Q: I
read that in my county, some people listen to radio as much as five
to seven hours a day. What's the best way to use radio to
market my business?
A: If
you're thinking about using radio advertising, you're in
good company. Advertisers spent close to $20 billion on radio in
2000--and even during the 9/11 crisis last year, radio never fell
victim to the slump experienced by print and other media. You can
buy radio locally, regionally or nationally, depending on the
audience you're trying to reach. And you can use radio quite
effectively to target specific ethnic groups, select demographics
(young men, age 18 to 34, for example), or people with interests in
common, such as soccer fans.
The results you get from your radio campaign will depend on at
least two factors: creating appealing and effective spots, and
making an effective media buy. To accomplish both, stick to the
following guidelines.
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Hire Production Pros
Radio spot production is not a do-it-yourself job, so you'll
need an agency or production company that has experience creating
spots that motivate members of your target audience or expertise in
marketing your type of product or service. Above all, the spots
produced should be appropriate to the target audience and
what's being sold.
Sixty-second spots are still the norm in radio, unlike TV, where
:30s predominate. And whether you take a lighthearted or reverent
tone, your spots must be evocative and engaging, using music, sound
effects and dialogue to create "word pictures" that
involve the listeners. If you're advertising in a small market
or where the personality of the on-air talent on a particular
station lends interest or credibility to your message, you may
choose to use announcer-read spots and have the station do the
copywriting for you.
How to Buy Time
Here are four steps to take when buying time for your radio
campaign.
1. Identify a narrow demographic
target audience and their important characteristics or habits. For
example: women, 25 to 54, with children under age 6, who reside in
a specific geographic market area.
2. Contact the stations you believe reach your target audience,
and ask them to provide you with proposals that include a ratings
breakdown for your target group and a signal coverage map.
3. Evaluate each station's proposal, looking for reach,
frequency and cost per point. The "reach" is the number
of individuals in your target group who will hear your marketing
message. "Frequency" isn't the number of times that
you run your spot; it's the number of times a member of your
target audience will actually hear your message. And the "cost
per rating point" (CPP) is the cost to reach 1 percent of your
target audience population. Also, the bulk of your spots should run
in dayparts that draw the largest percentage of your prospects, not
run-of-station (ROS), which may include multiple, lower-cost spots
that air in the middle of the night, when fewer of your prospects
will be listening.
4. Select the best stations for your campaign, and negotiate
your buys. Make frequency your top priority, and then include as
much reach as you can afford. In other words, it takes multiple
exposures for your message to be effective, so make sure a core
prospect group will hear your spot multiple times, then buy as many
additional prospect contacts as possible.
Tips for Getting Noticed
Consider buying sponsorships--such as news, weather or
traffic--because you'll receive the first spot in the
commercial break and often a five- to 10-second
"billboard" to say something about your company.
Participating in contests will also get you lots of on-air
mentions. So contact each station's promotions director for
upcoming events.
Kim T. Gordon is an author, marketing coach and media
spokesperson-and one of the country's foremost experts on
entrepreneurial success. Her newest book, Bringing Home The Business, identifies the
30 "truths" that can make the difference between success
and failure in a homebased business. Kim offers one-on-one coaching
by telephone to motivated individuals, providing practical
marketing advice and budget-conscious strategies unique to your
business. To receive free how-to articles and advice, get
information on coaching and appearances, read a book excerpt, or
contact Kim, visit http://www.smallbusinessnow.com,
a huge site devoted exclusively to marketing your small
business.
The opinions expressed in this column are those
of the author, not of Entrepreneur.com. All answers are intended to
be general in nature, without regard to specific geographical areas
or circumstances, and should only be relied upon after consulting
an appropriate expert, such as an attorney or
accountant.