03 Feb 5 Radio Advertising Techniques Really Successful Small Businesses Use
5 Radio Advertising Techniques Really Successful Small Businesses Use
Although small businesses may be small, the savvy ones are big on leveraging radio medium. Small businesses use successful strategies to create a desire in listeners and make the most of their advertising dollars. They know what to say and how to say it. Here’s a list of five techniques small businesses use to ramp up the return on their radio advertising budget.
The Power of Repetition
Successful small businesses use the power of repetition to build brand awareness and customer memory. Unlike print advertising where repetition has a decreasing effect, radio advertising has response rates that increase and build up over time. Repetition leads to familiarity, and familiarity leads to more sales. Most small businesses will run different ads for the same product at the same time to reinforce each other. Although they spread them out, the ads are run frequently with different tag lines and lead-ins.
The Promotion of Features
Small businesses use radio to promote the features and claims of what their service or product can do for potential customers. By outlining the features and claims, potential buyers are informed, educated and develop expectations. Features are used to target the message and get to the point. The message is short and to the point. Smart small businesses use brevity as they know that radio advertising is a background medium. Most people who are tuned in on the radio are typically multitasking like driving or cooking in the kitchen.
The Jingle Association
Using a catchy jingle catches the listener’s attention and also develops a psychological connection with the listener. Jingles and its lyrics are 400 times more effective than the spoken word. It’s used as a marketing message disguised as a melody that will be long remembered. Just like nursery rhymes, it’s a lot easier to remember a product or service with a catchy tune. The age-old practice of jingles has stood the test of time since 1923.
The Lure of Promotions
Most successful small businesses use promotions to lure its radio audience. The strategy of prizes, gifts with purchase and coupons creates audience excitement. Limited-time offers, free offers and discounts add urgency to the radio advertising call to action. After all, who can resist a bargain? Many small businesses also get creative with their promotions. Opportunities to throw the first pitch at a baseball game donning a station jersey and the chance to win free concert tickets resonate well with the radio audiences.
The Right Price
Consistent radio advertising is effective but comes with a price. Typically, the price tag tallies up to between $2,000 and $3,000 per week. Savvy business owners never pay the list price. Almost always, the price of radio advertising is negotiable. Small business owners use their negotiation skills to save money. Most businesses also get additional discounts by asking for it, signing a multi-month contract, inquiring about special promotions, joining local business associations for special discounts, creating a trade agreement or purchasing radio time with an advertising agency.
Savvy small business owners know that you can reach most people with radio medium. According to the Nielsen Report, 77 percent of adults tune into AM/FM stations for about two hours per day. It’s easy to reach people when they are driving to work or a shopping mall. Radio advertising also makes it easy to reach large geographic areas and target audiences.
Follow these five tips, and you’ll be following in the footsteps of many successful small business owners. These are proven tips in today’s radio marketing environment. Take your small business a step up with big results using the radio airways as a medium for your marketing.
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