Every day, your current customers,
(and your competitors customers), listen to Radio. They listen at home, in their cars, at
work and during leisure hours. They also listen as they travel to their favorite shopping
locations.Radio is our wake-up call, our companion during the day and a trusted friend
that puts us to bed at night. Radio tells us how to dress each day, keeps us out of
traffic jams and informs with news and special events happening in our cities. Your
customers and prospects do more than just listen to the Radio. They get involved with
Radio by selecting the one or two stations whose programming meets the unique needs of
their lifestyles.
Radio is a media option that allows you to establish an immediate, intimate
relationship with consumers. Based on a national study of consumers and media, consumers
spend more time with Radio prior to purchasing than all other media. An estimated 57% of
persons 12+ are exposed to Radio within one hour prior of their largest purchase of the
day.
Media choices are more and more determined by time. Urban sprawl has shortened 'other
media' time, while increasing the time spent listening to Radio. In some cities, the
commutes average more than 60 minutes each way to and from work, making Radio an even more
attractive media choice for your advertising during these drive-time periods.
The length chosen for your commercial will depend primarily on your budget and your
goals. To stretch your dollars, your strategy might be to combine different lengths, for
example :60's and :15's. This will increase your frequency and exposure while reducing
your expenditure.
While based on many different factors, radio placement decisions are predicated
primarily on the demographic you are trying to reach with your message. By selecting the format and the station(s) that best fit your target, and
further refining selected dayparts, you can focus your advertising on those you most wish
to hear it.
If budgets permit, place your advertising on more than one radio station that delivers
the desired demographic. This will increase your reach and frequency, and the possibility
of attracting a consumer in one place that you might miss in another. Also, consider
reinforcing your :60 second commercials with :15 second traffic or other sponsorships.
Frequency is everything! Your message must be delivered over and over again to
influence today's busy consumers. If you are trying to drive weekend traffic, consider a
narrowing of broadcast days; for example, Thursday through Saturday. This will allow for a
greater concentration of commercials in a shorter period of time.
Extra Incentives. Ask your representative about sponsorships, billboards, promotions,
live personality remotes and other opportunities that will enhance your buy. Sponsorships,
for example, (the "brought to you by" at the beginning of a news, sports,
weather or traffic broadcast), will increase your exposure and enhance your image by
associating your company with a desirable and important listener feature.
Maintenance. It takes constant monitoring of the radio stations chosen for placement to
insure success of advertising campaigns. Modifications such as format revisions,
personality changes, ratings trends, audience fluctuations, etc., can adversely affect
your advertising. Also, ask your station representative for a list of the times your ad
will be broadcast. This is one way to ensure adherence to the contract and check the
quality of the production sound.
The "PLUS" & "MINUS"
side of Radio.
