I Really Suck at Advertising and Marketing, Please Help!

April 15, 2016March 15, 2017 / Duane Christensen / 2 Comments

I was trying to think of what you might Google if you wanted to learn how to improve your local marketing efforts.

“Better advertising”
“Where should I advertise?”
“Should I Advertise Online?”
“I really suck at marketing please help”
“Advertising salespeople are annoying can I do it myself?”
“I’m so much better than my competition why are people so stupid?”

But it’s kind of hard to know what your situation is. Maybe you already advertise on the radio. Maybe you’re already boosting a few Facebook posts here and there.

Let’s talk about advertising choices. There are too many of them. You can’t do everything. Don’t even try.

Here’s the truth about choosing an advertising medium or direction…

Most people (but not you, of course), are NOT fascinated by what actually WORKS… they’re fascinated by what is NEW. Right? Don’t you have this feeling that you’re missing out on something if you don’t give the new, shiny thing a shot?

I’ve said this before…

When you buy advertising, all you’re doing is renting an audience to “reach”. Different ways to reach people change all the time. But what HASN’T changed is PEOPLE. Making advertising WORK, is all about PEOPLE, not about the new ways to reach them.

In order to be successful, all advertising must do 3 things:

Impact (with people)
Communicate (with people)
Persuade (people)

Let’s tackle the “Impact” part of that. The great marketing dude, Bill Bernbach says, “90% of ads do not get noticed.” What?!!! Are you crazy?!!! How is that possible?!!!

Actually, I would agree with that estimate. That statistic comes from a LACK OF IMPACT. Do you want a “Plain Jane” ad that only talks about boring facts of what you sell or what you do?

It will be ignored. You’ll be part of that 90%. Just by standing out (yet still relevant), you’re far ahead of your competition.

Stop being afraid to stand out. You won’t get warts. Your house won’t get egged.

You won’t die.

What do you think happens when your ads get noticed and they’re part of that 10% group?

Hey, I get it. You’re afraid of offending people. There are certain things that I hold back from sharing on social media because I don’t want people to think I’m a flippin’ weirdo or something.

But hey… I’m weird sometimes. My wife loves it. My daughter loves it. If it’s not good enough for anyone else, maybe I shouldn’t care. I do and I don’t. It’s kind of sad that I’m 41 years old, and I don’t think I’ve totally come out of my shell.

I’m working on that though! And so should you!

Especially with your advertising. Stop insisting on blending in. It’s costing you a lot of money – and not making you any.

If you really suck at advertising and marketing your business, then we need to talk. The first thing to do is not make it so difficult and intimidating. All you’re trying to do is become friends with new potential customers. Get them to like and trust you. That starts with authenticity. There are people just like you who would love to buy your product or service. Let them know who you are, what you’re all about, and why you do the things you do. They’ll love you for it. And the best way to do that is through stories, humor, and transparency.

Don’t try to disguise bullshit in advertising with long words or extra words that aren’t needed. We have built-in bullshit detectors in our brains. All of us. So, don’t attempt to get us to love the smell of yours.

Be authentic and create ads with IMPACT! Remember… you won’t die.

Are you ready to advertise though? Is everything up to par within your business? How’s your customer service? How’s your product? Are your current customers happy with you? Here’s another quote from Bill Bernbach…

A great ad campaign will make a bad product fail faster. It will get more people to know it’s bad.

So, just make sure you’re ready for a great advertising campaign. When you are… let’s get together and discuss the possibilities!

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

605-940-7984

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

I work for Results Radio Townsquare Media in Sioux Falls. Been pounding away here at Results Radio in Sioux Falls, South Dakota since 1998. Love helping good, local businesses grow.

Window Company Might Need A New Radio Ad Strategy

November 8, 2013November 11, 2013 / Duane Christensen

Image courtesy of “domdeen” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Listening to the radio the other morning, a window Ad caught my attention. That’s good. That’s what it’s supposed to do. Well, it’s the first thing it’s supposed to do, but that’s not the ONLY thing it should do.

The ad started out giving reasons why someone might need new windows. Drafty, fogged up, condensation, etc. I immediately thought of a few of my older windows. Then, I also thought replacing my windows is not something I needed to do right away. They’re not that bad. Maybe my heat bill is a few bucks higher…oh well.

But here’s the thing that the advertiser failed to do. They failed to make me feel good about THEIR company. They didn’t give me any reason to trust them more than any other window company. All they did was educate me on the signs that I don’t have a perfectly efficient window. I don’t even remember the name of the company (because they failed to give me a reason to remember them).

Here’s the thing about windows. It’s not like buying groceries. People will take a lot of time to consider their options. And people also don’t need to replace their windows very often…or ever. So, the number of people who are in the market right now for new windows is very very small.

The window company radio ads should either be branding themselves to the public. Or they should have had a whopper of an offer, call to action, or added value mentioned in their ad…in order to make the people who really need new windows ACT NOW.

The best kind of advertising would be of the branding sort. The kind of ad strategy that glues a business name in the public’s mind. That series of ads would make me trust THAT company above all others. That company would cause me to feel good about their company. And they would tell me their stories in their ads consistently and repetitively over time on the Radio. That way…I’ll remember them and feel best about them when the time comes for me to replace my windows.

You might say, why not just always have a great offer or a discount of some kind and only attract the people who need your product or service at this very moment?

It’s because that percentage of the population is really small. And you’d be fighting against all the other window companies making offers as well. And then you mostly attract the people looking for the best deal. And you have to make one heck of an offer or discount available…decreasing your profits. Over and over and over and over. It’s an endless cycle of PANIC and a “what kind of deal can we offer this week or month to drum up some business?” kind of situation.

But when you get people to basically love you and trust you and REMEMBER you for wonderful reasons BEFORE they ever have a need for your product or service…then you attract a better kind of customer who is on the lookout for a trustworthy and high-quality business to buy from. That buyer is far more profitable. That buyer won’t get quotes from 17 different window companies (or whatever industry you’re in). They’ll start with you. You’ll either be on the TOP of their list of who to call, or you’ll at least be the top 1, 2, or 3. And that’s WAY better than being the 11th option…or not an option at all.

See what I mean?

Radio can work wonders for you…when you have the right strategy and the right kind of branding message that causes people to remember you for the right things.

You might not even know that Radio Advertising can work really well. You might be considering a “mobile” ad campaign because everyone has mobile phones, right? That’s gotta be the best way to find a new customer, right?

And all that time you were wondering what new technology you could dive into to capture new customers…Radio was always there. And always with the huge potential to help grow your business. But you just weren’t using it correctly.

I hope this example from the window company radio ad helped shed some light on things for you. It’s not that the radio ads can’t help them. They can. Especially if there aren’t a lot of other window companies advertising. You can win a little just by default if your competition isn’t doing much advertising. But it’s just my opinion…this ad campaign can be much much better.

If you have any specific questions about radio advertising or about any other kind of advertising (digital, text campaigns, TV, print, etc.), all you have to do is ask. Either email me or call me. Let’s sit down and figure out the best things we can say to your potential, profitable new customers. Let’s talk over your options.

I want your advertising to work for you. I want you to see business growth and prosperity year after year. Let me know if you’d like some help.

Thanks. Have a groovy day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media (8 radio station group)

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.

“And More!” Advertising (Resist the Temptation)

October 14, 2013July 26, 2018 / Duane Christensen

Image courtesy of “khunaspix” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Ad writing tip: Try handwriting first, then type out your script. I’d even wait a day before typing it out. You’ll find more improvements to make the next day.

I caught myself typing “and more!” in a recent radio script I was writing for a special event. I slapped myself silly and then deleted that ugly, meaningless phrase. There was a small amount of blood, but I’m OK.

Why does “and more!” make it into WAY too many radio ads? Couple of reasons I suspect.

1) Lack of information. You’re trying to list a few things about the business or about a special event…and you really only have about two things to list but it doesn’t feel like that’s enough…so you type “and more!” thinking that the public will want to check out all the “and more” that there is to offer.

2) The client wants you to insert “and more!” into the ad copy. Probably because they’re terrified of leaving anything out…and they feel they’re safe if they add “and more!” They also probably feel that everyone hearing the ad will say, “And more?! Oh, boy! I can’t wait to find out what the ‘and more’ is!!!”

Whether you’re a radio advertising copy writer or a business owner writing your own ad copy…I beg of you to resist the temptation to put “and more” into your copy. Let me explain why…

People don’t hear those two words in your ad. And even if they do, they won’t even have a clue what they would entail. And they won’t be excited about those words, pondering what exciting and mysterious things could be waiting for them at your business or special event.

So, the words “and more” in your ad…are DEAD WORDS. They mean nothing. People want to know specifics. They want the juicy facts! But if you’re insistent on using “and more” because you’re pig-headed or don’t believe me…at least say “and a whole wagon-load of whatchamacallits!” in your radio spot instead. You might as well get some attention with your vagueness, right?

Maybe you’re a retail store and you’re having a huge sale. You decide to mention a bunch of name brands that you carry. After listing about 5 brands you say, “and more!” Sorry, but people aren’t going to fill in the blank. All they possibly heard are the brands they’re familiar with. Two out of the five if you’re lucky.

Fill your radio spots with something better. Get people’s attention. Tug at their emotional strings. Get them to FEEL what you can do for them. Make them want to experience what you can offer them. That won’t happen with laundry lists of unremarkable items and a whole bunch of “and mores” snapped onto the ends.

When you and I work together on your radio advertising campaign…or your special event advertising…I’m going to dig deeper. I’m going to make YOU dig deeper. Let’s give people some information they might actually care about. Let’s entertain them. Let’s make them LIKE you before they even become a customer. And when they do…then YOU can make them LOVE you. Sound like a plan?

Have a kick-butt-take-names kind of day!

Duane Christensen

605-940-7984

I write this blog on behalf of my own sales and marketing career at Results Radio Townsquare Media in Sioux Falls. (8-station radio group + ad writing + strategy). This is not the company website. This is my own personal radio advertising blog. I hope to educate future radio clients as well as share some extra insight to my current radio clients. I’ve been doing this long enough where I know what works and I know what doesn’t in the world of radio. When you want to make a splash and grow your business in the Sioux Falls and surrounding market, please get in touch with me. I’d be happy to talk about the options you have and share my ideas with you.

Better Ads = More Buying Power

October 4, 2013December 2, 2013 / Duane Christensen

You want to advertise, but you also want to invest WISELY.

Let me help you spend your money. Just kidding. Let’s help you get MORE for your advertising investment, eh?

Here’s how this works.

Let’s say you were going to hire an AVERAGE or below average advertising person. They’ll gladly take your money…and then sloppily put together some ad with no idea about whether that ad might work or not. OR they’ll tell you that you have to air 42 ads a week regardless of your type of business or your local competitive situation. You’ll end up spending more money…and getting less in return if you go with this option.

What’s the other way to go? You can have better ads (or commercials – whatever you want to call them) When you have better ads and a better overall strategy fueling your ads, then you don’t have to BUY as many ads to air each week. Seriously. I’m not makin’ this crap up!

When you’re actual advertising message “hits the mark” with your targeted prospects better…then they have more impact. Here’s a totally made up scenario…

You’re told that you have to buy a lot of ads to make it work. So, you buy 45 ads a week. The ad itself is nothing special. But you’re “getting your name out there”, right? You’re disappointed with the results.

Then, you decide to do it better. You call me. We talk. You understand how advertising works a lot more just because we had a 20-minute conversation. You’re a bit more optimistic, hopeful, or maybe even excited now. I put a plan together for you. Instead of 45 ads a week on the radio per radio station, I suggest 24 to 30. Then, I come up with a better ad. Or series of ads. And then those ads start working. They’ll start working when a lot of thought is put into the plan in the beginning. There’s a foundation at the heart of it that will allow everything to work better, faster, and just plain WORK!

So, I’m not only going to be able to save you money initially, but you should be MAKING more because the advertising you’re doing with me and Results Radio will be pulling in more profitable customers to you. Then, all you have to do is make those customers happy and tell a few people about you…and Boom things start really crankin’ for you. Life is good!

With the money you’re saving initially on fewer ads each week…you could probably advertise on a 2nd radio station for the same money that the “average” ad person would have proposed!

Image courtesy of “stockimages” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
MORE BUYING POWER!

Do you understand now that BETTER ADS WILL GIVE YOU MORE BUYING POWER?

BUT…none of that has a chance to become reality until you call me for an initial 20-minute conversation. Maybe it’s over coffee. Maybe it’s in our cozy little library at Results Radio. Maybe it’s in our top-secret brainstorming room with cushy, colorful chairs.

I’m a nerd about this stuff. I’m YOUR nerd…if you’ll have me. Let’s chat. I’d love to help out! I’d like to help you reach your business goals. What? You don’t have any? You should get some, because then you can get excited when you reach them. What’s your Sioux Falls or surrounding area market potential? Can you double your revenues? Triple them? Set some goals. I want to help you reach them.

Thanks for reading. Have a groovy day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media (8-station radio group)

Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

Let me add a little disclaimer here. Not every situation is the same, but this is a pretty frequent scenario I just talked about. And no, not every ad person will help waste your money faster. But I’ve seen too many who do not have your best interest at heart…or not have the knowledge to make your advertising work for you.

It’s All About You. Wait…No It’s Not

September 18, 2013September 18, 2013 / Duane Christensen

If you and I meet some day for the first time, I’ll be completely honest with you. I’m going to tell you that your radio advertising isn’t about YOU. I’m going to be honest with you because I actually care that your advertising works. I really really care. I’d rather you be happy with me…than upset that your ads don’t work. I’m addicted to the feeling that I’m doing good for my radio clients.

Image courtesy of “Stuart Miles” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You may say that you want certain words and phrases in your ads. I may agree…and I may not agree. If your ad is mostly customer-focused and talks about how you help your customers avoid frustration or make them happy, we’re on the right track. If your ad (and ad campaign) talks mostly about YOU. I’m going to tell you WHY that won’t work. And I’ll help you understand the basic psychology behind effective advertising.

Once we figure out what a good strategy will be to set you apart from your competition, and figure out some things to say in every ad that will help cause people to subconsciously say, “Duh. I’d be pretty dumb to do business with someone else,” then it’s pretty smooth sailing from then on. Then, we won’t have to start from scratch every time you need a new, fresh radio spot to hit the airwaves.

Please don’t “try” radio to see if it works. It works. The only reason it would ever NOT work, is if the ads were scheduled too sparsely, or if you’re saying things in your ads that nobody cares about. If you do that, your ads will be “invisible”. And invisible radio ads are a big waste of money, and you’ll be disappointed.

That’s why you WANT me to be honest with you from the start. Not just take your money and run for the hills. You want me to share things with you that you might not see “from the inside”. It happens to the best of business owners. They forget to look at things from the consumer’s point of view. What may seem significant to you and your business, might not matter much to the average joe or jane and their families.

The only ways that your advertising is about YOU are that 1) You’re the one paying for the advertising and 2) we have to tell the listeners which business to contact (YOU!) when they want those wonderful things that you offer – less frustration, better life, headache relief, money savings, etc.

When you want to attract a consistent flow of profitable, new customers, I have what you need. It’s not a pill, it doesn’t come from a magic wand; it comes from putting some serious thought into what it is you want to accomplish and what your customers really love about what you offer. Let me know if you’d like to discuss your future and your new radio advertising plan.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

605-940-7984

I work for Results Radio Townsquare Media. I write this blog on behalf of my own sales career within the company. I’m passionate about what I do. Making advertising work for you IS the most important thing that I do. It’s what fires me up. What do I do? I write ads, think strategically with your best interests in mind, create ad schedules so your message can be heard, and I become very familiar with your business and what your customers care about.

Little Things

August 20, 2013 / Duane Christensen

Image courtesy of “bulldogza” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As I WROTE…

And RE-WROTE…

And SCRIBBLED a few new radio scripts for a fitness center type of client, I realized how much the scripts improved as I made changes. Sometime little changes. And it wasn’t too difficult, it just took some extra time and care. For example,

I was writing something about “obsessing about weight” …and it was boring. So, I started cruising around Google looking for a “spark” regarding weight or weight loss. And that brought me to some information about the gravity on the planet Mars – a 250-pound person here on Earth would only weigh 95 pounds on Mars. Ta-da! A brand new angle for the ad that would definitely get some extra people’s attention…and stick in a listener’s mind a little better.

Then, I started writing another script for that same client and mentioned couch potatoes. It was a good intro, but towards the end I wanted to bring the listener back to “the couch potato thing”. But I wanted to do it differently. So, I paused. And thought about couches. Then, I pictured the love seat in my own home. A love seat is a smaller couch, right? And couch potatoes aren’t all the same size. That was what I needed. Now, my radio script mentioned couch potatoes AND love seat potatoes. It’s nice when things work out. But it usually doesn’t happen on the first try.

Make some extra passes at your radio ads. Come up with some ideas…and then expand on them. Take yourself down a rabbit hole until it gets too weird, and then back up just a step or two. But the main reason my ads improved was because I didn’t say, “That’s good enough” after just the first or second drafts. And to be honest, I came up with the basic script ideas weeks ago…but let them marinate a while before I sat down to finish them.

The little things…can make a big difference.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

Ad Writing / Ad Strategies / Digital Advertising / Radio Sales

605-940-7984

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

I’m a radio marketing guy at Results Radio Townsquare Media. I write this blog on behalf of my Sales & Marketing career at Results Radio Townsquare Media. I truly enjoy helping businesses get from their Point A to their Point B in an efficient manner. And Radio Advertising is just one of those ways that has worked wonderfully well for my radio clients. We have 8 radio stations within our group to help you reach the people you’re looking for within Sioux Falls and the surrounding area.

Who’s The Big Dog?

August 14, 2013August 14, 2013 / Duane Christensen

Who’s The Big Dog?

Image courtesy of “Photokanok” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Would you like to take a bite out of the big dog’s market share? If you want to grow…that’s where you’ll most likely have to steal customers.

Are you saying to yourself, “Why would I want to steal customers?”

Well…that’s where your growth comes from. People are already using someone else to get the services or products you provide. But not all of those consumers are happy with who they’re doing business with. That’s where YOU come in.

You need to be more appealing to them. You need to offer something better. You need to treat them better. Ya know? Good customer service? Yeah, it’s important. Putting your employees on auto-pilot and free rein to act however they wish…isn’t a good plan. If you’re going to chop down the “big dog” a little bit…you’re going to have to perform better – in every aspect within your business.

THEN…you need to tell people about it. That’s where your radio advertising comes in. It’s easy to just spend some money on advertising and watch it NOT work. That’s a piece ‘a cake. The hard part is making your advertising WORK. Especially if you have a big dog in your industry who is “top of mind” in Sioux Falls (or wherever you are).

So, if that’s the case, you’ll probably have to run more than 3 radio spots per day. We’ll be looking at possibly 4, 5, or 6 radio ads per day. There’s not one formula that’s going to work best for everyone. You have to take into account your competitive situation – or your “big dog” situation.

And if you’re already one of the bigger dogs, then you have to be aware that you’ll have competitors who want to take a piece of YOUR pie. So, you’ll want to at least protect that share with a good ad strategy. And Radio is one of the best places to do that.

You’ll need to set yourself apart from your competition. You need a strategy that lets people know how you’re DIFFERENT. And how you’re able to make their life better by choosing YOU. It’s more than just “running radio ads”. We’ll help you come up with a differentiating strategy. We’ll help you come up with a series of radio commercials that can start “sticking” into people’s minds. And radio does that best when you insert EMOTION into your radio ads. You will need to connect with potential new customers on more than a logical level. You need to push some of those emotional hot buttons and get people to remember you and feel good about you when they need what you offer.

When you buy any kind of advertising…if you’re not told any of this, then you should be wary. You might be told that just by advertising on their TV station, newspaper, website, or buying a special direct mail list that RESULTS will automatically come to fruition. That’s not the case. You need to SAY something worthy in your advertising. The media you choose isn’t the power, it’s the message you’re spreading around. If you don’t say anything in your advertising that is compelling and if what you say doesn’t move someone closer to doing business with you…then you’re wasting your money.

Did you know that just by sharing a better message (above and beyond a poor or average message) your RETURN ON INVESTMENT can be up to 8x better? Yes. 8 TIMES! So, doesn’t that even make it sillier when you’re worried about getting the lowest ad rates? I can find you some really cheap advertising…but you’ll still be throwing that money down the drain if you’re not saying the right things in your ads.

You wanna go after the big dog? We’re good at helping local Sioux Falls businesses do that. And if there’s not a clear “big dog” in your category right now…we’re good at turning businesses INTO the BIG DOG. What’dya say? Ready to take a look at how we can help? How I can help? Yes, I work alone on most of my clients’ radio strategies and ads…but when it’s needed I also get help from my team at Results Radio. That might entail orchestrating a few brainstorming sessions with my team and your team, or bringing one or two extra people along to meet you and ask a few of their own questions.

Let’s start here though…

What would you like your advertising to accomplish?

What is your 5-year GOAL for your business?

Ideally, how much more would you like to grow in the next 5 years?

Let’s start there. I want to help you hit your big target. Maybe you have a goal of growing your business by 4x. That’s great. Let’s start the discussion on how we could help make that happen. It’s more than just advertising…and we’re here to give any extra advice and resources we can if you need it. We’re way more than just a radio station. We’re business growers. We’re staying on top of everything so our radio stations (and our websites) remain in the homes, cars, phones, and work areas of the majority of the population.

I’d love to help. All you have to do is reach out to me. I’m harmless. : )

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media

Ad Writing / Ad Strategies / Digital Advertising / Radio Sales

605-940-7984

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

I’m a radio rep for Results Radio Townsquare Media. I write this blog on behalf of myself. Bottom line? I truly enjoy helping businesses get from their Point A to their Point B in an efficient manner. And Radio Advertising is just one of those ways that has worked wonderfully well for my radio clients. We have 8 radio stations within our group to help you reach the people you’re looking for.

What’s Your Reason for Advertising?

July 8, 2013 / Duane Christensen

Image courtesy of “Stuart Miles” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why do you want to advertise?

Because business is slow?
Because you now have some cash flow and want to keep growing?
Do you need a short-term “fix” or spike in sales?
Because you can’t keep customers happy and need to constantly replace them with new ones?
You’re a new business?
Something else?

I love helping those businesses who want to grow, and who want to continue to grow and take a bigger slice of the market. Or those who have a lot of competition and are fighting to maintain their share or would love to “move up in the ranks” within their local market.

And that can’t be done by quick bursts of advertising like a shotgun at the hip hoping you hit something. A splash here, a splash there, a sprinkling of ads to reach everyone – it just doesn’t work..

You wish that would work. Everyone does. But it doesn’t.

I want to help you and CAN help you, if you answer Yes! to these questions:

Are you looking for consistent growth, year after year?
Do you want an advertising campaign where you don’t have to discount your prices in order to snag a new customer?
Would you like someone to help you manage your ad campaign? (meaning someone who will stay on top of things, write ads, keep ads fresh, give you time to do other things like run your business)
Would you like help with what you say in your ads? (ad writing, set you apart from your competition, slogans, etc.)
Would you like to work with an advertising person who has your best interest at heart and can advise you on other marketing tactics?

Radio advertising is currently helping hundreds and hundreds of local Sioux Falls businesses. The businesses in which Radio Advertising helps MOST, are those who are being a little “different” in their advertising message. They’re not just using Radio for the sake of using Radio. They’re using it to engage on a deeper level with Radio listeners. They’re branding themselves as one of the top go-to places for Sioux Falls and surrounding area consumers.

Sure, Radio can “get your name out there”. But what good is that if nobody will remember your name when they actually need what you offer? Great radio advertising will brand your business name into the hearts and minds of the large radio listening audience. When you do that, you’re not only advertising to the miniscule slice of people who need your product or service NOW…but you’re branding yourself. That way, when the other 99% (give or take) of your radio audience who need you down the road…will remember you. And then, you’ll be one of the top choices they contact, or possibly the FIRST businesses they choose to contact.

Can you imagine how something like that could immensely improve your situation and bottom line?!

Radio is mass media. Which means it reaches a ton of people. Don’t get overly worked up about your “target”. People are people. And they listen to all different kinds of Radio. There is not one kind of person who listens to one kind of Radio. Radio reaches the masses. And you’d be surprised at which radio stations people listen to. Don’t use Radio for “targeting”. That’s what Direct Mail is for. Radio is for branding your business into the hearts and minds of massive amounts of people.

If you know the type of person you’re looking for (a profitable customer whom you enjoy serving and doing business with)…your Radio advertising should talk very directly to that person. Talk to their likes and dislikes. Talk to their heart. Befriend them with your Radio ads before they ever do a lick of business with you. Earn their trust. Help them feel confident they’ll be treated right if they decide to visit you. Make them feel like you’re “the one” to help solve their problem or improve their life.

What’s YOUR reason for advertising? Is because you’re dabbling with entrepreneurship? Or is because you want to take the bull by the horns and make something happen? Business growth and success does not happen automatically or magically. Successful local businesses went after it. They knew there were obstacles and possibly even a lot of competition in their field. They knew they had to advertise, commit to a plan, and do it differently than everyone else spinning their wheels and sprinkling their ad budget around hoping something sticks.

This isn’t a “DO THIS or you will fail” message. I just want to be one of the first people you contact when you have advertising and marketing questions. I’d like to help you understand what works and what doesn’t when you decide to invest in a successful advertising plan. I want to help. I love to see good businesses (who are good to their customers) succeed and prosper. I want to introduce you to MORE people who would appreciate the products or services you offer.

A good Radio plan can work wonders. And it doesn’t have to be overly complicated. I’ll explain how it all works – just give me a call and we’ll talk. No annoying pie charts and statistics about how Radio is the biggest, baddest thing since sliced bread. Just honest advice on how you attract more profitable customers and grow. Radio is helping my clients do that. Let’s help you do the same.

Have a great day! Hope to talk to you soon.

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My work website: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/

If you have questions about the cost of radio advertising, which radio stations would be a good fit, or how to get started attracting more customers, don’t be afraid to ask. I like to help good businesses take a bigger slice of the Sioux Falls market.

I’m a 39-year-old ad writer, radio marketing guy, and business helper. I’ve been learning and growing at Results Radio since 1998. I’d like the chance to show you what we can do for you.

You Paid Too Much For Your Fireworks

July 5, 2013July 5, 2013 / Duane Christensen

Image courtesy of “graur razvan ionut” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I got annoyed the other day, listening to all of the fireworks ads.

Yowza! If there’s any industry who needs to “say something different” in their ads…it’s the fireworks people. You know the ones with the big red, blue, yellow, white, or black buildings?

Here’s what they tell you…

“The lowest prices, the biggest bangs, in the big (insert color) building.” yada yada yada

Then, I heard this in one of them…

“If you didn’t get your fireworks at the big blue building, you paid too much.“

Then, a few minutes later, I heard another advertiser say this…

“If you didn’t get your fireworks at the big black building, you paid too much.“

Now, I’m confused.

Do you know where I got MY fireworks this year? At the smaller fireworks shop that was closest to where I live. Did they have the lowest prices? I have no idea. Even if I paid a couple bucks extra for the $57 of bangers I picked up…whatever. They were really busy for about two days before the 4th of July. And I’m sure they didn’t advertise.

Listening to all the fireworks ads, I thought, “There’s no way these places are getting much ROI from these ads.” These advertisers are trying to persuade us to go to their establishment based on price mostly – which there’s no way that fireworks prices differ that much between buildings. Or they’re trying to tell us that they have the ultimate boomers and sparklies to light up the sky. I don’t believe it.

So, what would I do if I owned one of these places? My radio ads would let people know where I’m at… “Hey if you live or work near (insert location), stop by and let’s get you all set up for your Independence Day celebration.” My radio ads would also let people know that most fireworks are going to cost pretty much the same wherever you go…so you might as well shop at a place with some friendly smiles and free “big daddy” punks.” (or some kind of freebie that you give them with every purchase)

But the biggest way to make a fireworks ad go a long way is to make the WHAT YOU SAY and the WAY the ad is voiced totally different from every other fireworks ad. Don’t make it sound like the monster-truck-sunday-sunday-sunday! ads. Just tell it like it is. “Yup, we sell fireworks just like the 50 other places in this town. And the prices aren’t really that different. We’ll greet you with a smile, give you the help you need if you want it, and thank you for your business when you’re done shopping.”

Call me crazy…but that kind of message would stand out against a crowd of fireworks ads who all tend to be saying the same exact thing.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My work website: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/

Copy Writing: Persuasion with Words

May 20, 2013 / Duane Christensen

What’s the ultimate skill you possess when it comes to copy writing? What kind of wicked wordsmithing do you conjure up? Or are you short on copy writing skill?

Here’s when you absolutely need some extra copy writing training and advice…

IF IT TAKES YOU LONGER TO UNDERLINE, BOLD, AND INSERT TRIPLE EXCLAMATION POINTS TO YOUR COPY THAN IT DID TO ACTUALLY WRITE THE SCRIPT OR COPY…THEN YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOME EXTRA COPY WRITING INSTRUCTION.

You need to “shock” a little.
Image courtesy of “foto76” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Your copy needs to do something. It needs to JOLT in some way. Of course there are a lot of ways to do that:

1) Words and phrases that are completely out of left field and make people go “What the…?” causing them to HAVE to hear what’s next. You need to surprise people with your word choices. Just don’t disappoint them after the “What the…” moment.

2) Storytelling in a manner that sucks a person into the story. (Let’s say it’s a radio ad) A story told in such a way that if someone were to reach over in an attempt to change the radio station in the middle of the story…you’d slap that person’s hand.

3) Sharing information that is unknown to a reader/listener. Information that is intriguing and feeds the curiosity and thirst for knowledge within us.

4) Raw, personal, and “human” content. When you share a vulnerability of some sort about a person or company, people perk up. They like to know that they’re not the only messed up souls on the planet. They like to know that some of the thoughts in your head…match up with a few of theirs. It helps to connect with them. It deepens relationships. It helps them remember you…when they need what you sell.

Those are only a few ways to inject some degree of jolt-factor into your copy.

And do I really need to say this?…

Kill the cliché stuff.
Take a noose to the “ad speak”.

Speaking of “ad speak”. Was it Roy Williams of the Wizard Academy who coined that term? Either way… he has been instrumental in my copy writing, marketing, and advertising education. Have you read his “Wizard of Ads” trilogy? It’s a must if you’re in business.

Other recommendations…

Well, besides Roy (who I still refer to and learn from) I also liked Jeffrey Fox’s “How to Become a Marketing Superstar” when I was starting out. It’s great for someone just learning. I’d say get some of the basics of copy writing down first.

THEN…THEN…Then, when your brain is REALLY hungry to get good. When your appetite to learn more is fierce, dig into the teachings of these people…

Eugene Schwartz

Dan Kennedy

David Ogilvy

Claude Hopkins

Jack Trout

Joe Sugarman

Gary Halbert

John Carlton

Roy H. Williams

…and of course there are a ton more. These are just some really strong suggestions. I still get hungry, too. If you have 1 or 2 other suggestions that I may not have read…please feel free to comment and SHARE with me. : )

Just remember that the people you’re trying to persuade with your copy writing need to be jolted a little (or a lot). They need to be awed and seduced. Don’t try to trick them into paying attention…make them want to.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

My work website: http://duanechristensen.townsquareinteractive.com/ (And if you’d like a business website like this, or nothing like this, give me a shout. I’ll point you in the right direction)

And if you have questions about the cost of radio advertising, which radio stations would be a good fit, or how to get started attracting more customers, don’t be afraid to ask. I like to help good businesses take a bigger slice of the market.

Or if you’d like to set up a free blog like the one you’re reading, I can help you get started with that too.