A Good Promo Should Be ...

A good promo should be:

“What’s in it for me?” (The listener)

· Be a foreground listen not a background noise.
· Move an emotion – make you laugh, make you angry, make you sad, make you excited.
· Touch the listener; speak to them in their language.
· The message should not get lost in the production. (Too many effects)

Be a foreground listen
Use AIDA to help structure a promo.
A = Attention – Win a million pound holiday.
I = Interest – At a top hotel in the Caribbean
D = Desire – Sun kissed beach, warm blue sea.
A = Action – Call now.

Move an emotion
Also helps to make this a foreground listen. If you can make your listener laugh, get excited. Angry or sad (if it is a serious trail/promo say for a charity.) Note of warning – don’t force the humour.

Touch the listener
Speak their language. Depends on your format. A promo or trail written in language would not work on Heart FM.

Lost in production
Just because it is easy to add loads of effects does not mean you should. Don’t lose the message in sound effects that sound great in the studio and rubbish on the radio.

Always remember ‘What’s in it for me?’ (The listener)