by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: July 10, 2009

The process of how to write a great radio ad is one which it is absolutely vital the writer get one hundred percent correct. Radio ads are necessarily so short that any deviance from the required structure will render the ad ineffective and the money which has been spent on same wasted.

The first thing which any radio ad has to do is catch the listener's attention immediately. Many radio listeners will use the commercial interludes as an opportunity to step out of the room for a moment, or perhaps engage in conversation for the duration of the perceived interruption to their scheduling. It is vital therefore that the writer of the radio ad determine some way to prevent them from doing this and to listen to the remainder of the ad.

The nature of the product or service which is being sold will largely determine how this can be achieved, but by including such as the word, "Free," in the introduction or asking the listener a question which they may often ask themselves or wonder, the writer can achieve this quite effectively.

The writer must also be careful to include the benefits of the product or service they are trying to sell, rather than simply a list of the features. The benefits are what the product will do for the consumer, how it will help them in some aspect of their life, or even how it may save them money. These benefits are what sells the vast majority of products sold directly from advertisements and not a meaningless list of features which the listener will have heard all too often before.

If the product or service being advertised has any testimonials available from those who have tested it or used it, these would be very appropriate for the writer to include in the radio ad. People like testimonials in this way, most especially if the testimonials can be provided from a name or a company they can trust. Verification of the claims made in the advertisement is the way that consumers will judge these inclusions.

The writer may wish to consider an appropriate or pleasant piece of music for inclusion in the background of the radio ad as it is being broadcast. A piece of music appropriate to the type of product being sold can often have a very positive effect on potential customers. One example of this would be such as a lullaby being played in the background for an ad which is selling a sleep aid product.

Writing a great radio ad is about getting a very positive message across, in the right way, in a very short period of time. It is not an easy process but one which can know great effect if tackled correctly.

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