Top Tips for Upcoming Radio Presenters

The presenter’s job is the hot seat that everyone in radio wants to be in. It’s the voice that people hear when they tune in, the personality they choose to spend time listening to and the voice that greets them first in the morning. Presenters can become incredibly popular with their listeners so making a good impression is important. Here are some top tips on how to be the best radio presenter.

Firstly, preparing for your show is essential. You’ll need to draw up some form of a script for your show. You may think you don’t need one but trust me, you do! Even the most creative or confident presenters will have a full script on their desk as they speak.

Make sure to gather interesting topics to discuss throughout the show. Whether it’s news, music history, random facts and talking points or entertainment and celebrity news. There are a number of websites that can provide you with this information so be sure to do your research.

Although each station will have its own guide in terms of style, it’s important to mention the station’s name regularly. Every 15 minutes or less should be enough. Depending on how your show is structured, it may be you who’s actually saying it or a sweeper ID that’s played between each song or a group of songs.

If your station is a local one, make sure to familiarise yourself with the area if you’re not already. Check out the pronunciation of place and business names, as well as the names of local public figures. Go for a walk or drive around the vicinity and take note of local clubs and schools. This will help you to understand who or what you’re speaking about on air.

Bring some of yourself into the show. Listeners will want to feel like they know their presenters, as opposed to just listening to a robot on the air. It’s important to incorporate your personality. Talk about your own experiences and share anecdotes about your daily life. It’s essential to give them a reason to tune in every morning.

When you’re speaking, try to use imagery. Be descriptive and paint an image of what you’re talking about in their minds. Try smiling when you speak as this will make you sound happy and positive. It can be hard keeping your audience engaged if you sound monotonous and boring.

Don’t overload the listeners with information in your links. One thought, one link is an important thing for presenters to remember. Any more and your listeners will have forgotten the first by the time they hear the last. Don’t ramble in your links either. Plan them in advance and if you can’t think of anything to say, don’t say anything at all.

For links into breaks, keep them very short. Use Q cards or teasers of what’s coming in the next 15 minutes. Pick the strongest upcoming item and feature it. Vary your links throughout the show.

Remember, listeners could jump in at any stage throughout the show so keep the flow consistent and be prepared to recap to keep everyone in the loop. Think of the phrase, “If you’re just joining us…” This phrase is essential for any radio show because most listeners will not listen from the very start to the very end.

Finally, prepare a show clock for each hour that you’ll be on air. This clock will allow you to plan out the show. Add in the staples such as news, weather and sport before adding in the likes of competitions and regular features. A show clock can help keep the show’s content consistent every hour and every day. It allows listeners to get used to regular features and can tune in accordingly.