a listener after a speaking event, simply ask.

Here’s a script. “May I ask you a little more personal question?  Why?  Why did you read or listen or view?”

Then focus for the heart answer.  And prepare for God to guide you as you continue to create content.

Jan Shober is a media analyst, blogger and Vice-president for Strategy for Finney Media, specializing in helping you create experiences that cause your audience to come back for more.

Jan began her media journey as a ten-year old with a neighborhood newspaper—and continued shadowing her love of words to work in radio. She spent time in South America working in international media and about twenty years with Focus on the Family first in creative for audio then in distributing media.

Her big reason for her work?  Her life mission to help more people grow in Jesus. See more about Jan’s journey at: http://finneymedia.com/about/our-team/