Step five: Keep the message simple and focused

The following is the fifth of seven upcoming blogs on my suggestions as to how to fix radio so it thrives

Step Five involves keeping the message simple and focused.

Much as we love to think we are so important in radio that everyone hangs on our every word, well------- we're not. And----- they don't. Fact is, the listener misses much of what we do or say. Which is why, when we say something, we need to make it count. I've been told, ad naseum, that we were given two ears and one mouth so we'd be inclined to listen twice as much as we speak,. In radio, it's the opposite.

That's why we have to be extremely careful about what we say. In a radio ad, we get precious little time to get the listeners attention, deliver the message and create a link between the name of the client, and a need the listener may have. It's why clients want to pack an ad full of info. It's why WE know, you have be simple, direct and concise.

The perfect radio ad will have the name reinforced several times through mentions and website or facebook pages. It will have ONE FOCUS, and drive that focus home---- narrowcasting the message if you will to the audience ready to act on it.  And if we do our job really well, it will be done creatively, as the client responds positively.

Once you start getting into cliches, once you start turning your spot into a laundry list of  'and there's more', once you start assaulting the listener, your 15 seconds in the spotlight is over. Period.

Keep your message simple and focused. Just like this blog entry.


Next blog:  Use your creative team to cut down on the time between gathering information and delivering a spot or idea.