Radio Ads That Get ResultsWritten by Lisa Packer
Radio advertising can be a small business's best friend. It's relatively inexpensive, very effective, and allows you to target your audience pretty specifically. It's also a level playing field -- your commercials can sound just as good as those of a corporate giant.But not all radio ads are created equal. Too often, they're wasted on "name recognition" spots that have to be run over and over, only hoping to produce a positive impression in audience's mind. Eventually they promise you more business, but nothing you can trace. There is a better way. When done right, radio can be one of most potent weapons in your marketing arsenal. Here's how: 1. Never let radio station write your ads. They're usually very nice people, and good at job of selling radio advertising. But they're generally not trained writers. At best, you'll get a decent ad that sounds like everything else on their station. At worst, you'll get a lousy ad. If you're going to do radio, do it right and hire a professional copywriter. 2. Tell a story. Radio is powerful because it is an intimate medium. It's often listened to when someone is alone, such as when driving to work. It can easily arouse emotion that leads to sales, and best way to do that is by telling a story. Create a humorous conflict that is solved by your product or service and have it acted out. Story-based commercials get consistently better results than traditional announcer-based ones.
| | Are Your Brochures Worth The Paper They're Printed On?Written by Lisa Packer
Brochures are one of oldest marketing weapons in business arsenal. And for good reason. A well done brochure lends an air of credibility while laying out a persuasive sales message. It conveys a lot of information and moves customer along in sales process. When it’s done right. When done wrong, a brochure is an exercise in futility. It bores reader and makes a beeline to round file. It’s a waste of time, effort, and landfill space. So how can you make sure yours are done right? First of all, stay out of “we.” Believe it or not, telling your prospect what you think is so great about yourself only impresses you. And it’s not about you. A good brochure, like any other marketing message, is all about what your product or service does for your customer. Every word should be about her, and how what you are offering benefits her. Next, don’t let Sgt. Friday write for you. “Just facts” doesn’t sell things. People make buying decisions on emotion, so you have to connect with their hearts. Find out what feelings will resonate with your prospects and evoke them. Get their juices flowing and stir them to desire what you have to offer. Never waste valuable real estate. The most important panel of your entire brochure is cover. It’s also most often wasted. The front of your brochure has to interest your prospect enough to get them to open it up and look inside.
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