Lesson #24: If You Don’t Ask, The Answer Is Always No
Great programming takes courage.
Sometimes courage means taking a big creative risk.
Sometimes it means standing up for an idea.
And sometimes it simply means:
Ask.
Because if you don’t ask, you already know the answer.
No.
I learned that lesson from Jon Bon Jovi.
One Wednesday, I received a call from the label.
They were flying into the market with Bon Jovi on Monday and wanted to have lunch with me.
Amazing.
I could have said yes.
Had lunch.
Enjoyed the moment.
Told everyone about it.
Instead, I asked:
“Could we do something with Bon Jovi for the station while he’s here?”
That one question changed everything.
The lunch became a free lunchtime Bon Jovi concert in the city’s main square.
10,000 people showed up.
One question.
One ask.
One giant audience moment.
But it doesn’t always work that way.
I tried over and over to get Ray Parker Jr. to perform Ghostbusters at our Halloween party.
We made the case.
We tried to entice him.
We asked again.
And again.
It never happened.
The answer was: “No.”
And that’s okay.
Because sometimes the answer is yes.
Sometimes the answer is no.
But if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
That’s why you have to be the audience’s advocate.
Your job isn’t just to program what you think will work.
Your job is to think: What would be amazing for our listeners?
Then have the courage to ask for it.
Ask for the guest.
Ask for the money.
Ask for the promotion.
Ask for the access.
Ask for the opportunity.
Ask for the crazy idea.
Maybe you’ll get it.
Maybe you won’t.
But don’t decide for your audience that something is impossible before you even ask.
Because great programmers don’t just accept what’s offered to them.
They look at every opportunity and ask:
“What else could we do with this?”
And sometimes, that question creates a moment 10,000 people never forget.
Takeaway
Be the audience’s advocate.
Have the courage to ask for what you believe will make the experience better.
Because if you don’t ask, you already know the answer.
No.