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Things Are Going Better Than Joel Blank Ever Anticipated

“It’s certainly been a good time to do sports radio in Houston, because there have been so many topics that carried you through what our normal dead times are.”

Tyler McComas

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Houston has seen a lot of change over the past 14 months. James Harden was traded in January 2020, Carlos Correa signed with the Twins in free agency this week, and Deshaun Watson is heading to Cleveland. You could argue the three-biggest faces in the Houston sports scene from just 18 months ago are no longer in town. 

Change has also taken place at ESPN Houston in 2021. Most notably with the daily lineup. Joel Blank has been a long-time voice on the station and was admittedly nervous when he found out he was getting a new co-host. But he also knows that change is inevitable in radio. As changes were happening on his show, and during other time slots around him, Blank embraced the new future at the station. 

“I think like anything in life, change gets people on their heels a little bit and they start questioning everything,” said Blank. “But I think overall what we’ve seen is that we’ve got a really, really good group of people that have all found their niche. Everyone is in the right spot and we all truly get along.

“In the past, shows were kind of an island. Every show was their own thing and there was no overriding theme for the station and no marketing targeted to our demographic. It was basically, hey, you have your time slot, you do your thing. Now, we have everyone on the same page and everybody has each other’s backs and it’s been really fun to see the development of the shows and the new talent.”

When Blank was told his new co-host would be Jeremy Branham, he was very familiar with the name but the two didn’t really know each other on a personal level. That was the immediate hurdle for The Killer Bs, who are on the air weekdays from noon to 3 on ESPN Houston. But the two experienced broadcasters figured it out. And maybe even quicker than most people would have guessed. 

“I think it’s going better than I could have ever anticipated because I was apprehensive,” Blank said. “Not because Jeremy wasn’t good, but because we didn’t know each other. We lived in parallel universes where we were both doing sports and working for teams, but we rarely crossed paths. Suddenly, we were thrown together and told, hey, make this work. So for that reason alone, you have doubts on how quickly it’s going to come together and what kind of chemistry you’re going to have. It’s just been everything I could have wished for. For a long time on our station, combativeness is what everybody came here for. Now it’s taking a turn to where we can have a passionate discussion but in the next segment we can be on the same page and talking about a totally different topic.”

It’s incredibly comforting for a new host at the station to be welcomed by someone who’s been a longtime voice. Blank has made it a point to be friendly to all the talent on the team. 

“Joel has been through a ton when it comes to changes he has dealt with since the pandemic hit,” said Cody Stoots, co-host of The Wheelhouse at ESPN Houston. “One thing I know about Joel is if you have his back, Joel has your back. He will go to bat for his people, even when some of them are new to him. Joel’s passion for his teammates is fun to experience, especially when he’s comfortable enough with you to start giving you a hard time!”

“Joel does a great job at bringing true passion and unfiltered opinions to every show he hosts,” said Jake Asman, co-host of The Wheelhouse on ESPN Houston. “You can tell that he truly cares about the subject matter and doesn’t fake anything to his audience. It’s been great to work with Joel and be his teammate the last four years.”

It seems like all the major storylines that have come out of Houston the past two years have included some level of controversy. Sure, the Astros made a run at another World Series title last year, but the national storyline seemed to still be about the cheating scandal that rocked baseball. Then, there were the uncomfortable conversations about Deshaun Watson and all of the allegations against him. 

Those times are behind Houston sports fans. Especially when it comes to Watson and the Texans. For the first time in a while, it seems like the overall conversation can move toward football and building the roster back up. But even with that being said, Blank wasn’t complaining about consistently discussing all the drama with the Astros and Texans. 

“It’s certainly been a good time to do sports radio in Houston, because there have been so many topics that carried you through what our normal dead times are,” Blank said. “I think from a Texans perspective, I’ve said this all along, the Deshaun Watson situation was a black cloud that until he was traded, wouldn’t go away. But every black cloud provides shade and that shade is Jack Easterby. He’s still there and people are still bothered by it. I think it’s opened people’s minds that the rebuild can finally start. You can take a deep breath now and say, let’s just concentrate on football.”

Houston is a major market. The city has an NFL, NBA and MLB team, amongst other sports entities. But at ESPN Houston, there’s probably more of a different vibe on the sales side than what you would experience at other sports radio stations in large markets. The station believes in relationships with clients. Not that most major market radio stations don’t, but Blank was told when he joined the station his personal relationships with clients would go a long way towards his success. 

“Lance Zierlein, who does our morning show, gave me some advice when I left the Rockets and I came to do sports radio,” Blank said. “He said, you’re going to absolutely kill it, but the one thing you have to know when it comes to clients is, you have to treat them like they’re your friend and you have to develop a relationship so that you are friends. Because friends have a hard time saying no and walking away from friends. So therefore, the better relationship you can develop, and the more you can carry the torch for your friends, the more your friends will stay by your side through thick and thin.

“He’s been so spot on with that. So many of my clients are my friends and so many of my friends come back to me and say, hey, we’re seeing results because you speak from the heart and believe in us, therefore your listeners believe in you, and we’re seeing them come through the doors.”

The Killer Bs have a catchy new slogan when it comes to the Texans. “Embrace the Suck”. At some point, it feels like Blank and Branham will eventually put that on a t-shirt. That’s the main storyline moving forward: the after-effects of the Watson trade and what the franchise does moving forward. 

What’s not a major storyline is another deep NCAA Tournament run from the Houston Cougars. Thursday night, UH will take on No. 1 seed Arizona to move on to the Elite 8. No, the Cougars aren’t a blueblood hoops program, but they’re one of the more successful programs in the past five years, which includes a trip to last year’s Final Four. Yet, another run isn’t moving the needle much in the Houston market. 

“It’s crazy. Kelvin Sampson and I go way back,” Blank said. “We worked together for the Rockets. Jeremy is the play-by-play voice of the Cougars. It’s almost frustrating because Jeremy and I are both basketball guys at heart but the city’s just not that fired up about college basketball. It never has been. I think when the Cougars make these runs, they’re kind of blips. The number 1 story for us has been Deshaun Watson and the 1B story is Carlos Correa.”

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How to Help Your Clients with Low Website Conversions

Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

Jeff Caves

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Graphic for how to increase website conversions
Credit: WPDesigner.Biz

Are your clients dealing with low website conversions? Whenever a marketing campaign is run, and the goal is to convert website visitors into leads, the temptation is to blame low traffic, amongst other issues, for low form fills or appointments being generated.  Just spend more money, you may think! Sometimes, you must look at at least four other potential issues to tackle poor conversion rates. Here are some actionable steps using the IT services industry to increase website conversions.

IT Solutions specializes in providing products, services, or solutions related to technology, particularly in areas such as software development, hardware sales, IT consulting, cybersecurity, cloud computing, networking, and digital transformations. They faced challenges with their website conversions. Despite driving substantial traffic through Google Ads and other SEO tactics, they struggled to convert website visitors into form fills for appointment requests. A 2% to 5% conversion rate could be considered reasonable. Of course, conversion rates can vary based on various factors, such as the competitiveness of the local market, the quality of the website (and radio stations help most to fix that) and its user experience, the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and the reputation and offerings of the IT solutions business. Focusing on improving the quality of leads and providing exceptional customer service can be just as crucial as achieving high conversion rates. Don’t blame EVERYTHING on the marketing tactics! 

The Diagnosis

Upon thorough analysis, several critical issues were identified with IT Solutions’ website:

1. High Bounce Rate: Nobody was checking out the business. If 70% or more of website visitors only visit the landing page, that is an issue.  It could be slow loading times, irrelevant content, poor user experience, or unclear calls-to-action that prevent them from wanting to know more about IT Solutions. You can check the bounce rate on the Google Analytics page for the website in the left-hand sidebar, click on “Behavior” to expand the menu, then click on “Site Content,” and finally, click on “Landing Pages.” You’ll see a list of landing pages and their respective bounce rates.

2. Complex Navigation: It was hard to move around the website to find relevant information about IT services, and it was unclear who they were initiating contact with and for what purpose.

3. Unclear Calls-to-Action (CTAs): The website lacked clear and compelling CTAs guiding visitors toward requesting an appointment. Simply stating “click here for an appointment” is like asking for a meeting whenever or without establishing value. Here are 28 CTAs for free.

4. Lengthy Forms: The appointment forms were long, without qualifying information, and requested excessive information upfront, deterring potential leads from completing them.

Action Plan

1. Optimize Landing Pages:

   – Redo high-traffic landing pages with clear messaging and compelling CTAs.

   – Showcase IT Solutions’ services as benefits, making it easier for users to request appointments, thereby increasing user engagement and conversions.

2. Simplify Navigation:

   – Reorganize the menu and add more action-oriented links.

   – Provide additional options for users to access relevant information, such as “Get a free IT Solutions 15-point checkup NOW” and “Take this 5-question survey to diagnose your IT issues,” motivating them to book appointments.

3. Enhance CTAs:

   – Utilize concise and persuasive messaging throughout the website.

   – Encourage visitors to take action, whether requesting a free download about “5 things you can do to solve your IT issues on your own” or “get a free pizza for booking an appointment.”

4. Improve the Form Fill:

   – Add a further line about the number of employees who qualify for incoming leads.

   – Highlight the value of leads based on company size, prioritizing forms with higher potential impact.

Review landing pages, navigation, CTAs, and form experience to address website conversion issues. Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

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‘NHL on TNT’ Gives Hockey Fans the ‘NBA on TNT’ Treatment

Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

John Molori

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NHL on TNT studio

Let’s play a little word association, sports media style. If I say TNT, what is your response? Chances are it will be a three-letter abbreviation of your own, namely, NBA. Over the years, TNT has built a reputation as arguably the premiere network to telecast the National Basketball Association.

The NBA on TNT pregame and halftime shows have become the gold standard with stars like Ernie Johnson, Jr., Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal. Still, it’s not just this quartet of roundball royalty that has fortified TNT’s hoops coverage.

The rep was also built on tremendous play-by-play announcers like Bob Neal and Kevin Harlan, color analysts like Doug Collins and Reggie Miller, and courtside reporters like the late Craig Sager and current sideline star Allie LaForce.

Indeed, TNT and the NBA have become synonymous, but I have some news for you. This network is not just about professional basketball. This past week I went off the grid with TNT looking at their in-game and studio coverage of the NHL.

On March 24, the NHL on TNT provided coverage of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche matchup. Kenny Albert did play-by-play with Eddie Olczyk on color. Albert is not as noted as his legendary broadcasting father Marv Albert, but he has certainly staked his claim as one of the best in the business – able to cross over to multiple sports with equal aplomb.

Hockey is a strong suit for Albert. His rat-tat-tat, drama-building style draws viewers in and keeps us on the edge of our seats. Similarly, Olczyk is one of the top four or five NHL game analysts in the business. His style is understated, providing calm and clear analysis of key plays. They work really well together.

Albert eschews any kind of hackneyed and trite catch phrases for his goal calls. An emphatic, “He shoots and scores!” is plenty enough.

Hockey is a different beast when it comes to play-by-play. Unlike basketball, baseball, football, or even soccer and tennis, there is a minimum of breaks in the action. With hockey, a play-by-play announcer has to know the names of the players like he or she knows her kids’ names.

To me, it is the hardest sport for play-by-play and equally difficult for a color analyst. In basketball, after a team scores, the play-by-play announcer will keep silent and give the color analyst time to talk until the play crosses center court. In baseball and football, there is ample room for commentary.

Hockey does not offer such space, but Olczyk gets the most out of the minimal amount of time. Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

Coming back from a break in the game, Albert and Olczyk provided on air commentary and then tossed to ice level reporter Brian Boucher who has grown into a tremendous asset to the TNT broadcasts. Boucher provided real talk about Colorado’s objectives of staying on top of their division and vying for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Penguins, squarely in a rebuilding year having dumped talent at the NHL trade deadline, surprisingly jumped out to a 2–0 lead in this game, and the TNT between periods studio crew was all over it. The excellent Liam McHugh hosted alongside Colby Armstrong, Anson Carter, and Keith Yandle.

Armstrong was especially entertaining. With Pittsburgh outshooting the Avs 16-4, Armstrong noted that it’s the best he’s seen Pittsburgh play in a long time. His reasoning was that teams get geared up for playing Colorado even if it’s out of fear. Great stuff.

Both teams tallied two goals in the second period giving Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame. When Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon set up Jonathan Drouin for a goal to make it 4-3, Albert and Olczyk showed their strengths.

Albert called the pass from MacKinnon and one-timer goal from Drouin, and immediately noted that MacKinnon now had a point in all 34 of Colorado’s home games this season. On the goal replay, Olczyk showed how the play developed pointing out how McKinnon allowed Pittsburgh’s Evgenii Malkin to come in close before making the past to Drouin.

The TNT production team then showed a graphic displaying that McKinnon is now second all-time in longest home points streaks trailing only Wayne Gretzky. This was a sublime sequence of symmetry between talent and technicians like a songwriter, musician, and singer creating beautiful music.

What was supposed to be a blowout win for Colorado had now become a hockey barn burner, and the TNT crew was up to the task. Every goal and key play was followed up with replays from multiple angles showing the genesis of the action.

TNT has certainly taken to the velocity of the hockey broadcast with movement that challenges directors, graphics professionals, and videographers.

When there were breaks in this non-stop action, Olczyk was at his best. No hockey analyst draws on his experience as a player and explains that experience better to viewers. The TNT broadcast also lets Boucher freewheel and join in the flow of discussion without having to be introduced.

TNT does not merely rely on the traditional wide shot of the entire rink. We see close-up shots of each goaltender after a great save and the sweat of players on the bench or in the penalty box.

When McKinnon tied the game at 4-4 with 4:38 left in the third period, we got a series of tremendous crowd shots showing the Colorado fans going absolutely berserk. The sage Albert and Olczyk wisely remained quiet for several seconds, letting the cheers do the talking.

When Drouin scored the game winner at 4:06 of overtime, Albert exercised controlled enthusiasm, raising his voice on the call of the goal, but not becoming the show and overshadowing the play itself. He is definitely in the mold of Dan Kelly, Gary Thorne, and Sean McDonough, announcers who enhance but do not supersede the game.

Putting a cherry on top of this hockey Sunday, TNT showed a graphic that the Avalanche now led the NHL in comeback wins this season with 25 and that they were riding a 9-game winning streak. In analyzing the goal, Olczyk opined that the altitude of playing in Colorado was prevalent as the Penguins seemed to tire as the game progressed – really interesting insight.

In the postgame show, Anson Carter made a great point that the chemistry between Drouin and MacKinnon stems from the fact that they have been playing together going back to junior hockey. McKinnon joined in from the arena for a postgame interview. The analysts asked solid questions and even did a funny MVP chant together as the interview ended.

The NHL on TNT takes no back seat to its elder NBA sister. The broadcast provides viewers with flash, dash, and serious hockey talk from every angle – in studio, from the broadcast booth, and on the ice.

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Kim Mulkey Now Has Everyone Anticipating Washington Post Story

I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it.

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photo of LSU women's college basketball coach Kim Mulkey
Credit: Dailymail.co.uk

The Washington Post, you might’ve heard, has a story coming out about controversial LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. The reason you might’ve heard is because Kim Mulkey told you. The Tigers coach read a fiery prepared statement just before her team started the Women’s NCAA Tournament. In the statement, Mulkey threatened to sue The Post for defamation before the first word was even published.

Now, I’ve never run a public relations firm but that did not seem like a good idea. The Washington Post story on Mulkey is one of the bigger stories in sports right now and nobody even knows what’s in it. The reason the story, apparently unflattering to Mulkey, is even on anyone’s radar screen is Mulkey herself.

It all started with an innocuous social media post by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde right in the middle of the most anticipated two days in sports, the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. On his X account, Forde posted: “Hearing some buzz about a big Washington Post story in the works on LSU women’s hoops coach Kim Mulkey, potentially next week. Wagons being circled, etc.”

You know what generally will go unnoticed at 4:00 on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament? A post on X about a women’s basketball coach. But don’t tell Mulkey, she saw Forde’s post and decided to fight fire with nuclear weaponry. The result: the average person like me now is really interested in what has Mulkey so incensed. By “average person like me” I mean that I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it. Maybe:

“LSU Women’s Coach Discovers Ark of the Covenant”

Or:

“Mulkey Reveals True JFK Assassin(s)”

Perhaps:

“Famed Women’s Basketball Coach Reveals the Mystery Behind Slow Drivers in the Left Lane”

Literally any of those catch my attention more than whatever will likely be the Washington Post headline about Mulkey. But now Mulkey is “Mad as Hell and is not going to take this anymore” so I now have an interest I would never before have had in this story. It has been fascinating to watch the online speculation about the subject of the article and all we really know, as of now, is that it will be written by Kent Babb. This is a dream come true for Babb; he writes an article that is, presumably, not flattering about Kim Mulkey and, before it is even published, she gives the article the greatest commercial anyone could give it. Babb couldn’t have entered into a business agreement with Mulkey and had this turn out better for him.

For those who don’t follow Babb, he is a former NFL reporter who now is an award-winning writer for the Washington Post. In his 14 years with The Post, he has written sports features and authored a couple of books. One of those sports features stories was a deep dive into what he viewed as a large inequity in the level of pay for LSU head football coach Brian Kelly and his LSU players. It is this piece Mulkey described as a “hit piece” and, based on that piece, referred to Babb as a “sleazy reporter.” Babb, and many others, resented the fact his story was labeled as a hit piece. In fact, Babb essentially confirmed he was the author Mulkey was referencing when he shared the original article on X with the comment: “Hit piece?”

Whether a printed piece or a recorded interview, I can’t imagine a better promotion for it than the subject of the interview threatening a libel/slander lawsuit, especially before it is even released. That simply screams “This piece is salacious!!” Also, libel and slander suits get settled all the time, right? Of course they don’t, they seem to never even get filed. That little thing called discovery is a scary thing for most public figures.

The NCAA Tournament has been very entertaining, and I think the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be terrific. For only the fifth time ever, the top two seeds have advanced to the third round which sets up for a remarkable weekend. For me, I guess it will now include a Washington Post article, not a sentence I’d normally say.

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