Copy Writing: Persuasion with Words

May 20, 2013 / Duane Christensen

What’s the ultimate skill you possess when it comes to copy writing? What kind of wicked wordsmithing do you conjure up? Or are you short on copy writing skill?

Here’s when you absolutely need some extra copy writing training and advice…

IF IT TAKES YOU LONGER TO UNDERLINE, BOLD, AND INSERT TRIPLE EXCLAMATION POINTS TO YOUR COPY THAN IT DID TO ACTUALLY WRITE THE SCRIPT OR COPY…THEN YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOME EXTRA COPY WRITING INSTRUCTION.

You need to “shock” a little.
Image courtesy of “foto76” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Your copy needs to do something. It needs to JOLT in some way. Of course there are a lot of ways to do that:

1) Words and phrases that are completely out of left field and make people go “What the…?” causing them to HAVE to hear what’s next. You need to surprise people with your word choices. Just don’t disappoint them after the “What the…” moment.

2) Storytelling in a manner that sucks a person into the story. (Let’s say it’s a radio ad) A story told in such a way that if someone were to reach over in an attempt to change the radio station in the middle of the story…you’d slap that person’s hand.

3) Sharing information that is unknown to a reader/listener. Information that is intriguing and feeds the curiosity and thirst for knowledge within us.

4) Raw, personal, and “human” content. When you share a vulnerability of some sort about a person or company, people perk up. They like to know that they’re not the only messed up souls on the planet. They like to know that some of the thoughts in your head…match up with a few of theirs. It helps to connect with them. It deepens relationships. It helps them remember you…when they need what you sell.

Those are only a few ways to inject some degree of jolt-factor into your copy.

And do I really need to say this?…

Kill the cliché stuff.
Take a noose to the “ad speak”.

Speaking of “ad speak”. Was it Roy Williams of the Wizard Academy who coined that term? Either way… he has been instrumental in my copy writing, marketing, and advertising education. Have you read his “Wizard of Ads” trilogy? It’s a must if you’re in business.

Other recommendations…

Well, besides Roy (who I still refer to and learn from) I also liked Jeffrey Fox’s “How to Become a Marketing Superstar” when I was starting out. It’s great for someone just learning. I’d say get some of the basics of copy writing down first.

THEN…THEN…Then, when your brain is REALLY hungry to get good. When your appetite to learn more is fierce, dig into the teachings of these people…

Eugene Schwartz

Dan Kennedy

David Ogilvy

Claude Hopkins

Jack Trout

Joe Sugarman

Gary Halbert

John Carlton

Roy H. Williams

…and of course there are a ton more. These are just some really strong suggestions. I still get hungry, too. If you have 1 or 2 other suggestions that I may not have read…please feel free to comment and SHARE with me. : )

Just remember that the people you’re trying to persuade with your copy writing need to be jolted a little (or a lot). They need to be awed and seduced. Don’t try to trick them into paying attention…make them want to.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My work website: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/ (And if you’d like a business website like this, or nothing like this, give me a shout. I’ll point you in the right direction)

And if you have questions about the cost of radio advertising, which radio stations would be a good fit, or how to get started attracting more customers, don’t be afraid to ask. I like to help good businesses take a bigger slice of the market.

Or if you’d like to set up a free blog like the one you’re reading, I can help you get started with that too.

Is Buying Radio Advertising Like Buying A Car?

March 26, 2013May 1, 2013 / Duane Christensen

Flat tire of old car image courtesy of “Toa 55” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you buy a car…you don’t ever have a question whether it will work or not. And if you have doubts, you can test drive it. But I still think most people take more time in buying a vehicle than buying radio advertising. And with still much of the radio advertising I hear…there’s no way those ads are working. But you still buy radio ads without a glimmer of hope? And this isn’t just RADIO advertising, it’s ALL local advertising. A lot of the local, small business advertising is pretty nasty.

If you needed a good vehicle to get you from point A to B…you wouldn’t buy one that didn’t have an engine in it, would you? Then, why buy advertising that doesn’t have an “engine”?

Have you purchased so much local advertising that hasn’t worked, you’ve completely given up hope of finding some that does? You don’t have to keep throwing money at the next shiny, new advertising or marketing gimmick, praying that something sticks. I know I’ve written this hundreds of times – it’s not WHERE you advertise, it’s what MESSAGE you’re spreading within your advertising.

Don’t spend another penny until you’ve nailed down what kinds of things you can say in your advertising that people actually care about and will pay attention to.

Think of how fast everything online is changing. Think of all the social media things you could be doing. Should you DO all of them? Nooooo!!!! Pick a couple, and do those WELL. Don’t move on to the next “big thing” just because it’s new. You never figured out how to do the last thing right, why switch tracks and start the process over again? I’ve seen it in radio advertising too. Someone switches radio stations all of the time because they believe THAT is what will bring results – a better audience. They’re all people. You just haven’t found anything worth a darn to say to all the people. (let’s figure that out)

There’s a formula in advertising that works. But if you don’t put the lion’s share of your effort into your advertising strategy and message, that formula dies.

Wouldn’t it be awful if buying a car was like buying advertising? You wouldn’t ever be sure if it could even drive off the lot, let alone get you home. I’ll make it easier on you. I’ll help you be confident in a plan before you’re ever asked to write a check. I don’t study how to sell something one time. I study how to make your advertising work – and keep working. And working. And working.

After you and I talk, I feel that you’ll take a big breath of relief. “Ahhhhh.” And then say, “Finally. I think we’re on to something.” (instead of having to look up to the heavens asking for your advertising to work this time).

Thanks for reading. Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

https://siouxfallsradioadvertising.com/

You’ve Bought Radio Advertising Before? Oh No.

March 21, 2013 / Duane Christensen

You’ve advertised on the radio before. So, you know what you want. Ok. But is “what you want”…the best thing for you?

Image courtesy of “Salvatore Vuono” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sioux Falls has a ton of advertising options. You may have already “tried” a bunch of those options. You may have “tried” a bunch of different radio advertising schedules. You may even feel you’ve met nearly every advertising sales rep in the city! Wow, I hope not. That would make ME want to sell everything and move to the mountains!

Do you feel that advertising is a necessary evil? You say, “Well…let’s try another stint on the radio. Can’t hurt, right?” Then, you call up a radio station (maybe me) and ask about the rates.

Now, here’s me. I don’t know much about your business yet. And the number of radio advertising options are pretty high. It’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing (if you actually plan on making your radio advertising work). Rates don’t really mean much if you’re not buying into the right plan. Or the right IDEA.

My first thought is… “Do we know what to SAY in the radio ads yet?” No. We don’t. Do I know your competitive landscape? Do I know why your customers buy from you and not the other guy down the street? No.

Image courtesy of “Master isolated images” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Questions. I need to ask questions to offer the best solution. Not just give you a “package” that won’t work. I need to know more before I can recommend a plan for you. Would you like to draw a one-time crowd? Or would you like to become a household name in Sioux Falls? What would you like your advertising to accomplish? Why do you think you’re a big deal? Do your customers feel you’re a big deal? Would you like more of those happy customers? If I asked your customers about you…what would they tell me?

I love to work with Sioux Falls small business owners who want to make a mark. Those who want to serve their customers better than anyone else could, and those who have a goal and want to know how to reach that goal. I don’t really ever feel comfortable being an order taker. I almost always find a major flaw in someone else’s advertising plan. Those flaws could be any number of things that can sabotage a local marketing and advertising campaign. Such as the length of the ads, the competitive strategy, the message in the ads, the number of ads scheduled to air, etc.

If you’ve bought radio advertising before…I want you to forget what you’ve done before. Because if you were doing it right, you wouldn’t have stopped. You wouldn’t have called someone else. So, try your best to erase from your memory what some other advertising person has told you in the past. If you truly want to get it right this time and stop being unsure, skeptical, confused, or frustrated with your local advertising, then, we’re going to start from scratch. We’re going to have a bunch of conversations before I let you spend any money on advertising. We’ll get it right, first. We’ll have a plan. A plan that will carry the potential for good things to happen. Growth. Good word of mouth. Buzz. Increased profits.

When you’re ready, just call.

Thanks. Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

I’m kind of a big advertising nerd. And I’m confident in the power of radio when it’s done right. The spoken word is impressive when you choose words wisely. You can arrange them in a way that can be subtly persuasive, aggressively entertaining, or peacefully comforting. Let’s find the right words to use for your small business. I am a salesperson, ad writer, and marketing guy for Results Radio Townsquare Media in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I started there in 1998 (while still a punk) answering phones and scheduling radio commercials on an old DOS program (green and black screen). Yikes. I’ve learned a heck of a lot since then.

I even published a small business advertising book in July of 2012. You can check it out here if you want >>> Take A Bigger Slice (on Amazon)

Ph: 605-940-7984

Email: duane.christensen@results-radio.com

Web: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/

What Are You Saying in Your Sioux Falls Radio Advertising?

February 21, 2013March 12, 2013 / Duane Christensen

I live, work, and play in Sioux Falls. Usually, I listen to the radio for the music, the sports talk, or the news talk. Mostly the music. But once in a while I scan all the radio stations I can tune in… and listen to the radio ads. Because I’m a geek, I know. But you gotta know what’s out there, right?

Image courtesy of “stockimages” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Anyway, I realized that there are a lot of businesses being under-served. They need help. They’re being sold “radio” instead of being offered a way to grow their business – a way for their advertising to actually work. Can you imagine if you KNEW that your radio advertising was working for you? Instead of just thinking of it as a necessary evil. Wouldn’t that be nice.

The way to make it work is to FIRST take what you “think” radio advertising should sound like… crumple that up into a ball… throw it on the ground… and grind that into oblivion. Then burn it. There is a lot of radio advertising out there where I can pretty much guarantee that it’s a big waste of money. All because you’re not saying the right things in your ads. You’re not saying anything worth listening too.

People aren’t listening to radio ads like I do. Remember, I’m the geek that purposefully listens intensely to advertising – nobody else does that. You need to say something that inspires, is creative, tells a story, shares new valuable information in an understandable way, is authentic, or makes people smile… or all of the above.

When you say something worthy in your radio advertising in and around Sioux Falls… you’ll be shocked at what it can do. I’d name off all of the things I hear in ads that is utter nonsense and completely snooze inducing, but the list is too long.

How would your best customer sell someone on your products, services, your employees, or your company as a whole? Start there. Or call me. I’d love to talk about your local advertising woes… and help you out.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

https://siouxfallsradioadvertising.com/

Need more small business advertising advice? You could try this: Small Business Advertising Kapow

Good Marketing is Like Good Lawn Care

September 17, 2012February 7, 2022 / Duane Christensen / 2 Comments

Good marketing is like good lawn care…

Even though some of my friends would call me a “lawn freak”… I still don’t really like to do the fertilizing and weed control. In the past, I had taught myself through a book I bought and reading online tips about creating a great lawn. But there is so much information out there, I was never sure what the right combination of nutrients were. And fertilizing is time-consuming. It is worth it for me to have someone else do it. A pro. (Like Green 4 Ever in Sioux Falls – they’re awesome!)

My lawn. It didn’t always look this nice. It needed some help. All I had to do was find the right company. How about you? Looking for someone to trust with your local marketing?
-Duane Christensen

Quick lawn tip: Want a great lawn next year? Start this fall! Healthy lawns need food for the winter!

Back to marketing and lawns…

So, if you’re a small business in Sioux Falls that wants a good marketing plan, sometimes it’s nice to have some help. You might not like to “do” marketing. But some people do. Like me. I love it. Why I do… I’m not sure. I just do. And marketing is essential to your growth. If you hire me at Results Radio, the knowledge and expertise is built right into the cost of your advertising. No extra charge for writing commercials, doing research, or coming up with ad strategies that help you stand out from your competition. No extra charge. It’s built in. And our training is so good. Its weekly. It never stops. We’re always learning. And it’s all for our customers. For you.

Kind of like your lawn pros. They know their stuff. They give you tips. They want you to have a green, healthy lawn… just like I want you to have a profitable, healthy business.

Sure, I could do all the lawn fertilizing myself, but that takes a lot of time. Plus a lot of “know-how”. How much? How often? What kind? I’d rather take the extra time I save to ENJOY my lawn.

AND… of course YOU could do all of your marketing on your own, too. But that takes time and a lot of “know-how”. Wouldn’t you rather have more time to do the things you love?

A smart, consistent radio campaign can take a lot of your marketing troubles away. Especially, when it has good local BRANDING at its core. It drastically reduces the need for sales, promotions, and gimmicks. A consistent, branding radio ad plan educates the public on why they should choose you instead of picking someone eenie-meenie-miney-moe from an Internet search (or Yellow Pages). We’ll “get in their heads” so YOU are the first they think about, and the one they feel most comfortable contacting and buying from.

Part of a business owner’s trouble is finding the right marketing people to trust. I hope you’ll give me a chance to see what I can do for you. What’s it worth to you to attract a few new customers every day, week, or month? And what’s it worth to you to NOT have to worry about where your next new customer is going to come from?

Local advertising success will come from finding the right person to help out. Kind of like finding the right lawn care company for your lawn. Some are good, others are not. Some care, others couldn’t care less.

Have a great day!

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog