Radio advertising has taken a ghetto blasting over the years, as technology made its advancement across the World Wide Web and influenced megabytes of customers to sell their goods and services online. However, it is still a highly effective form of advertising especially for the small business. Local radio is akin to a family friend which for many, is a trusted confidant and therefore a perfect way to build rapport and gain valuable new clients.

Although the internet has stolen the advertising limelight, in many ways it can still complement radio as many people surf the net whilst listening to their favourite radio station. Some prefer to keep the radio playing whilst at work or driving. Unlike the internet or other advertising mediums, radio uses a measurement system in the UK known as RAJAR. This collates data on a quarterly basis and provides an indicator as to how many listeners have tuned in each week, their age range, earnings bracket, gender and the time of the day that they listened in.

Larger stations charge a significantly higher rate than smaller set-ups but if this means spending a little more, it is certainly worth the investment as there is little point in advertising on an AM station which targets an older generation if you are selling the latest computer games! Another important point to consider is whether your audience is prepared to travel for your wares...Put yourself in their position, would you travel 30 miles for a new box of herbal teabags or for that luxury car you have always dreamed about?

Radio advertising is similar to hypnosis...you have to keep repeating the important points over and over again so as they become engrained on the mind. Your ad should be both creative and entertaining so as it fits comfortably into your chosen time span and reaps the required results.

Looking on the Creative Side...Radio relies on conversation to convey its messages so the more creative you are the better. Use your 30 or 60 seconds wisely and keep contact info to a minimum as you do not want to eat into valuable sales time. Whilst it is cheaper to buy a 30 second slot, a 60 second commercial will allow you more time to emphasise your key points. Use 30 sec ads for enquiries or for marketing products which are well-known. It is also advisable to use one form of contact and stick with it using either phone, email or address. Very often the radio is played as mindless background noise so it is unlikely that listeners will have a pen and paper handy to jot down long emails or addresses so capture their imagination with your ad and make your name stand out. Repeat it as often as possible and make people become motivated enough to seek you out either online or by ringing the radio station to find out more.

Your aim is to build a rapport with listeners by whetting their appetite. This can be done by offering free brochures, a quote or special offer. You want people to get in touch...so make them want to do just that. Give them a reason to want to pick up the phone, jump in the car or find you online! A great way to make listeners sit up and listen is to keep your ad simple and to the point. Don't waste time reeling off lists of products or complex data...astound them with limited 'one time' offers or a seasonal sale. People love to grab a bargain so dangle some juicy carrots before them and force a deadline for action.

If you feel that your ad will stand out with a celebrity endorsing your commercial, make sure that you have the funds to cover this extra cost. Alternatively, you could use a sound alike at a fraction of the price. Music also has to fit in with the mood you wish to convey and the subject matter. In some instances it could be better to have no music at all than to pick a tune which throws the message off. Remember that any commercial music used for radio has to be licensed which can also prove costly.

Another clever way of drawing the attention is to run a competition. This provides an excellent incentive for people to take note of your contact details and get in touch. Perfect for those on a low budget as it cuts down airtime and production costs. Whatever approach you choose, ensure that your product or service becomes the star of the show and that the selling begins the moment your ad starts running.

The duration of your ad...The information provided by RAJAR makes it easy to pin point air time when ads are likely to be heard. On average, it is recommended that you pitch your ad at least three times per week over a month. The longer you can let you ad run, the better. If you want to be aired during the end of the week or on the weekend, you can expect to pay higher fees. Surprisingly enough, radio attracts more listeners during the early part of the week than towards the end. Avoid night time slots unless you want to specifically target people who are working through the night or simply suffer from insomnia. The most expensive time of the day is early mornings, followed by the latter part of the afternoon.

The Cost...Advertising on the radio is just slightly more expensive than print advertising. You can expect to pay anything from £75 to £300 for a basic ad. However, Digital Stations and London radio can cost much more and even reach the £30,000 mark. Most stations will provide you with a list of options so as you can compare them against others and find the most cost-effective package. You can expect to receive:

A professionally crafted script
Full audio production of your advertisement
Actors to convey the script
Music
Integrated sound effects

All of the above will be licensed with the radio station for a twelve month period from the moment your ad is aired. First time advertisers can expect to pay in advance but many stations will allow you to pay on a monthly basis until an account has been set up. If you explain that you are looking for the most competitive quote, many stations will offer a generous discount on air time for new clients. Ensure that the station you choose can bring your script to life with effective forms of audio visualisation.

If you want to write your own script or hire a writer to dot the I's and cross the T's, ensure that the person you chose has intensive knowledge of writing for the radio. There are many rules which have to be adhered to and commercials can be refused if they do not meet the set requirements. Equip your writer with the information you wish to include in your ad but allow him to work his magic when promoting your service or product. Ensure that your script is word perfect as an ad which has been approved could levy extra charges if you wish to make changes at a later date. If you are looking for a particular time slot, ensure that you book in advance as each station only has a set number of slots per day...once these are filled; it is a question of waiting for that space to become available again.

There are two kinds of radio...music and talk. If you wish to advertise with talk radio then you need to blend in conversationally. Music radio is often played to lighten an ambience. Commercial breaks interrupt that musical flow so you need to keep in line with the general swing of the station and capture the listener's attention in the same way that the last tune did.

Choose a creative format which your target customers can relate to...let's take a look at some of the best sellers:

Take it from me: Yes, the testimonial approach really does work. The aim of radio is to make listener's believe that they are part of that moment in time. Create an ad where people are interviewed on the street or by phone and are talking about their experience of your product or service and how it has benefitted them.

Once upon a time: We all love a good story and what could be better than one which wraps up the beginning, middle and end in just 60 seconds! Take one announcer, add a dramatised situation and a wrap it up in a happy ending (courtesy of your product or service) and you can sleep happily ever after knowing that you have captivated the imagination of your audience.

Make it Realistic: Sound effects are an excellent way to prick the imagination so it is up to you to add audio imagery which steps up the action. Embed them within a clever script and you can be certain that listeners will recognise a babbling brook from a running tap if you say something along the lines of "This lake once used to be a beautiful silver carpet"

A Slice of Life: Known in the business as a vignette. This style of advertising uses a scene which hones in on a short slice of life followed by an announcer who provides a solution to the problem. The ad is completed when it reverts back to the 'real life' scenario and shows how the actors rectified their dilemma.

Straight to the Point: Sometimes all it takes is one single person to talk direct to the listener as though he were talking face to face. This could be portrayed in a question and answer format such as "Have you ever thought about?"

Chit-Chat: Most of us love to eaves-drop and what better way of doing it than on the radio. This is a great way to listen behind closed doors without getting caught! The most effective form of dialogue consists of one person telling another about the wonderful product or service she has received and how the other person could benefit. Use this form of conversation to slip in valuable information and use intonation which matches your target audience.