How to Make Your Radio Advertising Work for You
Stop wasting your money on radio, and start making your radio advertising work for you. These are the secrets that will help maximise the effectiveness of your advertising, the secrets that will bring a greater return from every advertising dollar you spend. And that could be worth thousand of dollars to you and your business – thousands of dollars in extra profits.
By David Sell
A JMP Business Builder Book
Stop Wasting Your Money on Radio and Start Making Your Radio Advertising Work for You
DAVID SELL
Smashwords edition
Copyright David Sell 2011
Published by David Sell
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author
Discover other titles by David Sell at http://www.davidsell.com
FEEDBACK
If you enjoyed this eBook; if it keeps its promise and helps you understand how to improve your radio advertising, if you think other business owners and decision makers should read this, then please leave feedback on the site where you purchased this eBook from.
I’d really appreciate it. Thank you
David Sell
CONTENTS
One Advert, One Message, One Audience
Distractions, Distractions… What Was That?
Would You Like Music with That?
Ego… It’s All About Me, Me, ME!
Testing, Testing… One, Two, Three
Chapter 1
Introduction
Want to get better results from your radio advertising? Of course you do. Because every dollar you spend on radio advertising comes straight off your bottom line, straight out of your profits. And if you can make your radio advertising work harder for you, if you can get better results from it, then you’ll make more of those profits.
This e-Book is not a negotiation training manual, isn’t about saving money when you book your radio advertising. What it is about is helping you understand how to get a better radio ad at the point of creation; and a better radio ad means better results, and better results mean you don’t have to advertise as often (save money), or you can advertise more often to get even better results (increase revenue).
And that, very quickly, saves you thousands on your radio advertising budget. Or it earns you even more turnover from the same advertising spend.
Here, let me show you what I mean.
Let’s say you spend just $1000 a month on radio advertising, just $12,000 a year. And let’s say that your advertising, by your best guesstimate (let’s be honest – very few people actually measure the results of their advertising), brings a few new customers a month. You’re happy with that spend and that result. Of course you’d like a better result, but it’s not too bad. And when you run a SALE! SALE! SALE! BUY NOW! ad, you get plenty of people through the door.
Let’s say, for a moment, that you double the amount you spend on radio advertising, you could reasonably expect to get a few more people through the doors. But if you could justify the budget, you’d have done it already.
Here’s the tip: if you could double the effectiveness of your advertising, you could also reasonably expect more customers through the doors. The difference is: doubling the amount of your advertising doubles the cost to you; but you can double the effectiveness of your radio advertising AT NO EXTRA COST.
More effective, more targeted advertising can do this for you.
A bit of background on me, your author. Why am I an authority on radio advertising?
I am a Senior Creative Writer for a very large media organisation – writing for radio and television. I write more than 2200 commercials a year. And, as well as the good and great, I get to see the bad, the really bad, and the awful: commercials where clients insist on having it their way.
And yes, I have won awards. In fact, there is a major national award sitting proudly on my desk right now.
Often, I get to sit down with clients for 30 or 40 minutes and work through some of their ideas. During these meetings, they get the benefit of what I know and combine that with what they want. The only problem (for them) is that they are usually so focussed on what they want; they either don’t hear or don’t remember much of what I have advised.
Fortunately for you, it is written down here, in easy-to-understand language. You can read it at your leisure, and come back to it as often as you like.
Every day I see advertising money wasted on commercials that simply won’t return anything like a decent result; all because the client insisted on certain bits and pieces being in there.
What you will learn in the next few minutes will actually mean that you have the tools and understanding to get better return from better advertising. These are the errors made when placing ads on radio.
“I know that half my advertising works, I just wish I knew which half.”
Possibly the most famous advertiser quote; and it’s been attributed to many, many people. That’s most likely because so many people agree with the sentiments.
So let’s look at advertising on radio, and on how to improve it.
Chapter 2
Trust Your Writer
Let’s get real; radio is brilliant at building brands and getting attention on your business. It is very, very effective at moving product out your door. So why hasn’t it worked for you?
It could be that you got in the way.
One thing I teach trainee writers is: The customer is NOT always right. It is up to us to help them make the right decisions.
And I am sure it is exactly the same in your industry. You would usually know a lot more than your customer. And this knowledge helps you ensure that your customer is making the right decision, buying the right product or service.
Your writer is usually highly trained. They know how to use language to generate the best result for you.
You may think that a conversation between someone who knows and loves your business and someone who is completely naive about what you do would make a terrific ad. Your writer knows that it wouldn’t.
Your writer knows that this NEVER happens in real life; and that creating it on radio sounds false and makes YOUR BUSINESS sound false as well.
You might think that your voice is fabulous (after all, that’s what your mother says all the time). Your writer knows that it isn’t.
Your writer knows that, for a very small cost, a professional will voice your ad and make it sound awesome. Have you ever heard Steven Speilberg, George Lucas or Ridley Scott voice the trailer for their movies? Of course not.
You might think that if you say you have top quality products or that you have been in business for 3 decades it will make a difference to the listener. Your writer knows it won’t.
In fact, your writer knows that your customer expects great service and top quality. And as for experience, well, it’s just NOT important enough to waste words on in a radio ad.
You might think that you need to say that you have everything in your category (For all your <list category here> needs – ie: for all your stationery needs, see John’s Stationery Supplies). Your writer knows that those are wasted words; empty sentences that no one hears – words that you paid a lot to have spoken.
Let’s take a moment to do the math. Here’s a real recent example that I explained to a Radio Sales Manager.
The client was a well-established car dealer selling new and used cars.
The radio script had 90 words in it. The campaign ran 12 weeks, and cost the client $6000. The Production Fee was built in to the total cost. $6000 for 90 words: That’s more than $65 for every word in that ad. So make every word work hard for you.
We have the best quality used cars (that cost more than $465 to say). “A huge range”; even that cost around $200.
The reality is: you (and most other advertisers) look at your advertising with your head; and your customer hears it with their heart. You use logic, they use emotion.
You spend money on words that add nothing. In fact, they actually disconnect with the listener.
Wow!
Imagine for a moment that YOU are going to buy a new car. Your logical side would have you buy a small, fuel-efficient 3-wheeled car with an electric motor and all the safety features.
Your emotion wants that big, red convertible; or the sleek and sexy sports car.
Do I need to point out that there are a lot of sports cars driving on our roads?
Think about it this way: Logic is like oil and emotion is like water. You quickly see that the two just don’t mix.
And your writer, if he or she is any good, knows all this.
Although, most advertising reps (account managers, account executives, etc) either DON’T know this, or are so scared of offending you and risking the sale that they will NEVER tell you it.
But you’d want to know if you were doing something wrong, wouldn’t you?
As a writer, I have a simple philosophy: I will do my very best for you (the advertiser) every single time. I don’t care how much you are spending on this campaign, I care about using my skills to get you the best result. I will advise you on why I wrote something in the way I did, and help you understand the science behind my script.
HOWEVER, you are the one paying the money. And if you absolutely insist on having it your way, I will back down and let you win.
Ultimately, you could LOSE through generating a less than desirable response. And you may decide that radio just doesn’t work for you. That would make you wrong for a second time.
Radio does work; you just got in the way.
Advertising is not gambling, it is not a game of chance; it is a science, and your writer knows how to get the science to perform magic for your business.
Chapter 3
How Long is Your One?
The standard radio advert comes in standard lengths: 15 or 30 seconds. And here is the first thought: Can I step outside the standards?
Once you understand the rules, you will understand how to break them. For instance, radio stations generally work to standard and very predictable times – especially when it comes to the length of ad breaks. When all ads are 15 or 30 seconds, it is easy to have a break that can be measured only in whole and half minutes (ie a 3½ minute commercial break). It works in nicely with the strictures of the computerized programming.
So if you want to step outside the 15 or 30 second format, make sure you do so in a way that doesn’t disrupt the length of the ad break. You could go for a 60-second ad. Most people find that length a little challenging. But how about a 40-second ad, with a 5-second echo later in the same ad break (see, it’s 45 seconds in total, making it easy for radio’s Traffic Department to schedule your ads around others).
What’s a 5-second echo?
It’s a very short version of your longer ad. A reminder of what people have heard before (so don’t let the radio station play the 5-second ad first).
What can I say in 5 seconds?
Don’t cook tonight;
Enjoy a delicious <name> pizza instead.
<name>, you can almost taste it already.
Your radio Account Executive will try and talk you back to the standard length because they can price the standard alternative quickly and easily. Anything outside that will take extra time to get priced. It will be more expensive; and since there are 2 commercials being made, you can probably expect to pay 2 Production fees.
So you have to weigh up the pros and cons. But remember this: Radio is very good at trying to fit every business into the same-sized hole, no matter what size the business is.
Know the time limits, and then work out which ones work best for your message. And don’t look at the micro (15- or 30-second choices), look at the macro (a 3½ minute ad break).
Chapter 4
A Word on Words
How many words in an ad? I get asked this all the time. The answer,
of course, varies. While I will often work to 3 words a second (ie 90
words in a 30-second commercial), you have to remember a few things,
and they are all highlighted by this simple truth:
Santa Claus
does NOT talk at 3 words a second.
He doesn’t. He would struggle to get 74 words in a 30 second commercial.
How do I know? I’ve voiced Santa Claus characters in commercials for years. Just try saying “Ho… ho… ho… (remember to hold on to that last ho)” in character in 1 second (after all, it is only 3 words) and you’ll see what I mean.
It’s not the number of words that counts; more, it’s getting your message across. One very good ad that is almost constantly on air as I write this only has 65 words in it. It is delivered perfectly.
Now, here’s the problem. Often, a lower word count is harder to deliver when you’re the voice-over talent. In fact, most voice-over artists are really good at belting out 90 words in 30 seconds.
Then again, have a listen to the best Irish adverts (the link is at the end of this e-book). Those guys can talk fast, really fast. And the message is still understood.
And if I still haven’t convinced you; think about this:
“The”, “a”, ”an”, and “synchronisation” are all counted as 1 word each by your word count. Try saying those aloud and see the time difference in the last one. Lots of multiple-syllable words will affect how many words can be read in the time.
So the real question here is: how can I best say what needs to be said in the time allowed? Not, how many words can I fit in?
Chapter 5
Word 1, Word 2, Word 3…
The computer is a fantastic thing, and word processing programs come with wonderful features like “Word Count”. The trouble is, when I get a script that is client-written, and they have used the word count function to ensure that there are 90 words in there, I can guarantee a few things:
First, the phone number is written like this: 1234 5678 – this only counts as 2 words; but when you come to say it, it’s actually 8 words – an extra 2 seconds. (Try it, say the phone number aloud and you’ll see what I mean).
Second, the web address is written like this: www.mybusinessname.com – this only counts as 1 word and yet, as it is written it is w w w dot my business name dot com – 9 words. Now you can easily reduce that by deleting the w w w dot (everyone will assume that part). Even still, it is 5 words, and if you have a country identifier in there (like .au or .uk or .nz) then you will need to add another 3 words to your count.
Third, the prices are all bunched up as well. $99 is actually 3 words. $14,990 is really 7 words – though I prefer to write it this way: 14 9 90. A lot of people forget that the $ symbol means the word DOLLARS.
I recently had a major client complain that his ad sounded too fast even though he had only written 88 words (yep, a client-supplied script). So I rewrote his script for him. I didn’t change a single word; all I did was space out phone numbers and prices to get an accurate word count. I sent it back to him so he could understand what had happened. His 88-word script really had 116 words in it – far too many to make a 30-second ad comprehensible.
Yes, you probably can belt out 120 words in 30 seconds; but did anyone understand them? Remember the goal: to have your message understood and responded to by your target audience: your potential and actual customers.
The rule here is:
Don’t rely on the word count. Read the script aloud and see how you go for time. Oh, and use a stopwatch, radio is precise (especially digital radio).
A message is not received until it is understood accurately by the intended receiver.
Chapter 6
Speaking of Numbers…
When was the last time you stopped the car so that you could write down a phone number you heard in a radio ad? You know; you’re flying along the freeway and suddenly ad advert comes on the radio and you listen and think: “I need one of those.” So you quickly weave through the traffic and find a safe place to stop so that you can write the phone number down. All before the (15- or 30-second) advert finishes.
I was discussing this point with a client on the phone not so long
ago. He happened to be driving and said:
“Can you hang on while
I pull over so I can write your phone number down?”
That was my point. Adverts don’t hang on and wait for you to be ready.
Most people are doing something else when they are listening to the radio. Very few will stop what they are doing to write down your phone number. In fact, almost no one will do it. And that’s a surprise to most advertisers.
This shouldn’t be such a shock. Think about your own radio-listening habits. Can you really expect people to do something you wouldn’t?
So, do you really want to put your phone number in there? Generally, I would advise against it. But there’s always an exception. Do you have a funky, easy to remember phone number like 1234 1234? Do the numbers spell out a word: 1234 Cars?
Basically, if the point of the advert is to convey the phone number, then it’s there. But most people have another reason for advertising, and they think the phone number is important.
Over a recent 2-week period, I have advised 4 clients that their adverts will not work unless they made some changes. What was wrong with the ad? In each case, the only point of contact was a cell (or mobile) phone number. 10 digits. 10 words. That’s 11% of a 30 second advert gone in a point of contact that will neither get written down nor remembered.
In each case, I advised the clients to register a business website and use that as their point of contact.
So sling the phone number. Ditch it. Get it gone. Have them remember your business name instead. That way, when they want your phone number, they’ll look it up in the phone book.
Oh, and if you do have a phone number as a word, don’t try and number it out as well (you know: “Call us now on 1234 cars – that’s 1234 2277). Just let us idiot listeners remember the word; we’ll stumble through the rest on our own.
The advice here is:
In most cases, including a phone number is a waste of time; and you’re paying a lot for that time.
Chapter 7
The Information Superhighway
If you’re in business and you don’t have a website; stop messing around and do it today. More and more people are researching companies online, and if you’re not there you could be out of the game.
Okay: a quick run-through for those who don’t know how it all works.
Register your web name (this is the URL – not pronounced Earl)
Build (or have built) a web site. Yes, even you Mr Plumber. Even if it is just a couple of pages about who and what you are, along with your contact details
Organise hosting – shop around, there are some great bargains out there. Again, there is some info at the end of this e-book.
Upload your site, and let the main search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc) know it is there.
Change all your business stationery to show the new website URL.
Back to radio advertising and URLs.
As noted earlier, we don’t need the www. in there. But we do need it all spaced out.
Now, have you gone all trendy? By that I mean, is there a number in there. You know, like: