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How to Create Audio Commercials that Sell

Name: How to Create Audio Commercials that Sell
Rating: 4.6 (68 reviews)

Tips, Tools, Techniques for Writing and Producing Radio Ads, Audio Advertising for Podcasts, Streaming Services and more

Highest Rated

Created byJim Norman, Becky Norman

Last updated 12/2019

English

What you'll learn

Create effective audio ads – ones that sell your client’s or business’s products and services.
You'll learn tips, techniques and secrets from two audio ad veterans – each with over 25 years of experience and the principals of The Norman Agency – "The Sound of Marketing®".
You'll learn everything you need to write audio commercials that sell – and how to get them produced.
You'll learn how to develop the all-important Creative Brief;
Powerful opening lines you can use word for word;
Customizable script concepts;
How to determine production budgets;
Where and how to get your commercials produced;
How to find and work with professional voices;
How to work with celebrities;
How to work with clients who voice their own spots;
How to create testimonial commercials that feature customers of the advertiser;
How to find sound effects and music for your ads;
How to present your scripts to clients;
How to get the best out of recording sessions;
How to give error-free scheduling instructions to radio and other media that will run your ads;
And much more.

Course content

10 sections • 53 lectures • 3h 4m total length

Course Overview1:23
What we'll cover in this course.
Who This Course Is For – and Not For1:51
We've designed this course for many different types of people, from media students to new copywriters to business owners, and more.
Meet Your Instructors1:06
Some info about The Norman Agency's Jim Norman, Creative Director, and Becky Norman, Writer/Producer.
What You'll Need Before You Start1:56
Apart from a desire to create audio ads that sell, just a couple of items you'll need that will be in your possession already, or are available to you free.

Section Overview0:14
A Creative Brief is a document that serves as the foundation of the commercial you'll write and produce. In this section, you'll learn how to develop this document.
Filling Out the Creative Brief – Pt. 12:57
Getting started and organized.
Production Budgets3:32
How to determine the cost of creating your commercial.
Filling Out the Creative Brief – Pt. 27:26
Answering questions 1 to 4 of 12 of the Creative Brief.
Filling Out the Creative Brief – Pt. 34:44
Answering questions 5 to 8 of 12 of the Creative Brief.
Filling Out the Creative Brief – Pt. 44:50
Almost done. Answering questions 9 to 12 of the Creative Brief.
The 5Ws Plus an H5:13
Our secret weapon for bulletproofing the Creative Brief.
Getting the Creative Brief Approved2:43
Why it's so important to get the Creative Brief signed off before you write your script.

Section Overview0:17
After these lectures, you'll be able to easily and confidently write any type of audio ad for any type of advertiser, product or service.
Where to Start7:03
We introduce and take you through our exclusive "Decision Maker Chart", which allows you to quickly make important decisions about your script before you write it.
Tone & Attitude of Your Commercial2:20
Tone and attitude are important "make or break" aspects of commercial. In this lecture, how to decide on the tone and attitude that will best serve your ad.
How Many Words in a Radio Ad?4:39
Hint: wrong question.
Too Much Info to Include in Your Commercial Script?2:49
How to quickly know if there is too much info for your script. What to do about it if there is.
How to Write as People Speak – and Why5:04
Or, "Gee, Blanche, what is wrong with this locution of which you speak?"
Talking One on One – The “You” Factor1:07
Yes, some commercials should really be about "you."
Emotional Connections4:47
How to heighten the connection with your Target Audience by connecting emotionally.
How to Set Up Your Ad Script: The Script Template6:45
Use this script format to be organized and clear with instructions for production and performers.
Powerful Opening Lines that Work4:43
How to start your commercial and grab attention. We tell you, word for word.
Some Simple Ad Concepts that Work3:17
Customizable concepts designed to work hard for your clients.
More Simple Ad Concepts that Work5:55
Even MORE customizable concepts designed to work hard for your clients.
How to Write Client-voiced Commercials2:08
The delicate balance between the boss and the business of effective voice overs.
Working with – and Writing for – Celebrities3:44
What to keep in mind before and while you write a script for a celebrity.
How and When to Write Testimonial Ads3:43
When to use commercials that feature the advertiser’s customers, and how to create them.
The Vital Middle of Your Ad3:05
How to really make the sale.
How to End Your Commercial4:07
The important “call to action” – and more.
The 5Ws Plus an H – Revisited2:20
Now we show you how to use our secret weapon to bulletproof your script.
Revising Your Script6:25
You’ll have to do this again and again. In this lecture, you’ll learn how.
Pronunciation Guides1:24
How do you pronounce "advertisement"? There are two accepted ways. How would you tell performers how you want your "advertisement said? Learn how to easily spell out for performers how to say even the hardest words in a script.
Sound Effects and Music, Pt. 15:08
Why you need to find these while you’re writing your ad. See Lecture 43 to learn how to find them.
Humor in Commercials1:59
When to be funny, when not to be. The perks and potential problems with using humor in commercials.

Section Overview0:28
Whether you'll have a radio station produce your commercial, or need to hire freelance announcers or actors, this section will show you how to find the voices you need.
Finding Voices at Radio Stations1:18
The opportunities, benefits and limitations of station performers.
How to Find Freelance Announcers and Actors10:41
You've got the world to choose from. How to find and narrow down the choices.

Section Overview0:21
It's almost time to get your commercial recorded. Almost. First, you need to find sound effects and music, book performers, and decide where to get your ad recorded. In this section, you'll learn how to do all those things.
Sound Effects and Music, Pt. 25:53
Where and how to find and buy or license them.
Booking Your Performers4:47
In this lecture, we'll cover the many things to take care of to make sure your choice of performers are booked and ready for your recording session.
Where to Get Your Commercial Recorded and Produced5:03
Three main options, plus the pros and cons of each.

Section Overview0:26
The big day is here. Time to get your commercial produced. In these lectures, all the information you need to ensure your session goes perfectly.
What You Must Take to Your Session2:22
Want to make sure your recording session goes smoothly? Then, first, be sure to take these items.
How to Get the Best Performances from Announcers or Actors5:16
Includes the recording process and directing the performers.
Directing Celebrities and Clients Who Voice Their Own Ads4:02
“My half-caff soy latte is cold and do I have to say that line?” Surprisingly, not always.
Mixing Your Commercial5:08
How everything comes together into a final production, and what you can do to ensure you end up with the great commercial you hoped for.

Requirements

To take this course, you should have a desire to write audio commercials that sell. You should also have a stopwatch (probably on your smartphone), voice-recording software (it’s likely on your computer or cell phone already), and the willingness to read out loud – even when you’re among other people! You DON’T need to know anything about the technical side of recording.

Description

Audio Advertising – A Booming and Growing Industry

AM & FM radio, satellite radio, streaming services, podcasts. Together, they’re a booming, multibillion industry. And all of them carry audio advertising. That means there are outstanding opportunities for those who know how to create radio commercials and other types of audio ads – and those opportunities are growing.

How Do You Take Advantage of the Opportunities?

But to take advantage of them, you must know how to create audio commercials that sell. This course provides you with a step-by-step, start-to-finish process that will enable you to easily write audio commercials and get them produced. You’ll be able to create commercials that work to sell all kinds of products, services and more.

Who Are We to Teach You?

How do we know? Because we – your instructors, the principals of The Norman Agency, “The Sound of Marketing”® – have created thousands of audio advertising campaigns during our careers, for consumer-focused products and services as well as B2B clients. And what we’ll teach you are the skills and techniques that we use year in and year out.

What Are You Going to Get from This Course?

· 3 hours of lectures

· proven techniques

· downloadable examples

· customizable templates

· the confidence to write and get your audio ads produced

· access to your instructors through the comments section; answers to your questions within two business days

Who this course is for:

This course is designed for you if you’ve never or rarely written and produced audio commercials (that is, ads for radio – AM/FM, satellite – podcasts, streaming services and other media), but you’re in one of the following groups:
Staff Copywriters who have recently been hired by a radio station or an ad agency;
Freelance copywriters who want to add these skills to their list of services;
Radio station producers and freelance producers who might have to write commercials;
Radio station sales reps who need to write commercials for their clients;
Marketing managers who want to knowledgeably create or supervise the creation of commercials;
Business owners who want to fully understand the whole process or write their own ads;
Announcers or actors who want to offer audio ad writing as an additional service for their clients;
PR practitioners who want to provide audio ads to their clients;
Advertising and media students who want to add new skills to their job-search toolkit;
Podcast producers and hosts who have to create commercials for their shows;
And many others.
This course is NOT for people who want to learn the technical skills of recording. In other words, we won’t be covering – and in this course, you don’t have to know or learn – anything about how to use production software or hardware.

How to Create Audio Commercials that Sell

What you'll learn

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Course content

Intro - Course Overview4 lectures • 6min

First Steps2 lectures • 6min

The Creative Brief8 lectures • 32min

How to Write the Audio Commercial22 lectures • 1hr 23min

How to Find Performers (Voices) for Your Commercials3 lectures • 12min

Presenting Your Scripts to Clients3 lectures • 6min

Pre-Production: Getting Ready for the Recording Session4 lectures • 16min

The Recording Session5 lectures • 17min

Trafficking Your Ads1 lecture • 5min

Outro1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: