We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mary Lockrem. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mary below.
Mary, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?
There are many things it takes to be successful but one is keeping your reputation clean as a whistle, and never thinking you are above anything or anyone. I believe in using my platform to help others. I also always keep in mind if others want to see me succeed, they will help me get there and that goes for me in lending a hand as well.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I came to a place in my early 50’s when my kids had left, we had moved a ton due to covid and my husbands industry imploding and I looked myself in the mirror and realized that I had completely lost my identity in being a corporate wife and mother. It was time to redefine who I am and reinvent myself. I went on a self reflection walk about if you will and wrote down all I had to be proud of and what I regretted not doing in the first half of my life. Radio/TV kept appearing. So, I put myself out there and a man named Todd Marker whom owned 5 radio stations got a kick out of my tenacity and had a need and called me in and threw me on the air and I was received well and he offered me a morning shown an hour later. It has been a wild ride with A LOT to learn and in a very male dominant industry, something I really had never dealt with. Together my co host and I exceeded expectations in yr 2 in ratings did over 100 celebrity interviews, traveled, and recently were asked to cut a demo for a nationally syndicated show. I think what sets me apart is I use my real name, I am completely transparent about who I am, and my funny and embarrassing moments, heartbreaking times, and just try to really relate with my listeners and provide them a moment in the car or wherever they are listening to feel validated and maybe even help them smile or laugh! I am proud that I hung in there and continue to learn and grow and problem solve. I am proud that at 51 I found and am passionate about a career that is JUST MINE and I want to pinch myself every time I turn into the driveway to work! How lucky am I! I hope and pray that this continues to grow and the platform gets even bigger so I can reach more people with love, laughter and light because the world can be a harsh place, but together it can also be FUN!
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
I speak to my listeners daily. I encourage live streaming to those out of my area. I post regularly great content on social platforms. However, the best way to create loyalty is to get to know the client or in my case the listeners and the advertisers. I make a point to go to a minimum of three community events a week. I shake hands and hold babies, I remember names and their back stories! I make it about them, not me. I think this is where some celebrities go wrong they make it about them. We are nothing without fans so we must create a fan base that is loyal and feels as though we are friends!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I think being unabashedly outgoing and laying it all out there for starters put me in the position I am in. I also had to commit to several community events a week and even sometimes multiple a day. The community needed to know me and more importantly, they needed to trust me. I held my head high and never changed who I am. I stayed my funny and quirky self but dressed liked a BOHO cowgirl, listened to the music and consumed every bit if knowledge about my industry and country music that I could so I could be well spoken when and if asked a question!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Thebig106.com
- Instagram: Onairmary
- Facebook: Mary lockrem
Image Credits
Rene Ashton photography