From Philip Adams & Lee Burton, Talkbac: Emperors of Air, Allen & Unwin, 1997.
dom's note: This is a masterful conversation - note how he accentuates professional and enthusiastic, and look at the structure of the way he sets up "enthusiastic" in the second entry, only to build on it. And note the number placement. brilliant. The second call shows how well he can integrate different products and keep up his sponsorship dollars.
If 2UE's loyal listeners can negotiate the audio minefield of Laws's 35 line reads a day, they can encounter the master at his spontaneous best.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D RING
Caller: John, I just though I'd ring you and tell you a little story about Optus. I can't believe what just happened. Last Saturday night, our car got broken into and my mobile phone was stolen. Now I used to be with Telstra and I chnged over to Optus after hearing your advertisements. ANd I thought, well, John thinks theyre good, I'll give them a try.
L: I think they're fantastic
C: Well, let me tell you John, they are the most professional company I have ever dealt with. Not only I rang them on Sat night at 11,... bu Monday they gave me a new phone...
L: Yeah, they're really good, and you used the right word, professional... I'll tell you what they are, a word that Mike Gibson used yesterday, they're enthusiastic, they really want to do it.
C: JOhn, they've just rung me up today - they've not only given me the phone... and they've taken another 100 dollars off my new bill because I had the phoen stolen. I just can't believe the service... it's been absolutely wonderful
L: Well, you're certainly a great ambassador fr Optus and it's very sweet of you to ring. And I am enthusiastic about them. I mean, I got so enthusiastic about them, we put our special line and special people down there on that 1300 303 303 line.
C: That's the number I rang John. And also they sent me to their dealer in Wynyard Station, Century 21, and Chris programmed my phone for me. Nothin was a problem down there at Century 21 - they're the Optus dealer. My phone's been all programmed - and I'm not technically minded and it's a little bit hard to do. All my numbers are put in, I just press a button and they come on... (4 October1996)
And to a caller who listens to Laws all the time and loves it?
TO THE DREAMERS GO THE SPOILS
Laws: Good on you. Let me send you a John Laws watch - Keep the Dream Alive watch - an I'm sure you will keep your dream alive.
Caller: Thanks, John.
L: And what are you selling?
C: I'm a... truck drivers interstate and everywhere around Australia - if they're listening and I know they will listen... the stickers on the back of our trucks. And I love being out on the road, I love talking to people, meeting people and it's just the job I want and I love it so much.
L: You'll fo well.
C: And you're a wealth of information, John. Forget about Brian told me - Lawsy told me.
L: Hang on, don't hang up. Wait right there on your mobile - I hope on your Optus mobile - and we'll send you a John Laws Keep the Dream Alive watch because you certainly are keeping the dream alive. (4 October 1996)
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Masterful - though the one they had on media watch last year was even funnier.
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