Author Archives: Rod Schwartz

About Rod Schwartz

Rod Schwartz backed into a lifelong career in radio advertising in 1973 in Springfield, Illinois. He joined the Pullman (Wash.) Radio Group in 1979, where he worked until his retirement at the end of 2022. From 1991 to March 2024, Rod and his family operated Grace Broadcast Sales, providing short-form syndicated radio features to radio and TV stations across the U.S. and Canada. Rod currently operates an independent advertising, marketing, and media consultancy for radio stations, independent business owners and busy professionals, and he continues providing syndicated audio features to radio and TV station clients. More information is available at RodSchwartz.com. An avid photographer, Rod shares some of his favorite images at PalousePics.com and on his Viewbug gallery. See Links for details.

How the New Business Landscape Is Challenging Tradition and Igniting Radio Advertising Sales

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Rod Schwartz

How long before the rest of the matches in this photo will ignite? It’s a good way to think about an emerging trend in business, including radio advertising sales. A recent article in INSIDE RADIO talked about new and emerging prospect … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Consistency, Consumer behavior, Copy, Grace Broadcast Sales, Internet, Positioning, Productivity, Promotions, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Radio Sales Cafe, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling | Tagged Advertising, Amazon, Grace Broadcast Sales, non-traditional, prospects, Radio, Radio Sales Cafe, sales, small business | Leave a comment

Advertising to Make You Smile

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Rod Schwartz

Over the past few years the guys at Howard Hughes Appliance, TV, and Sleep Shop have used their radio advertising on April 1st to feature imaginative new products or uses for existing products, invented solely to give listeners a little chuckle. … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Client-voiced commercials, Communication, Consumer behavior, Copy, Copywriting, Positioning, Promotions, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling, Uncategorized | Tagged appliance, April 1, April Fool, Commercial, creativity, Howard Hughes, humor, imagination, Radio, television | Leave a comment

Effective Advertising and the Law of Exclusion

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Rod Schwartz

Your business is defined principally by what-you-sell or what-you-do. Are these the only things you talk about in your advertising? May I suggest that you are also defined by what you won’t do or sell, by what you exclude. The principle … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Demonstration (demo) tapes, Positioning | Tagged Advertising, auto service, automobile, car advertising, domestic car, exclusion, imported car, Radio Advertising | Leave a comment

Advertising and the Two Gateways to the Brain

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Rod Schwartz

Which is more powerful, the eye or the ear? If you could keep just one of these two senses, which would you choose? Strange questions to ask, but stay with me for a moment. We don’t give much thought to our … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Consistency, Consumer behavior, Copy, Copywriting, Demonstration (demo) tapes, Information overload, Jingles, Magazine, Newspaper, Positioning, Print, Problem-solving, Professional Services Advertising, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Slogans and taglines, Storytelling | Tagged Advertising, comprehension, ear, eye, memory, mind, Radio, retention, Ries, speech, Trout | 3 Comments

On Radio Anything’s Possible

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Rod Schwartz

It’s well established that sounds enter the brain faster than visuals, and the memory of those sounds fades more slowly. Which is why, as Paul Harvey once pointed out, as a kid in the classroom, you could answer the teacher’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Advertising, brain, engaging, media, Mercury Awards, mind, pictures, Radio, speech | 2 Comments

Political Advertising: Radio Wins the Vote

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Rod Schwartz

This is the story of how one political candidate harnessed the power of radio advertising to win a competitive election. Following the death of Washington State Representative Steve Hailey, a former state legislator, Don Cox, was appointed to fill his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged campaign radio, election advertising, political, Political advertising, political radio, Radio, testimonial | Leave a comment

DON’T Use That Song in Your Commercial

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Rod Schwartz

I was recently asked for a favor: to provide a short voice-over for a video intended for presentation at an upcoming trade show, in exchange for dinner and wine for four at a swanky restaurant, worth around $200-250. We live in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What You Don’t Know About Millennials

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Rod Schwartz

I was working on a post on this very theme when the weekly Small Market Radio Newsletter appeared in my inbox and I read my friend Jay Mitchell’s summary of the most recent research into the media consumption habits of Millennials. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Advertising, AM/FM, marketing, millennials, myths, Radio, Social Media, streaming | Leave a comment

Speaking of “Word of Mouth…”

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Rod Schwartz

“Word-of-mouth” is not advertising. It’s a personal recommendation. It starts with someone being deeply impressed by a product or service, so much so that when an opportunity arises, he or she tells another person about it. With this in mind, may I offer you a … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Internet, Problem-solving, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Sales, Sales & Marketing | Leave a comment

Penetrating the Consumer Brain

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Rod Schwartz

The goal of all advertising is simply to penetrate the human brain*, the seat of all our thoughts, emotions, and choices. My goal as an advertising professional – and yours as a business owner – is to make your company the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Business, Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Internet, Magazine, Management, Newspaper, Positioning, Print, Problem-solving, Professional Services Advertising, Promotions, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Slogans and taglines, Storytelling | Tagged ad, Advertising, automobile, branding, conversation, import, Radio, Realtor, Service | 1 Comment