Ready to Reach Customers with Effective Radio Advertising?
Many things have changed since the early days of radio — among them the prominence of TV, cable TV, satellite radio and the Internet as electronic alternatives for reaching a large audience. One thing hasn’t changed, however — the fact that radio advertising can still be an effective and affordable way to bring customers through your door.
Radio advertising targets consumers passively — while they’re driving, whilethey’re at work, lounging by the pool, etc. To see a TV ad or print ad in our favorite newspaper or magazine, we must be actively watching or reading. Welisten to the radio all the time, however, which means we’re more often fair game for a good advertising message. What makes a “good” radio ad? For starters, it has to air in the right place at the right time to reach the right customer. And itneeds a strong message that commands the listener’s attention and makes a memorable impression. Here is some “sound” advice on making radio work for your shooting sports business. Tune in to the right stations. Radio stations have different “formats” (such as talk/news, sports, country music, classical, etc.) that dictate the type of listenerslikely to hear your spot. Don’t advertise on the type of station you just happen to personally like, if it doesn’t target your customer. Find out what type of stations your customers listen to and focus on these. Seek out stations with programming specifically oriented towards your audience — such as hunting andoutdoors sports talk and call-in shows. It’s much more important to reach buyers than people, so try to tie-in with sponsorships on popular hunting and outdoor shows if at all possible. Negotiate what’s best for your business. In addition to specific programming buys, radio ad time is often sold as Run of Station (ROS), a formula that spreads your spots throughout the day (including late night and overnight). You can also usually arrange advertising airtime packages for daytime (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or evening (7 p.m. to midnight) runs. Drive time (roughly 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4p.m. to 7 p.m.) is radio’s prime time, and can often be specified for a premiumrate. You can usually negotiate with the station’s salesperson to maximize AM and PM drive time exposure, while minimizing or even eliminating overnight ads. Talk with a few comparable stations (let the salesperson know you’re doing this) and don’t be afraid to walk away if you’re not happy with the deal you’re getting.
Create a good, tight ad. Unfortunately, many radio ads are completely forgettable. Don’t spend your precious airtime blurting out a string of emptyclichés (e.g. “Best deals in town!) — instead, tell your listeners why you’re better. Be specific about prices, sales, service and special events and create a sense ofurgency. You can work with an agency (or in some cases the station’s addepartment) to produce a polished, finished spot. If your budget doesn’t permit this, sometimes you can arrange for the DJ or show host to do a live read of your copy. Either way, your copy has to grab the listener by the ear and demandattention. You’ll likely have 30 seconds to make an impression, which meansthere’s literally no time to waste. Leave your phone number out. Reading it twice takes about six seconds (or 20%) out of your ad, and nobody will remember it, anyway! A catchy web address (GreatGuns.com) or call to action (Visit our store at the corner of Smith & Wesson this weekend!) is more memorable and will help customers find you. When you think radio, think frequency. Radio advertising is most effectivewhen it’s done over the long haul. Frequency — hearing your commercial repeated over time — persuades your customers to act. Rather than putting all your eggs in one basket, invest in running ads on two or more stations that reach your target audience. Running 12 to 18 ads a week on each station and alternating weeks is a reasonable investment to see if radio works for your business. In many suburban and rural markets, radio advertising can be surprisingly affordable, and like anything else, the more spots you buy the more affordable they become.Lastly, don’t be afraid to get creative. Distinction will get you noticed among the clutter and clatter of all the other radio spots. It could be the sounds of the hunt,catchy theme music or memorable sign off that helps catch the customer’s ear — and business
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