Writing a radio commercial, producing a radio commercial and then buying radio time to air a radio commercial is at once exciting, filled with potential and financial promise. But, it can also be met with tremendous disappointment and financial disaster. Bridging that treacherous schism between success and failure in that costly radio advertising venture is a new e-book written by multiple award-winning radio/writer/producer, Jeff Mustard:  “24 Things [Plus 1] You Should  Must Know, but Didn’t Know to Ask Before Writing Your Radio Commercial, Going into the Recording Studio or Buying Airtime.” Mustard has penned and produced radio and TV scripts for local and national clients and his work has earned advertising awards and radio and TV industry recognitions.  

Jeff Mustard’s e-book on writing radio commercials, producing radio commercials and how to buy radio airtime is packed with powerful information and industry insider-insights that will provide any newcomer to the radio writing game, or for that matter even veteran advertising, marketing and communications professionals with valuable tips and immediately actionable strategies worth considering before sitting down to write a radio commercial or contemplating buying radio air time. “Writing a radio spot or producing a multi-spot radio campaign is just one part of the entire radio writing and radio buying equation,” says Mustard, whose signature work includes the multi-character vignette humor spot that is a combination “branding and Direct Response style” radio spot, by all accounts the most difficult type of radio spot to produce.  Mustard’s expertise in this arena is undeniable. 

Under his former production banner, “Hysterical Comedy Services,” for nearly two years Mustard and his team wrote and produced “pre-recorded comedy material” as an independent contractor and supplier for three of the nation’s four largest radio comedy syndicators; Premiere Radio Networks, Pro-Media and Olympia Radio Networks.

The four key broad category elements according to Mustard, excerpting sharply from his book, are as follows: 

  a) The scripting/writing/message 
  b) The producing – this includes the voice casting and what takes place in the recording studio.
  c) The Call to Action – what is the offer and what do you want the consumer/listener to do?
  d) The Media Buy – placing the ad cost effectively, the right stations in the right markets.

Each of these areas requires hard-earned expertise, experience, skills and even technical knowledge. “Get any one of these pieces wrong,” says Mustard, “metaphorically, it’s like having a ding in the gyroscope that will never run smoothly and that means your radio ads will not generate the results you ideally are looking for.”  

In his e-book, Mustard points out that many radio advertisers do not achieve the success they are, or were, looking for in their radio advertising. “That’s because, like any other profession, radio writing and producing, as well as buying air time is a talent and skill that requires keen expertise to generate the optimal results,” says Mustard. Having worked at the highest levels in the communications arena, with both local and national clients, including business executives, politician’s and government officials, including a gubernatorial appointee and a member of the United Nation’s, Mustard knows exactly what he is talking about. 

A literal treasure trove of radio writing and producing tips are crystallized from decades of advertising, marketing and public relations experience working for an impressive array of clients in a wide range of businesses and industries.From very specific notes on whether or not to let the company chairman and/or president be the “on-air spokesperson” to whether or not there should be music in a radio spot, single voice reads or multiple voice reads, these issues and a few dozen other arcane subjects are succinctly addressed in this must have, easy-to-read e-book.