Writing Tips for Radio Ads Promoting Events

Crafting an attention-grabbing radio ad for an event can be a little tricky. Key things you need to inform listeners about are:

What is the event (and the name of the event/who is hosting the event)

Where is the location of the event

When does the event take place (date and time)

How do listeners learn more and attend the event (website/tickets/etc.)

The brief on Write Label helps organize these details to highlight what’s essential to include. Once you’ve determined the What, Where, When and How, it’s your job to make it sound interesting enough to get listeners to take action. Ads promoting events tend to have a lot of information but often lack juicy descriptions, making it tempting to write a script that sounds more like a checklist than something exciting. Here are some tips on writing engaging event ads.

Why would someone want to attend this event?

Figuring out the “Why?” of the event will help you trim the fat and focus on the core message. If it’s a job hiring event, you should be writing an ad that attracts job seekers. For these types of events, don’t spend too much time in your ad talking about the company. Instead, write about how getting hired benefits the listener in addition to the event details — why they should want to work for the company and how much it will improve their life.

Example:

“The Acme Auto Shop services cars and has been around for thirty years. They are the best auto shop in town for servicing all makes and models and even accept most insurance. They’re now hiring new mechanics. Apply today.”

This could be improved to something like:

“Mechanics can elevate their career by joining the one of the most reputable auto shops in town. Acme Auto Shop is hiring new mechanics and offering paid time off, a competitive salary and a sign-on bonus! Stop by any weekday during store hours to apply!”

In this example, I focused the message on what the job seeker wants to hear instead of what the consumer wants to hear.

Focus on the mission

When it seems like there’s just too much event information to include while making it sound interesting at the same time, just remember to focus on the main objective. If it’s a concert, the client probably wants people to go to a website to buy tickets. If it’s a community event at a specific establishment, it’s important to highlight the address. If it’s unclear in the brief, it’s always a safe bet to direct people to the website provided to find more information.

Keep it concise

It’s important to include the date, time and location of the event. All of that information together in a 30 second ad can sound overwhelming. It’s helpful to write it how someone would say it to another person as opposed to how it might be read on a website.

Example:

“The County Fair will be held on twenty-ninth, thirtieth and thirty-first of January from eight A-M to five P-M on the Brevard County Fairgrounds, fifty-eight hundred Stadium Parkways, Melbourne.”

This is better said like:

“The County Fair is happening January twenty-ninth through thirty-first, from eight to five at the Brevard County Fairgrounds!”

Most event ads are for a particular region, so if it’s a well-known landmark like the fair grounds, people already know where it is or what to look up to get there. That allows you to trim the fat!

Example:

“The Spring shoe sale is going on from April first through April thirtieth from nine to five P-M Monday through Friday!”

This is better said like:

“The Spring shoe sale is happening the whole month of April during store hours on weekdays!”

The trimmed version sounds less formal and is written how it might be said in conversation.

When you’re writing for an event on Write Label, always stop and determine the What, Where, When and How. Then trim the fat, focus on the objective and give it your creative touch!

If you’re interested in being a writer on Write Label, reach out to the Write Label team on Writelabel.com!