Here Are Some Helpful Tips for Buying Ads
Contact each radio station’s advertising representative and ask them for the available ad spots on their station!
- When you talk to the advertising rep, make sure to ask him/her for the demographics graphic profile of the listeners. All stations have this information in what is called a “media kit.” Make sure that you get as close a match as possible between who your customers are and who listens to that radio station! That’s called matching up your demographics. Ask him/her what special deals they may have available. Also ask if there are any price breaks for you if you run your ad for longer periods of time or on more than one of their own radio stations.
- Believe it or not, making decisions about where you are going to advertise is the first step in making a good choice on radio advertising. So find out where your customers are and how you can reach them via traditional radio.
- Plan your message to emotionally connect with your clients on your products and services!
Don’t have the time for all this? Call us and get that ad of yours on the air!
Unless you speak well or you have a product or service that is in a position of needing “trust” with your client, you should hire a professional voice over artist to record your ad. If you have a business like a homebuilder, a real estate agent, an insurance agent, or any business that requires coming into someone’s home to do business, that is what we call a position of trust. It is an age-old truism that people want to trust the voice they hear on the radio and if you are that same person showing up at their home, it’s a great way to start that bond of trust with your potential client.
- The most important reason that costs go up in radio advertising is that you’re reaching more people on a more popular program! It’s simple. If you have all your commercials read overnight in a small market, you’ll have a small ad cost but very few people will hear them. So try to make sure that you’re running your ad at a time and on a day when your target audience is listening. There are many ways to determine that by talking to an experienced media planner.
- Media planners are sales people that get you the advertising rates and demographics information and review your actual advertising spot to make sure it’s effective. Assuming you’re busy with your own business, make sure you have a great media planner! If you don’t know any, please feel free to give us a call and we’ll introduce ourselves…
- Make sure your ad resonates with your audience and make sure they remember your commercial! Nobody remembers commercials that are supremely forgettable! Think about the time that you were captivated by an advertisement. Is it because it touched you emotionally or did it solve a problem for you? Usually, it’s one of those two things. This is the point to be really honest with yourself and evaluate what your message is and how it will reach people emotionally. Do not talk yourself into an ad message just because you really believe in it yourself. Test it in front of other people who don’t care about you to make sure that your ad actually works!
If you have deeper questions about media buying or planning call us for a free media plan for your products or services.
- If your business is part of a franchise or a corporation, are there advertising co-op dollars available for your particular group of stores? You might have to ask your supplier if they are willing to provide you with co-op dollars. From heating and air conditioning to vacations and cruises, co-op dollars are available and help significantly!
- If you have a good media planner, they have many resources for finding co-op dollars for your company and industry. Give us a call if you need more clarification on this point!
- Find out if the radio station has an upcoming promotion that you can work alongside. Advertising long-term on the radio station can bring many benefits but make sure you understand what they are.
- Test, test and test! Make sure your ad actually gets people to respond and/or remember your message!! We can’t emphasize enough the fact that many people get excited about their message without testing it first. If you could discover whether or not your ad will work to motivate people, would that not be wise to do before you spend all your advertising dollars? We think so.
- If you are ready to get advertising information, call now!
