DAN O’DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO

First, the radio commercial.

Now that you’ve listened to it, make a list of every picture you recall seeing in your mind’s eye.

Seriously. Take just a moment to jot down whatever pictures you recall making during that spot.

Here’s what I recall:

Two guys talking

A car

The Bahamas

I admit I cheated: I had to make myself listen two additional times, because my mind kept finding other, more interesting things to pay attention to.

Most radio audience members, of course, aren’t similarly motivated to force themselves to listen to an advertisement.

How about you? Perhaps you remembering seeing an elevator.

Before we identify The Big Thing This Campaign’s Creators Don’t Understand, a couple of notes.

1.  This is another example of a radio copywriter using a commercial to illustrate, via metaphor, something the audience already understands: a good deal vs. a bad deal.

Instead, they should’ve spent that time showing us what a terrific deal the advertiser is offering us.

2.  “We’re here at the ballpark.”

Why??

Other than altering the sound effects, how would this spot have been different if they’d been “here in a supermarket parking lot” or “here at the bus station” or “here at a flea market”?

The Big Thing This Campaign’s Creators Don’t Understand About Radio Advertising

For a radio commercial to succeed, the targeted listener must mentally picture what is being sold.

In some cases, it’s enough to picture the product. Usually, they must picture the results of the product or service.

You didn’t picture “up to 500 megabytes at high speed while on T-Mobile’s advanced nationwide network for just 50 bucks a month plus taxes and fees,” because you can’t see that in your mind’s eye.

They relied solely on words (no pictures) to deliver the sales message. And not one of those ineffectual words was about the benefits of “up to 500 megabytes at high speed while on T-Mobile’s advanced nationwide network for just 50 bucks a month plus taxes and fees.”

Presumably, there are benefits to the consumer.

But did you picture any of them as that auditory mess rushed past your ears?

Recorded at one of my seminars in Charlotte, North Carolina, 1991.

Recently I’ve offered tips on how to improve your radio show.

“But Dan, do I really have to do all that work — show prep, constantly striving to improve?”

Of course not.

I’ve said it many times before: Radio is the easiest thing in the world to do badly.

Show up two minutes before your shift, spend all your time on Facebook while the music plays, and split as soon as it’s over. Don’t bother thinking about your next show until the next time you crack the mic.

Anybody can do that. Including you.

Doing a great show, having a successful career (rather than a job or a series of jobs) is a lot more work.

And a lot more rewarding.

And a lot more fun.

Here’s a great resource for inspiring you to make every radio feature you do…your own.

Last week I heard a radio commercial for the San Diego Zoo.

Because it was a typical radio commercial, I have no idea what the commercial actually said (other than “San Diego Zoo”).

But at the very end of the radio ad, the announcer shifted from whatever he was trying to talk about to:

“Download the San Diego Zoo app today.”

The commercial wasn’t about the app. It hadn’t mentioned how the app could be of value to San Diego Zoo patrons.

Instead, listeners were instructed to download an app they’d never heard of, so that they could…um…Well, if people download the San Diego Zoo app, they can do whatever it is the San Diego Zoo app does.

Suggestion: Don’t end your radio commercial with a meaningless and irrelevant Call To Action.

Oh, and hey: Download my app.