How to Make Money Selling Radio Ads

Podcasting kit available for USD $99 (at writing)

As an industry insider, I know YOU can make money selling radio ads. Learn how to set up your studio CHEAPLY, find your market, what software to use, and make money.

Things You'll Need

• Quiet room or closet for your recording studio
• Computer with USB
• Internet access
• Podcasting kit
• Editing software

Instructions

1. GET YOUR RECORDING STUDIO FOR CHEAP. You don't need a million bucks to have a nice studio. Actually, all you must have is a quiet room, like your bedroom. Some pros use a closet!

2. EQUIP YOUR STUDIO FOR CHEAP. Just about any computer with USB will work. Get a Podcasting kit with a CONDENSER microphone. These retail online for anywhere between USD $99 and $250. Don't worry about your sound card, because they connect right into your USB port. The kit will come with a small mixing board. Get some editing software. The industry standard is Adobe® Audition®. For now, go with something free, like Audacity.

3. Identify your market. What kind of voice do you have? Smooth and sexy? Deep and boomy? Young and energetic? Listen to your local stations to get a feel for where your voice fits. Pay special attention to the "imaging," those little bits of station identification between the songs. Practice hard till you sound like the pros!

4. Decide how you want to be paid. Checks and PayPal® are fine for now, but in the future a good website and your own credit-card sytem is a must. Don't sell yourself too cheaply, by the way. Recently I sold a 10-second spot for $100.

5. Start marketing yourself! Some of our best voices have been walk-ons. Make a nice CD with your best work and walk into local stations. "Hey, I'm so and so and this is what I do." Get business cards. Try local businesses to see if they want an "official" voice. Be creative.

6. Look for opportunities to learn more and meet new people. Subscribe to radio magazines like "Radio World" to get inside knowledge. Visit your local stations. Smaller ones are often looking for volunteer voices, which is a way to build real airtime cred! Build a portfolio file for all the ads you've sold.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice, practice, practice. A good idea is to try reading aloud the King James Bible or Shakeaspeare. If you can read those, you can REALLY read.

• Enunciate clearly. Don't be a Walker Cronkite, but make sure every syllable pops.

• Be persistent. It takes time to build steady clientele, and it's a very competitive industry. But never give up.

• DON'T USE COPYRIGHTED MUSIC IN AN AD! Not only is this unethical and illegal, it will get you a bad reputation.

• NEVER try to undercut existing clients. The radio world is small, connected, and brutal. Word will get out.

Resources

• Need help with proofreading? Check Article Doctor!