The Art of Exiting like a Pro

The Randy Lane Company • August 21, 2019

When you watch a fireworks display, the biggest explosion happens at the end, right?

The show is over immediately after the biggest BOOM. If they continued after the finale setting off smaller bangs the show would be a letdown. In show business it’s called,  “leave them wanting more.”

Your show is like fireworks; Plan the finale kaboom of each segment, set it off and  be done.

“Missing the exit” is the #1 complaint we hear from station management about underperforming shows. Here are some tips on how to end each segment well and stick the landing.

  • Plan  the exit.  Seems obvious, but shows sometimes fail to discuss how and when the segment should wrap up. Have a plan, and if a better exit comes up spontaneously, take it. There is an old saying about failing to plan your destination being a sure way to never arrive.
     
  • Hit the high note and leave . End games as soon as someone wins. End stories at the punchline. End newscasts at the kicker story. Identify what the best moment will be  before  you begin and avoid losing energy by lingering after the bell has rung.
     
  • Always  tease the next segment.  Like a rock star walking off stage, build anticipation for your encore in the  next  segment. Teasing your audience as they are still glowing from your content will make them want more. For podcasts, it is crucial to let audiences know what is exciting about your next episode.
     
  • Things to avoid.  Philosophizing, reiteration of what has been said and ad-libbing off-topic side roads are common mistakes that lose energy. Podcast hosts can move a laundry list of thank-yous, dry information and ending credits off the show and onto the description page.
     
  • Do an exit review exercise.  As a team, pull a random hour of your show audio and listen to the last seconds of each segment. Rate each exit and discuss how to do the good ones more often.

Photo by  Dustin Tramel  on  Unsplash

Share this article

Recent Posts

By Randy Lane • September 29, 2026
When I start coaching a show, talents often say:“Nobody calls anymore.” Or: “Listeners in this market don’t call radio shows.” My response is, “That’s interesting, because several of our shows get more calls than they need.” The difference isn’t necessarily the market. It’s often how the show invites people into the conversation.  Airing callers and text […]
By Randy Lane • September 21, 2026
Jerry Seinfeld wrote every episode of Seinfeld longhand, on a yellow legal pad, with a blue Bic pen. He still writes that way. He’s said the flashing cursor on a screen makes him anxious, like it’s asking, “So, whaddaya got?” Why Start With Pen and Paper?Writing by hand slows you down just enough for ideas to […]
By Randy Lane • September 15, 2026
In the era of loud, fast-talking announcer DJs, my radio mentor, Todd Wallace, asked my fellow DJs and me, “Would you talk to your neighbor over the back fence like a pukey DJ or just in natural conversation?” Of course we all said we’d talk to them conversationally. Todd concluded, “Talk to listeners on air like […]
Show More