Script Writing for TV and Radio

Three Tips for When You Absolutely Need to Write Your Own Ads

Small businesses often find themselves in need of advertising to boost awareness, drive traffic to an event, or increase sales.  If those marketing pieces require a voice over, then somebody needs to write the scripts.  If that person happens to be you (and you’re searching the internet for tips and tricks to assist you), then it’s safe to say that you’re probably not an expert copywriter.  No shame in saying so – chances are, you’re really great at your chosen profession.  That statement leads to the most important tip.

Tip #1.  Hire a professional copywriter or agency

Imagine you’re a wee cucumber, no bigger than a child’s finger.  One day you’re plucked from the vine and transported to a processing facility.  You’re washed, dumped into a jar with a few dozen of your fellow cucumbers, and then drowned in a spiced brine.  A conveyor belt hurtles you through the factory.  Your jar is sealed, labeled, and packaged.  You’re no longer a cucumber.  You’re a pickle.  Of course, you don’t know that because you can’t read the label on the outside of the jar.  You’re inside the jar, where you know a little bit about being a gherkin, and nothing about shopping for fresh dill at the farmer’s market.  Being on the outside of the jar allows you to see the jar (and the sales environment) objectively.

A professional copywriter will help you communicate to your potential customer in a more effective way because every day, they study what works and what doesn’t.  Reputable agencies can tell you which mediums (radio, TV, web, outdoor, social, sponsorship, etc…) are going to deliver the biggest impact for your dollar.  Most importantly, putting the writing of your ads into the hands of a capable, knowledgeable pro is going to take that task off your plate.  A plate which is probably already full with running your own business.

If your marketing budget is so low that you can’t afford professional writing or working with an agency, but you can afford producing the ads and airing them, consider re-allocating some of your budget to getting the right message to put out there in the first place.  Saying the right thing ten times is better than saying the wrong thing thirty times.

Tip #2.  Copy (If You Must), But Don’t Plagiarize

I once worked in a radio group’s creative department, writing campaigns for new clients.  It was difficult work at times, but it was also highly rewarding.  I used a boilerplate technique when writing most campaigns (which I won’t get into here), but I took great pride in executing original content.  An example of  two short campaigns for Popeye’s Chicken (locally) that I consider some of my favorite early work.