A Little Southern Drawl Goes a Long Way

Weather has always been one of my passions, right up there with radio. Fortunately, I've found a way to bring the two together. Some of you may not know that I own and operate Local Storm Center, where my team and I produce daily weather forecasts for radio stations across the country. It's something I'm proud of, and there's a lot more that goes into those forecasts than simply reading temperatures and rain chances. But something happened earlier this year that reminded me that sometimes it's not just what you say on the radio. It's how you say it.

If you've ever heard me speak, you know there's no hiding where I'm from. I've got a Southern accent, and it's not going anywhere. Does that keep some potential clients from working with Local Storm Center? Yes, I believe it does. And you know what? That's okay. I understand that my voice may not be what every radio station is looking for, especially outside the South. I've wondered at times whether I'd have more opportunities if I sounded a little more neutral. But I've also come to realize that I don't need to sound like everybody else to be successful at something I love doing.

One of the stations we serve is WBTC, known as The Tusk, in Uhrichsville, Ohio. Back in June, I reached out to Shelly Cozart at the station after she mentioned that my accent was actually a selling point. I asked if she would share a few words I could use when talking with potential clients. What she sent back was quite a story.

Shelly told me about a local advertiser, Denise Baumberger of McInturf Realty, who enjoyed hearing my forecasts and Southern accent so much that she wanted to hear me say her name on the radio. That got Shelly thinking, and before long, the station began offering weather sponsorships built around my forecasts. What started with one advertiser has since grown into additional sponsorship opportunities. In her email, Shelly told me, "You and that sweet southern drawl are the reason we do weather sponsorships on WBTC The TUSK now and forever."

I had to smile when I read that. Here I was, wondering whether my accent might be holding me back, while a radio station hundreds of miles away was using that same accent to help bring in advertising dollars. But the story didn't end there.

A few weeks later, Shelly sent another message saying people had been asking about meeting me. Apparently, there are listeners and business owners in Ohio who want to put a face with the voice they've been hearing on the radio. Some even want to hear me say their names or the names of their businesses. The station has talked about arranging a meet-and-greet. I never imagined that delivering a weather forecast with a Southern drawl would lead to something like that.

I share this not to brag, but because I think there's a lesson in it. We spend so much time worrying about the things that make us different. The way we talk, where we're from, how we look or whether we fit somebody else's idea of what we're supposed to be. Sometimes we try so hard to fit in that we forget those differences may be exactly what people appreciate about us.

I'm proud of what our team has built at Local Storm Center, and I'm grateful for the radio stations that trust us to be part of their programming every day. I'm especially thankful for people like Shelly who see possibilities where someone else might see a limitation. And knowing there are people hundreds of miles away who enjoy hearing my voice each day is a pretty good feeling.

I've learned that not everybody is going to like the way you sound, the way you do things or what you bring to the table. And that's fine. You can't be everybody's cup of tea. But somewhere out there, somebody may appreciate the very thing you've spent years wondering whether you should change.

As for that possible meet-and-greet in Ohio, we'll see what happens. I suppose I should start practicing how to say everybody's name.

And as for this Southern accent? I reckon I'll just keep it.