Jeffrey Hedquist is back to give you another quip about keeping your advertising simple! Jeff was a ‘guest writer‘ back in January with the article, “Humanize Your Commercial Client” and I think I’m gong to make him a ‘regular’ on this site.
Jeff is primarily a ‘radio guy’ and writes about radio advertising, but almost every article he writes can be related to pretty much any advertising medium. Instead of writing a :10 spot think about brainstorming a smaller print ad. The point is that advertisements should (typically) have one effective, powerful message. I’ll let Jeff explain…
Simplify Your Radio For Better Results
If you throw three balls at someone, they’ll probably miss them all. But if you throw them one, they’re more likely to catch it. Want your potential customers to catch the ball? Give them one strong, simple idea.
How? Try writing your commercial as a :10. This forces you to Condense the elements of the commercial into one big idea. Then expand it into a :30 or :60 story with a compelling opening, middle and close – one that resonates with the audience.
Oftentimes, advertisers try to include too much information or sell too many items in one commercial. With radio, it’s important to have a single powerful, emotional image that touches people, so that they come away with one strong feeling from the spot.
This technique will give your writing focus and will enable your spots to break through the clutter. Rather than attempt something complex, it’s often better to do something simple and do it well.
Jeffrey Hedquist has given up trying to simplify his life. He’s just going to simplify his commercials. You can contact Jeffrey at Hedquist Productions. Phone (641) 472-6708. email jeffrey@hedquist.com or go to http://www.hedquist.com to sign up for his free newsletter – Radio Hed Lines.
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