The Letter Nobody Sends Anymore

(Which Is Exactly Why You Should)

When was the last time you sent a real letter to a prospect?

Not an email. Not a LinkedIn message. Not a “Just checking in…” text.

An actual letter. In an envelope. With a stamp.

There’s a line from sales trainer and author Jeffrey Gitomer that always stuck with me:

“The more creative you are in your approach, the easier it is to get the appointment and make the sale.”

Most tend to be predictable in their approach.

Call.
Voicemail.
Email.
“Following up.”
Silence.

Rinse. Repeat. Complain.

What if instead, you sent a letter that made them think? Not a brochure. Not a rate card. Not a résumé disguised as a sales pitch.

A one-page letter with three hard questions.

Imagine a Prospect Opening This:

Dear John,

I don’t know you yet, but I do have three important questions you might want to think about. (or whatever short intro you prefer)

  1. If your biggest competitor decided to increase their advertising by 50% tomorrow… what would you do differently?
  2. Imagine a potential new customer. Would you rather they find your business online by typing in your business name? Or by typing in “plumber in Dayton”? (or whatever category fits)
  3. If I asked five of your best customers why they chose you, would they all give the same answer?

Make your own questions though or tweak these. Make sure they’re kinda tough to answer or at least makes them pause a bit.

You could also come up with a list of questions with your team. Two brains are better than one! Come up with questions that most business owners probably haven’t heard before.

Then…. No pitch. No pricing. Just:

“I’ll give you a call later this week.”

That’s it. You’re not selling. You’re provoking thought.

We’ve talked before about how business owners are evaluating YOU more than your media plan. A letter like this positions you as someone who thinks differently – not someone chasing a quota.

And when you call three or four days later? Don’t ask if they received it (it’s a real easy way for them to say no… and we don’t want them saying no).

“John, I sent you a short letter earlier this week with three questions. Did any of them strike a chord or make you curious at all?

If they say they didn’t receive the letter… just go with the flow and ask them one or two of your questions over the phone. And let the conversation go from there.

Either way… This is a very different phone call than:

“Just touching base…”

Why This Can Work

• Mail is rare now – so it stands out.
• Hard questions create tension.
• Tension creates curiosity.
• Curiosity creates conversations.

You’re not begging for 20 minutes. You’re earning it.

Pick five prospects this week.

Write five thoughtful letters. No fluff. No corporate garbage. No “We are the #1 station in the market.” Just three sharp questions that hit where it matters. Then call them.

If you want different results…

You have to stop doing what everyone else is doing.

Keep it short. Make it different.

So…

How creative are you?

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Cobwebs in Your Ad Copy – And How to Burn Them Off

At some point, while writing an ad, you’re going to hit the wall.

Eyebrows scrunched.
Forehead wrinkled like a Shar-Pei.
Coffee getting cold.
Cursor blinking at you like it’s mocking your existence.

You’ll think about giving up. Or giving in. Or giving your “World’s Messiest Desk” mug a one-way flight into drywall.

It feels like cobwebs are clogging your creativity.

And it’s usually one of two things.

First: You Don’t Have Enough Fuel

Creativity isn’t magic. It’s connection.

It’s taking something you’ve seen, experienced, learned, overheard, read, felt… and connecting it to the ONE clear point that you’re trying to make in your ad.

When your brain feels empty, it’s because you haven’t fed it.

Back in the day, I’d flip through Reader’s Digest and steal jokes for openers, watch stand-up comedy, save old print ads and headlines that got my attention, and read creative fiction writers. Now it might be a random podcast, a weird historical fact, a conversation at a coffee shop, a list of good analogies, or a great question you asked a client.

You don’t need inspiration.
You need input. And when you come across something good… write it down, save it, take a picture, etc.

If your copy feels thin, it’s probably because your discovery was thin.

No fuel. No fire.

Second: You’re Letting Distractions Win

If you have an average or good foundation of ad writing education, then the second reason your ads aren’t as good as they could be is distraction.

You were rushed, interrupted, or mentally half somewhere else.

Distractions are ad-writing killers.

You have to create an environment where your brain can actually work.

That might mean:

  • Headphones on.
  • Instrumental music only.
  • Phone face down.
  • Email closed.
  • Door shut. Or a “do not disturb” sign.

And sometimes it means bribing yourself like a 7-year-old.

“No lunch until this script is done.”
“Finish this ad and I can have my chocolate fix.”

Whatever works.

You don’t need the perfect mood. You need commitment.

Wrap Your Head Around the Human

Before you write a word, get obsessed with the target prospect.

Who are they?

What are they tired of?
What are they afraid of?
What do they secretly want?
How would they react to each sentence you write?

Imagine one person and write to them.

The Cobwebs of Copywriting Are:

  1. Lack of Information
  2. Lack of Focus

Fix those two, and your ads get better immediately.

Are You Playing “Twinkle Twinkle”?

We’re channeling Philipp Humm today. The “storytelling guy”.

Imagine a piano player.

A beginner sticks to a few keys and plays something simple like Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It works… but it’s basic. And you probably wouldn’t want to listen for very long.

A master pianist is different. They use all 88 keys. Soft. Loud. Fast. Slow.

They create contrast — and contrast is what keeps people listening.

According to Philipp Humm of Story Lab, most speakers are still stuck playing Twinkle, Twinkle. Same tone. Same speed. Same emotional color. Over and over again. And eventually, the listener’s brain checks out — because it’s predictable.

“Great speakers work like great pianists.

They don’t speak louder all the time.

They simply use more of their options.” – Philipp Humm

Vocal Range Isn’t About Being Dramatic

This isn’t about turning everything into a performance. It’s about range and keeping people listening.

Here’s what that actually looks like:

  • Vary your speed – fast creates urgency, slow adds weight to your words
  • Vary your tonality – let your voice rise and fall naturally
  • Vary your emotion – don’t just describe the moment, feel it
  • Use pauses – real pauses give your words room to land

Or as Philipp says:

“Vocal range creates contrast. And contrast keeps people listening.”

How to Practice (Yes, we should practice)

Take an easy piece of text. A children’s book, a short article, or anything simple. Then, read it out loud. While you’re reading it…

  • Speed up
  • Slow down
  • Pause longer than feels comfortable
  • Let emotion show up

Aim for range. Go some place private and practice big. Exaggerate. So that when you’re in front of a client, on the phone, or in the recording studio — it feels natural, not forced.

Why This Matters for YOU

You don’t just sell ideas. You deliver them. And how you sound often determines whether someone leans in… or mentally checks out. Your message matters and your delivery should too.

This also relates to your ads! Same advice. Give them range and unpredictability. If a client is recording — be a good director. Guide them. Help them understand how crucial it is to stand out and keep people listening. Not just with great content, but with how it’s delivered.

Stop playing Twinkle, Twinkle. You’ve got “88 keys” available.

NEVER Stop Learning – Get Better Every Day!
ENS Media

What Should You Be Selling? (a lot more of)

We’ve witnessed too many emails with ad packages attached that say something like:

“This is a great way to get in front of more people!”   

“Reach your target demographic for only $575 in February” 

“You can be the signature sponsor of…” 

So, what are you selling?

An audience? 

Impressions? 

A demographic? 

There are a lot of instances where you have to sell short-term radio based on an event, an add-on promotion, or help wanted ads. We understand that.

But Radio does the most good when it’s used for the long haul. Deepening people’s preference for your client with better than average ads – week-in and week-out.

That means more 48 to 52-week schedules.

How?

• By helping businesses understand that becoming Top of Mind is ideal. Causing people to become familiar with and eventually prefer that business over time before they even need them. When that happens, people aren’t using Google to search their business category – they’re using Google to search your client’s business name exclusively. Taking competition out of the equation.

• By understanding that “the message” is the biggest factor in making advertising work – by a country mile.

• By knowing, feeling, and portraying that Radio is boss! Not an afterthought. Not nostalgia.

• By selling advertising results (the only thing your clients care about).  

• By creating ads that do not sound like typical ads – ads that engage listeners about what THEY care about. 

• Did I mention that Radio is still boss?! And has the power to engage with the community like nothing else? We just need to believe it and go get it!

So, the next time you want to start off a conversation talking about your cume, your AQH, your demographics, your rankings, or an ad package… we want you to STOP, PAUSE, PUT ON THE BRAKES…

And consider what the business truly cares about – growth, results, and not feeling like they’re wasting more money.

Then tell them how you can deliver all of it with a long-term solution and a kick *ss radio team!

 

brainstorming for ideas in radio sales and ad writing

Brainstorm Sandwich

I really like Seth Godin’s daily blog, called Seth’s Blog. He makes me think.
One of his recent articles, titled “A Writer’s Room”, really hit home.

It made me think about how often we try to do it all by ourselves. Armed with caffeine and determination, we lock ourselves in our offices trying to crank out the next great campaign or big idea. But creativity doesn’t thrive in a vacuum – it thrives in conversation.

Gathering coworkers, your production team, or other outside resources for a quick brainstorm can turn ordinary ideas into something remarkable.

Invite a few people for a “Brainstorm Sandwich”. It’s when you pick a quiet area to brainstorm for a client – and you bring the sandwiches.

Whether it’s a whiteboard / storyboard session, or just a focused conversation… it will be well worth your sandwich investment. Take good notes, record the audio on your phone, or better yet – both.

Diverse expertise and multiple perspectives bring more ideas to the surface. One idea brings another and another and another. Then, they feed off each other. The ideas that stick, then get refined and polished. It’s a win for you and a win for your clients.

“Both of us are always smarter than one of us.”

Now go schedule your Brainstorm Sandwich. It’s productive and delicious!