strategy

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.

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.

It’s All About You. Wait…No It’s Not

/ 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

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.

What’s Your Reason for Advertising?

/ Duane Christensen
Image courtesy of "Stuart Miles" / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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.

Patience and Diligence When Starting Your Radio Advertising

/ Duane Christensen
  • What should your radio ads sound like?
  • What kind of style?
  • Who should voice them?
  • Should you use humor or no humor?
  • Emotion or intellect?

These are all good questions. And they are questions that won’t get answered all at once. The more I talk to you, the more the answers will surface. Or sometimes smack me in the face. It’s amazing how many times I’m talking to a Sioux Falls business owner, and I’m asking questions left and right and listening, wondering where the “gold” for the radio ads will come from. And then… from out of left field, they’ll say something that dang near makes me fall out of my chair. They’ll say something that could possibly be the shiny nugget to make it all work. Almost as if it was sent down from the heavens (and they don’t even know they said anything important).

And then, another and another, and pretty soon I have 3 to 5 pages of scribbly notes with circles and underlines and capitals and exclamation points.

sioux falls advertising

Image courtesy of “digitalart” / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It doesn’t always happen in the first meeting. Usually not. But this is what you need to expect when you’re calling someone for local advertising help. You should expect it…you just won’t usually get it. So, LOOK OUT… Most will sell you an ad package and then give a few notes to a production person back at their office. They’ll say, “Make an ad out of this. It starts tomorrow.” Can you see where your results may be non-existent from this method?

I won’t start a radio advertising campaign for you if I’m not completely confident it will “move the needle” for you. If it takes a month to get it right, that’s better than pulling the trigger prematurely and wasting your money, wouldn’t you agree?

If you’re a local Sioux Falls area business person who would love to stop “shootin’ from the hip” with your ad budget…and finally start making more from what you’re investing…then we need to talk. Are you just a teensy weensy bit competitive? It really helps. It’s almost required. If you’d like to grow your sales, an intelligent and creative advertising campaign would most likely make you a much happier human being. I’d like to help make that happen.

How much can you grow? How fast? What will it take? All good questions that I’d love to help you answer. Radio advertising isn’t a one size fits all sort of thing. If you’re sold a package by someone else and then put on “auto-pilot” …don’t expect too much for “results”.

What do I do for my clients who are on the radio right now? What would I do for YOU once you’ve started with an exciting new radio plan? I always have my radar up for the next great ad idea that can move someone a lot closer to doing business with you. We change the ads up about once a month depending on how heavy your ads are scheduled. There’s a limit to the number of weeks an ad can run before it gets “played out”. So, we keep it fresh – it’s in your best interest.

Thanks for reading. Have a great day!

Duane Christensen

605-940-7984

Results Radio Townsquare Media – Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

https://siouxfallsradioadvertising.com/

Dough Can Only Be Stretched So Thin

/ Duane Christensen / 1 Comment

A business owner in Sioux Falls asked me for some advice the other day. It was about the ad they place in one of the free local magazines every month. He said a quarter page ad cost him $400 that he’s never seen any response from…and he wondered what he could get on the radio for $400.

I asked him if he was spending his ad budget in any other places. He said yes. So, all-in-all, his budget is about $2000 a

month for advertising right now…spread over about 5 different advertising mediums. And all in print.

I asked him what he was trying to accomplish with his advertising. He said “I just want more people to know about our business and to consider buying from us instead of someone else.” I said, “So, you’re trying to use your $2000 to reach as many people as possible in the most effective manner to help attract new customers and increase your sales?” And he said, “Absolutely!”

I told him that spreading his budget around to different places wasn’t doing him much good. It was too thin. A very few number of people are exposed to his different print ads. He admitted that he thought that’s how he was supposed to advertise. I explained to him that people are people. It doesn’t matter really WHERE you advertise…just as long as you’re making an impact on a decent-sized group of people with your advertisements. He also admitted that his ads didn’t seem to be making any impact at all.

So, here is my recommendation to him. Take that $2000 per month and put it towards a long-term ad schedule on a large radio station. The listeners are there. Tens of thousands tuning in every day. And you’d be able to run many ads every week ensuring that people heard the ad. So, you have the “reaching people” part covered.

Then, we get to work on creating ads that are dang near impossible to be ignored. It’s easy to miss a print ad. But if you have an engaging, creative, smart ad airing week-in and week-out…your message WILL be getting into the EARS of a heck of a lot of people.

I said we also have to think of our ad strategy. What makes his business better? How does he treat customers better? What kind of experience does he provide that his competition would find it tough to match? You have to look at the whole competitive picture. And you have to always focus on what a prospect would like to hear…not necessarily what YOU would like to tell them.

We want people to think of his business FIRST when they need what he offers. And a good, focused radio campaign can achieve what he had hoped was possible, but he just hadn’t found the solution yet.

I’m excited for him. He got it. He called to cancel some of the little advertising expenditures he was doing in other places around town. When he added them all up, he came to about $2000 per month…which can now be invested in a more planned and strategic manner. AND start seeing an actual response and return from his investment.

So, if you’re stretching your dough too thin, and not seeing a lot from it…I have a better way to help you start growing consistently. Year after year.

Thanks for reading. Have a great day! I’d love to help you out when you’re ready.

Duane Christensen

Sioux Falls Radio Advertising blog

How will you get to the MOON?

/ Duane Christensen

If you were planning a trip to the moon…would you go by 747?  OR…would you want NASA to take many many months to devise a plan and use the appropriate aircraft to get you there?

If you were to request an advertising plan to get your business from where it is now to where you want it to be…how would you go about it?  Would you go with the “747” plan?  Or the “NASA” plan?

The success of your advertising depends on the research and planning that is put forth in the beginning.  And then follows through, week-in and week-out making the necessary adjustments and tweaks.  The days of buying an “ad package” to see what it can do…are over (they should be anyway).  But businesses still “try this” and “try that” with the mindset that it’s the radio station that matters.  Or that it’s the number of times their phone number is repeated…or that they mention they’ve been in business since 1976.

Nobody cares about contacting you at all…until you tell them something of value.  Not of value to YOU…but to THEM.  There’s a difference.

If you advertised that you were giving away a hundred-dollar bill to the first 20 people who contacted you…do you think you’d even HAVE to mention your phone number or your website in the ad?  Of course not.  People would find you.

Give people a good reason to remember you and contact you.  Make them feel good about you.  Then when they DO need you (which you can’t predict)…they’ll find you.

Let’s not try to fly to the moon in a 747.  Let’s put some good research and planning into it.  A solid advertising strategy and well-thought-out marketing plan of attack can get you to the moon.*

*As long as your advertising isn’t sabotaged by what goes on INSIDE your business.

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.

“Making it Work” (Watch them Squirm – the sequel)

/ Duane Christensen

To answer the question, “How do you plan on making my advertising work for me?”…

I plan on squeezing every drip of juicy detail out of you that I can.  That starts with asking questions you’ve never been asked by a typical advertising rep.  These are NOT questions like, “How long have you been in business?” and “Do you have a website?”

Deep, deep “digging” is crucial.

Then, I plan on using words, phrases, and stories in your advertisements that will snap a listener out of their trance.  If you say the same boring yada-yadas and blah blah blahs…you’ll get the same un-excitable results.

I also plan on building your ads around a strategy that always gives people a reason to do business with YOU instead of your competition.

All of this should be done in ANY advertising medium, website copy, sales letter, online ad, etc.  But I rarely see this kind of effort put into ad campaigns.  That’s why so much ad money is thrown to the wind and results are scarce.  Nobody wants to learn about what makes advertising really work…and nobody wants to take the time to dig deeper.

Give me a call. Let’s make it work for you!

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, any marketing in general, 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.