Marketing

What Makes People Do The Things They Do?

/ Duane Christensen

Why do people act a certain way? Why do they say things they don’t mean? Why do they buy the things they buy? Why do they call one business for service instead of someone else?

What makes people do the things they do?

It’s the question that MARKETERS have been asking for centuries.

There are some obvious ones…

Keep up with the “Jones’s. To impress others. It’s what everyone else is doing. To look like you have a big bank account. And then some.

But as far as really knowing… all I can talk about is myself and my habits. And for the sake of keeping this a marketing article, let’s talk about my own BUYING habits for a second.

They’ve changed over the years. I’m soon to be 45 years old.

When I was younger, I mostly cared about how much something cost because I didn’t have much to spend.

But now, I want good products that perform and last. I want good service even if I have to pay a bit more.

Here’s the thing though… how do I know for sure if a local company is going to treat me right? How would anyone know?

They wouldn’t… unless they knew you… and trusted you.

Which is exactly what a good radio campaign can do. Cause people to like and trust you before they even meet you.

For example…

If I need a plumber, but I haven’t ever found one that I’ve fallen in love with… then I’m going to shop around. If there’s no one that comes to my mind, then I’ll do a google search for “plumbers in Sioux Falls” or something. The results I get will either jog my memory and one will look familiar… or it’s going to be a complete eenie meenie miney moe type of decision on who I call.

If one looked familiar, it’s probably because I’ve seen a lot of their service vehicles around or I’ve been exposed to some of their advertising. But I still really don’t know much about them, and I’m still reluctant.

But what’s the best case scenario for a business owner to get my business?

It’s when I’ve been exposed to their radio campaign for a while… and I’ve gotten to know them through those ads. They’ve talked about things in the ads that make me trust them. They’ve entertained me. They’ve given me some helpful information. So, now, when I need a plumber… boom… I automatically think of that business. And do I google “plumbers in sioux falls”? Heck no. I google the business name. And I either go to their website, or I click the Call button from their Google Business listing. Done. No competitors even came into the picture.

And as a side bonus, do you know that google rewards businesses with better ranking when more people type your business name directly into google. It shows them that you’re a good, reputable, popular, trustworthy business. So, being searched for by name on google not only gets you a direct call or click, bypassing your competition, it also helps you rank higher on google.

What makes people do the things they do? Well… a lot of times it’s EMOTIONS. The emotion of wanting to do business with an easy-going, trustworthy, and friendly company is POWERFUL. So, that’s what you need to convey throughout your Radio campaign. That’s the secret.

But the problem is… most marketers, ad reps, and ad agencies don’t know HOW to create Ad campaigns that does what I’m talking about. Sure, some might be creative, but there’s no tie-in to the business. Some might be full of lots of fluffy “we’re the best” type of stuff, but nobody believes them.

WHAT CAUSES SOMEONE TO CHOOSE YOU AND BUY FROM YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME?

They feel like they know you, they already trust you a little bit, and they like what you stand for. And those things can be conveyed to people in a couple different ways – such as their friends told them about you, or your advertising told them about you through a series of ads over time.

Do you see now why your advertising can’t just be about “awareness”? Awareness isn’t enough. There needs to be something else. Some secret sauce. There needs to be some kind of message that causes people to feel like you’re going to treat them well and deliver what they’re paying for. And then some.

Did you know that 90+% of people still listen to local Radio? Yup.

Sure there are lots of other ways people are consuming entertainment. But that doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned radio. We just have more options. It doesn’t mean we’re not listening. Do young people use radio as much as adults over 25? No. But I don’t really recommend you use radio if you’re trying to target kids either.

Your advertising strategy and the words you use in your ads… are SO IMPORTANT. The MOST important. They either make you or break you. They can either make you hate advertising or almost like it. Like “Like-like” it. A few of my clients actually LOVE it. They know it’s the biggest driver of new customers for them.

I worked for a radio group in sales and marketing for 16 years. Now, I’m an independent marketing company. I still recommend using radio. As long as the strategy and the message is relevant and engaging… there’s not a more versatile way to convey a message to the masses that can stir people’s emotions and get them to like you before they’ve ever done business with you (and the repetition of your radio ads are a huge part of why it’s one of the best ways to get you stuck in people’s heads – in a good way).

Of course, Radio isn’t right for every business. Maybe their profit margins weren’t good enough to make it pay… or they were still fairly new and didn’t have the budget yet to run enough ads to give it a chance to start sticking into people’s heads. There are variables.

Yes, you have a lot of advertising choices. It can get confusing. I can help you navigate all of it. If you have questions about some other forms of advertising and marketing, I’ll give my advice. And if I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it for you… or we’ll talk through it with each other.

Sorry for being so long-winded today! Making advertising work can get complicated… unless you know the right person. 😉

I hope you have a great rest of the month, quarter, and year!

Duane Christensen

9 Yards Marketing

duane@9yards-marketing.com

Radio page: https://www.9yards-marketing.com/radio-advertising.html

Is This The #1 Force Behind Business Success?

/ Duane Christensen

You can try to fool yourself into thinking that your success is all because of the products you sell or the services you offer. Yes, of course, what you sell is important. You need to offer something to consumers that is needed or desired. That’s a given.

business success

But in my humble opinion, the #1 reason for continued long-term success is your people. You need good people who know how to create, build, and service. And you, their leader, needs to instill in those people your passion and your mission. (Your passion stems from more than just making money, right?)

Now, let’s dig a little deeper. All employees need to be good… BUT… THE MOST INTEGRAL PARTS OF YOUR TEAM, THAT MOST DIRECTLY EFFECTS YOUR SUCCESS OR FAILURE, are the people who deal with your customers and your potential customers ONE-ON-ONE. They’re the ones who make the customer experience a great one. They provide a better customer experience than anyone could get from your competitors.

There are companies past and present who have great products and offer much needed services, but they’ve either gone away or are constantly struggling because the customer experience is… or was… horrible.

When a consumer is uncomfortable during an interaction, sales pitch, or service call – it will all fall apart. If not immediately, it will eventually.

Do not kid yourself. If you run a company that depends on multiple employees… one person does not make a successful company. You may be a great leader, but you also need to identify and mold good talent. And you need to know when someone does not fit the mold. Not everyone is trainable at this very moment in time or sometimes ever. And if you need help identifying “the right stuff” in people when you’re hiring them… then get some second and third opinions on your potential new hires. You have to uncover who people really are in your interviews. You have to get them talking. It’s more than just a sheet of questions asking about their skills and where they see themselves in 5 years. It’s about making them feel comfortable enough in an interview to open up and be honest with you.

But again… not everyone is trainable. You know what I’m talking about.

Think about a time you had a great customer experience when you purchased something. Usually, the big, fat, juicy main reason for that great experience was because of one person. Or a string of people who were on-point with how to interact with you.

It’s how they talked to you. They were pleasant, skilled, positive, and they were REAL.

But have you ever been in a buying situation where a person went into a canned sales pitch, and you just wanted to tell them to stop the bullshit and level with you? It’s like your lizard-brain is telling you to run away. Or have you ever got a grumpy service person, and you vowed right then and there never to hire that company again? Ever talk to a rude front office person who gave you a bad taste in your mouth? Yup. All of them. Me too.

Anyone within your company who deals with your customers (or prospective customers) one-on-one… in-person, on the phone, or even through email… are your main reasons for your success or your failure.

People have more choices than ever before to buy the goods and services they want or need. So, when that one employee gives a customer an easy interaction, and creates an environment of calmness and trust, that customer will stay with that person no matter what. Even if that person goes to work for a competitor of yours, that customer will most likely follow that person. Because we all like to do business with PEOPLE… not corporations.

This blog post was inspired by a buying experience I had recently with a salesperson. We’ve done a lot of business with this person, over many years. And this person always treats my wife and I like we’re human beings. They “get it”. This person is almost the complete opposite of what you usually find. They’re a gem that makes us feel COMFORTABLE. If this person ever changed companies, we’d follow.

The one-on-one human interactions are where your battles are won or lost.

It’s not your social media.  

It’s not whether you have great products or services.  

It’s not because you just “know” that you’re better.  

Make sure you have a team of diamonds dealing with your customers. If they need more training on how to deal with people… give it to them. And then, continue with that training weekly… forever. If you need to hire more diamonds, go find them. They may be hiding in a rough… but they are out there. And if you have trouble KEEPING those gems, then, figure out what you can fix.

marketing consultant

Duane Christensen

9 Yards Marketing

duane@9yards-marketing.com

Radio page: https://www.9yards-marketing.com/radio-advertising.html

Photo credit:
Image by sw_reg_03 on Pixabay

I Really Suck at Advertising and Marketing, Please Help!

/ 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:

  1. Impact (with people)
  2. Communicate (with people)
  3. Persuade (people)

Bill Bernbach impact communicate persuade

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.

Retargeted Internet Ads – You Suck

/ Duane Christensen

I despise retargeted Internet ads. retargeting internet advertising

Don’t know what they are? These are ads that “find you” from the things you search online. Here’s the latest gripe I have…

I needed to email Sling TV support because we were having glitches with it on our Roku (no, I don’t have cable or satellite). So, I Googled it to find some contact info. Found the email address. Emailed them. So, later on in the evening I’m on a different website and I see Internet ads on the page I’m on for Sling TV. All I did was Google them to find an email address so I could tell them about our issues and hoping something could be fixed. Now, I get to see their ads everywhere I go online now. Yay.

If you buy retargeted ads, I get what you’re trying to make happen. But most of the time, you’re just advertising to someone who has already purchased from you. And what’s a better way to advertise to those people?  Pop a postcard or a letter into the mail.  Seriously.  Or email.  Even though email gets deleted more than it’s read… it’s still more effective than online advertising.

I’ve heard people say to me… Oh, I want to measure my advertising. I love metrics! I gotta know exactly what I’m getting in return. Well, guess what… there’s no way your analytics are all 100% accurate. Ever see those demographics of the people clicking on your ads? Some are from Indonesia.  Some are from South Korea.  And they were paid to visit your website through your Internet advertising.

And how many of those “views” are really VIEWS?  Not many.  And even if your ad happened to be in eyesight of the person searching around the Internet, then there’s even a smaller chance that they gave the ad even one tiny iota of attention at all.

Internet advertising is great for some things… but most local advertisers are wasting a lot of money.

Ugh.  I know it’s bright and shiny and new-ish… but isn’t it still the wiser move to utilize advertising methods that work?

I saw an ad for a local landscaper the other day on a some totally irrelevant website. It was a completely ignorable ad. The only reason I paid it any attention is because I know the guy. I rolled my eyes back in my head so far, I could see my brain.

Here’s the thing though, I’m in testing phases of Internet advertising with a few people. I’m doing my own research. And I’m not impressed. I’m doing it so I can be a better marketer for anyone that’s looking for some marketing help. I need to know what’s legit and what’s not worth a nickel.

Here’s a headline I saw the other day,

“90% of marketers say retargeting now as good as search ads, email marketing”

Ha! What does that mean? It means still just a little shittier than search ads and email marketing. How many emails from companies do you delete without ever opening? A thousand tons? How many search ads did you not even see… even though they were at the top or side of your screen? A billion tons?

Oh… and if you’re a small, local business who’s had success with any kind of Internet advertising, I want to talk to you. I want to see and hear how you made it happen.  I don’t care if you’re 2 hours away, I’ll make the drive.

That’s my rant for the month.  : )

Have a groovy day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media-Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

Are Objections Getting in the Way of your Sale?

/ Duane Christensen / 1 Comment

Sales Objections

Image courtesy of “phanlop88” / freedigitalphotos.net

Overcoming Objections.

Is that the goal?  Are you sure?

I’m writing about this because I’m in Sales. I’m also in Advertising and Marketing – which is more Sales.  You are in sales in some way.  Have you been “taught” things about the science of selling?  Some sales education includes the topic of Objections.  It’s about anticipating objections – and then knowing how to precisely respond to those objections.

What do YOU think about anticipating objections?

I think that kind of thinking is backwards (or sideways?).  I believe that we’re encountered by objections because we’re thinking too much about them. Or thinking about them, period.  “What if they say this…what if they say that?”  Worry, worry, worry.  Why worry about what might happen?  What will happen…will happen.  But YOU control what will happen.

Keeping on the subject of Objections…my solution to overcoming objections is to KNOW as much as you want to know about what you are offering (selling).  When an objection comes up from someone you’re selling – you can either automatically answer the question honestly because of your knowledge of the subject, or you can bumble and attempt to lie your way through an answer, or you could honestly say you don’t know but you’ll find out, or you can agree with them that maybe your solution isn’t their solution.  It is what it is.

Why force a sale?  Just be a potential solution…or don’t be.  It doesn’t matter if you’re not someone’s specific solution to their troubles.  All you do then is find someone else who might be.  And then, maybe their objections are answered easily and clearly, and you’ve just become someone’s solution to their problem, and all is well, and you’ve made a sale.  You’ll make more harmonious sales when you just be what you are.  And if you’re honestly NOT a very good solution to your prospects’ problems…then there’s a “cross in the wires” and you’ll never have a fulfilling or successful career in what you’re doing.

I handle objections by being completely honest.  Could someone maybe “wow” a potential new customer better than me in a certain situation?  You bet.  But I’m not worried about wowing a prospect like they were hit with a beam of light from the heavens.  All I want to do is be a good person and allow them to see and feel that I have their best interests at heart.

Don’t stress about sales.  If sales will come they will come.  You just have to be set up properly to allow for it.  Are you helping people?  Are you passionate about it?  Do you want to help more people?  Then you will.  If you want something for nothing…sorry, you’re screwed.  If you want to know the precise response to every objection to your sales attempt, then all you need to do, is know as much as possible (or as much as you want) about what you sell and how it helps people create a better life for themselves.  But don’t ever want a precisely measured and memorized response to an objection.  Your response will be a little different every time.  But the meaning and the idea of your response will be the same.  The more you know, the more you won’t have to even give a second thought to objections and potential objections.

I’ve gone through massive amounts of stress due to my sales and marketing career.  I’ve been up, down, and all around.  I’ve learned that laziness will bring you exactly what you fear it will bring you.  I’ve learned that going after something in which I’m not “all in” will produce no fruit (or very little).  I’ve learned there are not cheats to getting what I ultimately want.  I’ve learned that sales does not have to be stressful.  I’ve learned that money and “things” doesn’t create a happy life.  Whoa…I may have got off track…

So, I don’t even THINK about what a potential new customer might object to.  I either know everything I need to know about what I’m offering…or I don’t.

You may say a salesperson should have a “sales bible” or scripts or a list of questions, objections, and responses.  I will always disagree with you.  And I’ll be a happier salesperson.  Neener neener neener.

But don’t sell for someone else.  Sell for YOU because it helps people live a better life or it takes away some kind of distress in their life.  If you WANT to help more people with your “solutions”…you will.

**** Know your craft.  Know what problems you solve.  And stop worrying.  Just be. ****

I have no idea why I wrote this – except for maybe I feel that one budding salesperson could read it and be inspired. Or maybe a struggling salesperson will read it and decide that Sales isn’t for him or her… and move on to a more fitting profession that will ultimately make them happier.  Isn’t that all we want?  To be happy?

Have a groovy day.  : )

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

Duane Christensen

(Assistant bacon manager at Results Radio Townsquare Media)

Window Company Might Need A New Radio Ad Strategy

/ Duane Christensen

Image courtesy of "domdeen" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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)

/ Duane Christensen

radio advertising bad habits

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

/ 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

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.

Blech! Advertising is So Confusing!

/ Duane Christensen

Advertising is Confusing

Image courtesy of “Stuart Miles” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Advertising is Confusing!

What if you decided to finally do it right…and make an impact with your local advertising efforts?

What would you do? Where would you start?

If you look online, you have a ton of choices. Choices that provide no help in “un-confusing” you. Yuck! How could you ever get a feel for one of those advertising companies? You really couldn’t from their online presence. Their websites seem to be full of fluff and “creativity”. I never see any real proof from them that they know how to make local advertising work.

Now, if you stumble across my blog, you may be able to look at a few posts I’ve written…and make an informed decision. You could even listen to some of my sample radio spots. You would either think I’m a crackpot, or you’d be given enough confidence to contact me. But you’d have more than enough information to make that decision. Now let’s get started un-confusing you regarding your advertising.

Radio advertising works…

But first it depends on whether you’re committed to a genuine marketing effort. If you’re looking for the magic potion of advertising results, keep looking. And good luck. If you’re interested in finally figuring out what works and WHY it works, I think you’re in the right spot.

I recently met with a fairly new radio client. There were 3 people from the company ready to answer my questions. I was digging for some new info for future radio ads. One question I asked was, “Is there anything you DO that surprises your customers?” They gave me some great information. Then, we talked for a few more minutes…and the store manager said, “Sorry to go back to that ‘what surprises our customers’ question, but I just thought of something else.” I told him that we could spend the whole meeting on that topic because in your radio ads we need to surprise the listening audience. We need to tell them things they don’t expect to hear. Because otherwise, they’ll tune out. Don’t use advertising to tell people things they already know, surprise them. That’s what will make your radio work better. I heard a few of  them say out loud, “That makes sense.”

THAT was something they had never heard before. In the past, they had been puked on with words, phrases, and industry jargon like, Top of Mind, Branding, Awareness, Demographics, Reach, Targeting, Cost per Thousand, Cume, Dayparts, Circulation, Impressions, etc. etc. Nobody had ever told them that what you actually SAY in your advertising matters. Nobody had ever told them about what kinds of things their “target” might want to hear. Nobody had ever told them that it wasn’t about THEM…it was about how they can surprise, delight, and help someone else – their future customer.

Everyone walked away from the meeting feeling extra confident that we were on the right track. That their ad dollars were being invested wisely.

The only reason advertising might be confusing to you is because nobody has ever really explained it right (or maybe most ad people don’t know).

I don’t sell my clients; I lead them to discover the truth in advertising. I want you to understand what we’re going to do and why it’s going to work before you ever invest a dime.

Give me a shout and let’s talk. Afterwards, advertising won’t be so confusing for you.

Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

Marketing guy for: Results Radio Townsquare Media in Sioux Falls

605-940-7984

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

Little Things

/ Duane Christensen

Image courtesy of "bulldogza" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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.