Creating Radio Commercials that Work

This week our discussion about radio advertising is about one of the most overlooked parts of the equation that determines the level of success.

The ad itself.

The words, the music, the sound effects, the style, the delivery and the focus of the ad.

With our shorter and shorter attention spans, every second counts.  Even if we don’t physically tune out, we do mentally if we lose interest.

7 sins of radio commercials:

1. Using meaningless cliches (like 7 sins of radio commercials).
2. Cramming too much into the ad because you want to include everything that you have to sell.
3. Music or sound effects that are distractions.
4. Hyper or screaming commercials that annoy the crap out of everyone.
5. Nothing memorable that ties into your uniqueness.
6. Trying to be funny for the sake of being funny.
7. Dialogue ads that are fake and sound unnatural.

Because the above list is going to be ignored by 80% of the radio commercial producers, if your ad can avoid all 7, your commercial will stand out.

I’ve been doing something for years with commercials that really stand out and that is a very bare bones, conversational commercial.  No music. Just one person talking. Not in an “announcer voice”. Just conversing with the listener, the way you and I would talk in person.

Not all of my commercials are using this format but enough to know that this can be effective.

Something else that I’ve been doing since I joined WOWO Radio last year, is short live 10 second sponsorship messages.

WOWO is a news talk radio station so our listeners are used to hearing “spoken words”, not music. We have news and weather every hour, traffic reports in the morning and afternoon and sports reports in the morning.  These are sponsor-able and the way I schedule my advertising partners messages, they are done live by the news and talk personalities, which adds another implied layer of credibility.

I also offer a limited number of paid endorsement commercials that are also extremely powerful.

What’s right for you and your business?  Let’s talk and discover that together.  Scott@WOWO.com or 260-255-4357