It Separates Me from my Competitors----So Leave It Out of This Spot

Huh...? Are you kidding..?

Want another reason radio loses ground to new media? It's our failure to deliver consistent results. Want a MAJOR reason for that? How about clients who leave out their signature selling point.

Just happened. Recently we did a spot for a client who loves their creative idea and approach. In fact, they get so wrapped up in writing the spot, they miss the point. A lot. It's not uncommon, BTW---it happens to those not used to writing in 30 or 60 second increments.

OK, so this client has a selling point that REALLY stands out in their field. It's a point that absolutely creates revenue and traffic for them. Yet, they decided to edit everything we wrote-- EVEN TO THE POINT OF ELIMINATING THEIR SINGULAR SELLING POINT. Serious---there's no mention of it ANYWHERE in the copy.

Imagine for a moment, Walmart never mentioning low prices, or Verizon forgetting to remind you about their 4G network. Imagine a commercial for Ford trucks that didn't highlight the fact they're the number one selling truck 25 years in a row. THIS is what this client did in their ad. And guess what? They're not alone.

It's pitiful and it shows up as audience confusion. But a client doesn't see it that way. They blame it on the station, on the music that was played, on the time slot, on a hundred different reasons. Then, they start to get wanderlust-- after all, new media reps have been begging them to try their services. 'Radio is old,' they say. "It can't deliver results like we can'.

This gets laid right at the feet of those in charge. They're so busy cutting budgets and eliminating pros who make the spots work and understand how to bring results, they don't even see the issue. To them, it's a 'salesperson' issue. 'A better salesperson wouldn't have lost them,' they say. Or they tell the salesperson to spiff the client with concert or sports tickets, meals, trade, etc. What a waste when all they have to do is make some simple changes in copy.

So the lesson today is----it's on you. If you're not working with a team like BENMARadio, you must never, ever lose sight of what to deliver to the audience. Every client needs an identifier (think 'jingle' or 'sound'). It speeds audience recognition and separates them from competitors. So STOP. Don't get carried away with ideas or creative. Remember the essentials. Otherwise, new media will be ready to remind you of your mistakes.

Selling versus Telling

Think about it--- the entire success of your client's campaign relies on the spot you and your team create (assuming we're not in the mix). So---is your 30 or 60 second spot assaulting your listener with unimaginable amounts of information-- or does it have a purpose?

At BENMAR, we always ask the question-- are you selling, or telling? What's the difference? Let's start with telling.

We recently completed a spot for a salesperson who had a realtor come on the air. This realtor insisted that, in a sixty second spot, they wanted to talk to those who were buying a home, selling a home, renting a home and in need of a property manager and also, talking to those who wanted to build custom homes, because of a relationship they had with a builder. Four distinctly different markets, four completely different individuals, all in 60 seconds, all in the middle of, most likely, a five minute stop set. Is it any wonder this commercial did absolutely nothing for the client or our salesperson? That's because it was just telling, assaulting a listener with information because the client perceives that they need to fill their time with info. Telling does not offer you even a remote chance for success.

Selling? Well, that's a spot that's focused, and has a theme or idea behind it. Selling doesn't rely on just an assault of words-- it becomes an idea in the head of the listener that they need the product or service that the client is offering. Selling, in the above mentioned example, would've involved choosing an idea, then creating a donut which could be used to target the various components of this client's business. The idea would be selling-- the donut would focus on a general idea and then help reinforce the fact that the client would be the logical choice to contact for help. We 'sell' the name and the contact point-- the client does the rest.

So---when you're involved with creative, take a moment to ask yourself the question--is your radio spot selling or telling? Selling keeps the message simple, direct and easy to understand. Telling is wave after wave of unimportant information, eventually wearing the listener out. Your choice as to which way you go is the key element that determines success or failure for you, and your client.