| |
| |
|
|
Copywriting Information |
|
|
|
How Writing Radio Can Help You Become a Better Writer
Knowing how to write, and write well, is a skill that will come in handy in all sorts of situations. And if you combine good writing skills with the persuasive selling tactics found in, say, copywriting, you'll be that much more ahead of your competition. Of all the different types of writing I've done in my life (and believe me, I've tried practically all of them) writing radio has made one of the bigger impacts on my writing style. Below are three ways writing radio can help strengthen your writing style. (Oh, and these tips will also help you write better radio copy too.) Radio is short. You have to write something that fits into a 30- or 60-second slot. Not a lot of time or a lot of words. In that 30 or 60 seconds, you need to capture the listener's attention, explain why they should be interested in buying what you're selling, then let them know what you'd like their next step to be. Oh, and did I mention you need to have the business name in there at least twice and probably a tag line as well? And don't forget about music. Or sound effects. Now the beauty of this is once you've mastered radio rules, you can apply it to all sorts of things. A 30-second pitch for your business you can tell people at networking events. A 15-second introduction before a speech. A quick product spiel for your voice mail. A 15-second pitch for your novel to spit out at agents and editors at writers' conferences. The possibilities are endless. Be brutal. Cut out anything you don't need. In fact, radio is where I first learned to start cutting "that" out. Most "thats" you don't need, and nothing shows you this like radio. Here's how I write radio. I start with a first draft. I read it over. I think it's pretty good -- I have all the salient points in there. I read it out loud. Now the fun begins. Usually it's too long. You see, I time myself reading. So I have to start chopping words. When you have to make a script fit into a certain time frame, it's amazing how many words you suddenly discover can be deleted. Or replaced with simpler, shorter words. Or how many sentences can be trimmed. Or phrases made more concise. As you can imagine, writing radio has really honed my editing skills. Not the ear. The ear is brutal. It's like one of those headmasters from a Dickens' novel, standing in front of the classroom with a stick and banging it every time a student stutters on an answer. The ear catches everything -- sentences that are too long and don't allow you to take a breath; sentences that don't flow properly; long, complicated five-dollar words that twist the tongue in a knot and much, much more. Focus on writing shorter sentences. Simpler sentences. Vary your sentences. Use simple words. And that's just plain good old writing advice no matter what you happen to be writing. Creativity Exercises -- Write a Radio Ad Now it's your turn. Time to sit down and write a radio ad. First, choose something you want the ad to be about. Maybe one of your products or services. But choose only one. More than one and you're just asking for trouble. (Rule of thumb -- one message per ad. No more. Otherwise you run the risk of losing your target market. Pick one message and make it very simple and very clear.) Now do what I do. Write the ad. Start by keeping it under a general word count -- 100 words for a 30-second ad and 190 words for a 60-second spot. Finished your first draft? Great. Now read it. And time yourself. (Those clocks on the computer desktop are great for this.) What, you went over your limit? Better start cutting. See how many words you can take out and sentences you can tighten. Or replace words and phrases with something shorter. Now read it again. Still too long? Or maybe now it's too awkward. See previous paragraph. Keep repeating until you end up with something that sounds smooth and fits in the allotted time. Michele Pariza Wacek owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency. She offers two free e-newsletters that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.writingusa.com
MORE RESOURCES: Why copywriting is the new superpower in 2026 Search Engine Land "I was forced to use AI until the day I was laid off." Copywriters reveal how AI has decimated their industry bloodinthemachine.com The 10 best AI copywriting tools (free and paid!) in 2025 Hootsuite Blog Doom Spiral: Is AI Creating a Copywriting Feedback Loop? Little Black Book | LBBOnline Copywriting Lessons from Poets, Playwrights and Novelists Little Black Book | LBBOnline Google Ads copywriting with AI: Getting the prompt right Search Engine Land Why 2026 Is the Golden Year for Copywriters vocal.media 12 Copywriting Tools for Effective Content Creation in 2026 Simplilearn.com How AI Copywriting Is Changing Marketing: From Bots to Brilliant Ads Eye On Annapolis SEO copywriting in 2025: 6 pillars for ranking and relevance Search Engine Land 12 Best Copywriting Books for Aspiring Marketers [2026] Simplilearn.com How to Become a Copywriter in 2026: A Beginner's Roadmap Simplilearn.com ‘Lit’ Lessons for Copywriting Little Black Book | LBBOnline 7 Best AI Copywriting Tools To Boost Your Sales Undetectable AI Copywriter Seeking Work-Life Balance Through Staffing Named 2026 National Staffing Employee of the Year PR Newswire Tristin Vaccaro, Mission 500 and Vaccaro Copywriting: Best Advice Security Sales & Integration Will AI make copywriters extinct? dentsu.co.jp So you want to be a copywriter adobo Magazine Can AI replace copywriters? The future of AI in content writing Techpoint Africa How to Become a Copywriter | SNHU Southern New Hampshire University I’m a copywriter. I’m pretty sure artificial intelligence is going to take my job | Henry Williams The Guardian “There’s No Such Thing as a Boring Brief, Just a Lazy Copywriter” Little Black Book | LBBOnline In Her Own Words: Copywriter Caroline Duggan honors Shakespeare’s art The Business Journals I make up to $13,000 a month copywriting on Fiverr. Here's how I got started and landed clients. Business Insider Will copywriters now write for TV and films too? Exchange4Media Human Copywriting Services Trend Hunter How I Taught Myself Copywriting and Created a $974,000 Business Business Insider It’s not your imagination. Advertising is getting worse – and it might be deliberate The Independent ChatGPT Took My Job in Copywriting. You Could Be Next. entrepreneur.com Race to the (Liquid) Death: Copywriter Challenges Canned-Water VP to an Ultramarathon - Muse by Clio Are copywriters doomed by the rise of AI? AdNews Australia What Piyush Pandey meant to an advertising newbie manifest-media.in Crafting Copy that Connects: Molly Winters on the Power of Human Connection in Marketing Website Planet Next-Gen Storytelling: How a 26-Year-Old Copywriter Is Helping a Media Giant Win Awards - Señal News Senal News Can (or will) AI Replace Copywriters? Browser Media Hidden Gems: Meet Aaron Whipple of Copywriter Aaron Voyage Jacksonville Magazine Doe-Anderson Welcomes Kelsey Westbrook as Senior Copywriter Little Black Book | LBBOnline The Multifaceted World of Copywriting With R/GA’s Robyn Tenenbaum Little Black Book | LBBOnline How I Make up to $9,000 a Month As a Freelance Copywriter Business Insider How to Start a Freelance Career Without Using Upwork and Fiverr Business Insider Soon To Be Automated Copywriter Commits To Existential Crisis And Adds ‘Proficient In ChatGPT’ On Resume The Betoota Advocate Leanne was working in her dream job. Then came ChatGPT The Sydney Morning Herald Author Liani Kotcher on Copywriting and Her Latest Novel, Ski Weekend Montecito Journal Copywriting Services Market to reach $42.22 Billion by 2030, with a Projected CAGR of 7.6%, says Coherent Market Insights Yahoo Finance Thank you for the lobsters (And everything else) ET BrandEquity Copywriter claims to lose job to AI after short leave. Founder called AI 'cheaper' The Economic Times The lost art of creative copywriting in advertising The Guardian Cornett Welcomes Aleigh Hawking and Nick Rog to Creative Team Marketing Communication News Margate copywriting business scoops awards The Isle of Thanet News I'm a single mom who quit social work to pursue copywriting. My business brought in 6 figures last year. Business Insider 4 practical ways to use generative AI for ad copywriting Search Engine Land How to Make 6 Figures a Month on Fiverr As a Freelance Copywriter Business Insider #CLEative Groove: Meet Josh Womack, copywriter and newly published author Fresh Water Cleveland Phrases That Sell: 8 Copywriting Tips Social Media Examiner I'm a freelance editor who's embraced working with AI content. Here's how I do it and what I charge. Business Insider Vale Steve Hayden: Legendary Copywriter Behind Iconic '1984' Apple Spot Passes Away, Aged 78 bandt.com.au |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Lost Art Of Fundamental Copywriting What ever happened to good old fashion, fundamental copywriting? Has anyone seen AIDA? I mean, before you can run, you first have to learn how to walk, right? Yet, I see it over and over again. Marketers who can't even write a simple headline are trying to "hypnotize" readers with "psychological copywriting," because that's what a few of today's copywriting experts are telling them they should do!I'll let you in on a little secret. How to Write a Direct Mail Fundraising Letter (Four Tips for Fund Raising Success) 1. Address your reader as a friend, not as "Friend. Write Benefits in Your Headlines to Deliver the Dream! When you create headlines, do you put benefits into your headlines to deliver the dream? Do you create headlines that draw your reader deeper into the rest of copy?Let me ask you a simple question. "Why do people read any printed material beyond the headline?"The answer, because there was something in the headline that attracted their attention, raised their interest and curiosity, or contained a perceived benefit for the reader. How You Can Find Freelance Copy Editing Jobs Even for those with the skills needed, finding copy editing jobs can seem next to impossible. The simple fact of the matter is, though, that through quality and building relationships, these jobs can be found and employment can lead to a career in the field. Copywriting Tricks: Nailing the Voice Professional copywriters are well-familiar with what's commonly referred to as "the voice." What is this exactly, and why do you need to master it in your writing?If writing is icecream, then "the voice" is the flavor in your scoop. 5 Deadly Copywriting Mistakes That Kill Sales Chances are that you are making many, if not all, of these 5 copywriting mistakes. I call them "deadly" because theyre killing your sales and your profits. Revealed: The $12,500 Copywriting Formula Have you heard of Brian Keith Voiles? Probably not, but if you have eyes you've seen his ad campaigns and you probably even bought products that he created ad campaigns for. Would you like to have the formula he gets paid $12,500 to put into use for Fortune 500 Companies?Well then, today's your lucky day, isn't it? If you follow this formula whenever you write a sales letter or an ad you'll see how well it increases your success. How to Write a Sizzling Sales Letter, Part 1 When you sit down to write a sales letter to your prospects, it can be difficult to know just where to start. Regardless of the purpose of your letter, it has to accomplish several things: capture the attention of the reader speak to the reader's individual needs give good reasons why your prospect can trust you communicate your offer succinctly and clearly encourage your prospect to act now And furthermore, it has to have sizzle. Grammatical Mistakes DONT Sell When you receive a sales letter with typos or grammar mistakes in it, do you take it seriously? Probably not. As soon as I see a few eighth-grade English blunders in any marketing effort, I quickly decide the author's product or service is not deserving of my time. How Cliffhanger Paragraphs Capture Readers About 50 years ago, movie serials kept theater crowds coming back week after week. Each episode ended with a "cliffhanger," a suspenseful unresolved problem. How to Write Carrot-Wielding Copy! A significant reason behind websites that fail is the lack of an effective direct response sales message. Such a message is comprised of three elements (it must be):Captivating (it captures the reader's attention) Riveting (it pulls her into reading further) Engaging (it calls her to act)How can you incorporate those three vital elements? If I were to answer that question adequately it would likely take me an entire book the size of an encyclopedia! But for now, let me give you a succinct explanation. Your Article Headlines will Make or Break Your Business Most people with an online presence will have to regularly deal with the issue of coming up with an appropriate headline. The problem is that most people do not take it seriously enough. Four Simple Steps to Improve Your Sales Copy You know what it's like, you're reading the sales material about a product you're considering buying, but, as you read, all these questions seem to pop into your mind, but there's no-one there to answer them, so you shelve your plans to purchase.If it happens to you, you can guarantee it also happens to your customers when they read your sales copy. Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less About once a month I fly off somewhere to give a one-day workshop on writing for the web. For part of the day, I invite the group to take part in a series of short tasks. Help, Help, Help, Sell Here's a fundamental difference between copywriting offline and copywriting for the web.. Direct Mail Sales Letters Flow Better With Subheads A subscriber to my newsletter asks: "Got any good pointers on writing great sub-heads?" Yes, I do. Here they are. 9 Tips for Great Design of Your Marketing Materials 1) Don't just hire a good designer. Hire someone who has had plenty of experience designing business collateral. Progressive Headlines Guide Customers To Buy Headlines are, without a doubt, one of the most important elements in copywriting. As has been said countless times before, if you don't get your readers' attention with the headline, the chance of them reading your copy is virtually none. 8 Tips for Writing Headlines that Grab Attention (and Keep Prospects Reading!) Effective headlines make all the difference in whether your prospect reads your marketing materials or simply tosses them to the side. You don't even have a chance for a sale if the audience won't read what you write. 8 Reasons to Outsource Your Copywriting Thinking of hiring a staff writer? Think again. Below, I will give you eight geat reasons to reconsider and outsource instead.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |