I have a unique job. I’m a radio advertising expert who teaches copywriters how to write radio commercials — the kind of effective radio advertising that produces profitable results for the radio advertiser.
The worst thing that ever happened to the radio advertising industry occurred sometime in the last century when some well-meaning person foolishly labelled the department in charge of crafting radio commercials as “Creative.”
As a result, being “creative” is the goal of most people who produce radio advertising. They even give awards for the “most creative” commercials.
And this is the first thing you must understand:
RADIO ADVERTISING IS NOT A CREATIVE EXCERCISE; IT’S MASS SALESMANSHIP.
The purpose of a radio commercial is not to be creative. The purpose is, simply, to sell.
“Creativity” is nice, but it shouldn’t be your ultimate objective. Creativity is a vehicle to help you get where you to need to be.
People who make their livings by harnessing their creativity never wake up in the morning thinking, “I really want to be creative today!” Instead, they wake up with a problem they need to solve:
The novelist wants to make the middle chapters move more quickly.
The playwright is having trouble making the third act work.
The architect is puzzling over how to achieve the client’s goals with the limited amount of available space.
So…What is a commercial that sells? How can you identify a commercial that sells?
Is it one that mentions the sponsor’s name a certain number of times? That tells listeners the exact price? That lists the benefits of the product or service? That gives the client’s phone number a certain number of times?
No. A commercial that sells is a commercial that motivates the listener to act.
To go to the automobile showroom and test-drive the vehicle.
To reach for the telephone and call to schedule an appointment.
To go the department store and take a test whiff of the perfume.
A radio commercial that sells is a radio commercial that motivates the listener to act.