The very name "advertainment" sends thrilling vibrations up the spine of anyone with marketing in their blood or communication in their genes. And it produces a strong shiver of disgust from many of my colleagues in the music industry.

"I don’t want my songs to be involved in advertising," they say, forgetting entirely that by wearing branded running shoes, a t-shirt hawking Fender guitars and a baseball cap emblazoned with the Peavey logo, their very lives are involved in advertising. Plus, if they attend an awards show, they happily state the brand and designer names of everything they’re wearing.

They further ignore the fact that radio itself is a form of advertainment. What gets played has little to do with musical accomplishment or artistic merit, but is directly related to the backing of large corporate distributors. I have been told to budget anywhere from a quarter of a million dollars to $350,000 in promotional costs to obtain national radio play on (the appropriately-named) commercial radio stations. Is it any wonder that corporations are seeking ways to build a little brand awareness into the songs?

Turn on any rap, urban or hip hop station and you can start counting the product mentions in the lyrics, some paid-for, some just happenstance. In the electronic-pop field, I have done it myself. On my "Electro Bop" album are songs such as "Paranormal Radio" (which begins as a documentary about American Technology Corporation’s HyperSonic Sound system), "Sheena Sez" (about talk radio host Sheena Metal), and "Check the Tech" (about the joys of watching the TechTV channel).

Has this advertainment hurt acceptance of the album? Not that I’ve noticed. Many e-mails from around the world cite "Paranormal Radio" as their favorite track. Not one person has complained about the ad messages, I assume because the audience for my dance-oriented music is pleased to receive information about technology and a far-out rock-talk jock such as Ms. Metal.

Ads and entertainment go hand-in-wallet in many other ways, some pretty strange. In music alone, we have all wondered about Bob Dylan’s "Love Sick" in Victoria’s Secret commercials (not to mention Mr. D himself smirking between shots of the lovely bodies wearing the lingerie). But don’t overlook Keith Richards in the "Cover Girl" ad while "Honky Tonk Women" plays, or Willie Nelson’s "Red Headed Stranger" in the Herbal Essence spot, or Iggy Pop’s liquor/drug/sex-soaked "Lust for Life" blasting throughout the Royal Caribbean commercials. (Love to work with the Account Executive who was able to sell that concept!) By contrast, Sting crooning from the back seat of a Jaguar seems a very model of demographic compatibility.

And that’s the point: ads and public relations are routinely dismissed as silly, annoying, intrusive or a waste of time right up to the moment when they are delivering facts the reader or listener wants. Then, suddenly, the sponsored message is viewed as helpful and instructive. Therefore, the trick is to achieve the right match between audience and message.

One problem is choosing your media. Just listing advertising outlets can be daunting: TV, radio, outdoor, newspapers, magazines, transit, direct mail, Internet banner. Many of these have subsets: paid inserts (advertorial) in newspapers and magazines, sponsored "newsbreaks" and infomercials on broadcast media, static or animated announcements at stadia, those dreaded ‘Net pop-ups, brand names on sports uniforms and equipment (can you say NASCAR?), etc.

One of the most enjoyable categories for producers of both music and advertising is viral ‘Net marketing, which has had some notable success stories such as BMW Films, the Seinfeld AmEx campaign, and of course, Burger King’s Subservient Chicken.

We haven’t even considered cooperative advertising, which can be anything from myriad logos at the bottom of an event poster to the branded music tones and flashing-light Intel trademark that ends every other commercial for someone else’s computer products.

But it extends further. Consider: Magazines that sell cover stories; product placement in movies and TV (and yes, live theater); branded clothing; bumper stickers; even fliers stuck on parked cars. There are ad messages on private automobiles (and those anti-humanistic trucks that some insist are called SUVs). Pull up behind a vehicle in traffic and you can read an ad for the car dealership on the license plate frame, plus another piece of public relations for the state on the plate itself. (Come on, you don’t think it’s hype to put "Land of enchantment" on every vehicle licensed in the state of New Mexico?)

You might think that this plethora of options makes it easier for firms to get their messages across to their targeted demographics, but a good case can be made for the opposite view. TV audiences are turning to Tivo and pay-per-view. Radio audiences are discovering XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. Newspaper readership is becoming an oxymoron. Motion picture audiences can be heard groaning, mocking or booing the pre-feature commercials.

This means there are a lot of people working on new ways to get the product benefits into the brains of the consumers. I do it with humorous radio scripts and subliminally seductive music, but there are going to be some innovations in our industry, and at the risk of appearing foolish, I’m going to make a few predictions. Within the next few years, we’ll see:

* Debit card scanners in TV sets, so you can order during a commercial with the flick of your remote.

* Barcodes in songs, so you can download from iTunes by swiping your XM or Sirius player with your Visa or MasterCard.

* Credit cards built into wristwatches, so your "plastic money" is always close at hand.

* Links to product sites in every scene of DVD movies or computer games. Do you want the shoes in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater game? Click-click-click and they’re on their way to you via FedEx (note product placement for the big competitor to United Parcel Service).

* Broadcasts of infotainment and advertainment will pop up everywhere: in public restrooms, at the Starbucks, at traffic signals, at the gas pump, on your mailbox, in the packages you purchase, in the parcels that arrive at your door, etc.

* Captive broadcasts. Just as you can preview the music on packaged CDs (available in EU now, but coming soon to the USA), the product benefits, price points and warranty information will play as soon as you lift up a product in the store.

* Digitized logo placement in the rebroadcasts of syndicated TV shows ("Hey, we can sell the product placement another three times!")

* Branded ingredient lists on menus.

* Corporate artwork that takes you on a virtual tour of the company.

* Interactive ads, where you get to play Jerry Seinfeld and/or Superman (or the driver of the BMW) in a five-minute escape from reality (and from reality TV).

* Holographic projections of commercials from postage stamps, car and house keys, magazine covers and ad pages, etc.

And these are just the changes we’ll be seeing in the next few years. We’re not even discussing the opportunities for advertainment once we move beyond traditional broadcast methodology; when microchips are embedded under your skin, YOU will be the receiver for TV, radio, satellite, telephone, and global positioning system signals. And at that point, the possibilities for marketing communication via advertainment are going to become truly mind-boggling.

Are these prospects exciting, frightening, or both? My view is positive. After all, a lot of these new forms of communication are going to need my scripts and my music.

# # #

Scott G is president of G-Man Music & Radical Radio. His music is on commercials for Verizon Wireless, Goodrich, Monaco Motor Coaches, BAE Systems and more. A creative director of the National Association of Record Industry Professionals (NARIP) and a member of The Recording Academy (NARAS), he writes about music for MusicDish.com and the Immedia Wire Service. The G-Man’s albums are released by Delvian Records and are on Apple’s iTunes. He can be reached via http://www.gmanmusic.com.

I have been reading articles on increasing sales using search engine optimisation as well as writing them for a very long time and I have not seen many which point out the best way to increase sales.

The answer is obvious yet often overlooked; you just have to be as good to your customers as you would expect any other site owner to treat you.

The World Wide Web is vast and the choices are many, it doesn’t matter what you want you have probably got a choice of 30,000 to 3,000,000 sites to pick from. Our customers will become repeat customers if they are provided a personal service that exceeds their expectations.

The Internet has been a boom for many people, businesses have sprung up and their owners have managed to make a living from them, some more than others.

The Internet has also taken away the contact we used to have with shop assistants, we no longer see shopping as a personal experience and I think this is a real shame. You can’t ask questions, you can’t see the goods you are buying and you don’t get a feel for the person you are dealing with.

It is down to us, the seller, the owner, the customer service manager to provide a personal service to these people who entrust us with their hard earned cash to provide not only value for money but also a service that will leave them with a warm glow in their heart and a need to return to us for further purchases.

We will also get the benefit of the most valued advertising; FREE word of mouth recommendations are invaluable and must never be underestimated. One person shows off their newly acquired goods and says how fabulous your site is to 2 or 3 people and then those people tell 2 or 3 people so on and on it goes. Before soon you have loyal customer base.

Remember that it takes a long time to build a solid reputation but only one mistake to destroy it. It takes a lot of hard work and sometimes you have to swallow your pride and say " the customer is always right", we all know that is not always the case but even an awkward customer has mellow moments and friends (well most of them do).

Mark White has worked in I.T. for the last 15 years and currently runs 3 websites.

http://sunspeks.com/

http://tendollardownloads.com/

http://phone-bits.com/

And administrates for http://freetraffictip.com/members

What if you can understand and control your customer’s mind? What if you can influence, persuade and motivate your customers to buy from you? Well, I’m not talking about a magic trick or lay down a lesson of motivation. It’s about understanding the different reactions made by the human mind in various situations. I’m going to briefly discuss 3 key aspects of psychological secrets that you can apply in your promotion efforts for a certain increase in customer response. They are,

1. Curiosity
2. Because / Reason Why
3. Greed

Curiosity

What is it? Curiosity can be defined as “the desire to know the unexplored” in simple terms. People want to know things that many others don’t know. They like to discover the ‘secrets’ that only some people know. The desire to know is a compelling force in marketing, so we have:

* Secrets of the Diet Industry Uncovered
* What Time Share Companies Don’t Want You To Know
* Msteries of A Youthful Appearance Revealed
* The Hidden Keys of Car Buying

People don’t want

* How to Diet Successfully or
* A Guide to Buying Cars

for example. First set of titles surely outshines the second set of titles because the former takes advantage of curiosity. You must design your advertising in a way that arouses curiosity. Getting to see the powerful of curiosity? (When compared the two sets above)

Because / Reason Why

Telling people a valid reason for your action is another great influencer in human behavior. People will trust you if you can offer a reason for what you are doing. Say you offer a 50% discount on your digital cameras for the last 10 days in this month. People are too smart today and start to think it’s probably because you want to get rid of your defective products or because its 2 days before the expiry date (in case of food items). Wouldn’t you and I think the same way when we see a similar message?

Give them a true believable reason. For example, let’s say you have a slow time of the year and you want to increase your business during this period. Make a special, limited time offer. Offer to throw in an extra free bonus or a special discount simply because it’s your "slow time" and you need to pay your staff anyway.

Don’t you think people will believe it? If you can give a solid reason for a particular action, people will have no doubts about what you say - there is simply very little room for doubt.

Greed

People are greedy. I’m not talking about food but ‘greedy’ in a marketing perspective. Everybody feels from “what’s in it for me” syndrome. They really want to know how your product can benefit them. Notice that, the "customer’s will buy benefits and not products". Confused? You’ll see what I mean in a minute.

Analyze the following list of benefits written about a digital camera.

* Can store over 200 photos
* Supports every color you can see
* Manual included so you can start even if you have no previous experience

This will certainly open the eyes of a person who has an idea of bu’ying a camera one day. This is in complete contrast to the following, where the ‘product’ is described.

* Has a memory of 6000k
* Supports 16-bit colors
* 60-page manual included

Customers don’t want a memory of 6000k, but they want to store 200 photos. Get it? You must clearly tell the customer how will they benefit by bu’ying your produc’t. You can then describe the prod’uct itself, when they are looking for more information.

To make this point clearer, understand that,

"Customer’s will bu’y benefits and ‘not’ the features."

Okay.. Whats the difference between features and benefits? Features describe the product itself - what it has. Benefits describe the advantages a customer gets by bu’ying the product. The first list above is a benefits list and the second is a features list.

Benefits will drive customers to explore more information about the product. This is when you should give them the features and describe the product itself. To summarize, get customers into looking for more info by telling them the benefits and then describe the prod’uct. This will assure the best results.

I laid out just 3 powerful tactics here. There are many more ‘explored’ and ‘unexplored’ secrets, and hope you can discover a few too. Please let me know if you do. I hope this information was helpful to you and wish you good luck and success in your future mark’eting efforts.

Fahad Hassen is the publisher of “Forbidden Psychological Secrets" eBook, which has over 25 proven secrets of controlling your customer’s ’subconcoius’ mind and influencing them to b’uy from you.

Visit his site at http://www.mafoor.com/forbidden.

You can turn your vehicle into a rolling advertisement. Costs start at just a few dollars, and you can put your business name, slogan, phone number and web site URL in front of thousands of potential customers while you are driving along the freeway, stuck in traffic or even while you are parked. Here are some of the best ways to use your vehicle as a marketing tool.

Bumper stickers are so inexpensive that you may want to print enough for employees, friends, family members, customers and others. Publisher Susan Sabo of Small Dogs Press made bumper stickers saying, “I do bad things for love,” along with the Small Dogs web site URL. The line is from one of their books, and everyone who sees the bumper sticker wants one. Sabo sells them at her web site, and gives them away at book fairs. Of course, she has one on her car, and says she has given them to all of her friends, too.

License plate frames are a favorite of car dealers and auto repair shops, but they can work for any business. You can have them custom made with your business name or slogan, along with a phone number or URL.

Magnetic signs are an easy and low-cost way to put a lot of information on your car. Put them on both sides of the car, and make sure the lettering is large enough to read, even from a distance and when the vehicle is in motion. Personal chef Sue Gaughenbaugh added an effective twist to this idea. She bought a supply of magnetic business cards and placed them around the sign on her truck. When customers see her truck in a parking lot, they can pick up a card to take with them. Gaughenbaugh started getting calls from new customers within days of putting the take-away magnetic cards on her truck.

Vinyl decals and window stickers are a highly visible way to promote your web site. Put the URL in large letters across the width of your rear windshield. After all, you never know who might be behind you in traffic. This is most effective if you have a catchy and descriptive domain name. Custom stickers are available at prices starting under $20.

You can order many of these items from local printers and sign shops. Or, do an online search for companies that can create bumper stickers, magnetic signs, decals and other promotional items.

And when you are ready to go all-out, consider a vehicle wrap. These vinyl decals look like a custom paint job and cover your entire vehicle with bright, high-quality graphics. This is not a do-it-yourself project, but you can hire companies such as www.coloredink.com to design and install the graphics. At an estimated cost of $3,500, this option is much more expensive than the others described here, but it will certainly make an impression on the other drivers you encounter.

When your car is a traveling billboard, the time you spend in traffic will become more productive.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the Idea Lady, Cathy Stucker can help you attract customers and make yourself famous with creative strategies that help your business excel. Get free tips and discover what she can do for you at http://www.IdeaLady.com/.

As I was searching through a kitchen drawer the other day, I found dozens of pens, pencils, letter openers, sticky-note pads, oversized paper clips, rulers, dental floss, calendars, magnets, whatsits and thing-a-ma-bobs, each with the name of a business on the front. In looking through my "collection" I discovered some things I love and use and others that I can’t imagine why I picked them up. Some, I’m not even sure what they are!

They are all advertising specialties. You know, those giveaways that are going to bring customers swarming to your door. Advertising specialties can put your name in front of prospective customers and keep it there. That way, your name will be on their minds and in front of their faces when they decide to buy. But too often, they don’t work the way you expected them to.

The trick to using advertising specialties effectively is to understand who your customers are, what they value, how they will use your giveaway, and where they will be when they make a buy decision.

Pizza delivery restaurants give out lots of refrigerator magnets. Where are you when you decide to order a pizza? You probably just looked in the fridge for something to fix for dinner, didn’t find anything and are closing the door. At that moment, you spot a magnet and say, "Pizza!" Some of the magnets even come with detachable coupons.

Where will your customers be when they make a buy decision? At home, at the office, in their cars, on the phone, at the computer . . .use a specialty that will be in front of them there.

Or maybe you just want something that they will use a lot to keep your name in their minds. A mug. Or something like a wall calendar where your name will be in front of them 365 days. (366 in a leap year!)

However you hope to influence your customers, make sure you choose an item they will actually use. Will they want another ball point pen, pocket calendar, or stress ball? How many wall calendars do they get from other sources? Will yours be one they are willing to put up on the wall? Does your item look or feel "cheap" or of poor quality? If so it won’t give a good impression of your business.

If you use advertising specialties, choose something that is unique, doesn’t look cheap, will be used by your customers, and will be nearby when they make a buy decision. That doesn’t mean you have to give away expensive items. A couple of my favorites are ball point pens. One, from British Airways, has a clip that folds out to look like wings on a plane. It’s not great to write with, but it’s really cute. Will the pen cause me to fly British Airways? Probably not, but it is one more positive impression I have of their airline.

Want to try something a little different? Why not get tote bags, t-shirts, sports bottles, or other items made up and sell them. If you have a clever logo or slogan, people might be willing to pay. For example, the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston (yes, a museum about funerals) sells mugs and more with their slogan, "Any day above ground is a good one." If you are actively creating a brand people respond to, you might be able to start a whole new product line. One source for image products is http://www.cafepress.com/.

Oh, one last thing about using advertising specialties. You have to actually give them out. Buying them and leaving the box in the closet won’t bring you a single customer.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the Idea Lady, Cathy Stucker can help you attract customers and make yourself famous with inexpensive and free marketing ideas. Get free tips, articles and more at http://www.IdeaLady.com/.

Your marketing and advertising won’t be effective if your potential customers don’t believe the claims you make. So how can you prove your that you can do what you say you can?

Tone it down. Even if it is possible, your claim that dieters can lose 50 pounds in a month probably won’t be believed. Make it more realistic and representative of typical results.

Get customer testimonials. Let them see that others have had great results. Testimonials should be specific and include the customer’s real name for the most credibility.

Get endorsements from experts. Respected authorities who say that your product or service is good make you look good.

Positive media coverage will make you a star. Media coverage provides an implied endorsement from a respected source.

Show a track record. Have you been in business for 20 years? Customers are more comfortable doing business with someone they believe will be around if there is a problem after the sale.

Make yourself accessible. Give a phone number or e-mail address where customers can contact you (or support staff) directly with questions. Phone numbers are especially valuable in creating the awareness that you are approachable by clients. Add live chat at your web site to resolve support issues.

Cite statistics from a reputable source to back up your claims. There is a joke that 67.8% of all statistics are made up on the spot. When you use statistics, tell where they came from.

And, never make claims that aren’t true. If you are caught in a lie, it can be difficult or impossible to reclaim the trust of your customers.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the Idea Lady, Cathy Stucker can help you attract customers and make yourself famous with creative strategies that help your business excel. Get free marketing tips and discover what she can do for you at http://www.IdeaLady.com/.

The most important aspect of any business is selling the product or service. Without sales, you are not generating any income and your business will not survive. All sales begin with effective and powerful advertisements. To build sales the ad must get the buyer to act. The ad writer must know what he or she wants the buyer to do.

All ads are written with a basic formula, which is:

1. Attract the attention of your prospect.

2. Interest your prospect in your product/service.

3. Cause your prospect to "desire" your product.

4. Demand "action" from the prospect.

Never forget the basic rules of copywriting. If the ad is not read, it won’t generate a sale. If the ad is not seen it won’t be read. If the ad does not command the attention of the reader, it will not be seen!

Lastly, longer isn’t always better. If you can say what you need to say with fewer words then do so. People are rushed these days and they don’t have time or patience to read a long and wordy advertisement. Sales are the lifeblood of any business. Master the art of effective advertising and you will be on your way to a succesful business.

DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.

We already know this from our history books. If you want to make money today, you must first look back in time to the first time in history that a large portion of our country all tried to get rich at the same time in the same place. The first discovery of gold was at Sutter’s Mill by James W. Marshall in 1948, Mr. Sutter’s mill contractor and builder. This discovery sprang thousands upon thousands of ambitious individuals to get rich which we refer to as the "Gold Rush."

As you can imagine, these people were not that much different from the thousands of new entrepreneurs trying to get rich on the Internet. But out of all those thousands of people seeking their fortunes, only about 4% to 6% of them even found enough gold to feed themselves. And history books tell us that less than 1% ever became wealthy. This is so similar to the Internet of today that the two are worth comparing.

BUT Wait! A completely different group of people became extremely wealthy in those exact same gold fields…

Who were these people who managed to get rich during those hard times?

They were the people who opened little stores not far from where all the people were digging and panning for gold! These people were the smartest group because they chose to sell the tools that they knew all those gold diggers were going to need. This special group of individuals some how knew that it was a waste of time to dig and pan for gold. This amazing group of people wanted something with better odds. They wanted a sure thing!

They knew that the miners couldn’t mine unless they had clothing, tools, and food. So these genius store owners made their fortunes selling the shovels, jackets, pants, wheel barrows, picks, pans, beer, food, hats, medicine and etc. So it didn’t matter to them if a miner found gold and got rich or whether that miner couldn’t find an ounce of gold. It just didn’t matter to the men and women who owned the stores because no matter what, all those people in search of gold still needed massive amounts of supplies to live and more tools to keep trying. The shopkeepers were always there to sell all these supplies!

Whether gold was found or not, during any given day, the shop keepers made the same consistent amount of solid income!

Below you’re about to find out why all this is relevant to you and your Internet income.

You now know that history has proven that if you do exactly what the masses of people are doing to get rich, you’ll most likely fail. And you now know that if you provide products or services to that large group of people that are all trying to get rich, you’ll most likely become wealthy. It’s simple! Turn those gold diggers into your customers!

Just for a moment, separate yourself from the rest of them - sit back and relax. While sitting there, watch what they are doing; pay attention to what they are looking for and what they are using to get it. Once you have figured these things out you will know what to do to turn them into your customers.

But in case you don’t, here’s the simple answer to how you’re about to turn all of today’s Internet gold diggers into your own customers. First of all, you must ask yourself this question: "What is the single most important thing to all of today’s Internet gold diggers? What do they crave and desire the most?"

The answer is "Traffic." In case you’re new to the Internet, the word "Traffic," of course, means visitors to your web site. It doesn’t take Internet marketers long to figure out that even though they have a professional web site up, not a single person is ever going to visit that web site unless it gets advertised. You have to know where to get traffic and generate MORE traffic.

With all that in mind, I’m about to discuss a very important subject and it may be very controversial to some, and even cause me to lose a few customers but I MUST make my point.

You hear this from people around you, your teachers, your advisors, even television, "knowledge is power." Do you agree?

Please explain.

I’ve asked a few people this same question and some have explained, "Well, yeah, without knowledge you have no authority."

"Well, it’s obvious, without knowledge you have no power."

"Knowledge is what gets the job done in your everyday task."

While these are good explanations, I disagree. You’re baffled. Totally understandable because I’m probably the only person on Earth standing up to this worldwide, coined phrase. So I better begin explaining myself before I start receiving hate mails. Allow me to explain by using an example.

Electricity.

Can you agree electricity is power? It has the power to turn your lights on, it’s what plays your radio, and it’s what starts up your car. Or does it? Electricity doesn’t just magically turn your light on, automatically play your radio nor does it mysteriously start your engine. No. The electricity HAS TO BE APPLIED.

Like electricity, knowledge doesn’t magically write your sales letter, knowledge doesn’t automatically file your folders and knowledge doesn’t mysteriously tune up your car. It has to be "APPLIED."

"Where are you going with this," you might ask.

Simply this, "knowledge" is only POTENTIAL POWER. All the knowledge that you hold within you is nothing unless you put it to use. That’s it. If after reading this article and you decide to do nothing then you will have wasted your time and effort. Unless you apply what I’ve taught you, you will have thrown away your money. You can learn from my 4 years of experience or you can ignore it, the choice is yours.

I’m not here to change your mind about anything, I’m just pointing out important aspects to consider and I can only hope it has opened your mind and drive you to take action.

Van Lam is a business opportunity reviewer who speaks his mind and shares his thoughts. He has written a new ebook called, "The Hidden Secrets Revealed." Visit his web site to read the reviews and register at his Private Forum for plenty of free products to download and to chat with other network marketers and online opportunity enthusiasts. http://www.networkersdebut.com

Can it be???

Is there advertising that people actually love?

You bet there is! And you are already very aware of it. The type of advertising I’m referring to is promotional items, also known as advertising specialties. It’s anything a company would put their logo and contact information on, and then give away. They are used by many businesses all over the world to help maintain, and increase the amount of business they do with their customers every day.

Why do people love it? Because we view the item more as a gift from the giver instead of an advertising tool. Have you ever been handed a logoed scratch pad, coffee mug, pen, coaster, calendar, etc. and then said THANK YOU? Of course you have. We all have.

When you accept it, an emotional (almost an obligation to do business with) type of attachment is created in you. A kind of warm & fuzzy feeling if you will. For a long time they’ll remember the gift you gave, and in order to show their appreciation to you, almost instinctively, they’ll try to do more business with you. That’s the secret behind this type of advertising!!!

And that’s why it’s The ONLY type of advertising people love. AND it’ll work powerfully for you too!!

The next time you’re pondering ways to increase your business, consider using promotional items.

Scott Rauber, Biz Promo, LLC - In the business of helping businesses get more business. Master of finding prospects using little or no money.

Pay close attention and make it work the best for you.

No doubt you’ve listened to, and then quickly deleted, messages from account execs from your local radio stations. Maybe you’ve even entertained them in your office. Hopefully you didn’t have to sanitize your phone or office afterwards.

Well, radio can be great way to garner awareness cheaply… ahem, inexpensively… if you do it right. Remember… 97.823% of all radio ads S-U-C-K. That leaves you to carry the banner for great radio advertising. And when you do, you will get noticed. Believe me, you will get noticed.

Why do so many radio ads suck? Between the screaming car ads, nasally voiced business owners who should never get anywhere near a microphone reading their own ads, and the next “turnkey” business opportunity, they are all dressed in their plaid suits and resorting to hucksterism. They want your money and they want it now.

They forget one thing. Well, actually a lot of things, but the main thing they forget that people are not tuning in for their ad. Listeners want Rush, Rome, Al, Laura, music, sports, news, or whatever. People aren’t saying, “Gee, I gotta hear great heating and air conditioning ads today!”

Your ad is interrupting what they listen for. By nature, you are already behind the eight ball before you start in radio. But there is hope.

First off, do NOT let a radio station employee write your ad.

If your exec isn’t a writer (you may luck out in that some radio execs are copywriters in training looking for an agency gig) and you don’t speak up, your ad will probably get written by either: the station producer- who may have already written 4 or 5 other ads that same DAY,who doesn’t have enough time to fully attend to your needs, and thereby wasting your money; OR a disc jockey (strange term- they don’t spin wax anymore, Daddy-O) whose annoyed he or she has to write an ad, or who’s not a talented writer to begin with, also wasting your money; OR by an intern, secretary, or other employee - who may relish the opportunity, but may not have the chops yet, or is being pressured to write something “quick and dirty” so it can produced and on the air — also thereby wasting your money.

You have creative control and the ultimate yay or nay, so feel free to choose your writer. Hint and Shameless Plug : There is a link here to direct you to an excellent radio writer. It’s http://www.brandedbetter.com.

Now, when it comes down to concepting and reviewing scripts, remember this: Radio is called Theater of the Mind for good reason. Use it to your advantage. Recall your disadvantage before starting.

Cleverness will grab attention. But… it must be on strategy to be effective. Give your writer ONE benefit to express. How does that benefit resonate with the target audience? Don’t think if you have a “mundane” or “boring” product or service, there’s no cleverness to be had. Give a good writer enough information, and they will find it.

A few of the BEST radio ads I’ve ever heard was for a soil conditioner. Yup. A soil conditioner. Two voices. One performed by the writer. The other performed by midlevel (read… talented, and nonunion) voice talent. Writer as The Hick Farmer. Nonunion Talent as the Smart Farmer.

Hick Farmer: “Hey, nay-bor…Whatzzat on yer roof?”

Smart Farmer: (obviously) “It’s a satellite dish.”

Hick Farmer: "Whazzit fer…? Talkin’ to the Martians?"

You can almost hear the slack jaw in your head. And it makes you want to hear more. That’s your goal for radio.

Another ad for the same product was even better.

Smart Farmer: "Hey, neighbor… Why so glum?"

Hick Farmer: "Aw… the weeds, the bugs, the disease… my crops are about ruined… I’ve had an awful year. The wife has been pickin’ her tooth for leftovers."

Now, I’m not a farmer. I never heard of conditioning soil. But, you can bet I understood what it did after these ads. And did I mention I was wondrously entertained when receiving this information?

To be fair, these ads were produced by an ad agency with a good sized budget. The campaign also won some ad awards and some industry awards. The point is– a good ad isn’t loud, repetitive, trite, condescending, or tries to jam as many words possible into the time frame. In fact, silence works to your advantage. Silence in radio (or even TV) is like white space on a print ad. It tastefully surrounds the content for maximum effectiveness, drawing the eye (in this case, ear) in to read (hear) the copy.

Voices are important, too. Ever listen to the radio and hear the same voice all over the ads? That’s usually Mr. or Ms. Producer– the person who makes sure the ad gets made. That’s why they don’t have time to write a good one for you. Many freelance writers, myself included, know something about voices and casting, and can probably get you the best talent for your dollar. Some writers can even voice their own copy. And think twice, no… three times about voicing it yourself. Better make that four times.

Oh, and if you’re wondering what length of ad to buy? In most cases, go for the :60. For just a few dollars more, you get twice the time to play with. If you are spending money on radio, use ALL the resources available to you to create the best possible ad. And that usually entails going outside the radio station walls to get it. ~~

John is a freelance commercial writer based in Omaha, Nebraska. He publishes a free monthly e-zine focusing on branding, advertising, and marketing from his website http://www.brandedbetter.com. Speaking with both agency and in- house experience, he knows the most valuable asset of a businees is its brand.