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I have recently joined a networking group BNI (Business Networking International). Hopefully someone is familiar with and a BNI group in your area. My assistance request is this.....Radio advertising is so different than any other business type in the group (insurance, banking, attorneys, promo products). I have to give an 8 minute commercial about my business! First of all I am nervous, I don't know why when I can cold call strangers all day long and never break a sweat!!! I am hoping that some of you guys can help me with a topic idea that is not just "why radio" and that will keep their interest! Please Help!!!! Thanks so m
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rod Schwartz on -
Karen,
Sounds like a golden opportunity you have to make a deep and favorable impression on folks who are either prospective advertisers or advocates that can help advance your career.
My suggestion would be to use the eight minutes to talk about them, about their business problems/opportunities and so forth, rather than talking about you/radio. That said, most businesses face similar if not identical problems when it comes to marketing and advertising. Most don't know how to do it well, how to set up a plan and execute it purposefully, skillfully, and effectively.
Are you familiar with Roy Williams' "The Twelve Most Common Mistakes in Advertising?" You can find them in his book (I don't recall without looking whether it was in his first, The Wizard of Ads, or second, Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads, but they're in one or the other) and also on a DVD presentation well worth obtaining.
Roy isn't the first or last marketing expert to make these observations individually, but his compilation is the first and best presentation of all of them that I've ever encountered. You might find it helpful to digest them and then pick several to present and discuss in your own words, using local illustrations that would be familiar to members of your group. Don't be surprised if they ask you for more!
Please let us know how it goes for you. As I said, I think you have a terrific opportunity here.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Dostal on
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Karen, I'm very familiar with BNI groups and they are about the person more than the product. They are networking opportunities and people do business with people they trust and respect. I think it's critical to offer some of the "why radio" info that most don't know about including the free service of creating messages and how they can tell they entire story with radio. But make it about you and your expertise and desire to help a business realize their dreams. Let's face it, small business owners want the same thing everyone else wants...prosperity. Share with them the effort you'll make to help the attract customers to their business so they can realize their dreams.
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Permalink Reply by Victor John Carr on -
Karen,
Go to the RAB website. Even if your station is not a member you can get more that enought to do eight minutes.
May We Prosper,
Vic Carr CRMC
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Permalink Reply by Roger Allan on -
Karen: I've been in b n i for 7 or 8 years and have done a bunch of the long-form presentations. What I did for my last one was pull a PowerPoint presentation from rab.com and revised it to fit our situation. If you don't have multi-media capabilities at your meeting place, you can just print the slides and make enough copies for everyone in your group. By the way, our little independent AM/FM supports five B N I memberships. It really works well for us. Good luck! You'll do great!!
Roger Allan
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Permalink Reply by Rick Lewis on -
Spend your time telling them how you have helped businesses.
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Permalink Reply by Wray Betts on
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What a great invitation for you. Rod is right and helping your peers at his meeting is first and foremost and as Rod mentioned Roy WIlliams books and his MMM are great business help resources.
This may sound a little corny but here is a thought on what is Radio- It's a "Relational Audience Delivering Increased Opportunity". Which really means that it's about businesses building a relationship with our audience that brings that business success. You can go in several directions with that acronym that help build business success with marketing.
Enjoy the experience of your presentation.
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Permalink Reply by Dave Scott on
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Although I do agree with Rod, this is a perfect opportunity to pitch the one way radio beats TV, newspaper, coupons and every other media: The fact that radio is (or at least can be) the theater of the mind.
I suggest the 60-second Stan Freeberg commercial done for the Radio Advertising Bureau decades ago.
Through the magic of sound effects and creative writing, Freberg drained Lake Michigan and refilled it with hot chocolate and a mountain of whipped cream. Then a giant maraschino cherry was dropped like a bomb by the Royal Canadian Air Force to the cheers of 25,000 extras viewing from the shoreline. Freberg concluded with, "Let's see them do that on television!"
You could do a lot worse than to spend one of your eight minutes with that in a darkened room.
The audio is available several places, including
http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/window/media/page/0,,868724-2008386...
or Google for Stan Freberg - Who Listens To Radio.
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Permalink Reply by Rod Schwartz on
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Dave,
Here's a link to the entire spot from the RAB's website.
I first heard this back in the mid-70's and it's still fun to listen to. Classic Theater of the Mind.
It just struck me though, perhaps for the first time, that while the "fun" aspect of the spot is the sequence of sound effects at the end, it's the words used to describe what's coming that make all the difference. Using words to paint pictures...that's the aspect of this business that perpetually holds my interest.
By the way, I was unaware of the Freberg CD collection until now. Thanks for sharing the link. I just snagged a copy online. Can't wait to listen!
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Permalink Reply by Greg Hiti on -
Hi Rod,
Here's one you may not have heard and the talent is a bit more contemporary than Stan. - Attachments:
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Jay Leno - The Banana Man.mp3, 859 KB
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Permalink Reply by Julie Irving on
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Hi Karen,
I would take the--why should they care, what does this mean to the people you are talking to-approach. Write something from the perspective of a business and how it helped them (fictional, or based on true stories), and the benefits that it provided not only their business, but their finances, family, overall happiness, blah blah. Be realistic, and not cheesy. Its still tough...I don't think any commercial should ever be 8 minutes long! But maybe you can tie in a few different stories. Can it be recorded? You could have different people voice it which would make it more interesting.
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Permalink Reply by Keith James on -
Hi Carroll,
Here is a piece I used once at a BNI meeting...
There were lot of very small businesses and most of those were Mom & Pop, home based franchises etc. Also insurance, accounting, banking and moving companies looking for "new" arrivals in town to sign up for basic family services. Not enough retail business or advertising prospects there.
Incidently after just a few months of expensive breakfasts, listening to a bunch of buddies selling each other, I found it was not a fruitful ground for selling advertising. I would be interested in hearing how it works for you.
Keith James
897 SUN FM
Duncan, BC
B N I Infomercial February 07/08
RADIO ADVERTISING ON THE MOST LISTENED TO RADIO STATION IN THE AREA...! What an opportunity! Together you and I have at our disposal all the skills, experience and expertise to plan and execute effective ongoing advertising for your business at an affordable price. You can enhance your business name and image in the community and increase awareness in the marketplace. Perhaps you are not getting your market share. Our job is to sit down with you and help you plan effective advertising at an affordable price. If yours is like most businesses today, affordability is the key to getting started...and I can assure you that we can work out a professional ongoing campaign that will get the job done and fit your budget! I don’t care how small your business is, your advertising can be on radio and can be heard in virtually every home in the entire Victoria market, Sidney to Sooke...I will connect you with the skills, expertise and experience to help increase your business...and make more profit. Has it occurred to you that discounting is just a gift right off your bottom line? There are better ways to promote sales... You know you need to do it...you have been thinking about it, so lets set up a convenient time and get on with it. Let me assure you that any substantial business can afford to be on Radio...That includes you and most anyone you are thinking of referring me to. Call me for a free consultation... I’ll remind you again that the “one thing certainly more expensive than advertising is not advertising.”
Have a great day...
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Permalink Reply by Julie Irving on
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Keith,
What groups have you joined that have been more effective for you? I'm in NYC so it might be a little different here...but I'm definitely looking to expand more to networking type groups.
Thanks!
Julie
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