small business advertising

Ain’t Nothin’ Easy

/ Duane Christensen

I was going through some old marketing notes… and found something that I had written down and tore out of a journal-type notebook. Jagged edges, scribbles on it, but nothing written about WHY I wrote it or WHERE it came from. But I’m going to share it with you in a moment.

Things are a little uncertain right now with the Covid-19 virus… but there are some businesses out there who are innovating and putting their thinking caps on. There are categories that are seeing an increase in business. BUT a lot of local businesses are either way down, barely breaking even, or losing money. Those business owners aren’t sleeping well. They’re wondering if they can pay their employees or even keep their doors open. They’re concerned for their families. Their future.

The anxiety is high in this group of small business owners. It’s taking its toll on them. If you know someone like this, just reach out to them and ask, “How are you?” Don’t be afraid of the answer, just get them talking. You CARE about them, so, don’t go silent when they need someone to listen and help them get a few things off their chest. They’ll appreciate you so much!

Ok, so here’s the chicken scratches I found in a pile of marketing notes the other day…….

Ain’t Nothin’ Easy when it comes to good marketing these days.

Sure it’s EASY to spend money.

It’s EASY to place an Ad buy.

It’s EASY to try out the newest social media marketing.

It’s EASY to buy some ads on the new radio station, or the new billboard, the new bus bench, the new magazine, the new TV show, and on and on.

But it’s HARD to make advertising work. It’s hard and time-consuming to figure out what to say to consumers that will change perceptions and move them closer to buying from YOU and not from your competition.

Seth Godin said, “You’re going to need to go uphill in order to go downhill. The hard work is digging deeper than usual on the uphills – that’s the best chance you have to earn a downhill later.”

Making your marketing WORK… requires YOU to dig deeper.

Making your marketing WORK… requires YOUR MARKETING PERSON to dig deeper.

AND AT TIMES LIKE THIS… digging deeper is critical. It could possibly be life or death for your business.

At 9 Yards Marketing, we don’t specialize in selling you radio, we specialize in making your radio advertising work. And keep working. And keeping your business growing. That’s what we do. Whether you need us NOW… or a few months from now, we’re ready to dig deep.

In the meantime, I would recommend that you find a few people to chat with about your situation. People who might not even always agree with you… but you appreciate their different perspective, ideas, creativity, opinions, etc. People who aren’t afraid to challenge you and make you DIG DEEPER…

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Cuz the future could quite possibly be brighter than we could have ever imagined….

Duane Christensen

9 Yards Marketing

Sioux Falls, SD

duane@9yards-marketing.com

Diversification is for your Financial Portfolio… not your Advertising… kind of… 😃

/ Duane Christensen / 2 Comments

radio advertising sioux falls

Image by Stuart Miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you ever been told that you should diversify your advertising investments? You know… spread your marketing all around to as many places as possible… so you can “reach” the most people?

Don’t get me wrong, I can understand the logic.  But when you stop to truly think about how to make advertising work really well… it’s not logical at all.

Let me explain. Good advertising RESULTS do not come from merely “touching” or “reaching” people with a logo or an advertising message.  Advertising results come from engaging people with your ads. Engaging, entertaining, informing, and persuading. 

But how many people do you think would switch from doing business with one of your competitors and become your loyal customer with only ONE ADVERTISING IMPRESSION? Based on research and my experience, I’m guessing it’s a fraction of a percentage, and that’s being really optimistic.

Have you heard those businesses who advertise on the radio? The ones you hear a few times each week, every month, and every year? They’ve made it impossible for you to ignore them. When you need what they sell… they’ve made it to the top 1, 2, or 3 businesses in your HEAD that you have to either say “yes” or “no” to.  Because of their consistent radio advertising and an unmistakable ad strategy, THEY’VE LAID CLAIM TO A SPOT IN YOUR BRAIN.  It doesn’t mean you WILL buy from them, it just means that you can’t ignore them. They’re one of the top options you’ll consider when you want to buy what they sell.

So, if you’re not one of those advertisers… you’re going to be farther down that list of options to go to… if you’re on that list at all.  If you get onto that short list of businesses who people think of when they need what you sell, it will affect your business growth incredibly.

Radio “reaches” about 93% of adults each week.  So, tell me why you’d want to spread your marketing dollars – no, let me rephrase that – why would you want to SPRINKLE your marketing dollars around here and there and over there… barely making any impact at all in the mediums where you place your ads?

In order to become one of the top choices that people think about when they need your product or service (i.e. branding), you must be consistent with your advertising on the ad mediums you choose. Why?  Because if you’re not consistent, and if you’re not trying to brand your name in the heads of consumers, then you’re only talking to the very small fraction of a percent of people who need you right now.  That means about 99% or more of your marketing dollars are then wasted.  

Wouldn’t you rather advertise to the other 99% of the people who don’t need you now, but may need you in 2, 6, or 12 months?  That’s a huge group of people who you could be engaging, educating, entertaining, and persuading. Over time, who do you think people would want to do business with… the business they know NOTHING about… or YOU – the one who has been consistently whispering in their ear about how YOU can help them?

Side note:  And I’m sorry to say… digital / online advertising won’t make that happen. Not on their own. If you put a small portion of your budget into some online display advertising of some kind, that’s ok, as long as you have enough coverage with your radio plan. Then, your online ads can kind of be a support team to your radio ads. People who see your online ads AFTER they’ve heard your radio ads, will be moved much closer to doing business with you, rather than just seeing an online ad. Click rates are pretty dang low. 

It’s the same thing with being found on the first page of Google in a search query. For example, if I don’t have a “go-to” plumber… and I see 5 or 6 plumbing businesses on the first page of Google… I’m going to first call the one that I feel like I know and trust because of the storytelling or interesting information they’ve shared via their advertising.  Whether they were the FIRST in a Google search or not.  Doesn’t matter to me.  I go with the one I feel most comfortable with.

We’re talking about Branding here… not Awareness.  I’m “aware” of a lot of local businesses, but I don’t know anything about many of them. But the ones who tell me their story and how they can best help ME when I need their product or service… they’re the ones I will consider first. Every time.  

Are you ready to be a household name in the Sioux Falls area? That’s what I’m here to help you do. But just beware… it’s not just about consistency with your advertising… your ads have to engage, entertain, inform, and persuade. And there are not many marketing people who understand how to do that. I do. We do.  

Results Radio devotes much of its training for us to the “writing better ads / creating smart strategies / being remembered” side of things. You won’t find that in many other places around the country. We asked the question, “How can we make our clients’ advertising WORK?” And then, we figured out how to make that happen.

Let me know if you’d like to discuss a marketing plan… and I’ll help you figure out what that plan might look like.  It’s what I do.  

Thanks! Have a groovy day!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

duane.christensen@results-radio.com

605-940-7984

Up For Grabs

/ Duane Christensen / 1 Comment

I absorbed a Roy Williams (Wizard of Ads) Monday Morning webinar thingy recently. He said something once about all the people “up for grabs”. So, it got me thinkin’.

Up For Grabs

Image courtesy of “Sura Nualpradid” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There are a lot of people “up for grabs” …if only you would say something to them that doesn’t completely insult their intelligence.

“Up for grabs?” you say?

I don’t care what size of market you’re in… the majority of the advertising could be a heck of a lot better. Which means the ads aren’t working too well on people. These people are “up for grabs”. You could begin a well-thought-out advertising plan to win over a healthy portion of those people.

These are people who don’t know WHERE to go for a product or service… so they search the internet. And what do they usually find? A list of hopefully relevant businesses in which they most likely know nothing about. It’s a crapshoot. See? They’re up for grabs!

Now… if you only knew what kinds of things you should say in your ads, right? What could you say to people in your small business advertising efforts that would be the start of a profitable long-term relationship?

Hint: It’s not about you! It’s about THEM. How can you help them? How can you tap into their emotions so they begin to trust you before they even meet you?

You can’t make a friend by announcing, “Hey! I need a friend!” And successful advertising is no different.

There are more people “up for grabs” than are not up for grabs. It’s a big number. Why not go after the lion’s share of that group? These are people who would love to trust a good company like yours.

The biggest difference maker you have in making your advertising work… is saying something in your advertising that will “move” people.

SAY SOMETHING RELEVANT.

SAY SOMETHING SINCERE.

SAY SOMETHING MEMORABLE.

And I usually like to do those things with Radio. Oh my gosh…radio still moves a lot of mountains for local businesses! Yes, the world has more “audio options”, but the numbers (the people listening) have remained constant. The “other options factor” just means that we need to be even more focused on creating a better advertising message (no matter where you advertise).

Don’t bore people’s socks off. Either you have a revolutionary / unique / eyebrow-raising point of difference to share with audiences OR you need to lasso people’s emotions and help them love you before they meet you.

So…who’s ready to talk to that big group of “up for grabs” folks?

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media

Sioux Falls

 

Advertising Small Business Wonderfulness

/ Duane Christensen

1966 was too early for me, but I remember listening to tapes of Bill in the late 70s and early 80s. Awesome humor. Unmatched.

1966 was too early for me, but I remember listening to tapes of Bill in the late 70s and early 80s. Awesome humor. Unmatched.

Bill Cosby released a comedy album in 1966 called “Wonderfulness”. What a great title. Just the word itself makes you want to listen to it. But do YOU have wonderfulness?

Do people know all the WONDERFULNESS that your product or service can deliver?

What do you DO for people? Think about that question. Go deeper than the obvious, “surface” answers. Figure out what you really DO for your customers. Figure that out first.

Then, how do you tell them?  How do you advertise?

If you begin “shouting” at folks about what you sell, you WILL be ignored. You’ll be ignored because thousands of others like you are doing the exact same thing.  Your words have become mere background noise.  Static. Annoyances.

Advertising can drive sales. Advertising can double your sales this year. It CAN if you scrap your current, non-producing ad plan, and start fresh.

WHAT IF…

What if you talked to your prospect about what’s going on in THEIR life?  What if you talked to them about what is truly important to them?  Or about something they wish to fix.  About pain they want to be rid of?  About something that can make them feel happy.  Something that will better their lives.  ??

Because isn’t THAT what we all want?  To be happy – successful – respected – loved – content – admired – free of stress – financially secure – independent – healthy – attractive – comfortable – safe – secure –     etc., etc.

What people want…is to better themselves.  So, tell them how your product or service can aid them in their journey.  Will you continue to tell them in the same ways as most other businesses do?  Will you continue to say the same things?  Will you continue to hope and pray that a Facebook page is all you need?…that it’s the magic potion you’ve been waiting for?

Define your TRUE customer, find out what they REALLY care about.  What “moves” them? What WONDERFULNESS can you share with them?

Have a day full of wonder!

Duane Christensen

Results Radio Townsquare Media

Sioux Falls

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Traditional Media for Small Business (brick and mortar)

/ Duane Christensen

Radio, TV, Print, and Billboard. These are the main local advertising options you have. (we’re not talking digital or anything internet – I’ll tackle that beast later. Ok, quickly, digital ads are just print ads on steroids)

If I’m in charge of an advertising budget for a small business, I have to be sensitive to the size of the budget. I’m not going to be able to advertise everywhere. So, where do I put the money?

First, you have to understand the difference between “intrusive” advertising and “passive”.

Intrusive is radio and TV. It means that if we’re listening to a radio station or watching a TV program, the ads just “happen”. We don’t have to DO anything to be exposed to them. It’s not work…we just listen. Unlike passive media (print), where you have to choose to read an entire ad. Example: Just because there’s an ad on the magazine page you’re glancing at, doesn’t mean you’ll read it.

So, my first choice for advertising a small business is intrusive media if the budget allows for it. I also choose Radio over TV for 2 main reasons.

1) It’s more affordable to run the frequency of ads needed to start the branding process.

2) I can change the ads at no charge EVERY MONTH…easily. Whereas, TV production is spendy and labor intensive. And any time a TV ad airs for more than 6, 8, to 12 weeks…the effectiveness of that ad drops sharply down close to ZERO.

It’s because once we’re exposed to one particular ad more than a dozen times, we tend to “tune out” after only a couple of seconds. We say to ourselves, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell me something I haven’t heard before.” Tell us something new. An overplayed ad bores us to tears. Or worse, it annoys us. And that’s not good for business, eh?

What’s the short version of HOW a small, brick and mortar should advertise locally? Radio. 48 to 52 weeks a year. Of course there are always some exceptions, i.e. a seasonal business. Or I may suggest direct mail when your target prospects are few…and easily located.

I write radio for many small businesses. When we take our time and find the right things to say in the ads…growth is not far behind. Return on investment from radio done right, far exceeds what can be accomplished with print and outdoor (passive) advertising.

Something that I’ll always remember that Roy H. Williams said, “We can close our eyes, but we can’t close our ears.”

Have an awesome 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.

What will you do with your advertising budget?

/ Duane Christensen

If I thought newspaper, magazine, yellow pages, internet ads, or TV advertising could help grow a local business more effectively, efficiently, and profitably than RADIO, I’d go work for one of those places.  No kidding.

When you understand what makes advertising really work, you’ll start looking for the place to advertise that gives you proper ad frequency. Which means communicating your sales message and your story multiple times to the same audience, week-in and week-out. And nothing does that more affordably and effectively than good radio.

If you disagree, feel free to contact me. I like talking shop.

OR…if you’d like to discuss what good radio is…and how it can help you attract profitable customers when used in the proper manner, I’d like to be the one you call. Because wasted ad dollars is one of my biggest pet peeves. And I see it all around Sioux Falls…every day.

Have a great day!

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.