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.

Chris Lytle on “Inbox Detox”

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

When Chris Lytle has something to say, it’s worth paying attention. Especially if you’re in sales. This morning I received two emails from Chris. The first was in response to a question I asked him last week. The second, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Consultants, Information overload, Problem-solving, Productivity, Sales & Marketing | Tagged Chris, consultant, Email, information, Lytle, overload, sales, zero | Leave a comment

An Advertising Slogan We’d Love to See – Casino

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

Drove past this billboard some years ago and had to snap a picture of it. “Where winning happens,” the casino’s headline cheerfully proclaims. And winning does happen, of course. Occasionally. I wonder if they’d entertain an alternate headline: “What Have You Got … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Positioning, Sales & Marketing, Slogans and taglines | Tagged Advertising, Billboard, casino, slogan | Leave a comment

Freebie for an Independent Florist

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

I was hired recently to write and produce a radio spot encouraging folks wanting to send flowers to do business with a local florist in the recipient’s neighborhood, rather than going through one of the “1-800” number services. The client, owner … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Copywriting, Grace Broadcast Sales, Problem-solving, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales & Marketing | Tagged ad, bouquet, Commercial, delivery, florist, flowers, free, local, Radio | 1 Comment

Jim Williams on Using Demo Tapes to Sell Radio Advertising

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

HIS NAME WAS JIM WILLIAMS. He was radio’s first serious sales trainer. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of radio advertising salespeople across America acquired their unshakeable belief in the power of radio advertising from Jim. By way of introduction, this post is … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Client-voiced commercials, Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Grace Broadcast Sales, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Radio Sales Cafe, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling | Tagged ad, Advertising, demo, demonstration, Jim, Radio, sales, tape, training, Williams | Leave a comment

Jelly Bean Branding

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

Betcha didn’t know that April 22nd was Jelly Bean Day. Or that jelly beans have been around since at least the time of the Civil War. As kids, we ate our fill of them every Easter season. Then they’d pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in Branding, Communication, Graphic design, Sales & Marketing | Tagged beans, Belly, branding, candy, dollar, flops, fun, Jelly, snack | Leave a comment

Context Matters

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

Whenever I meet with a new advertising client or prospect, one of the first items of business is to come to a meeting of the minds concerning the singular importance of: The Message. What-the-ad-says has more to do with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Communication, Copy, Copywriting, Graphic design, Newspaper, Print, Problem-solving, Professional Services Advertising, Promotions, Proofreading, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling | Tagged Advertising, context, copywriting, editor, magazine, message, Newspaper, print, proofreading | Leave a comment

Is Your Brand a Joke?

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

I enjoy a funny story as much as anyone. But not every joke is worth telling, certainly not in all places, at all times. Just because you can tell it doesn’t mean that you should. Context matters, it really does. … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Communication, Copywriting, Print, Professional Services Advertising, Promotions, Sales & Marketing, Uncategorized | Tagged Advertising, branding, context, customer, words | 1 Comment

Best-Selling Wizard of Ads Trilogy…FREE!

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

If Roy H. Williams has advertised this elsewhere, I’ve not seen it. But earlier this week, as I was poking around the Wizard’s website, I happened to notice that he’s making available FREE (for how long?) all three of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Communication, Problem-solving, Professional Services Advertising, Promotions, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling, Uncategorized | Tagged Ads, Advertising, Audiobooks, Books, commercials, copywriting, download, free, Radio, Roy, trilogy, Williams, Wizard | 1 Comment

David Ogilvy on Writing and the Spoken Word

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Rod Schwartz

From Brain Pickings… On September 7th, 1982, Ogilvy sent an internal memo to all agency employees, titled “How to Write:” The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well. Woolly minded … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Client-voiced commercials, Communication, Madison Avenue, Ogilvy, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling, Voice Acting, Voiceover | 1 Comment

“WORD-OF-MOUTH IS MY BEST ADVERTISING.”

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Rod Schwartz

“I don’t need to advertise. I rely on word-of-mouth. My customers tell their friends.” How often have you heard those words? Personal referrals and recommendations are powerful, especially when we’re considering the purchase of a product or service from a … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising (General), Branding, Client-voiced commercials, Communication, Problem-solving, Professional Services Advertising, Radio Advertising, Radio Commercials, Radio Copywriting, Radio Production, Sales & Marketing, Storytelling | Tagged Advertising, authentic, cataracts, Commercial, interview, Lasik, Radio, real, stories, story, Storytelling, testimonials, word-of-mouth | 9 Comments