Ron Harper Voiceovers

How To Drive A Writer Crazy

2010-12-18T22:29:00.002-05:00

I started out as a writer. The other day someone said to me, "It takes a special talent to do that." I may have agreed then, but I think it's more solitude, and a need to be heard than it is talent. Anyone can write, as witnessed by some of the latest books by various politicians who are no longer in office.

A writer will obsess over details - in the story and in the words.

This story is about the words.

I recently bought something with my company name on it. I was excited and looking forward to get it. My heart sank when I opened the envelope and read "Ron Harper Voiceover's" The salesperson had taken it upon herself to add the apostrophe. She had to place the order again. There are really folks who believe plurals come with apostrophes.

I saw it again today: on a large company website. The had a list of their computers, televisions, monitors, and... "radio's" OK, so plurals only get an apostrophe if it ends in a vowel? (It does sound like a rule we would have in the English language, doesn't it?)

But here's the easy rule: (say it with me) Plurals Don't Get Apostrophes.

Never.

Ever.

Think of the apostrophe as a handle. It has to be carried by the one who owns it.
That makes it possessive.
So it's Tim's keys on the table. Tim may think he has the keys to several cars, but all of the keys fit only one car. This gold one is one of the car's keys.

I feel a little better, now.

--Thanks for reading.

What Does Radio Think Of You?

2010-08-07T21:29:00.002-04:00

Quick.

Which LOCAL radio spots have you heard recently that have stuck out in your mind?

Uh-huh. Me too.

It’s not supposed to be that bad. Really.

Here’s what they’re saying over at the radio station:

“I’m often embarrassed by some of the work I do which is considered acceptable to A.E.s and clients”

“I put a little extra time in a spot to sell the product better and I was told by the GM I had spent too much time on it and the client wasnt worth the effort.”

Wait a minute. Did you hear that?? THE CLIENT WASN’T WORTH THE EFFORT ?!?!?

Local radio revenues are down 5-7% in most markets. National sales are off 15%.

So tell me… which clients AREN'T worth the effort?

How many GMs and AEs have had bad experiences at a restaurant? Probably quite a few. Wonder how many ate there again?

So if a client doesn’t get proper customer service, if they get less than expected results, if any, from a poorly produced message, think they’ll be opening their wallets again?

The restaurant doesn’t advertise a Ptomaine Platter. But I’ll bet the chef knows if his Blue Plate Special makes his customers sick, he’ll lose more than customers. He’ll lose his customers’ friends. Because they’ll hear about it.

Radio is dishing out the same poison, and they have a hard time believing advertisers aren’t beating a path to their door.

That's why you hear trite, time wasting phrases in local radio spots. They're being written (and produced) for free. So the mandate for the writer/producer is
**Get It On The Air**, not **Let's Get Results For The Customer"

So when someone asks me if radio is a good buy, I say, "Yes. But you need to devote a healthy budget to it, and don't forget to budget for outside message development and production."

Then, give us a call.

–thanks for reading

When I Started

2010-06-04T16:51:00.002-04:00

I remember getting the call from a listener asking me if I was the same Ron Harper that he had listened to ten years and about a thousand miles ago.

In such a transient medium, I was both surprised and shocked, but pleased to have made an impression. That particular station in West Texas had almost half of the available audience, leaving the other 16 stations to carve up the other half.

The other shocker was that we worked in the same building, just seven floors apart. After talking with him more, I discovered that his company, who managed some large power plants, was looking for someone to produce a corporate program for new employee orientation. In that pre-high tech world, we were talking slideshow. I bid for it, and got the job! I produced the soundtrack in four track MONO, and mixed it in two different studios to get it right.

Then that project was followed by another, and another...

This past weekend, I finished rebuilding my VO booth in my home studio. We've gone from four track mono, to unlimited tracks in stereo. And I still feel the same enthusiasm for each new project as I did for that first one.

--Thanks for reading.

This Is News???

2010-05-29T20:27:00.003-04:00

The Radio Ad Lab did a study on what makes a radio spot effective.

Any guesses as to what they “discovered”?

Successful radio ads use words that touch the senses and emotions.

Well, DUH.

I hate to spoil the party, but we’ve known that for 50 years. That’s why radio is called “theater of the mind”.

The study goes on to say, “strong beginnings make a difference”.

That does not mean that your spot should start off with sirens and the phrase “IF YOU’RE IN THE MARKET FOR A USED CAR, LISTEN TO THIS!!!” That's not a strong beginning; it's a loud one.

Anyone who has worked with me in the past, or read any of these blog posts knows I’ve been preaching the principles of effective advertising for years.

It is not easy to write a 30 second commercial that is compelling and direct.
Maybe that’s why you don’t hear too many of them. Account Execs and overworked production directors don’t, can’t or won’t take the time to give the client value for their advertising investment.

I’ve met with countless clients who have told me - I Don’t Want To Sound Like Every Other Ad On The Radio.

What they mean is - I Want Something That WORKS.

Of course. That’s the goal of any advertising. But you can’t write a spot from a Yellow Pages ad. That’s like mixing apples and kumquats. Emotional impact will not come from a laundry list of goods or services you have to sell. It comes from telling the customer how they’re going to feel when they buy and use them.

Ask any car salesman. They can talk all they want about mileage, features, colors, payments…but they know they have the sale when the customer is sitting behind the wheel in the showroom and IMAGINES himself driving down the freeway.

This is not news. Some of us have made a career out of producing effective radio like this.

The Radio Ad Bureau funded the study. Their CEO Jeff Haley said, "We will continue finding and sharing ways this medium is used best.”

You do that, Jeff. You do that.

–Thanks for reading

Eight Voice Actors You Should Follow On Twitter

2010-04-20T22:21:00.002-04:00

Twitter is a mélange of interesting communities. There are thousands of Tweeple in the voiceover industry. You’ll find a lot of voice actors coming from broadcasting. We like it because it’s indoors, it’s air conditioned, and there’s no heavy lifting. So, this, in no particular order, is my list of folks to follow.

1. Dave Courvoisier (courvo) Dave is the anchor for Channel 8, the CBS affiliate in Las Vegas. You’ll find a lot of blog cross posts, links to his daily You Tube mashup of the day’s headlines, and lots more of interest. So with almost 6 thousand followers, I guess what happens in Vegas gets tweeted all over the world.

2. Austin Keyes (austinkeyes) He’s that big voice you hear on The Celebrity Apprentice, movie trailers, and lots of places around the radio dial.

3. Bob Souer (bobsouer) One of the master story tellers

4. Kara Edwards (karaedwards) Is it coincidence that there are two women on this list from North Carolina? Kara gives you a nice look behind the scenes of a voice actor. And I like her voice.

5. Jeffery Kafer (vooverload) Voice-overload is an internet comic strip that Jeff draws. It’s for and about the voiceover community. Search for the one about Kevin Spacey. Funny, Funny.

6. Ben Hopkin (actingnodrama) Host of the Acting Without The Drama Blog. Good tips on staying “in the moment”

7. Gregory Best (gregorybest) San Diego voice talent. I like reading his tweets. Seems like someone you could have a nice conversation with.

8. Dayci Brookshire (dayci) She’s the Geico Pothole. A Tarheel in NY, and a talented actress so………k, bye!

For those of you Twitterati whom I have forgotten, I’ll catch you on the next list.

--Thanks for reading.

Prose for Pros - 6 Reasons To Hire A Professional

2010-04-05T22:07:00.001-04:00

Recently someone asked a question on LinkedIn about whether or not to use a professional voice talent when producing corporate videos. How intriguing.
I’ll bet they got a professional to design and install the sign on their place of business. I’ll bet they use professional plumbers, lawyers, accountants…and those guys aren’t representing your brand.

So why would you want an amateur?

Here’s a few things professional voice talents do:
1. We can give you different options. Ask a professional to read something, then read it again, and they will make different choices.
2. We know how to take direction. Give us a mood, tell us how you want it to sound. We’ll be there. Even if you’re not that specific, we’ll probably ask questions to help both of us zero in on the performance you’re looking for.
3. When all is said and done, it’s less expensive. See above. You’ll spend less time getting the performance you want, AND you’ll get EXACTLY the performance you want.
4. We have better equipment, and we know how to maintain it. There’s a lot of cheap microphones, and free audio editors out there. Bigger is not necessarily better, but good gear stands apart from the rest. We’ve invested, in some cases, many thousands of dollars for the right stuff to make our performances the best they can be.
5. One MP3 is not like another MP3. The compression algorithms are vastly different. You know what I mean if you’ve ever gotten an echo-y, buzzy, clipped voice track from someone.
6. Problems? Well, sometimes it happens. But we do this every day. Usually, we’ve seen most of the things that can go wrong. If it needs to be fixed, we can fix it easier and faster, because we’ve been there.

I get asked many times every year to give advice about getting into voiceovers. I always tell whoever asks to get training. Take acting classes, work with a coach, volunteer to read for the blind, but do something. This industry is about the commitment to deliver the message in a way that gets the desired results for the client.

No matter what kind of project you’re considering, it never hurts to ask a professional.

Thanks for reading.

Should The Message Match The Source?

2010-03-19T21:53:00.000-04:00

When I worked for a family-friendly radio station, I had to constantly monitor the content of commercials that were placed on the station. I was usually the first person inside the building who heard the spots. Most times there were no problems, but around the months for TV sweeps, I would usually find a word or two that would have to be edited.

The station had a commitment to its family friendly status, and that included being entirely safe for young ears. Occasionally, we had to tell advertisers that we couldn’t run their spots. Imagine that.

Recently, while doing some research on reality TV shows, I started reading the comment board on Jamie Oliver’s new show Food Revolution. The postings were full of kudos for Jamie, and his concept. But there was one writer who took offense at ABC’s inclusion of a banner ad for fast food restaurant Wendy’s.

Does ABC have a commitment to a particular show’s brand? Should they be aware of the ads that run on their site?

It’s an interesting question. On one hand, you have the advertiser. They’ve paid for the placement, and they should get what they pay for. On the other hand, you have a show which is promoted with extreme images of human obesity, and direct references to the unhealthiness of fast food. Does it make sense to display a banner ad of a national fast food chain on the home page of that show?

What do you think?

What If They Played A Commercial And Nobody Came?

2010-02-14T22:45:00.006-05:00

Have you heard any good radio spots lately?

I’m not surprised. Buy a local radio spot, and your copywriter could very well be the receptionist, the overnight DJ, or even the guy who sold you the spot.

Nothing against those particular jobs, but it just means that the crafting of your message is left to someone who needs something else to fill their already busy day. How much of their time do you think your business will get?

Are they vesting enough of their skills and experience to make sure you’re reaching the audience you need with the message that will tempt them to buy? Or will they use the same trite, unemotional babble on your spot as they used on the last 12 spots they wrote that day?

But, if you're having an all out SALEABRATION, and prices will never be lower at all of our 16 convenient locations, so hurry in today because these prices can’t last, then maybe you’re getting exactly what you want.

But if you realize that your customers talk to each other, compare notes, and are actual living, breathing humans with a brain, and a life, then you might want to communicate with them rather than talking at them.

If you think that actual conversations go something like:

Hi Bill
Hi Ted
Say, Bill, where did you get that dandy garden weeder?
Ted, I shopped the grand opening of Middleburg’s newest garden superstore

No, you don’t really believe that, do you?

Next time you’re planning that radio campaign, DEMAND a copywriter who has actually seen your business, maybe has even shopped there, knows who your customers are, and what’s important to them. DEMAND one who knows creativity doesn’t mean just throwing a few adjectives at the problem.

“But OUR production services are FREE”, the radio ad exec says

And it’s still true: - You Get What You Pay For.

--Thanks for reading.

Do Your Customers Wonder If You're Going Out Of Business?

2010-01-26T18:42:00.003-05:00

How’s your ad campaign?

If you said “what ad campaign?”, maybe you should keep reading.

In a recent advertising and media study by Ad-ology, a Columbus Ohio company that measures customer insights, they asked over 2200 consumers about their perception of companies who advertise, those who don’t as much any more, and those companies who don’t advertise at all. Whatever your ad budget, the results will surprise you.

The Ad-ology study showed that when consumers no longer see or hear an auto dealership advertising as much as they used to, 42% believe that the dealership must be struggling. Another 20% believe that the dealership is less willing to deal.

For banks, if customers no longer see or hear ads as much as they used to, 34% believe the bank must be struggling, and 13% believe they may not be in business much longer.

Hmmm. Do you think that advertising only works when it brings you a customer? Maybe you should think about it KEEPING your customers as well.

Is your ad working? I’ve talked to clients and written in this blog for years: Don’t make your ad about the THINGS you sell ; make it about the benefits. The Ad-ology study asked consumers what makes a good ad. Wow, imagine that. They asked the consumer.

68% wanted to be informed of something important or useful.
59% thought a good ad should make them laugh
51% wanted an ad to make them think
39% said, “Don’t insult my intelligence”

I like that last one. Unfortunately, there are some advertisers and some creatives who continually miss that mark.

In many respects, 2010 is looking like a good year already. Ad-ology makes a great argument for not cutting back on ad budgets. And if you’re not advertising, now is the perfect time to start.

Look around you, and if you see your competition cutting their ads back, or not advertising at all, then they’re giving you the opportunity to move ahead.

For more information on Ad-ology’s insightful research and how to connect with your customers, visit www.ad-ology.com

Working With Copywriters

2010-01-17T16:39:00.002-05:00

People are getting good at putting their thoughts into 140 characters on Twitter. But I still believe that the hardest thing in the world to write is a 30 second spot.

I wrote one recently for a first time radio advertiser.

"I'd like to also talk about (she inserted two more of her business concepts here)"

Me: "Well, this is written to convey the thoughts that we originally discussed. It's only 30 seconds, so there's really no room."

"Can you talk faster?"

"Sure. How much LESS do you want your message to be heard?"

"Huh?"

"Radio listeners are doing other things while listening: driving, working, and a good spot needs to cut thru all that clutter."

"Well, maybe they'll hear it."

"Really? You're going to make this sized investment on a maybe??"

Remember that whatever it is that you sell, people don't want the THING. They want the EXPERIENCE. In other words, people don't want to buy a big, honking backyard grill. What they want is the experience of family and friends together sharing a delicious meal.

Humans buy either to seek pleasure, or avoid pain. Your sales messages need to reflect that.

It pays to work with a good copywriter. If you like what that persn has written in the past, or if he comes highly recommended, he'll be on your side. Work with him as you would a team member.

--Thanks for reading.

But Enough About You, Let's Talk About Me

2010-01-03T17:17:00.001-05:00

You’re at a party when someone you don’t know comes up to you and starts talking.

They talk about themselves. Everything. They tell you how great they are, and how many friends they have, and how many things they own. You smile and nod as you search frantically for somewhere else to be.

You’ve just met a typical radio ad.

The latest Adweekmedia/Harris Poll says that only 3% of adults find radio ads helpful when making a buying decision. It’s no wonder. Because most radio ads are like that obnoxious party guest: in your face and talking only about themselves. My Dad always said if you want someone to be interested in YOU, then you have to talk about THEM.

How many radio ads do you hear on a regular basis that talk about you? Apparently only 3% or less.

Because the majority of radio ads are not compelling or engaging. They don’t tell a story; they give a laundry list of items or services, or tell you that they are simply THE thing for all your (fill-in-the-blank) needs.

The medium of radio CAN be the most powerful communications portal on the planet, because radio tickles the emotion. It’s a best friend when it talks directly to YOU. Americans don’t gather ’round the radio like they did in the 30’s and 40’s for entertainment. They listen one on one. Radio stopped communicating one on one. It took too much time to establish that audience rapport; it wasn’t bottom line effective for 97% of advertisers.

Looks like there’s only 3% of radio ads that are effective. If I were a radio advertiser, before I spent another dollar, I’d find out what those spots are doing to reach their buyers.

And then, I’d hire the best copywriter I could find.

–Thanks for reading

Where Words Come From

2009-12-20T20:20:00.001-05:00

A few years ago, I interviewed one of the editors at Webster - one of the guys who decides which new words get into the dictionary. It was the year that “doofus” made it in as an official word.

Yeah, there are a ton of funny lines to go with that… but that’s another blog.

I don’t know exactly where THAT word came from, but I just saw something that could be the origin of a new one.

Remember early this year when the USAir flight landed safely in the Hudson? Capt. Sullenberger, Sully, the name was on every newscast and talk show. I heard him on NPR just a few days ago, and he’s written a book about the whole experience. Not a shill, either, but a moment by moment account of what was going thru his head during that two minutes it took from bird strike to water.

And how calm he remained. Calm in the face of terror. Sully.

That’s the way that the Plugged In blog described a host on Home Shopping Network. I saw the post on Yahoo. t was the HSN host doing a Wii demo, and threw the “tennis racket” controller through the set. The blog goes on to say that the host remained in front of the smashed appliance the rest of his time. “Calm in the face of TV tragedy, he’s a regular Sully”

Captain, as I listened to you the other day on NPR, I heard you talk about how surreal the sudden flush of fame is, and how you had gotten past it. Now, a term like that may have a quick rise and never be heard from again.

Or, maybe with enough usage, you’ll not only be in the history books, but the dictionary as well.

We could look up the word, and see your picture next to it.

Not a bad place to be.

-Thanks for reading.

The End Of The MP3 ?

2009-12-06T23:14:00.002-05:00

I have most of the Mannheim Steamroller's early albums on vinyl. Even though they were also on CD, I was told by an audiophile friend that the clarity on vinyl was amazing. He was right. Everyone is well aware of the difference between CD and Vinyl.

Not so many are aware of the difference in clarity between CD and MP3. MP3's while digital, are highly compressed. They lack the depth and warmth of a live performance, or a vinyl performance for that matter. But they're bought more than vinyl ever was. We can conclude that the masses are not quality driven when it comes to entertainment.

(Yes, I know that last sentence can be taken different ways - but that's another blog post)

Anyway, now, Apple is reportedly in talks to buy internet startup Lala.com, who has threatened the end of the MP3 with their quick streaming app. It's even less fidelity-wise than MP3s. So are we going downhill?

Are the music artists still screaming because they're not getting the royalties they think they should? Has anybody told them what is happening to their music? Hmmmm.

--Thanks for reading.

2009-11-08T16:34:00.002-05:00

I'm coming back to Blogspot. For now, the Blog directory on ronharper.com has been deleted. I saved some of my favorite posts, and will use them from time to time.

And if you see something somewhere that purports to be part of the my blog, and it doesn't have these spiffy dots all over it, then it's not really mine. (thanks, spam hackers).

Okay, so in the meantime, there are some oldies but goodies in the archives.

Thanks for reading.

Ron

WHAT ARE YOU SELLING?

2007-01-06T10:28:00.000-05:00

Do you waste your time and advertising budget trying to sell your customers on a “product”? What are you really selling?

Recently, I had the opportunity to present an advertising concept to an insurance company. They spent a lot of time telling me about their “products”. I had to explain to them that they’re not selling a product

Take a look at the print or broadcast ads for fragrances. Is Chanel Number 5 selling a product? The product is what comes in the bottle. What they are selling is a promise – the promise that you will be attractive and alluring if you use what’s in the bottle.

Many advertisers make the mistake that if they tell customers how great their “products” are they will buy them. But that is the quickest way to waste your advertising dollars. You must first determine what it is the customer wants to accomplish, and find the benefit where your “product” will help the customer achieve that need.

--Thanks for reading.

A GENERATION OF CYNICS?

2006-09-12T11:09:00.000-04:00

Almost anything you read about marketing to the 18-29 year old crowd will tell you that one thing is for sure: they detest hype. Now, it causes me to wonder - Is hype in the eye of the beholder?

One of the advertising buzzwords right now is viral marketing. Viral marketing is like starting a rumor. You judge your success by how much it spreads and how much excitement it causes. Viral marketing does not have a direct call to action. Several years ago, a group of independent film makers caused a stir with a website that purported to show a group of teens being chased and killed by an unknown entity. Turns out, it was pretty much the first viral marketing project, and it made The Blair Witch Project a lot of money.

Lately, with the increased interest in the MySpace and YouTube websites, a certain video journal has developed a following with folks now wondering - Is It Real? or Is It An Act? Could it be another viral marketing scheme, or a bright, creative someone who has discovered an attention-getting device beyond their wildest dreams? After all, there have already been a couple of YouTube videographers who have landed development deals with the networks.

Whichever way the internet cookie crumbles, I have to wonder if that age group feels disillusioned when these online discoveries turn out to be hype for a movie, website, product or whatever. Is all hype still hype? Or are we as marketers and advertisers crying wolf ?

--Thanks for reading

DON'T ASK ME, I JUST WORK HERE . . .

2006-08-02T13:29:00.000-04:00

I can fix some things around the house, but I'm not a handyman. I do love hardware stores, tho. I mean the old ones, where you can get lost in the shelves and shelves of every gadget, ratchet and wing nut known to man. Not only that, but the guy behind the counter had built everything in his lifetime, and could tell you about the inner workings of any number of gizmos. Those stores are fading away rapidly - I know there's at least one left in Little Rock, Arkansas - worth visiting if you're a doodad freak. Most are being overrun by the Building Supply Supercenters.

I was in one of those last weekend (I'm not a NASCAR fan, but I think they have a speedway somewhere) with a simple, or so I thought, question about my bathroom light fixture. I wanted to make sure I didn't break the fixture, or electrocute myself , and needed to ask someone what to do. The first "associate" stared at me blankly. " The second one wanted to play 20 questions asking me what I thought the problem was. If I had known the answer, I could have stayed home and fixed the problem. Neither employee was focused on solving the problem. I don't know if they had the knowledge to do that. But it kinda goes against everything this company brands themself as. Luckily, their direct competitor is right across the street. Not only did I find TWO employees who knew what they were doing - and what I NEEDED to do-, but everyone from one end of the store to the other was wanting to make sure that I'd had a satisfying experience, needed to find anything else, or required help in any way.

The successful business needs to understand that today's consumer will not tolerate poor or inattentive customer service. Today, marketing and branding is all about the experience. I plan to shop at store H instead of store L because of the help and attention I received. They made me, as a customer, feel valuable.

It costs a company more to get a new customer than to keep ten of their current customers. Some businesses are finally realizing that. Others still don't get it.

--Thanks For Reading

EIGHT UNPROFESSIONAL MISTAKES IN WRITING

2006-06-08T08:29:00.000-04:00

Spell-checkers make it easy. Not too many of us would have been able to go the distance with the kid who recently won the National Spelling Bee.. Many Americans today can barely construct a fluent sentence. The following are those flashing neon errors that makes writers look unprofessional.
(1) LOOSE for LOSE: (loose is the opposite of tight) I always lose my keys.
(2) IT'S for ITS: (apostrophe means a contraction of two words. The other is a possesive)
It's my set of keys, vs My car has its own set of keys.
(3) THEY'RE for THERE or THEIR (see above)
Everyone put their keys on the table. That table over there. They're going to stay on the table until you leave.
(4) I.E. for E.G. : (ie means "that is", eg means "for example")
We have a device to start our car (i.e.,keys) vs I carry a lot in my pockets (e.g., keys, change)
(5) TO for TOO or TWO: I drive to the store. You can go too. Two of us are in the car.
(6) YOU'RE for YOUR (contraction of you are vs the posessive)
You're going to be late. You may lose your job.
(7) DIFFERENT THAN for DIFFERENT FROM: (comparative as opposed to greater-lesser)
This key is different from yours. Your car is better than mine.
(8) LAY for LIE: (lay is an action verb)
Just lay your keys on the table. He did not see that the keys lie on the table.

Communicate what you mean to say. Careless writing means you just don't care.

--Thanks for reading

CREATING BUZZ

2006-04-07T09:32:00.000-04:00

You have a new product, service, idea, show or whatever it is you do. How do you get people to try it? You can ask. You can scream and shout. You can print flyers, buy advertising, hand out samples, or offer a money back guarantee. But you cant create what you need most - buzz.

Buzz is difficult to describe and impossible to manufacture. What was the factor that made TV's "Desperate Housewives" the show to watch? Was it the attractive actresses and actors on the show, or maybe the Monday Night Football intro that caused a little controversy. It's probably a combination of many factors, but I'm betting the controversy helped.

People like conflict. They are voyeurs to other folk's problems. I'm reminded of that almost everyday - whenever there is an accident or broken down vehicle on the side of the road, it causes a slowdown so everyone can crane their necks and look. It's the same phenomonon that causes reality TV to generate the ratings it does. Otherwise, why would anyone be interested in the plight of a group of folks playing games on an island? Even the Miss America pageant, whose ratings had fallen in recent years, and has switched to a cable-only outlet is planning a reality-based show next year in which the public for the first time gets to vote contestants off. Now THAT will most likely cause some buzz.

Think about the first time you became aware of something. Chances are good that there was some controversy that brought it to your attention. More folks know who the Dixie Chicks are than have heard their music because of the controversy surrounding a quote from one of the group's members.

If you are "buzz-worthy" you may get someone to try you initally, but you will have to deliver the promised benefit everytime for the buzz to turn you into a phenomonon.

--Thanks for reading

GOODNIGHT , CHET.

2006-04-03T15:09:00.000-04:00

Some of you reading this will not remember a time when folks came together to listen or watch the news of the day. As a matter of fact, I recently spoke to a graduating class of Broadcasting students and told them I hoped they would aim for the integrity of a Walter Cronkite. But I don't think many of them knew who I was talking about.

A recent survey showed that Americans are increasingly relying on online sources to get their knowledge of news events. So it stands to reason that blogs, podcasts, and opinionated websites are becoming more of a factor in the way people think. The unnerving part is I don't think those individuals realize what the difference is between broadcast or print journalism and what is being published online.

There are ethical standards in truth, and maintaining credible sources for the broadcast and print worlds. Not so much online. Maybe the next generation of browsers and newsreaders should come with a built-in salt cellar, dispensing it one grain at a time.

--Thanks for reading

Tell Me A Story

2006-03-29T11:24:00.001-05:00

One of the hardest things to master is writing a :60 commercial. Try it. Write a commercial about yourself. Sell yourself to a prospective client. What would it sound like? Would you start by listing your credentials, or the other jobs you've held? Would it be an audio resume?

Are you sure?

I got the best response from a prospective client when I asked him about HIS product. There was something just a little off about it. I asked him if that bothered him. It did. He just wasn't aware that anyone else noticed the flaw. That's what got me in the door and a chance to present what I could do.

I started this entry with a commercial, but it wasn't about me, the product, it was about him, the consumer. I got the business because I asked questions about him, and wanted to know his product.

That's how you tell a story in a :60 commercial: aim for the heart of the consumer.

Have you heard the latest advertising from Sunkist? It also asks questions: "When you hear the words -juicy- , -yummy-, -mmmm-, do you think about the smell when you first rip into the peel, the juice exploding into your mouth with that first bite?" By the end of the "story" you are actively thinking about oranges, and you want one. Because the commercial just told you all the reasons you love oranges. NOT the reasons that Sunkist WANTS you to love oranges.
That's what radio advertising does.

--Thanks for reading.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

2006-03-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

If you can force yourself to listen to the worst sales messages on radio- and believe me there are a lot of them- you might hear the client's business advertised as "THE place to be."

To be WHAT?? To be parted from your money? To be arrested? To be welcomed and pampered? We don't know, because the client has not told us. They assume the listener will know; but we all know what assumptions lead to.

Maybe fifty years ago, emphasising the article was considered chic and fashionable, as in "Dahling, you must call him, he is simple THE decorator to have!!" Meaning, I suppose, the Definative..the person whose work defined the standard for every other in that category. That's quite a large boast. It comes with the understanding that the listener considers himself to be a sheep, and if everyone else is using said product or service, then I will too, or else I shall be out of touch.

Apart from a 14 year old girl, do you know anyone who really thinks that way? Then to WHOM is the advertiser talking? The verb "to be" is an irregular verb anyway. It needs another idea attached to it. To be is simply to exist. Do you want to be known as the place to simply exist? Using that kind of lazy writing in your sales messages will cause your story to be un-memorable. Too much of that, and your business will cease to be.

--Thanks for reading.

IT'S TRUE - YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

2006-03-16T13:08:00.000-05:00

Everything that is purchased has both a price and a percieved value. Price is the actual monetary cost of an item. Percieved value is how you feel about that price in relation to the to the item. If the percieved value is higher than the price, you have what is known as a good deal. However, when you deal in what is for all intents and purposes an intangible product - voice and production- the lines of percieved value can become blurred.

This is an interesting business in that everyone thinks he or she can be successful at it with minimal effort. And so they have a home computer with some software they downloaded and a microphone they picked up in the music store's closeout bin, they plug them together and market themselves as a voice for hire. They may have a low price, but they can be heavily lacking in value. Here's why:

The closeout microphone may be great for some musical instruments, but the human voice has a very specific range. Pro audio equipment is made specifically to capture those nuances.
Recording software varies greatly. Professional Digital Audio programs, like the Nuendo we use, has the ability to edit down to the whisp of a breath. It can enhance each track with the kind of tools - normalization, equalization, compression and digital effects - that just a few years ago used to fill racks of equipment in a studio. And while having all that is great, you also have to know how to use it. We have over 30 years experience in producing quality audio.

The final product, too, can leave a lot to be desired. So many clients now want MP3 files. Did you know that some MP3s can sound cleaner than others? MP3s are not CD quality, because the files are compressed and some data is lost. However if you're not specifying a sample rate for your MP3s, you're not getting all you bargained for. 128k is ok for an answering machine, but if you're playing your corporate image, or your sales message over anything bigger than a four inch speaker, you want 256k audio.. or a .wav file...........OR a CD. We can provide that. It's as easy as your asking for it.

We don't work only every few days, we work everyday. And we follow up with clients and make sure everything went smoothly with their audio. It has even followed us when we're out of town. A client called with a pressing deadline, and we found an available studio in a strange city and completed the project in just hours.

Ask yourself to imagine the cost versus the percieved value the next time you purchase something. I think you'll agree that service and experience stand up well.

Thanks for reading.

PODCASTING

2006-03-15T10:30:00.000-05:00

I suppose the term "podcasting" will stick. Maybe a better one would be "personal broadcasting". Literally anyone with audio software and a little knowledge to pick up RSS coding can develop an audience with their unique brand of music, humor, or just talk. In the coming months, the process of putting a podcast together will become even easier.

By 2008, it's predicted that 25 million persons will be listening to podcasts, and by 2010 that number will reach 50 million.

I've been working with a number of podcasters for the past year. I just finished a project for the Society of Civil Engineers, and one of the podcasts I work with regularly, American Cliche, was recently named one of the most influencial programs by Ad Age. One of the first shows I worked with, AirFerg, even claims to be the first podcaster - before IPods were invented.

As a way of making information or entertainment available to an audience worldwide, podcasting is going to boom in the next 12 months. If you have a podcast or are planning one, we need to talk.

--Thanks for reading

DOC, IT HURTS WHEN I DO THAT

2006-03-13T14:28:00.000-05:00

Any number of comics have used that line - it's an old joke: Doc, It hurts when I do that..and the doctor said, "Well, then, don't DO that!"

Have you ever heard of someone going to the doctor saying, "Gimme some more of that cough syrup, Doc, that'll do the trick." "But, you don't have a cough, you need your gall bladder removed." "Well," you say, " Let me have the cough syrup. That's what I've always used. Who's the customer here anyway!"

An unlikely scenerio, but it happens in advertising all the time. Mr. Black's business may be sick. The copywriter knows how to present your message in such a way that customers will want to visit your business. Yet, Mr. Black demands the same tired cliches and dull copy that he's always used.

If you must make your advertising a list of the products or services you sell, do it in the Yellow Pages. But make your broadcast fun (notice I didn't say FUNNY), compelling, listener-oriented, emotional, and effective.

Thanks for reading.

GOOD COMMERCIALS COME FROM TRUST

2006-03-03T09:51:00.001-05:00

Thank you.
For the past two weeks, I've received a ton of comments about a commercial we produced about five months ago. If folks are talking about the message, then surely they should be using the product. Well, they are. Their Marketing Director tells me it is the best producing message they have ever had.

He can take most of the credit. It can be unnerving to place your trust in someone to direct your investment of advertising dollars. You don't know what your creative team will come up with, and when you finally see the finished product, you might feel let down. Is That IT?

Simple. Emotional. Tell the customer how they will feel using the product. Yes, that's IT.
It works.

Thanks for listening!

SCREW THE CUSTOMER - IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS

2006-01-26T13:19:00.000-05:00

I hope that headline got your attention. It's meant in jest... well, sort of.

Recently, I produced a TV spot for a new client. He was on the phone directing the session, and within a half hour, I had the audio track produced and sent off to his e-mailbox. After awhile he called to inform me that it had not showed up. Stuck somewhere in cyberspace. So, while I had him on the phone, I called up my web host and upoaded the spot to a private directory, gave him the password and stayed on the phone while he downloaded it on his end.

See, it's not about how much you pay. It's not about how well-known you are. It's about going beyond the expectations. Some folks just call it Customer Service.

Ask the folks for whom I've produced imaging for their podcast. They get an ultra-low rate, but the same attention I give to national agencies, or multi-national corporations. Why? Because it's MY product.

My sympathies go out to the client of one particular agency. It seems the agency wrote horrible copy. It was trite, it was not compelling, and worst of all, it did not address the major problem for the client's business. When asked to revise the copy, the agency instead added a four word phrase. Their attitude - "It's only radio." That sound you heard was the agency shooting themselves in the foot.

--- Thanks for reading!

THERE SHE IS

2006-01-19T10:50:00.000-05:00

I almost forgot. The Miss America Pageant is this weekend. Remember, last year the show was dropped by the networks, and it since has moved to Las Vegas and to TNN. I was reminded of the pageant, even the date and time, by TNN's direct competition: Great American Country. GAC is running a radio campaign touting their counter-programming to Miss America. They even go so far as to say that if you're a country music fan, something is wrong if you have any interest in the Miss America Pageant.

To some, I suppose pageants are passe', but I think Miss America is one of those constants that we look for, especially in uncertain times. After all, Miss America was actually the first Reality TV show. Basically, 50 contestants vie to become famous for one year. Oh, and there's a college scholorship thrown in too - but that's no small potatoes, have you checked the price of tuition lately? And despite it's critics, Miss America is not as blatent as "Are You Hot Or Not", "The Swan", or even "Extreme Makeover".

So is it wise to mention your competitors in your commercials? I would advise against it. Use your time and energy to tell the benefits of YOUR product. The only exception is Coke and Pepsi, whose consumers are so loyal and so divided, they can play "war" with each other and may the best spot win.

So, thanks, GAC. I'll make a mental note to watch TNN this Saturday.

--Thanks for reading
Ron Harper

THE SPIN YOU'RE IN

2006-01-18T16:51:00.000-05:00

I got caught up in the spin. I noticed the headline, "Kelly Clarkson Won't Let Idol Use Songs", and I went for it.

In case you're not familiar with American Idol, Kelly Clarkson was the first winner in 2002. Yeah, I watch the show. It's fun to see them progress through the experience. Besides, the audition segments are like passing an accident scene: you can't help but look.

Anyway, the facts are that Kelly is not licensing her songs to ANYONE. But THAT wouldn't be a story. Unfortunately, many folks can't see past the spin. Now, for anyone who reads the story, Kelly will probably have a prima donna image in their mind whether or not that's true.

Where does the emphasis lie? Beware of the spin.

Sometimes people get elected to high office that way.

--Thanks for reading
Ron Harper

(update: Kelly said she will license her songs for this season's Idol...It still doesn't change the spin)

NANO NANO

2005-11-22T08:39:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you have to take a step back and let technology amaze you. We seem to have taken it for granted.

One of the more popular items for the holidays this year will be Apple's IPod Nano: four gigabytes of memory that's only a little bigger than a stick of gum. The Nano will hold upwards of 1000 songs in the MP3 format. We've left the vinyl era far behind. I don't think I ever owned a thousand albums, but the couple of hundred I did own were spread out over three or four plastic crates. It seemed like they weighed a ton!

Early in my career, while packing to move, I realized that while I didn't have a lot of stuff, the stuff I had was heavy stuff. Now, especially if you use any mass transit, you see folks of all ages with earbuds snaking out from a pocket somewhere, and they are able to carry around their "soundtrack" with no effort at all.

It's funny now to look back at having played records, then cartridges, and even CDs are starting to look cumbersome. OK, I'll admit it - I broke down a few weeks ago and bought an MP3 player.

When I'm not using it, I keep it on the shelf next to a vintage 1912 Edison cylinder Phonograph. It helps me keep things in perspective.

--Thanks for reading.

REMEMBERING FRIENDS

2005-10-26T11:55:00.000-04:00

You may not know who Michael Spears was. If you listened or worked in Texas radio during the 1960s or 1970s, you do. My friend, Larry Shannon who publishes radiodailynews.com wrote the following piece and has given me permission to reprint it here. My prayers are with Michael's family and close friends.

We Were Invincible
(For Michael Spears and those he's left behind)

by Larry Shannon
Publisher, RadioDailyNews.com, TalkRadioDailyNews.com, RadioDailyNews.co.uk

October 25, 2005

It is on cool and clear autumn nights like this in Texas, in towns like Tyler and Odessa, Midland and Beaumont, Southlake and Lubbock that the young titans of Texas high school football clash, fans and parents cheer, goalposts get torn down and you'd swear you could hear the roar from an Earl Campbell touchdown cheer blasting through the Piney Woods and echoing in every corner of Palo Duro Canyon.

It was on nights like this in Texas in the now distant 60’s that young broadcast soldiers would gather to talk about where we’d hope to be some day. Some of us wanted to travel far and away, and out beyond the borders of the small Texas towns that tempered, tested and taught radio to us. We grew up, earned our stripes and war medals on radio stations in small and unknown places in the middle of nowhere, as well as in the in-between somewheres; in towns like Corsicana and Cleburne, Brownwood and Brownsville, Greenville and Grand Prairie, Texarkana, Tyler and Terlingua, Lufkin and Longview, Marfa, McKinney and Midlothian.

We gathered in our wargame rooms to listen to radio stations, DJ’s and jingles that seemed to fall from the deep and black skies on nights like this in Texas. We knew nothing of Kiss’s, but we were unafraid of and grew friendly with giants named KILT and KLIF, KNUZ and KONO, KTSA, KEYS and KEEL, KLBK and KDOK, KFJZ and KXOL, KCLE and KTBB, KDNT and KTEM, KTON and WOAI, and WACO.

Armed only with transistor radios and Radio Shack reel to reels, we rendezvoused, reconnoitered and captured the audio magic from the kings and knights of radio who ruled on distant shores and in cities named Detroit and Chicago, Wheeling and Atlanta, Kansas City and Memphis, Denver and Cincinnati.

We were invincible -- and Michael Spears was one of our great warriors.

We were and are the men and women of Texas radio. We learned from our elders and masters and then forged our own brands of Texas radio. We seared our Texas brands in call letters in large and small towns from coast to coast, across the country and on other continents as well.

We pioneered music formats and broke new trails with talk radio and talent that would put to shame most of the entertainers who taunt and growl, and hide behind their mics and 5 year iron-clad contracts of today. We entertained and imagineered radio 24 hours a day, with no weekends off. Today’s prerecorded programs and 30 minute infomercials with slick salesmen selling snake oil medicine and margin calls would have been laughed at by us invincibles in those days.

We created theater of the mind every night and day, balanced on kilocycles and megacycles, while earning chuckles and laughs from listeners who didn’t need the paid pals, studio giggle girl or sidekick to boost our egos, and who would lie to make us believe and the boss think we were funny.

Although we fought on skywide battlefields, using buckshot from every brand of giveaways, we had respect for one another. We were gentlemen and ladies, not silly asses who sullied citizens and names and towns with foolish pranks and prattle like some do today. Even at 17, we were mature and meticulous, ready for battle and armed for bear.

We matured at a younger age and welcomed responsibility. The leaders in our communities respected us and called on us to use our skills and airtime to benefit, not belittle, the towns and cities that we defended, and, in turn, respected and served with news, talk, weather, sports and music.

Some invincibles among us would argue that radio’s become a sissies game today. Where are the bold and new ideas? Name the leaders among the corporate radio goliaths in the concrete canyons of New York and along the Riverwalk in San Antonio who have gathered their new road warriors and are waiting to unleash their talent on the digital and analog airwaves and satellite channels of this modern day?

Radio today seems generations old, all tuckered out and tired, and its cookie cutter concepts are dull. The ratings wars are calculated on computers, figured in fancy math languages instead of brave motions and moves, and the victories that are counted are not collected in cumes but in quarter hours and slender demographics that defy reason and responsibility to advertisers.

Somewhere out there, maybe under this night’s clear and classic night in Texas -- or maybe in Manhattan, Los Angeles or Philadelphia, Chicago or Seattle -- there stands a gallant man or lady who may, one day, lead radio out of its baffled bewilderment. Armed with counterpunches and jingles, slogans and slick moves, there surely are professionals who may come forward to champion the cause for intelligent and worthwhile listening that’s sorely needed these days.

Maybe. Somewhere. Perhaps. Surely. Certainly. We wait and we wonder. But, we and the listeners are not long fooled by gimmickry and the goliath's gobbledy-gook from Wall Street.

Somewhere out there, on the other side of this Texas night and stars, I’m sure that Michael’s probably pondering the future of a new format that he fidgeted with and fathered, and left alone in its infancy this afternoon when the last breath escaped from him in Dallas.

Those invincibles who are left behind will keep a watchful eye on it to see if it blossoms and prospers with George Gimarc’s careful cultivation. Maybe it will take root somewhere out there, in those far away places on distant shores and in cities that, when we were young, we only dreamed of traveling to on cool and clear autumn nights like this in Texas.

We’ll once again be gathering in November, the day after the Texas Radio Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner and Program, to honor and remember one of our brave and great invincible brothers, Michael Spears.

And we’ll most likely recall and remember those long ago days of the 60’s when our hearts were young, our goals were bigger than Texas, we dared to dream that nothing seemed impossible -- and we had the courage and commitment to go out and prove it to be so.

--Thanks for reading

I'M NOT REAL CRAZY ABOUT THE COPY

2005-10-25T15:17:00.000-04:00

"I'm not real crazy about this copy", she said. "Can you use the phrase, 'Discover furniture shopping the way it was meant to be.'?"

Of course. All you need to do is tell me: how IS it meant to be, and who sets those standards?

"But it's just for the spot," she said, "we're trying to create an ambiance."

But you're creating an ambiance for YOU. The buyer cares about what kind of ambiance SHE WILL create.

Time and time again, retailers think the commercial should be about them, when it's supposed to be about the customer. Furniture shopping is pretty much the same everywhere I go. A lot of product packed so tightly into the showroom that it's hard to walk. And every few yards, another sales person hovers. Is THAT the way it's supposed to be? Now, if walking into the showroom was like walking into someone's home, and you only saw a salesman when you needed one, that would be different. That is something the consumer would find compelling and worth visiting. Because that speaks to the customer's experience.

"We have a staff of friendly professionals"

You'd better. Because the alternative could run your business into the ground.

Time for a pop quiz.
This article is about (a) selling furniture (b) speaking directly to the consumer

If you said (a).....no, seriously, tell me you didn't

--Thanks for Reading

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

2005-09-14T10:58:00.000-04:00

I was called to "fix" a script the other day. Actually there was more than a fix involved, because the sales message consisted of a string of cliches, incomplete sentences and poor grammar. Basically, I started from scratch. The client was a large dealer of manufactured housing.

Oh, you mean -- mobile homes-- ?

No, I don't and neither do they. But that phrase was included in the original copy.

However, when I surfed to the company's website, I found out "mobile home" is a term that only applies to housing manufactured before 1976. Unfortunately, the original copywriter never bothered to read the company's website.

This mistake is more common than you realize. If you watched any of The Apprentice over the past couple of seasons, you would have seen one team or the other called to task for not doing any research on the client before starting the project. I don't get it. It seems simple. Ask, "What are your problems?" before you offer any kind of solution.

Do your homework, so you AND your client will succeed.

--Thanks for reading.

CUSTOMERS - SATISFIED AND DISSATISFIED

2005-08-08T14:59:00.000-04:00

Here's something that's worth keeping around:

> 98% of dissatisfied customers never complain, they just leave.
> 85% of dissatisfied customers tell nine people about their poor experience. 13% tell 20 people.
> A satisfied customer tells just five people.
> Over five years, a typical company loses 80% of its customers; 65% because of a negative experience with the company.
> 75% of the reasons a customer leaves has nothing to do with the product.
> Retain just 5% of your customers, and profits will increase from 25% to 55%.
> The top five businesses in any industry have over 90% customer retention. Most businesses average 80%.
> For every 1% improvement in customer rate sustained over five years, there is a 20% improvement in operating income.

and finally,

The number one reason why customers switch companies is that they don't feel appreciated.

--Thanks for reading

MENUS ARE FOR RESTAURANTS

2005-08-04T13:43:00.000-04:00

Planning to advertise on radio or TV? Most advertisers blow it before they even get on the air. Yep, before that money ever changes hands, it's wasted. You see, it all starts with the copy.

Try it. Write a commercial about yourself. What does your finished product say? Is it a list of everything you have to offer? an inventory of all your fine attributes? That's a menu, and menus are for restaurants.

Listen to most commercials: "We have (product) and we're number one in sales and service..." Have you ever been to a party where you've encountered someone who just talks about themselves? You steer clear of that person, don't you? Viewers and listeners do the same thing. They could care less about your new mayonaise milkshake. UNLESS you give them a reason why it might impact their life.

Tell a story. That's what good copy does. And good copy sells.

--Thanks for reading

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

2005-07-29T14:27:00.000-04:00

Take a look at the title. You think that's only important in real estate? How about in your advertising? If you're off the beaten path, then you need to make it SOUND easy to get to. Use landmarks, major cross streets, major retailers and tell your customers where you are in relation to them.

I had a large shopping center client who had their parking lot given a street name by the city, so all their addresses would be Shopping Center Way. The problem was, they were a new center, and customers still did not know their name. But as soon as they started including the name of the major artery that ran in front of their property, their advertising effectiveness increased dramatically.

Everyplace is easy to get to if you give good directions. If you really are totally hidden, then that should be the message of your advertising. -- I'll tell THAT story another time.

Don't make your customers jump thru hoops to find you. Be as user friendly as you can for whatever medium you're using.

--Thanks for reading

NARROWCASTING

2005-07-28T14:39:00.000-04:00

Have you ever sat around with a group of close friends talking and laughing? Better still, have you ever found yourself in a group of new friends, and felt accepted and included from the start? Maybe you've just sat at a restaurant a few tables away from a group who you couldn't help listening to...evesdropping on someone's life. That's pretty much what drives the wave of so-called reality TV shows, and it's the same with podcasting.

A few podcasts are for showcasing music, but many more are just people having a conversation (albeit with a few production elements) and letting you in on the jokes. And others - one of my favorites- replays old radio shows from the medium's golden days. In one recently, I listened to an eyewitness account of the Invasion of Normandy on D-Day.

The internet, which has made the world smaller by making information quickly accessable, and moving thoughts and ideas quickly around the world, has now squeezed us even closer together, so hundreds and listen in to your musings.

Through a special rate I set up exclusively for podcasters a few months ago, I'm proud now to be associated with some of the top 100 podcasts listed in iTunes.

This narrowcasting will have a bearing on mass communications and marketing. The effect is very slight now, but watch for the avalanche within the next 12 to 18 months.

--Thanks for reading.

MORE OR LESS . . . BETTER OR WORSE?

2005-07-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

Radio listeners just don't like all those commercials.

Really?

No, not really.

A study conducted with Edison Media says that poor creativity is as much a turn-off to listeners as are too many commercials.

Hmmmmm.

Radio stations spend thousands of dollars testing their music to make sure listeners like and accept the songs, but they'll let a ton of bad commercials on the air three or four times an hour.

Doesn't quite make sense, does it?

-- Thanks for reading

THIS . . . IS LONDON

2005-07-14T16:41:00.000-04:00

The morning of the London subway bombings, one of the stations that I produce imaging for there e-mailed me for a rush news update liner. Fortunately, I was able to get that out to him within 20 minutes.

Since then, I've been thinking about a particular place in London that I don't see written about anymore. Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park has been the place where anyone could rant or rail or spout off about any subject that comes to mind. But ever since the Internet became a communication tool, I don't hear too much about it. You could say that Speaker's Corner is the first true blog... if not that, then at least the grandaddy of all podcasting.

Wouldn't it be interesting if the TV and cable networks would do a piece from Speaker's Corner? I'd like to know what the un-wired are saying.

--Thanks for reading

BLAMING COMMERCIALS

2005-07-07T10:43:00.000-04:00

If you're reading this, you are at least familiar with Podcasting. In one of the podcasting message boards recently, someone was decrying the possible use of advertising on podcasts by saying that advertising is the reason why people are turning their radios off. But that's only partly true. It's not advertising, but rather the bad commercials that people are turning off.

We are bombarded by more sales messages in every format, and in every forum than we ever have been. With all of that, how does any message get thru? Are consumers still being influenced by advertising? Whether they like it or not, they are.

You cut thru the clutter by having a compelling sales message. Yes, consumers will listen when you are addressing a specific need. My previous post about the General Motors campaign is proof: GM just extended their discount program. Ford and Chrysler have also joined in. Auto sales are up, and that's due to advertising.

Consumers are more savvy now than they ever have been. They've been exposed to enough hype over the past few years that their BS detectors are on 'high'. That makes an advertising investment even more necessary, and a targeted compelling sales message mandatory.

--Thanks for reading

GM - WHY DIDN'T WE THINK OF THAT BEFORE?

2005-06-30T14:20:00.000-04:00

My wife surprised me when she bought her most recent car. She played the tough negotiator in the deal. I'm one of those who, like most Americans, would rather have root canal surgery than have to wrangle a car deal. And it looks like someone at GM finally got wise.

GM has done a very good job of advertising their Employee Discount promotion, and it is paying off. Sales are up by as much as 30%. Chrysler is said to be readying their pitch. At the heart of the promotion - no rebates, sales incentives, or other drivel. It's as close to a pay-one-price as you can get. And the consumers are responding. Hmmmmm... wonder if the airlines are watching this.

--Thanks for reading.

PAUL WINCHELL

2005-06-28T09:26:00.000-04:00

Ventriliquist Paul Winchell died last week at 82. The headlines remembered him as the voice of Tigger in the Winnie The Pooh movies. But for many of us baby boomers, Paul Winchell was synonomous with ventriliquism. His wise-cracking dummy Jerry Mahoney was one of my first intros to show business.

TV Guide published a short routine of Paul and Jerry. and I adapted it for a second grade talent show. I don't know if I was a good ventriliquist, but I won the ten dollar first prize.

Ventriliquism was also called "throwing your voice" Kind of ironic in the sense that these days, I'm throwing my voice around the world for all sorts of client projects.

Thanks, Mr. Winchell, for helping me to get out there on that stage so many years ago.

--Thanks for reading

ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?

2005-06-22T13:13:00.000-04:00

Did you hear about the latest Shoneys ad? By the way, Shoneys is the franchise name of "Big Boy" in the South. Other places in the U.S. may know it as Bob's or Frisch's or something different. Anyway, Their ad agency in Louisville created a radio ad for their breakfast buffet. In it, A driver ticks off middle America towns with odd-sounding names -- Two Egg, Fla., Weiner, Ark., and Sweet Lips, Tenn. -- noting there are Shoney's along the way.

"Pretty soon down the road when you're passing Gas, you'll be glad you stopped," the announcer says before a brief pause. "What? Gas, Kansas, you sicko. I can't believe you went there."

Two New Orleans radio stations, WLMG and WTKL refused to run the ad. The Agency's PR director says, "We thought the ad was a little cute, but we didn't think it would get banned," he said. "Especially in New Orleans, which is not the most conservative of places."

Having lived in New Orleans, I can attest that is true, but he forgot one thing. The stations that refused to run the ad: WTKL is 60s and 70s oldies. WLMG is Lite Rock. One of the core "branding beliefs" in both of those formats is that it must be "Family Friendly" That means not airing things that you'd be embarrased for your eight year old daughter to hear.

It happens a lot that agency folks think they've got a great ad, but forgot that radio is a targeted medium. They would have been much better off to have created another version or a different message altogether for stations like WTKL and WLMG. I've heard a very bold "Club Mix"-type urban spot for Pine Sol running on a country station, and country-oriented jingles running on Urban stations. I think it's just lazyness.

If you're talking to me, talk to me in MY language. Have the respect for your potential consumers to create a message for them. Advertising is not a one-size fits all industry.

And speaking of cities that should or should not be conservative places...guess which U.S. city has the highest number of churches per capita. It's Las Vegas.

--Thanks for reading.

IT'S JUST ADVERTISING

2005-06-20T14:49:00.000-04:00

Oh My! Very rarely am I at a loss for words, but let me tell you what happened today. I have begun to work with a company on their advertising. I have not yet visited this company in person, but nevertheless, I was asked to create a compelling piece of copy for an event they were planning.
“So, tell me what’s going to happen during this event. I said
“Well, whatever you put in the commercial, just let us know, and that’s what we’ll do.” The business owner replied.

It was 24 hours away from the start of the event, and the only thing he had settled on was a name. We could give away money, we could have free food…maybe we could even get The Rolling Stones to play. Except none of that was in the budget.

This company’s product is not unique. The only things that trigger a buying decision in the consumer for their product is either 1. packaging or 2. service. I had no idea if this company could out-perform on either one. If I made a compelling statement about one, and it wasn’t true for the consumer, then the company would lose a lot more than a customer. I would also lose its credibility.

Be specific with your goals and how you want your advertising to perform. Those who believe that writing or producing advertising is pure hype are destined to failure. Advertising is about speaking to the needs of the consumer, and addressing a past product failure with a new or different innovation in a way that causes an emotional reaction in the consumer.

In other words, show your customer how your product can help him do something easier, better or faster.

Some believe it takes extraordinary means to justify the ends. But it’s actually simple to be a success. It’s just advertising.

-- Thanks for reading

MAKING DECISIONS

2005-06-19T20:09:00.000-04:00

About a month ago my wife and I decided we wanted a second cat. We went looking at all the pet shops to find the right kitten. After a couple of weeks, we fell in love with a face. I had doubts about how our five year old Calico would handle the adjustment, so it was not on an impulse that we decided to adopt Gizmo. Still, that moment of making the decision would affect so many lives.

If we hadn’t, the kitten would surely have been adopted by some other loving family. And maybe we would have found another somewhere. But we did, and that set into play an entirely different set of actions, feelings, and emotions. I suppose it’s like The Butterfly Effect. You can apply that principle to almost everything in your everyday life. It’s not something that one would obsess over, but It does pose interesting questions.

What if a consumer made a different choice than your product? What if a number of them did? How can you sway those opinions? Can you directly sway the opinions of the consumers who matter most to your business, or do you take a shotgun approach? I see so many businesses who decide to take the latter approach, and then later fault the process rather than the decision for their failure.

We have a plan for integrating the new kitten into the family. And we are planning to consult a professional. I believe that we’ll be successful.

How do you insure that your message will reach the right consumers? Do you have a plan? Will you consult with someone who specializes in relating your message to the right customers for your business? Or will you go it alone?

FIRST POSTING

2005-06-19T09:22:00.000-04:00

OK, I give up. After reading a number of other blogs, I have succum to the blogging world. Actually, it might be fun. I'm always planning to write more articles for my website, and this might be a way to leave ideas without actually going through the long process of self-editing. I have a lot of ideas, so if I can get up to speed on this blogger site, I'll post them as quickly as I can.