In this busy and noisy world of competing media, radio remains an effective form of advertising. It is intimate, personal and is part of the background of everyday life. You don’t sit down to listen to the radio the same way that you watch television or go on Facebook. Instead it is always there, and always on, providing a background to the day. As a result radio ad avoidance is low.
But not all radio ads are the same – some are good, some are mediocre, and some are bad. How do you make sure yours are good? Here are seven tips to help you.
But before we get into that it is worth giving a brief explanation of the definition of good. In radio that could mean the ad sounds brilliant, or is entertaining, or has the potential to win an award. That is not what this list is about though. This list is about getting results from your radio ad – more sales, more customers through the door, more telephone enquires etc.
Here are our tips.
1. Create It For The Listener
When looking at marketing or advertising on any medium, the temptation is describe your product or offering – how it works, the features, etc. This is the wrong approach.
Instead your radio ad should always be about the customer, and it should answer the question: what’s in it for me? Think about the things that motivate your customers to buy your products or services, and then build your ad around that – solve problems, improve their life, make something easier, etc.
2. Make Sure The Opening Grabs Attention
We live in a world of instant gratification, so you only have a few seconds to make an impact. Get to the point quickly and make sure the opening of your radio ad is fantastic.
3. Make The Offer Fantastic And Distinctive
Your offer should also be fantastic and as distinctive as possible. When you achieve this your radio ad will be compelling which in turn will result in listeners taking action.
Ideally your offer should make people stop to listen, it should have urgency, and it should make you stand out from your competitors.
4. Keep It Simple
Your offer – and your radio ad in general – should also be simple. You don’t have long so if you can’t explain something in a sentence, change it. Simplicity is a key feature of all good radio ads.
5. Use Direct And Simple Language
One way to keep your ad simple is to use direct and straightforward language. This will also ensure your ad is well written, and that it has a positive message that encourages the listener to take action.
For example, you could say something like: “Our furniture is designed to enhance the beauty of your home”. A more direct, positive and simple sentence is: Our furniture will enhance the beauty of your home”.
6. Appeal To Both Logic And Emotion
Most buying decisions involve an element of emotion and logic – usually in that order. Emotions make you want to buy something, then your mind looks for logic to rationalise and justify the decision. Therefore in your radio ad, try to appeal to both emotion and logic – in that order.
7. Keep The Production Values High
Finally, the production values of your radio ad have to be high. This includes everything from the voiceover to the music to the sound effects.
Really great radio ads take time and careful consideration to make, but if you think about your customer and follow these tips, you will be well on your way. The resulting ad will achieve better returns, and you will build greater brand awareness and loyalty among your customers.
