Radio (Still) Gets Results

The fact that I retrieved this presentation from a cassette tape tells you something about how long ago I put it together. (Hint: it was before we recorded onto flash memory cards, before we emailed MP3's, even before we burned CD's. Seinfeld was airing in prime time, yada-yada-yada.)

Nonetheless, it's worth sharing.

Thinking about recent client success stories and how best to share them here at RSC reminded me of this presentation I cobbled together (when we were still recording on 4-track tapes) to share some of my clients' success stories with prospective advertisers. It was our local implementation of the RAB's original "Radio Gets Results" initiative some fifteen years ago.

Back then, I'd give a copy of the cassette tape to a prospect and ask him to listen to it in the car, driving to or from work. It proved an effective means of establishing credibility with new prospects, and opened many opportunities to help them with their advertising.

Today, a presentation of this sort would likely be posted on a station's website, probably on a video uploaded to You Tube.

Running time's about nine minutes, which is 7 minutes longer than I'd make it if I were doing it today. Folks' attention spans keep getting shorter. Better to have more testimonials in a shorter format, I think.

That said, the clients and their stories were/are real.

Comment by Roger Burke on August 19, 2011 at 11:14am: Yes, he is. We were there earlier this week and saw all the signage for the Lentil Festival. I did not know what all was involved until I read your blog post, great jingle btw. I will let him know. Wish I could do it with him, I sure miss my boy. Hey, if you know of any job opportunities in Pullman he needs work, and is looking for on, and off-campus jobs. He is quite the charming young man, good looking, and variously talented, as mentioned in an earlier note, a great salesperson too. Thank you for any insight you might provide.

Comment by Rod Schwartz on August 19, 2011 at 10:40am: Roger,

Gathering testimonials takes a little added effort, as does editing them for airplay or demonstration purposes. It's too easy to put off doing so when we have so much other work to occupy us. But, once the audio (or video; that's my next project) is recorded and edited, it tends to have a long shelf life. And there's no doubt as to the impact real client stories and testimonials can have, especially in smaller markets where everybody knows everybody and verification is easily accomplished.

Thanks for your kind words, Roger.

BTW, will your son be in town for the National Lentil Festival tonight and tomorrow? The Friday night street fair is a blast, and the LF parade worth taking in, too. (If you start driving now...) :>)

Comment by Roger Burke on August 19, 2011 at 10:08am: Rod, this is a fantastic collection of voices/testimonials. You guys hit it out of the park with this one. You're right our collective attention span will not sit by and listen to this length of a promotion anymore, but-it sure encouraged me today. Thank you.

Radio (Still) Gets Results - an Audio Presentation

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