By Holland Cooke
Consultant
THANKS to all who offered feedback about my most recent column. ICYMI: “So what?” Prompted by your interest – and because we all get paid based on our advertisers’ results – I am declaring “September For Sales,” a month-long series of proven revenue-producing strategies and tactics, right here each Monday.
This week: Why – the instant a listener recognizes the typical commercial formula – they can stop listening.
There’s a peculiar voice heard only in radio commercials. You’ve heard it.
- “For all your _____ needs…”
- “Conveniently located at…”
- “Serving the community for over __ years…”
- “Your one-stop shop for…”
Nobody talks that way.
- You don’t tell a friend: “For all your casual dining needs, conveniently located on Route 6…”
- You say: “We found this cool place last weekend. Ya gotta try the ribs.”
Yet turn on the radio and the voices are speaking fluent Commercial. Ugh. Listeners have heard the language so many thousands of times that they recognize it before they process it. Oh… commercial.
Don’t Announce. Intrigue.
Compare: “Miller Appliance has proudly served the area for 37 years and carries all major brands of refrigerators…” with: “I wasn’t planning to buy a refrigerator that day.”
The second sentence creates a question: So, what happened? That’s all we need. We’ve earned another few seconds.
Or compare: “Johnson Roofing offers quality workmanship at affordable prices…” with: “I noticed the stain on the ceiling.”
One sounds like advertising. The other sounds like a story. Which would you keep listening to?
Delete the First Sentence
It’s worth trying with almost any commercial. Maybe delete the second sentence too. You may discover that the commercial doesn’t actually begin until sentence three. Start where something happens.
- Instead of: “At Wilson Veterinary Clinic, we know your pets are important members of your family.” Try: “Buddy stopped eating Tuesday.”
- Instead of: “When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, you need an experienced professional.” Try: “The tree missed the bedroom by six feet.”
- Instead of: “For more than three generations, Anderson Jewelers has helped celebrate life’s special moments.” Try: “She said yes before he finished asking.”
That’s radio. We can introduce the advertiser later. First, make the listener wonder what happens next.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn