Comments on: “OH” or “ZERO” IN RADIO PHONE NUMBERS? http://danoday.com/blog/2010/02/radio-phone-numbers/ Straight talk about radio programming, radio advertising, radio production...Well, you get the idea. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:25:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dan Nims http://danoday.com/blog/2010/02/radio-phone-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-8700 Dan Nims Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:13:05 +0000 http://danoday.com/blog/?p=4343#comment-8700 I believe 'zero' is preferred over 'oh'..and yes, that might be inconsistant with stating the station's frequency...one-oh-four point one does sound more natural. It may not be practical to have a hard and fast ban on phone numbers in copy....but for many local accounts, the phone number is a throw-away. Exception: when you've got a 'custom' number that is purposely designed to be easy to remember. And of course, for campaigns that ask the listener to respond immediately, the number is very important and must be repeated. Otherwise, getting the client's name in the copy one more time is worth more than the number. If you've done a good job presenting the client's message in a favorable light and you've 'sold' the NAME of the business, then it shouldn't be rocket science for the listener to FIND the number in the phone book. It is my personal bias to not use the line "see their ad in the Yellow Pages.' Why send a potential customer to a place where their competition will offer several places that sell the same stuff? I believe ‘zero’ is preferred over ‘oh’..and yes, that might be inconsistant with stating the station’s frequency…one-oh-four point one does sound more natural.

It may not be practical to have a hard and fast ban on phone numbers in copy….but for many local accounts, the phone number is a throw-away. Exception: when you’ve got a ‘custom’ number that is purposely designed to be easy to remember. And of course, for campaigns that ask the listener to respond immediately, the number is very important and must be repeated. Otherwise, getting the client’s name in the copy one more time is worth more than the number.

If you’ve done a good job presenting the client’s message in a favorable light and you’ve ‘sold’ the NAME of the business, then it shouldn’t be rocket science for the listener to FIND the number in the phone book.

It is my personal bias to not use the line “see their ad in the Yellow Pages.’ Why send a potential customer to a place where their competition will offer several places that sell the same stuff?

]]> By: Martin Best http://danoday.com/blog/2010/02/radio-phone-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-8689 Martin Best Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:13:10 +0000 http://danoday.com/blog/?p=4343#comment-8689 Zero good grief... ;-) Maybe people don't like zero because of all those syllables, which makes me think we may all be overlooking the humble "nil" or "null". Zero good grief… ;-) Maybe people don’t like zero because of all those syllables, which makes me think we may all be overlooking the humble “nil” or “null”.

]]> By: Dustin Parkhurst http://danoday.com/blog/2010/02/radio-phone-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-8685 Dustin Parkhurst Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:30:28 +0000 http://danoday.com/blog/?p=4343#comment-8685 Are there people to actually still use the phone to TALK? Are there people to actually still use the phone to TALK?

]]> By: Dave Walker http://danoday.com/blog/2010/02/radio-phone-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-8684 Dave Walker Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:29:35 +0000 http://danoday.com/blog/?p=4343#comment-8684 Does the loyal reader also advocate "zero" in the station frequency? Should we be "One-zero-four-point-one"? How unnatural is that? Does the loyal reader also advocate “zero” in the station frequency? Should we be “One-zero-four-point-one”? How unnatural is that?

]]> By: Bob Turitz http://danoday.com/blog/2010/02/radio-phone-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-8683 Bob Turitz Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:29:04 +0000 http://danoday.com/blog/?p=4343#comment-8683 I am the PD you speak of. I also agree with web over phone. So much more memorable. I am the PD you speak of. I also agree with web over phone. So much more memorable.

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