Radio Stations

Radio Advertising Questions and Answers

/ Duane Christensen

I was emailed these questions about radio advertising the other day the other day…

  • Do you write the promotions?
  • Do you research the reach? Or, have suggestions on where we could push our product?
  • How many ads is good to have in rotation?
  • How many people can we reach?
  • What time of the day is best to run our ads?
  • Cost/per ad during the week?
  • How many times will this run throughout the week and/or on weekends?

All great questions. And usually the answers to those questions are the core materials in any media rep’s presentation. Which is why their ad campaigns will probably fail. At Results Radio, our “presentations” are a bit different. We focus on figuring out how we’re going to make your advertising actually work.

So, let’s add a couple questions to that list above that are more important…

  1. How will we make it work? (what’s our strategy?)
  2. How will we measure success?

These are more important because the other questions above won’t matter, if we’re not going into this campaign with the expectations of making it work… and knowing that it’s working. Right?

Let’s answer those questions up top first though…

Do you write the promotions? Yes we do. At Results Radio, that’s what we train on most heavily. The words that are written and then spoken that go into people’s ears are what makes or breaks an ad campaign. And that is why we spend so much time figuring out what to say in your ads. Because that’s the core of making your ads work for you.

Do you research the reach or have suggestions on where to push our product? I’ll have to clarify this question with the business, but I think they’re asking something about demographics. Yes, I suggest the stations that will work best based on the people you’re looking for. But you need to understand that particular stations don’t own an audience. Meaning, most people listen to an average of 2.5 stations. For example, if you’re looking for “car parts type of people”, aka motorheads or “truck people”… can you imagine the different types of radio stations they could be listening to? Sports, Classic Rock, Modern Rock, Top 40, 80s, 90s, Modern Country, Classic Country, Talk Radio, etc., etc., etc.!

So, you pick a couple that seem like a good fit, and you start there. Or whatever works with your budget. And if you can’t afford to buy enough ads to run each month on the biggest of the stations, then you pick a station with a smaller audience that you can afford to talk to month-in and month-out. You’re trying to win a group of people over, one station at a time. Once you start seeing growth, then you can afford to add another radio station to your mix.

How many ads is good to have in rotation? You can air multiple ads that rotate at whatever percentage you wish. Most businesses don’t need to rotate different ads at the same time, but if you have a few different products to push… maybe you rotate 2 or 3 at once. But you also have to make sure you have enough ads airing each week in order for everyone to hear each of those ads enough times.

How many people can we reach? You can reach about 90% of the adults in the radio stations’ coverage areas if you’re advertising on enough stations. But that doesn’t mean you have to be on all of them. Remember when I said the average listener listens to 2.5 radio stations? Well, that means if you advertise on 2 radio stations, you’re theoretically advertising on about 5 stations. Cool, right? When it comes to actual numbers… there are some ratings out there on most stations. But the thing is… the number of people that are surveyed for radio station ratings is very low. Like, grossly low. So, the level of accuracy is low. So, one year a station can be listed as the #2 rock station, and the next it’s #8. How does that work when nothing else changed in the radio market in the last year? Radio rankings are hit or miss. There’s a disclaimer on those rankings that mentions something like, “use these ratings at your own risk”.

How many people are we reaching? It all depends on the popularity of the station. It could be anywhere between 5000 people to 40 or 50,000 people depending on the station… and the time frames in which you’re running those ads. If you’re only running ads during a morning “drive time”… you’re only reaching a fraction of that total audience.

What time of the day is best to run our ads? You want to reach the entire audience if you can afford it. And it costs less per ad to run ads all throughout the day. You can never predict when someone is listening. We all have different habits when it comes to radio listening. Some listen from 6 to 7:30 every morning. And then not again until 2pm or 5pm. Others listen periodically throughout the day, some all day long at work. Others only when in their cars. That’s why it’s a fool’s errand to only want to run ads during certain times of the day. You’ll pay more for the ads, and you’re hitting a smaller audience in the end.

Cost per ad during the week? This depends on the popularity of the radio station, the length of the ad, and the time frame they are airing. We’ll have a discussion about actual prices face-to-face.

But let me drop this little nugget on you… It doesn’t matter how much an ad costs if it doesn’t work. Even the cheapest ads are still expensive if you don’t see any results.

How many times will this run throughout the week and/or on weekends? My recommendation for “ad frequency” depends on your competition and your “share of marketing voice” within your industry. If you’re placing ads all throughout the day (let’s say 6am to 8pm), then you’ll need anywhere from 19 to 25 ads per week… at least 3 weeks per month if we’re trying to brand your business (make you the business people think of first in your category). But if your business category has a lot of competition advertising, then you need to adjust your ad load a bit higher to make sure your “share of voice” is high enough to make an impact on the radio listeners. You don’t want to be “drowned out” by your competitor’s ads.

So, those are my basic answers to those questions… but they aren’t comprehensive by any means. The questions asked in a face-to-face meeting and extra research on how much local marketing their competition is doing, gives much more insight into the radio scheduling tactics that would need to be implemented.

But you must know… the actual MESSAGE that we put into the ears of the radio listeners is what will ultimately determine the success of a radio advertising campaign. If the radio script that is written is just an afterthought… your radio marketing plan will fail. No doubt about it. But if enough time, research, and thought is put into the writing… “mountains” can be moved.

And… I’ll address those two questions I added to the list…… next time. 🙂

Thanks for reading. Have a groovy day!

Duane Christensen

9 Yards Marketing

605-940-7984

duane@9yards-marketing.com

Contact Me

Advertising on the Radio

/ Duane Christensen

Is advertising on the radio right for you?

In my experience, advertising on the radio can work wonders.  Radio can make local businesses famous.

I get calls like,

“I’m wondering what kind of ad package I can get on your stations.”

OR… they’ll ask if we have any “specials”.advertising on the radio

So, here’s what I say.  I tell them, if you’re looking for an ad package, you must already have a good strategy and the first few months of a radio campaign hammered out.  Pause.  More pause.  “Well…..I’m just looking to see what kind of rates I can get.  Because I can get some cable ads for real cheap.”  Oh, so you don’t even care if the ads work or not.  More pausing.

No…I don’t actually say things like this on the phone or in-person… I’m a little nicer or more subtle. But allow me to continue my pretend phone call…

So, after a few more questions from me, I tell the caller you can always find cheap rates…but not always find results.  If they’re interested in hearing more…I set an appointment.  If they’re not.  Then, I’ll send them to someone who’s willing to just sell cheap rates and ads that don’t work.

Is advertising on the radio right for your business?  It probably is.  Do some research on how many people listen to the radio…and how many hours a week.  I could tell you, but you won’t believe me.  The bottom line is that MOST people listen to the radio.  There’s something about free entertainment that people seem to love.  And free entertainment will never die.

Are you reaching enough people by advertising on the radio?

Ok, I’ll share some numbers with you.  Around 90% of people 13+ listen to AM/FM radio.  And that’s about 4 and a half times MORE than all other online radio options combined.  So, yes, AM/FM radio is still one of the greatest places to be with your advertising.

Now you know that radio has listeners.  A lot of them. Enough listeners to grow your business nicely.  But there’s a catch.  You can’t just throw any old twaddle onto the airwaves.  (I just learned a new word.  Twaddle.  I like it.)  The key to making your radio work is the message you communicate to the listeners.  Do they care about YOU and your business?  No.  Do they care about how you can help them?  Yes.  That’s the first thing to learn.

Oh…I forgot to tell you something.  Forget everything you’ve ever heard, seen, or read about advertising.  I’d be willing to bet what you think you know about advertising…will help put you out of business because of squandered ad budgets.

There are old rules that were once followed.  Like these…

1) Make sure your business name is mentioned at least 5 times in the ad

2) Put your phone number in the ad multiple times

3) Add your EXACT address to the ad (such as 2753 W. Doofus Blvd.)

4) Get a professional voice to make your ad sound like an ad

5) Always put music behind the voice

6) Make sure the ad sounds like a national ad

I’m sure there are a ton more…but they’re all equally ridiculous.  There is no formula for writing a radio spot.  If you want a formula, try this.  Try to make your ad NOT sound like an ad.  Why?  Because we’ve been pounded with twaddle 🙂  for years and years and decades and decades.  There are so many horrible ads hurtling towards us every day…our brain tells us to PLEASE not remember them.  Because they’re all soooo dumb and of no benefit to you.  Seriously.  Our brains are pretty smart.  It has the best built-in “crap” filters that you could never imagine.

The CHALLENGE to make your radio ads work to their FULL and OUTRAGEOUSLY ENORMOUS POTENTIAL is to fake out the brain.  You have to say things in your ads that your prospect’s brain won’t expect.  What I mean is that it can’t be predictable.  PREDICTABILITY in your radio ads will KILL your results.  That’s probably the most important thing to remember.

The problem is…you don’t know which words to use.  And you can’t begin to know which words to use until you form a smart advertising/marketing strategy.  And forming a smart strategy begins with your competition.  You have to stand apart from your competition.  Be something different.  Find a strength of yours that is not their strength (or at least they don’t advertise it) and THAT might be a superstar ad strategy for you.  Strategy formulation also trickles down into knowing WHO your customer REALLY is…and what they actually care about.  Or what they perceive to care about.

It’s tough for a business owner.  Or for an employee of a company that is “tasked” with the side duties of handling the marketing.  It’s tough because advertising and marketing isn’t what you KNOW.  You’re an entrepreneur.  I’d suggest finding an advertising guy or gal like myself (which is someone who tells you like it is – not some ad rep/order taker) and start spilling your guts to them so they can start creating a profitable strategy and advertising campaign for you.  This person must be a writer and a thinker.

Anyway…what was the question?  Sorry, I’m a smidge passionate about this stuff.

Is advertising on the radio right for a business like yours?

The answer is YES.  Advertising on the radio is good for you as long as you have something good to say.  Radio can work wonders for good businesses.  I’m a real life witness of that every day.  And radio can work all on its own.  The people are THERE.  They’re listening.  When you find the right thing to say to them…great things will happen.

And don’t be spreading your ad budget around to a bunch of different places! “Sprinkling” doesn’t work. You need to “douse” audiences. The “MEDIA MIX” talk is all B.S. You don’t have to advertise in 6 different places all around town. Start with a popular radio station (or two) …and “own” it. Make it impossible for people to have NOT heard your ad at least 3 times in 7 nights sleep! (That’s a technical / neurological thing with roots in the “Pavlov’s Dogs story” that ensures you’re doing that BRANDING thing right – but I’m not explaining all of that right now)

There are a bunch of local Sioux Falls advertisers who have put at least 85% of their total advertising budget into Radio…at Results Radio Townsquare Media. Who are they? I know you’ve heard their ads. And there’s a reason why they’re “Top Of Mind” in Sioux Falls and the surrounding 60 or 70-mile radius.

Ready? Let’s get to work!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

605-940-7984

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

The “local” part of Radio

/ Duane Christensen

Why local radio advertising can work so well.  And will continue to…

I asked the finance guy at Papik Motors in Luverne a while back if he thought Radio was going to be extinct in 10 or 20 years.

He said, “No way! There will always be a big group of people who want to hear their local stuff.”

Which is how I feel as well.

radio advertising

Chad McKenzie

A lot of people listen to local radio. Satellite and online radio account for a very small percentage. Actually, AM/FM radio is listened to about 4 and half times MORE than online radio.  There are many reasons why people love local radio. Here are MY reasons….

  • To keep up on new songs that are heard on the radio first.
  • Local news and different perspectives of local news.
  • Witty commentary on local sports and local sports issues.

    Radio Advertising

    “Crash”

  • It’s easily accessible to me. When I hop in my car…it’s ON. When I’m at home on the weekends and want a “mood lifter”…I just push a button.
  • Variety. I have an iPod. I have access to iTunes on my phone. I listen to Pandora once in a while. But the radio plays music that I haven’t heard in a while…but still like a lot. Songs that I’ve forgotten about. Plus all the new stuff, too. Unless you’re one of those weirdos who ONLY listens to 80s music. Ewwwwwww.  I kid. But not really.   : )

Radio Advertising

Ben & Patty

So, anyway, if you’re wondering whether people still listen, the answer is Yes. And they will for a very long time. As long as radio station owners adapt and invest and understand that a LIVE and LOCAL, entertaining DJ is a powerful thing (like mine at Townsquare Media do!), then Local Radio will continue to keep its listeners.

Sorry that I didn’t add pics of all of our live and local radio talent. But you can find them and other station info HERE.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

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Cost of Radio Advertising

/ Duane Christensen / 1 Comment

Cost of radio advertising.

That’s a search engine term that gets typed into Google or other search engines quite a bit when someone is curious about radio advertising. When I talk to people, they usually just want a ballpark figure. I can answer that question for them. But I like to talk about a few other things with them first.

My Dad had some great crops this year. And I know what he invested to prepare the soil for a good return. The fertilizer, the field work, the expensive tiling in the wet fields, etc. It adds up to a big number. But all of that is paying him back far more than if he didn't make those investments on his farm. Photo by Duane Christensen

My Dad had some great crops this year. And I know what he invested to prepare the soil for a good return. The fertilizer, the field work, the expensive tiling in the wet fields, etc. It adds up to a big number. But all of that is paying him back far more than if he didn’t make those investments on his farm. He’s learned over the years…that it matters.
Are you investing in YOUR growth?
Photo by Duane Christensen

Would you like your advertising to work?

Duh, right? But we need to address HOW that can happen before you get too jittery about what advertising costs. Because when advertising doesn’t work…isn’t that the most expensive?

The HOW…put simply…is say something that’s worth listening to in your radio advertising. That might not be easy to do for you. But I know someone who loves to do that – who does it for a living. Wink wink.

So, back to the cost. You might be hesitant. You may be really nervous to part with your hard-earned money for advertising. I understand that. You’d be considered careless if you didn’t worry about that. But investing in growth is important for your survival. There are always going to be competitors who want YOUR customers – who want those new customers just as bad as you do. They’re scratching and clawing to get ahead.

You may be thinking ahead to next year. “What if my business doesn’t grow next year? How will I pay my employees? How will I make a profit? How will I pay my overhead?” Please don’t compare your Sioux Falls business to the national scene. We’re in pretty good shape in Sioux Falls. Big things are happening. People continue to move into town. It’s just a great place to be right now!

Investing in your business growth is the best thing you can decide to do. And I can help you do that. You’re saying, “WHAT…with radio? Why should I?” Yes…with radio. But the “radio” isn’t the magic that gives you your return on investment. Well, not all of it anyway. Yes, Radio is still listened to by over 90% of the population. Pandora, online, satellite, etc. hasn’t had much effect on the number of “real radio” listeners. Especially, at the Results Radio Townsquare Media radio stations (8 of them). More live DJs, great music, fun promotions, and local news keeps our listeners pretty dang happy.

The magic of your advertising results comes from what we say to your potential new customers in your radio ads. Yes, the magic is in “what we SAY” in your ads. You may buy the cheapest radio, magazine ad, TV spots, online ads, etc., but if you’re not connecting with your prospects and helping them choose YOU, then those cheap ads are the most expensive ads you could buy.

I don’t ask you to buy first…and THEN hopefully come up with some good ideas and ads for you. I want to show you my ideas and strategies for you FIRST. And then, when we’ve decided that we’re on the right track and that it will WORK…then you can buy your ads. But only before you’re happy with what I come up with and never before you trust me and have confidence in me.

When you’re ready to invest in your growth and your future, I’d love to talk with you about it. There are smart ways to advertise…and there are haphazard, “shoot from the hip” ways to advertise. Which would you prefer?

Call or email. Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media rep

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

605-940-7984

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

I write this blog on behalf of my sales and marketing career at Results Radio Townsquare Media. My goal: Help more local business owners get more for their advertising buck…and be thrilled with the results.

Radio Advertising Advice for Beginners

/ Duane Christensen

Those who have never advertised on the radio…but are considering it…have questions.

Beginner (Studying)

Image courtesy of “stockimages” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But if you ask the wrong person those questions, you’ll get a big bag of answers that have nothing to do with making your advertising actually work. You want your radio ads to work, right?

You might be told about gross rating points or cost per thousand. But don’t get hung up on that. That still has very little to do with making your advertising work. If you’re not familiar with the radio stations in your area…or the size and estimated “listenership” of your local radio stations…ask around.

You might also get pounded with more information than you care to…about station demographics. Again, don’t obsess over this. There’s not one radio station who “owns” a particular group of listeners. Nobody “owns” women, age 25 to 54! You’d be amazed at which stations people listen to.

Most advertising salespeople won’t talk to you about what it takes for advertising to be effective. They’ll sell you on “the bling”, or their demographics, or show you a snappy “ad package” (loaded with tons of bonus value that isn’t really that valuable), or Powerpoint you to death with graphs, charts, and statistics.

If you find someone who talks to you about what your ad / commercial / message actually communicates to the public…then you’re on the right track. Because even if you advertise with the biggest, “baddest”, advertising medium in Sioux Falls, it’s still going to be a waste of money if you’re not saying anything that will help persuade someone to do business with YOU instead of your competition.

“The advertising message” and the “strategy” is what should be given the lion’s share of attention. And that’s what I specialize in. I’m not a great salesperson – I just love creating advertising that helps local business owners in Sioux Falls take a bigger slice of the market. If I don’t think I can help you…I’ll tell you. But chances are, after we talk a time or two…I’m going to start coming up with ideas and angles that you’ve never considered. These will be ideas to get you noticed, attract new customers to you, and get you towards the top of the short list of businesses that people will think of FIRST when they’re considering buying what you sell.

You want solid advice about advertising. You want to know that your advertising dollars are invested well. It all starts by not obsessing over things like demographics and other numbers that are easily twisted. Of course, some of that information is important to a certain degree, but not to the level that you’d think. Focus first on what you’ll say to your prospects.

If you’re a plumber or a furniture store or a car dealer…and you had someone on the phone or face to face…would you feel comfortable reading them your radio script? Doubtful. Your advertising needs a human factor to it. When you stop treating people like sheep in your advertising, they’ll respond better to your ads. People want to feel they can trust you before they do business with you. And a “typical” advertisement that you’re used to…isn’t going to do that.

Let’s make friends with some new people…and then watch how many of them decide to buy from you.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen (your local advertising resource for non-B.S.)

Results Radio Townsquare Media in Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My Radio Website: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/

Frequently Asked Questions

/ Duane Christensen

Frequently Asked Questions

I think most FAQs are dumb. So, why not try to create one that's valuable to someone? This is a work in progress.

I think most FAQs are dumb. So, why not try to create one that’s valuable to someone? This is a work in progress.

How much does radio advertising cost?

It varies. The thing is…you’re not a “cookie-cutter” business…so we don’t provide cookie-cutter advertising solutions. It’s custom. You might need 60-second ads telling stories about you and your business to make people feel best about you when they need what you sell. Or maybe 30-second commercials are ok. There are even 15-second sponsorships to consider. And the number of competitors you have and how much advertising power or “voice” they have in Sioux Falls is a factor in how many ads you need to be airing each week to take a bite out of their market share. But don’t be afraid. We’ll talk. You’ll ask questions. I’ll ask questions. And get to the bottom of what it will take to make your Sioux Falls radio advertising work!

Which radio stations should I be on?

This is a question that’s kind of important…but not as important as you might think. At Results Radio Townsquare Media we have 8 radio stations. Stations that cover a

pretty wide variety of people. But you never really know exactly who’s listening to what. There are Grandmas listening to… >>>

>>> Read the rest here. http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/frequently-asked-questions/ OR…if you’d rather read about something else besides the rest of the FAQs…poke around some other page of the site.

I’m sending you to my Townsquare website because there is a whole other hodge-podge of info there that a small business owner might like to see…instead of trying to cruise through some of these blog posts looking for answers. Ya know?

And if you’re a radio person or marketing person who reads this… let me know if you approve of anything or if you might disagree with something. I’m open to opinions and discussion!

AND…if there’s a question you’d like added to the list…let me know. I just added it, so I’m sure there will be more and more added to the list over time.

Thanks!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media guy (who writes this Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog at 11:15 p.m. on Wednesday nights)

605-940-7984

http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/

 

Is Buying Radio Advertising Like Buying A Car?

/ Duane Christensen

Flat tire of old car image courtesy of "Toa 55" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Flat tire of old car image courtesy of “Toa 55” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you buy a car…you don’t ever have a question whether it will work or not. And if you have doubts, you can test drive it. But I still think most people take more time in buying a vehicle than buying radio advertising. And with still much of the radio advertising I hear…there’s no way those ads are working. But you still buy radio ads without a glimmer of hope? And this isn’t just RADIO advertising, it’s ALL local advertising. A lot of the local, small business advertising is pretty nasty.

If you needed a good vehicle to get you from point A to B…you wouldn’t buy one that didn’t have an engine in it, would you? Then, why buy advertising that doesn’t have an “engine”?

Have you purchased so much local advertising that hasn’t worked, you’ve completely given up hope of finding some that does? You don’t have to keep throwing money at the next shiny, new advertising or marketing gimmick, praying that something sticks. I know I’ve written this hundreds of times – it’s not WHERE you advertise, it’s what MESSAGE you’re spreading within your advertising.

Don’t spend another penny until you’ve nailed down what kinds of things you can say in your advertising that people actually care about and will pay attention to.

Think of how fast everything online is changing. Think of all the social media things you could be doing. Should you DO all of them? Nooooo!!!! Pick a couple, and do those WELL. Don’t move on to the next “big thing” just because it’s new. You never figured out how to do the last thing right, why switch tracks and start the process over again? I’ve seen it in radio advertising too. Someone switches radio stations all of the time because they believe THAT is what will bring results – a better audience. They’re all people. You just haven’t found anything worth a darn to say to all the people. (let’s figure that out)

There’s a formula in advertising that works. But if you don’t put the lion’s share of your effort into your advertising strategy and message, that formula dies.

Wouldn’t it be awful if buying a car was like buying advertising? You wouldn’t ever be sure if it could even drive off the lot, let alone get you home. I’ll make it easier on you. I’ll help you be confident in a plan before you’re ever asked to write a check. I don’t study how to sell something one time. I study how to make your advertising work – and keep working. And working. And working.

After you and I talk, I feel that you’ll take a big breath of relief. “Ahhhhh.” And then say, “Finally. I think we’re on to something.” (instead of having to look up to the heavens asking for your advertising to work this time).

Thanks for reading. Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

https://siouxfallsradioadvertising.com/

 

You’ve Bought Radio Advertising Before? Oh No.

/ Duane Christensen

You’ve advertised on the radio before. So, you know what you want. Ok. But is “what you want”…the best thing for you?

Image courtesy of "Salvatore Vuono" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of “Salvatore Vuono” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sioux Falls has a ton of advertising options. You may have already “tried” a bunch of those options. You may have “tried” a bunch of different radio advertising schedules. You may even feel you’ve met nearly every advertising sales rep in the city! Wow, I hope not. That would make ME want to sell everything and move to the mountains!

Do you feel that advertising is a necessary evil? You say, “Well…let’s try another stint on the radio. Can’t hurt, right?” Then, you call up a radio station (maybe me) and ask about the rates.

Now, here’s me. I don’t know much about your business yet. And the number of radio advertising options are pretty high. It’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing (if you actually plan on making your radio advertising work). Rates don’t really mean much if you’re not buying into the right plan. Or the right IDEA.

My first thought is… “Do we know what to SAY in the radio ads yet?” No. We don’t. Do I know your competitive landscape? Do I know why your customers buy from you and not the other guy down the street? No.

Image courtesy of "Master isolated images" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of “Master isolated images” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Questions. I need to ask questions to offer the best solution. Not just give you a “package” that won’t work. I need to know more before I can recommend a plan for you. Would you like to draw a one-time crowd? Or would you like to become a household name in Sioux Falls? What would you like your advertising to accomplish? Why do you think you’re a big deal? Do your customers feel you’re a big deal? Would you like more of those happy customers? If I asked your customers about you…what would they tell me?

I love to work with Sioux Falls small business owners who want to make a mark. Those who want to serve their customers better than anyone else could, and those who have a goal and want to know how to reach that goal. I don’t really ever feel comfortable being an order taker. I almost always find a major flaw in someone else’s advertising plan. Those flaws could be any number of things that can sabotage a local marketing and advertising campaign. Such as the length of the ads, the competitive strategy, the message in the ads, the number of ads scheduled to air, etc.

If you’ve bought radio advertising before…I want you to forget what you’ve done before. Because if you were doing it right, you wouldn’t have stopped. You wouldn’t have called someone else. So, try your best to erase from your memory what some other advertising person has told you in the past. If you truly want to get it right this time and stop being unsure, skeptical, confused, or frustrated with your local advertising, then, we’re going to start from scratch. We’re going to have a bunch of conversations before I let you spend any money on advertising. We’ll get it right, first. We’ll have a plan. A plan that will carry the potential for good things to happen. Growth. Good word of mouth. Buzz. Increased profits.

When you’re ready, just call.

Thanks. Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

I’m kind of a big advertising nerd. And I’m confident in the power of radio when it’s done right. The spoken word is impressive when you choose words wisely. You can arrange them in a way that can be subtly persuasive, aggressively entertaining, or peacefully comforting. Let’s find the right words to use for your small business. I am a salesperson, ad writer, and marketing guy for Results Radio Townsquare Media in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I started there in 1998 (while still a punk) answering phones and scheduling radio commercials on an old DOS program (green and black screen). Yikes. I’ve learned a heck of a lot since then.

I even published a small business advertising book in July of 2012. You can check it out here if you want >>> Take A Bigger Slice (on Amazon)

Ph: 605-940-7984

Email: duane.christensen@results-radio.com

Web: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/

 

 

What Are You Saying in Your Sioux Falls Radio Advertising?

/ Duane Christensen

I live, work, and play in Sioux Falls. Usually, I listen to the radio for the music, the sports talk, or the news talk. Mostly the music. But once in a while I scan all the radio stations I can tune in… and listen to the radio ads. Because I’m a geek, I know. But you gotta know what’s out there, right?

Radio Advertising What You Say

Image courtesy of “stockimages” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Anyway, I realized that there are a lot of businesses being under-served. They need help. They’re being sold “radio” instead of being offered a way to grow their business – a way for their advertising to actually work. Can you imagine if you KNEW that your radio advertising was working for you? Instead of just thinking of it as a necessary evil. Wouldn’t that be nice.

The way to make it work is to FIRST take what you “think” radio advertising should sound like… crumple that up into a ball… throw it on the ground… and grind that into oblivion. Then burn it. There is a lot of radio advertising out there where I can pretty much guarantee that it’s a big waste of money. All because you’re not saying the right things in your ads. You’re not saying anything worth listening too.

People aren’t listening to radio ads like I do. Remember, I’m the geek that purposefully listens intensely to advertising – nobody else does that. You need to say something that inspires, is creative, tells a story, shares new valuable information in an understandable way, is authentic, or makes people smile… or all of the above.

When you say something worthy in your radio advertising in and around Sioux Falls… you’ll be shocked at what it can do. I’d name off all of the things I hear in ads that is utter nonsense and completely snooze inducing, but the list is too long.

How would your best customer sell someone on your products, services, your employees, or your company as a whole? Start there. Or call me. I’d love to talk about your local advertising woes… and help you out.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

https://siouxfallsradioadvertising.com/

Need more small business advertising advice? You could try this: Small Business Advertising Kapow

When I Need To Change It Up

/ Duane Christensen

My choices for “auditory entertainment” are Radio and my iPod. Not one or the other. I listen to the Radio more often because I like the local people. And to hear new music. I don’t spend hours on my computer looking for new music on my iPod. I like to hear what’s new or fairly new, and I get that from the Radio – then if I like a new song, I’ll put it on my iPod.

Chad McKenzie – KSOO AM 1140

I love music, but when I want to CHANGE IT UP…I tune into talk radio. One of my favorites is Chad McKenzie in the morning on KSOO AM 1140. He’s light-hearted, fun, and a heck of a nice guy, too.

His show makes me smile.

As far as advertising goes, I feel KSOO is one of the best places to be. Talk radio listeners are “active” listeners. You don’t have to air quite as many ads as you do on a music station to make an impact.

If you’d like to talk to a fairly big audience, I always recommend KSOO as one of my top choices. Some people only want to advertise on music stations…but I don’t get that. People are people. Let’s just make sure we say things in your ads that make them want to buy from YOU instead of one of your competitors.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio / Townsquare Media

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

For more help with local advertising performance, and advice concerning what you should actually SAY in your ads to make them work better, consider my local advertising book, “Take a Bigger Slice”. Or click HERE to read a bit more about it. Have a great day!

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