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Friday Poll: How Often Do You Voice Your Clients' Ads?
Happy Friday, everyone!
Here is this week's poll question:
How often do you voice the ads that you write for your clients?
Looking forward to reading your replies!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by sam njuguna on -
I voice most of the ads i write for my clients , over 90% because i always make demos as opposed to sending the scripts for approval, so in most cases the client approves the concept and the ad. Secondly to heighten the drama in the ads and make them stand out, i am well placed to voice the ads i have written just yesterday i wrote and ad the a GYM which required to the first sentence to be delivered sarcastically, and the middle bit...almost out of breath and much quicker, i tried a few voices and i just had to do it. But, i make sure i do not voice for comptetation eg i cant voice an ad for GYM A and for GYM B its unethical. and also i cant air and for GYM A followed by and ad for GYM B , our station policy is 10 minutes gap between competators ad........
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Permalink Reply by Paul Schultz on -
Finally an easy question...never.
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Permalink Reply by David Neely on -
What he said.
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Permalink Reply by Big John Small on -
Too often... I love to voice ads (my passion) but I also think we should get the client involved whenever possible. I do not like to have them READ the ad... I like to do more of an interview... then edit the best parts together to make an ad that rocks!
John Small
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Permalink Reply by Bob Sherman on -
I voice a fair amount of my scripts. The concept is always the seller but unfortunately there are not a lot of newer voice people in radio who know how to announce, or sell, or punctuate the dialogue. But I also have the ability to write to 'voice' or 'character' for many of my clients which works very for them and for me. I have sharp editing skills to create 'image' ads out of spontaneous responses...storytelling is a powerful message on radio. I like to think of myself as a 'five tool player' that really enhances my my sales..creating a commercial right in front of the client on a laptop is great 'show' and readily increases your value to the client. It's a lot less about rating points and making the sale. For me it's alot more about creative services, media planning, production skills, and timely customer service...that produces sales sharp presentations. They get excited and just want to know how soon we can get on the air...
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Permalink Reply by Diana Lukaszewski on -
Never.. my voice would scare them away..
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Permalink Reply by Joel A. Swanson on -
Never! I have in the past, but only when asked to by the client. At my previous station, I wrote and voiced ads for a financial planner and for the Tea Party. I also do a weekly commentary and have a distinctive voice which might "connect" advertisers to the commentary. Some like that; others don't.
We have a four-person air staff to voice/produce the ads and we share voices with our stations in Iowa as well as with the Idea Bank stations and our Operations Manager also belongs to a group that shares voices; so we basically have an unlimited source of solid in-market and out-of-market voices.
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Permalink Reply by Dave Sutherland on
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I write all the copy for my clients and probably record 90 percent of them..for three reasons...I have a small list, am not on the air and it provides an additional voice beyond the two primary voices in our production department. I try to get my clients to record whenever possible, too.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Callahan on
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I voice 95% of my clients ads. We are a samll station so not alot of voices to go around. Besides, IF you want it done right, do it yourself.
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Permalink Reply by Jeremiah Rieke on
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I voice ads whenever it's appropriate. Each ad is different and I approache each one with a clean slate. No one technique is going to work best in every situation just like no one voice is going to work best in every commercial. I enjoy voicing ads when I think my voice fits the roll but I've never written a spot with myself in mind with one exception. Last year I wrote a spot for a store carrying electronics components. No one else in the station knew enough of the vocabulary to be able to pull off the spot so I wrote it knowing I would voice the spot sipmly so I didn't have to teach anyone the pronunciation of the words.
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Permalink Reply by christine pompeo on -
I voice more ads then i like to of those i write. I think when a radio station has too many ads running right after each other with same voice, that is not good marketing. listeners tune out after a while.
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Permalink Reply by Robbie Johnson on -
I write and voice a little over half. I was on the air for a competing news/talker for 5 years and developed several long term clients with "live read" ads and call-in ad during the show. They were more of an ad lib, mixed into the show type ad. The conversational style made the ad stick in your mind like we were sitting on your sofa having a friend to friend conversation. The call-in clients became part of the show and many people looked forward to the chats and mentioned them when they stopped into the clients business.
When I started in sales at a competing news/talk station we decided to use the name recognition I had in the market and do what almost amounts to a testimonial ad, even though I am not and have never been on the air with the new station.
One client is an old time corner butcher shop. We start the ads out with "Robbie Johnson on WTAQ for Jacobs Meat Market...." and end them with "and make sure you tell them you heard it on WTAQ." Occasionally we throw a bone to listeners (pun intended) by offering a free and free gift for mentioning the ad. The response has been great. Many of their loyal customers had wondered where I went after my on-air stint ended. The client hears that people are listening. WINNING!
Granted, not everyone has my situation, but I agree with other posts that the more voices you get on the air the better. Putting clients on the air in their voice is only "good radio" if they are good speakers and can actually use inflection when they speak.
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