The Right Ingredients for Successful Radio »
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As someone who was raised in television direct marketing, I had always heard that radio was something to be ignored--audiences were too fragmented, products couldn't be demonstrated, and advertising schedules didn't pay out. The bottom line was that radio didn't work. It wasn't even worth testing. Besides, television could deliver much bigger numbers at a fraction of the media cost per response.
Clearly, I was ingrained with skepticism about radio. Everyone in the DRTV business "knew" radio didn't work, and I was easily convinced as well. But after learning the ins and outs of the radio business and testing its direct response capabilities, it became clear to me that it wasn't radio itself that didn't work; instead it was the way radio was being used that didn't work.
Today, there are over 20 defined radio formats, each attracting a different demographic and psychographic profile. According to the Radio Advertising Bureau, the average American listens to radio about three hours a day. Although direct response selling is not radio's primary strength, radio has the ability to generate highly qualified respondents. People who make the effort to call an 800-number from a radio commercial are typically very interested in the product or service being advertised. Impulse responses (which can negatively affect your conversion rate) are not as common as you might think.
Radio has several similarities to television: they're both electronic media, they have high usage, they reach most people each week. But radio has qualities and attributes that are unique, stemming from the way radio is programmed: the way people use radio, and the way people absorb information from radio. There is true value behind what radio can offer, and with the right ingredients and understanding, radio can be a rewarding direct response resource for you.
So what are the right ingredients for a successful program?
A suitable product - Your product has to fit in with radio's benefits and limitations. If a visual demonstration is necessary, particularly with new or unique products, consider using TV or print instead. However, if your product is visually oriented but your target prospects are already familiar with it, radio may work. And of course, radio may be perfect if your product or service can be explained without the use of sight or motion (or touch, taste or smell!).
A simple offer - The less complicated your radio offer is, the more likely it is to be successful. Since most products and services need more than 60 seconds of audio explanation to convince a listener to call an 800-number and buy immediately, the best offers for radio are lead generation offers, where the listener is under no obligation to purchase. If listeners have the opportunity to receive free information, a free estimate, or a free product sample, then they are more likely to open a relationship with you and ultimately become customers.
If your offer carries a lot of legal qualifiers with it, you may want to reconsider using that offer. In radio, there's no such thing as small type to bury legal requirements. And a fast-talking delivery of legal necessities can oftentimes add confusion or suspicion, not to mention the time it takes away from selling your product.
Creative that exploits radio's strengths - The basic principles of writing and producing direct response advertisements are universal to all media. You need a strong introduction, a good offer, a benefit-oriented approach, and a call to action. Radio is no different. But when you play to the intimate, one-on-one qualities of radio and the loyalty people have to their favorite radio stations, then your creative will go the extra mile for you. And it doesn't take expensive, highly-produced commercials to go the distance. Just make sure your approach is informational and personal, with copy crafted for the spoken word and repitition of the most important points. Without visuals, radio can often paint a much more dramatic and convincing picture than other media.
Pacing is particularly important - The copy needs to be written for speaking, not reading. It's too easy to cram so much copy into your spot that it requires a really fast delivery. Try to restrain yourself because otherwise your message will lose its impact. Normal, conversationally-paced commercials with pauses will be understood and comprehended better than a spot that becomes a race against time.
One more thing. Although humor is commonly used in radio advertising, it probably won't work in direct response radio. Being funny usually doesn't make the phone ring.
Frequency, frequency, frequency - One of the least understood ingredients of the radio success formula is scheduling. Radio requires frequency for your message to be heard and for the responses to come in. A traditional 12 to 18 spot per week advertising schedule on a radio station doesn't cut it. You may need as many as two to three times that number. Is this overkill? Not at all. You can't expect listeners to respond after hearing your commercial only once (although your spots should be written with that goal in mind). It may take two, three, or more repetitions for listeners to respond, based on their consideration of your product and where they are when they hear your message.
With that in mind, you probably won't see an immediate spike in responses the day the schedule starts. It's more likely that response will build over a period of days or sometimes weeks. To DRTV marketers who are accustomed to immediate results, this can be a turn-off. (And if they tried radio before, maybe they turned it off too soon.) But if your response levels are growing, it may pay off in the long run to stick with it.
If you're considering radio, you're probably using other media sources already. A secondary benefit to radio usage is its synergy with your other media efforts. Radio helps lift the response of other media sources just as other media sources help radio. You may be surprised at how effective this can be.
Proper guidance - The misunderstandings and assumptions about radio have probably caused many potentially successful direct response campaigns to die or to never advance beyond a fleeting thought. If you're thinking about a test, talk to an expert who specializes in radio. Not only will they guide you, but they'll guide the radio stations, who depend on feedback and advice.
Radio has a language and structure of its own - There are 10,000 radio stations in the U.S., each with its own personality and nuances. And, the radio industry in general has an ever-evolving business structure at the local as well as regional and national levels.
Radio is a routine part of most everyone's lives - Think of how you use radio in your home, in your car, and/or at work--your customers probably listen to radio as much or more than you. If you're currently using other media sources successfully and know what you can afford for every response generated, radio could be a great addition to your marketing program.
______________________
This resource is (c) and compliments of The Direct Marketing Association, Inc, New York.
by Gary Kretchmer
As someone who was raised in television direct marketing, I had always heard that radio was something to be ignored--audiences were too fragmented, products couldn't be demonstrated, and advertising schedules didn't pay out. The bottom line was that radio didn't work. It wasn't even worth testing. Besides, television could deliver much bigger numbers at a fraction of the media cost per response.
Clearly, I was ingrained with skepticism about radio. Everyone in the DRTV business "knew" radio didn't work, and I was easily convinced as well. But after learning the ins and outs of the radio business and testing its direct response capabilities, it became clear to me that it wasn't radio itself that didn't work; instead it was the way radio was being used that didn't work.
Today, there are over 20 defined radio formats, each attracting a different demographic and psychographic profile. According to the Radio Advertising Bureau, the average American listens to radio about three hours a day. Although direct response selling is not radio's primary strength, radio has the ability to generate highly qualified respondents. People who make the effort to call an 800-number from a radio commercial are typically very interested in the product or service being advertised. Impulse responses (which can negatively affect your conversion rate) are not as common as you might think.
Radio has several similarities to television: they're both electronic media, they have high usage, they reach most people each week. But radio has qualities and attributes that are unique, stemming from the way radio is programmed: the way people use radio, and the way people absorb information from radio. There is true value behind what radio can offer, and with the right ingredients and understanding, radio can be a rewarding direct response resource for you.
So what are the right ingredients for a successful program?
A suitable product - Your product has to fit in with radio's benefits and limitations. If a visual demonstration is necessary, particularly with new or unique products, consider using TV or print instead. However, if your product is visually oriented but your target prospects are already familiar with it, radio may work. And of course, radio may be perfect if your product or service can be explained without the use of sight or motion (or touch, taste or smell!).
A simple offer - The less complicated your radio offer is, the more likely it is to be successful. Since most products and services need more than 60 seconds of audio explanation to convince a listener to call an 800-number and buy immediately, the best offers for radio are lead generation offers, where the listener is under no obligation to purchase. If listeners have the opportunity to receive free information, a free estimate, or a free product sample, then they are more likely to open a relationship with you and ultimately become customers.
If your offer carries a lot of legal qualifiers with it, you may want to reconsider using that offer. In radio, there's no such thing as small type to bury legal requirements. And a fast-talking delivery of legal necessities can oftentimes add confusion or suspicion, not to mention the time it takes away from selling your product.
Creative that exploits radio's strengths - The basic principles of writing and producing direct response advertisements are universal to all media. You need a strong introduction, a good offer, a benefit-oriented approach, and a call to action. Radio is no different. But when you play to the intimate, one-on-one qualities of radio and the loyalty people have to their favorite radio stations, then your creative will go the extra mile for you. And it doesn't take expensive, highly-produced commercials to go the distance. Just make sure your approach is informational and personal, with copy crafted for the spoken word and repitition of the most important points. Without visuals, radio can often paint a much more dramatic and convincing picture than other media.
Pacing is particularly important - The copy needs to be written for speaking, not reading. It's too easy to cram so much copy into your spot that it requires a really fast delivery. Try to restrain yourself because otherwise your message will lose its impact. Normal, conversationally-paced commercials with pauses will be understood and comprehended better than a spot that becomes a race against time.
One more thing. Although humor is commonly used in radio advertising, it probably won't work in direct response radio. Being funny usually doesn't make the phone ring.
Frequency, frequency, frequency - One of the least understood ingredients of the radio success formula is scheduling. Radio requires frequency for your message to be heard and for the responses to come in. A traditional 12 to 18 spot per week advertising schedule on a radio station doesn't cut it. You may need as many as two to three times that number. Is this overkill? Not at all. You can't expect listeners to respond after hearing your commercial only once (although your spots should be written with that goal in mind). It may take two, three, or more repetitions for listeners to respond, based on their consideration of your product and where they are when they hear your message.
With that in mind, you probably won't see an immediate spike in responses the day the schedule starts. It's more likely that response will build over a period of days or sometimes weeks. To DRTV marketers who are accustomed to immediate results, this can be a turn-off. (And if they tried radio before, maybe they turned it off too soon.) But if your response levels are growing, it may pay off in the long run to stick with it.
If you're considering radio, you're probably using other media sources already. A secondary benefit to radio usage is its synergy with your other media efforts. Radio helps lift the response of other media sources just as other media sources help radio. You may be surprised at how effective this can be.
Proper guidance - The misunderstandings and assumptions about radio have probably caused many potentially successful direct response campaigns to die or to never advance beyond a fleeting thought. If you're thinking about a test, talk to an expert who specializes in radio. Not only will they guide you, but they'll guide the radio stations, who depend on feedback and advice.
Radio has a language and structure of its own - There are 10,000 radio stations in the U.S., each with its own personality and nuances. And, the radio industry in general has an ever-evolving business structure at the local as well as regional and national levels.
Radio is a routine part of most everyone's lives - Think of how you use radio in your home, in your car, and/or at work--your customers probably listen to radio as much or more than you. If you're currently using other media sources successfully and know what you can afford for every response generated, radio could be a great addition to your marketing program.
______________________
This resource is (c) and compliments of The Direct Marketing Association, Inc, New York.