You just got a new client brief, and “radio ads for insurance companies” is the first line you make out as you scheme through. “Man, what a drag! There goes my weekend.” You think as you put the brief down.
Insurance isn’t exactly a cool product that people want to buy, but with the right advertising, you can make consumers believe they need it. The traditional radio ads for insurance companies are full of catchphrases and jingles that get stuck in the audience’s head.
But…
Maybe there’s a better way to do insurance radio ads.
But if you prefer to watch a video instead, click here:
Radio Ads for Insurance Companies: Start Here
The goal here is to be on your customer’s mind.
Insurance companies have used jingles in the past because they are catchy, and memorable. Anybody in their 20s and early 30s is probably not thinking about insurance, until they need it, and this is where radio advertising comes in.
You need to make sure customers think of your brand when they remember they have a need for insurance, or better yet, you can create this need for them.
Start by taking note of what works for your competition. How do they approach their audience? Are they overly serious, or do they include a couple of jokes in their voice over scripts, and is it working?
If you are selling health insurance, take a look at what work along these lines, and then adapt it to your audience.
Should you copy the same style used in related ads? No. The point of this exercise is to get an idea of what good radio ads for insurance companies sound like.
The future of radio advertising: opportunities and challenges for brands.
Live reads or radio spots?
Radio spots are recorded ad segments that last between 30 and 60 seconds. They are produced by the advertiser (as opposed to the station itself, although there are rare situations where the radio station covers production.)
You can hire a third-party agency to create radio ads for insurance companies. They will write, record, and add the music as well as other features. The pricing depends on the timing and the reach of the radio station. Prices range from as low as $5 to more than $500.
Why you should partner with a radio ads company when planning a radio spot.
Live reads: Radio hosts or news anchors voice live reads before or after news briefs. During such reads, the presenter reads from a script or pre-written notes.
Ad-libs are another option that deserves a token mention. You can make endorsement deals with popular radio personalities so they can push your insurance to their listeners. They can either drop subtle hints or speak explicitly and offer deals on your product or service.
Creating Radio ads for Insurance Companies
First, start by identifying the brand goals, the target audience, and ways to sustain engagement beyond the radio ad.
The brief
What product are you trying to push? Is it life, home, or auto insurance product? Are there any add-ons or bargains? The answers to such questions will help you develop a clear message that will resonate with the listeners.
Remember that:
- Your target listeners don’t tune in to listen to insurance radio ads; they are busy driving or engaging in other activities. Such listeners are easily distracted, so you need to command their attention.
- Radio ad spots are short; you only have 10 seconds to capture the listener’s attention. Use all the technical and creative devices to achieve this goal.
- Radio ads are limited due to a lack of visual cues. Therefore, you have fewer ways of layering additional information. This aspect makes it hard to lump various products into one ad spot.
Putting ideas into perspective
If you’re working with an advertising firm, you can gain better insight through various meetings with your team. If you don’t have the budget to hire an agency, consider bouncing some ideas among your peers.
No idea is too big or silly when you are brainstorming. Originality is key here. Think outside the box. You can even throw the box out entirely. You could always trim the excess fat and deliver only the prime cuts.
Here are a few things that can guide you as you brainstorm:
- Your concept must be stimulating and exciting enough to stir up your listener’s interest. There needs to be an overlapping idea that makes the message clearer. It might help to close your eyes and listen to the rough copy of the insurance radio ad.
- Cross all your I’s and T’s. Your listeners don’t have the time to connect all the dots. So, leave as little to the imagination as possible.
- Shorter and punchier dialogue is more effective in gaining attention. Strengthen the core message by eliminating the clutter. This breeds a clear overlapping and emotive message.
- Avoid direct translation if the ad will be in various languages. Red means passion for some and danger to others.
- If possible, make the radio ads for insurance relevant to current affairs and trending news.
- Negotiate for longer contract terms. It’ll cost you less in the long run, and you only pay after the radio ad for insurance companies has been aired.
- Mention any deals. Are you giving out discounts? Or cash prizes? Money is key to grabbing attention.
Scriptwriting
Does scriptwriting (or writing in general) give you anxiety? It shouldn’t! As long as you take some time to analyze your ideas.
How to write radio ad scripts like a pro.
When scripting radio ads for insurance companies:
1. Start strong
Narrow down your focus to one powerful statement. This will help you grab attention and prevent the listeners from switching to another channel.
2. Keep it emotional, and logical
Keep strumming at your listener’s heartstrings.
Add something like, “life insurance could help you see your kids as they grow…” Add the sound of children laughing as they play and layer some soft music in the background.
How emotional commercials make the connection.
3. Make the closing statement powerful and attach a simple call to action. One way to do this is to anticipate your customer’s questions.
For instance “why should I take your life insurance policy and not company X’s?”
Simple answer, “We have no overhead. You can save up to X% in X years!”
4. Recruit the ideal voice
Your script will only come to life if voiced by the right talent. Vet a few portfolios before hiring an actor.
A list of voice over companies that can supply the perfect talent.
Scary vs Funny Radio Ads for Insurance
For an insurance ad, there is a thin line between scary and funny. You can easily scare your customers into buying insurance, but that is considered unethical.
Besides, scaring your audience will not help them understand why they need insurance. You need them to make a logical decision, and they can’t do that if they are afraid.
You can build trust instead by giving your audience relevant information about insurance.
Educate the Public
People don’t know much about insurance. Even the ones that pay for it just rely on autopilot bill collection systems to get their monthly payments in. Otherwise, very few people actually know what a deductible is. And even fewer people understand liability coverages and insurance limits.
And we blame insurance radio ads for this.
They tend to be focused on getting the attention of the audience more than informing them about insurance. The focus is on retention rather than information.
But we also get it.
Insurance is boring. And to get people’s attention, companies market only the fun parts about themselves and don’t really go into details about what they provide.
But maybe that’s the missing ingredient to the perfect insurance radio ad; in-depth information that educated listeners instead of scaring them. By teaching consumers about the specifics of the product, insurance companies can inspire trust – deep-founded trust based on real knowledge and transparency.
It’s time insurance companies connected with their customers on something real, something helpful, something more than a jingle.
Radio Loves Insurance
Take advantage of radio’s positioning in the market.
Radio ads allow you to reach captive audiences stuck in restaurants, stores, cars, and taxis. You can tap into this market by studying their movements to see when they are most likely to tune into certain radio stations.
Such time may include during morning and evening in the rush hour commutes where you can market car insurance to people stuck in traffic.
Look into the ratings of different radio stations to understand their market penetration and signal strength. Think it through; don’t depend on statistics alone when debating frequency vs. reach. Think of your ultimate aim. Do you want to reach more people? Or do you want to more of your ads on the airwaves?
You can easily increase your insurance sales through radio ads, but you need to be different from everyone else.
Implement ways to sustain engagement beyond the radio ad.
Radio advertising isn’t just about radio. If you can provide all the necessary information in one short radio spot, then direct your audience to your website where they can learn more.
The basics of radio marketing.
Engagement is key. An appropriate call to action will increase the likelihood of target customers interacting with the brand. Radio stations have evolved ways to keep listeners engaged. Leverage assets like their social media presence and news sponsorship to keep your message alive.
And remember, competition is tough, so don’t allow the station to fit you in the same box as rival brands.
Radio ads for insurance companies need a makeover. Take a chance and educate your audience, see how they respond. Chances are they will be thankful for the information, and that you took the time to package it in a way they can understand.
