In direct response radio advertising you either must have an 800# that is easy to remember, preferably with words, or a very simple web URL. The question is, do you ever use both in your ad? Well you do if you can use it tactically. For instance, when you are talking about your company in your ad, instead of saying, “Traffic Gauge is offering a new product. Go to trafficgauge.com or call…,” say, “Trafficgauge.com is offering a new product go to trafficgauge.com or call….” This way you now already have said your URL twice, increasing your frequency, and your effectiveness.
There are two types of people in this world. Some people like to go on the internet and research a product before they buy it, the other type prefers personal service. The first will go on the web to learn about the product and your competitors, read reviews, and find out everything they can before they make their purchasing decision. These people are always going to shop around before making a decision and are not necessarily loyal to your company but to the price and value they are receiving. The other type of person likes to do the opposite. These individuals rather call an 800 number and talk to a live person then spend the time trying to do research on their own. These dedicated customers typically are your best clients as they will remain loyal to you for many years. This still doesn’t answer the question of whether to use a phone number or online as both are necessary to attract a specific client base.
Look at it this way; if I am running an online business that primarily makes it’s sales via the web, then there is no doubt in my mind that as an advertiser I should focus on driving traffic to my URL rather then a 800 number. On the other hand, if I am running a service oriented business that depends on customer interaction, then as an advertiser I should definitely be using an 800 number for my customers to reach me so that my sales people have direct access to the potential client.
When picking a 800 number try to avoid numbers with 7’s or even 0’s. The reason that seven and zero’s are bad is that both of these digits require an extra syllable when reading a script. When creating a direct response advertisement you should focus on saying your telephone number 3-4 times. Radio = frequency. The more times you say your number, the higher the chance your listeners are going to remember it. If you have a telephone numbers with sevens or zeros in it, this could potentially increase the length of your ad by 2 seconds which limits your already short 15-30 second ad.
If you are considering direct response advertising email me at cameronsamimi@clearchannel.com
Or call me at 818 566 4646 for a consultation of your company
If you think talk, or news radio advertising on KFI AM 640, KNX 1070 or KFWB News 980 in the Los Angeles Radio market is right for you then call me to setup a consultation.
You must be logged in to post a comment.