Radio isn’t dead, it’s just misunderstood.

While everyone else is busy chasing likes on social media, the savvy, selective, and strategic South African business owner knows something powerful: Radio still works.

Done right, it delivers trusted, intimate, and cost-effective access to your ideal customer, right in their car, their kitchen, or their comfort zone.

The downside is that these days, most DIY radio ads sound like unplanned noise. Mostly because radio is no longer given the attention it deserves. If you want to stand out, you need a script that sells, not just speaks, and we’re going to help you do just that.

Welcome to your guide to writing a radio script that works.

Step 1: Know Who You’re Talking To (Hint: It’s Not “Everyone”)

Your customer isn’t everyone with a wallet. They’re a specific person, with a specific problem, stuck in a specific emotional state. Until you pinpoint who they are, your message will fizzle.

Ask yourself:

• Are they tired of being overcharged?
• Are they looking for something more authentic?
• Are they struggling to grow a business, raise a family, or simply keep the lights on?

Your radio script must speak to one listener as if they’re the only person who matters. Because in their world, they are.

Step 2: Write Like You Speak (But Sharper)

Radio is the theatre of the mind. But your script doesn’t need to be poetic. It needs to be clear, concise, and emotionally sharp.

Start strong. Grab attention in the first 5 seconds. Use words that pop, not plop. This is where cheap vs. expensive words matter (yes, even in radio).

Compare the generic, “Are you looking for great deals on car insurance?” to the more interesting and engaging “Sick of paying too much for insurance you don’t even understand?”

The second line slices straight into a pain point, which, when followed by the solution, to contact your company, works very well to get customers.

Step 3: Hit the Core Emotion

Every purchase is emotional. Logic justifies what emotion has already decided.

Is your listener feeling:

• Frustrated?
• Overwhelmed?
• Embarrassed?
• Hopeful?

You need to tap that emotion like a pioneer strikes oil and then build a bridge from their pain to your solution.

For example, “Tired of watching your competitors get all the attention while your brilliant business goes unnoticed? That ends today.”

That line creates contrast and possibility, and opens a loop the brain needs to close.

Step 4: The Structure That Sells

At All About Ads, we regularly help our clients book radio ads that convert, and one tried and tested plug-and-play framework that works follows a structure like this:

1. HOOK: Say something bold, emotional, or unexpected.
2. PROBLEM: Call out the pain point they’re silently dealing with.
3. SOLUTION: Introduce your offer as the easy, trusted fix.
4. PROOF: Drop a social proof line, a fact, or a credibility builder.
5. CTA: Tell them exactly what to do and why they must do it now.

An example of this strategy in motion would look something like this:

“Still throwing money at marketing that does nothing? At All About Ads, we’ve helped over 5,000 South African businesses get heard, seen, and paid, without breaking the bank. Whether it’s radio, print, or TV, we’ve got the rates, the reach, and the results. Call us today and we’ll build your first campaign around your budget, not our ego.”

Step 5: Make It Sound Like Real Life

The most persuasive ads don’t actually sound like ads at all, instead, they sound like authentic conversations.

To make sure that what you’ve written sounds write, the best thing you can do is read your script aloud. Does it sound like something a trusted friend would say? If not, it’s time to simplify.

And you can this by:

• Shortening sentences.
• Using an active voice.
• Using everyday language.
• Using repetition for rhythm (this also helps make your ad memorable).

Step 6: Make the CTA Unmissable

The CTA is your close, and you don’t want to fumble it.

A bad call to action would be the generic, “Visit our website for more information.”

A better CTA would be, “Call All About Ads now on 0800 123 456 and let’s make your business impossible to ignore.”

It sometimes helps to repeat the call-to-action TWICE, especially the number or website. People are usually driving or distracted, and repeating something will help them remember. 

Step 7: Anchor It With Credibility

South Africans are sceptical. We’ve been burned by empty promises. So you need to build trust fast.

You can do this by mentioning:

• Years in business.
• Number of happy clients.
• Exclusive deals or partnerships.
• What makes you different.

For example, “We update our media list of 6000+ stations weekly, so your ad lands where it matters most.”

Creating a radio script that sells isn’t just about words, it’s about understanding the listener, their stress, their hopes and their doubts, and then giving them a solution so simple, so authentic, they feel relieved to respond.

At All About Ads, we do more than just place your ads. We engineer campaigns that actually work, whether you’re advertising on a budget, launching something bold, or just want to stop being invisible.

It’s About Time for Your Business to be Heard

Call All About Ads today, the most affordable, trusted advertising agency in South Africa, and let’s turn your voice into revenue.

Because your business deserves to be heard. Loud. Clear. And everywhere that matters.