Make Waves on Air, Share a Piece of Your Story
Telling your book’s story in just half a minute? It’s not as impossible as it sounds. In fact, convince listeners to purchase your book in that span of time. You just need to know what to say at the right moment, and at the right time.
We know this is easier said than done so to guide you, we break down an effective audio ad down to the last second below. We also listed some tips on how you can make the most out of those 30 seconds.
0:00 – 0:05
THE HOOK
In the first few seconds, you should be able to hook your listeners. Here are some ideas to help you pique their interest:
- Start strong; introduce yourself and your book. Get straight to the point—present yourself and your book to your readers in the first five seconds of your ad.
- Ask a few questions. Another tactic is to start with rhetorical questions such as “How do you explain when things don't go as planned?” or “Why do we go on?” These questions can help stimulate listeners’ curiosity.
- Share some words of wisdom. Do you think an old proverb or quote will go well with your topic or story? Use it as an opening for your ad.
0:06 - 0:25
THE BODY
This is the part where you discuss the 5Ws of your book—the who, what, when, where, and why. Here you can be as creative as you want to be, but keep in mind these dos and don’ts:
The Dos
- Do keep the body of your ad short. In a 30-second audio ad, less will always be more. So keep the meat of your story as brief as possible!
- Do use one voice. Your radio ad should give an idea of what your book’s going to sound like—so make sure your script uses the same voice or tone.
- Do create intrigue. Leave listeners wanting more with a few captivating lines in your script.
The Don’ts
- Don’t compare your book to other titles. You’ll want listeners to be interested in what your book has to offer so don’t go as far as to compare it to a bestseller, for instance. Stick to what you can give them.
- Don’t focus on yourself, the author. Unless you’re a household name or have published a number of books before, you may want to keep the spotlight on your book. Listeners should know what your book is about before anything else.
- Don’t give away spoilers. Share vivid points in your story without giving too much information. This can potentially ruin the reading experience of your potential readers.
0:26-0:30
THE CTA
The last few seconds of your ad can make or break your listeners’ decision to buy or read your book—so end with a strong call-to-action. Here are some tips on how you can end on a good note:
- Make your contact information easy to remember. For example, if you want your listeners to visit your website, you can give them a shorter URL like 'www.shortname.com’ instead of using ‘www.verylongauthorname.com’.
- Repeat your CTA. Your audience may not always get your message the first time so if you still have a few seconds left, we recommend you repeat your call-to-action.
- Add some incentives. You may want to add special offers in the last few seconds of your ad. These can create a sense of urgency and may entice listeners to take action.
AuthorHouse Audio Snip Packages
Don’t have the time or resources to write your own radio ad or create an audio trailer? We can help with our Audio Snip packages. Get to know your options:
- If you don't want to tune in to radio marketing just yet, we can help you create a 30-second audio teaser about your published book, which you can use in your various marketing efforts.
- Not only will we create a 30-second, professionally produced audio teaser about your book, we will also make sure it gets aired twice through a syndicated talk radio network of up to 400 stations.