My job is quite unusual. I’m a radio advertising expert who teaches copywriters how to write radio commercials — the kind of effective radio advertising that produces profitable results for the radio advertiser.

The worst thing that ever happened to the radio advertising industry occurred sometime in the last century when some well-meaning person foolishly labelled the department in charge of crafting radio commercials as “Creative.”

As a result, being “creative” is the goal of most people who produce radio advertising. They have big award ceremonies to honor the most “creative” radio commercials.

And this is the first thing you must understand:

RADIO ADVERTISING IS NOT A CREATIVE EXCERCISE; IT’S MASS SALESMANSHIP.

A commercial doesn’t exist to be creative; it exists to sell.

Your true goal shouldn’t be creativity. Creativity is a tool, to help you reach your goal.

People who make their livings by harnessing their creativity never wake up in the morning thinking, “I really want to be creative today!” Instead, they wake up with a problem they need to solve:

The novelist wants to make the middle chapters move more quickly.

The playwright discovers the story gets bogged down midway through the script.

The architect is trying to find a way to create a building he can be proud of despite the severely limited budget.

So…What is a commercial that sells? How do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the commercial you are airing is one that sells?

Is it one that gives the sponsor’s name multiple times? That specifies a price? That lists the product’s benefits? That gives the advertiser’s phone number over and over again?

No. A commercial that sells is a commercial that motivates the listener to act.

To go to the car dealer and take that test drive.

To reach for the telephone and call to schedule an appointment.

To go to the store a take a whiff of the perfume.

A radio commercial that sells is a radio commercial that motivates the listener to act.