Bay Area Radio Advertising

Zenergy Works Wednesday Night Market

2011-04-21T11:26:00.001-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bryan Fikes

Telephone: 707-360-1400

Email: bryan@zenergyworks.com

ZENERGY WORKS IS TITLE SPONSOR OF WEDNESDAY NIGHT MARKET

Santa Rosa Search Engine Optimization Company Sponsors Santa Rosa’s Street Fair and Farmers Market

Zenergy Works announces it is the title sponsor for the Wednesday Night Market, also known as the Santa Rosa Downtown Market. Every Wednesday, from May 11th to Aug. 31st, 2011, Santa Rosa hosts its highly popular, free, summertime event from 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM.

Bryan Fikes, Chief Strategist of Zenergy Works, says, “We are proud to be the title sponsor of the Wednesday Night Market. Zenergy Works is headquartered here in downtown Santa Rosa and this is our way of giving back to our community.” Fikes added, “The

Wednesday Night Market is a great place to meet up, grab a bite to eat, listen to great music, and have some fun. Plus, it gives Zenergy
Works an opportunity to connect with other locals and to interact with the attendees on a weekly basis.”

Known as one of Sonoma County’s hallmark events, the Wednesday Night Market in Santa Rosa is like a carnival or street festival that takes place every Wednesday during the summer. Music is played live on two stages as well as on the street. Over a 130 Vendors of all sorts crowd the street to share their produce, art, crafts, cuisine
and food and there are all sorts of activities for the kids. This downtown event is well attended, family safe, with an atmosphere that is relaxed, and festive. The Santa Rosa Downtown Market is a
must see if you’re in town on a Wednesday night. Zenergy Works is proud to announce the “Zenergy Works Wednesday Night Market”.

Santa Rosa Downtown Market / Wednesday Night Market

Address: 637 1st St.

City: Santa Rosa

State: California

Zip: 95404

Phone number: 707.524.2123

E-mail: market@sonic.net

Web page: click here to visit

# # #

If you would like more information on Zenergy Works or this topic, or to schedule an interview with Bryan Fikes, contact Jessica Spoon at 707-360-1400 or email Jessica at jessica@zenergyworks.com.

Yoholla announces Rick Thorne | Yoholla

2011-03-11T11:52:00.001-08:00

Los Angeles, CA, March 11, 2011:
YoHolla has officially joined with Rick Thorne, internationally acclaimed athlete, actor and musician, as a member and exclusive celebrity content provider of information, updates, video footage and “The Next Ridah” contest in the YoHolla Social Network. Mr. Thorne, also known as the “Biker in Black”, is one of the world’s most dedicated Professional BMX riders and now joins the ranks of many celebrities serious about promoting privacy and the well-being of youth when it comes to social networking.

In addition to his professional BMX Extreme Sports career, Mr. Thorne is also an entertainer, acting in major motion pictures, hosting television shows for a number of networks, and doing voice overs for Sirius XM Faction. He also spends his time as the lead singer of the band “Good Guys In Black”, which has just been added to the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

The Rick Thorne Next Ridah Contest is an opportunity for unknown and up-and-coming BMX riders and skate boarders to showcase their skills in a 30-45 second video clip. These clips will be reviewed and voted on by Rich Thorne and his panel of judges.

“I am stoked to be in YoHolla and when I heard about it, I was like FINALLY! I never would do Facebook because of all the privacy and security issues. I really believe in what YoHolla is doing by creating an advertising free, private and secure social network. Especially when it comes to the privacy and security of kids!!! When YoHolla approached me to do the Rick Thorne show and contest in their network, I was really excited, because I have so much behind the scenes content that I want to share. It’s going to be a crazy summer on the Vans Warped Tour for me and my band and now people can see what it is like to live my life on a day to day basis!” said Rick Thorne.

“Rick is on board with YoHolla because he sees and understands the problems with today’s most popular social networking sites. They share and exploit your personal information with whomever they please. He recognizes YoHolla is 100% private and secure, so your information will never be shared with anyone unless you make the choice to do so.” Said Jeffrey Wilhems of YoHolla. “The best part about YoHolla is that you can simply enjoy chatting with your family and friends, without the risk of sharing personal information with people you do not know.. or being bombarded with tons of advertising based upon the information mined from your personal comments by the other networks.” To sign up with Rick Thorne on YoHolla, and gain access to his exclusive “behind the scenes” content, and The Next Ridah contest rules, visit this link. www.yoholla.com/rickthorne

About YoHolla:
YoHolla is an advertising-free social network for anyone concerned with privacy and security. Unlike other social networking sites that exploit your personal information for ad dollars, YoHolla users own and control all their own data, and always will!

Contact: Brian Banmiller
YoHolla - 855-700-4000
http://www.yoholla.com

Yoholla | Great Reviews

2011-03-08T12:01:00.001-08:00

YoHolla! Has Launched.

Santa Rosa, Ca – YoHolla, the next generation in social networking, launched yesterday. Being the newest social network is not enough, YoHolla is also changing the face of how social networking is done. YoHolla features total privacy for its users and no ads for a pure social networking experience. Enjoy sharing with friends, old and new, and begin new relationships in a social networking environment that protects your privacy and is not constantly trying to sell you something.

The next generation of Social Networking has arrived, and the YoHolla user reviews are outstanding! Users are flocking to join the newest Social Networking concept. Social Networking should offer first rate privacy, and YoHolla! commits to creating an environment that is secure for you to share what you want with other users. YoHolla! not only has no advertising on the network, but will not share your information with any third parties, making your social networking experience private and hassle-free.

Join the move to YoHolla and experience the next generation social network. Just go to YoHolla.com and complete the easy sign up sheet and start enjoying the benefits of private, hassle-free, ad-free social networking.

2011-03-02T12:20:00.001-08:00

Check out Yoholla: www.yoholla.com
A new way to use social sites to communicate without advertising.
http://www.yoholla.com

YoHolla | Yoholla Reviews | Yoholla Social Site

2011-03-02T12:19:00.003-08:00

Yoholla

• How is YoHolla different from other social networking sites?
At YoHolla, we believe privacy and security should be a given, not a privilege. Our settings are user-controlled down to the smallest, most minute details. We encrypt our site connection with HTTPS, the same level of security online banking uses, to ensure your personal information is as safe as possible.

Our business model is fundamentally different from any other social network. While other sites are predicated on selling ads, we have a $5 monthly subscription fee so members can sustainably own and control all their own data. Because we realize the fun in social networking is connecting with your friends, we also offer our members a $1 monthly reward for every friend who joins. This means that members who get just five friends to sign up can use YoHolla for free.

YoHolla Reviews

2011-03-02T12:19:00.001-08:00

YoHolla Reviews
Privacy Matters

What does YoHolla mean?
YoHolla puts the fun back in social networking by providing a safe place to share only exactly what you want, with whom you want. When we speak casually and freely among friends, we’ll often “holla” at one another with a simple “Yo, check this out!” The name YoHolla embodies a forum that encourages this kind of meaningful and fun “networking” in a safe and secure environment.

YoHolla

2011-03-02T12:18:00.001-08:00

YoHolla - Privacy Matters

http://www.yoholla.com

What is YoHolla?
YoHolla is an advertising-free social network for anyone concerned with privacy and security. Unlike other social networking sites that exploit your personal information for ad dollars, YoHolla users own and control all their own data and always will.

Choosing the best SEO company | Local SEO

2010-12-02T17:29:00.001-08:00

In an effort to recapture falling market share, the phone book and newspaper industries are moving into the digital realm. How effective is this Digital Advertising strategy and what does that mean for the businesses that sign up with them?

First, let's take a look at what traditional media does. Whether it be a phone book, magazine, newspaper, or directory, it needs to run through a print press. Once the product has gone to print, any errors or omissions cannot be corrected until the next print run. Therefore, if you missed the deadline, you're out of luck.

Secondly, think of the printed product as a container of information. What goes in are articles, addresses, advertisements, and phone numbers, sorted out in categories and alphabetical order. The container holds all this information, but unless someone actually looks in the container and examines everything that is held within, a company's advertisement or information may be overlooked. Indexes help, but are not always available.

Now that we are operating in a digital world, the way we seek information has changed. By using software applications, connecting through the internet, and utilizing social media platforms, people are finding their desired information through the use of keywords.

Keywords allow the information seeker to hunt for and target the specific information that is relevant to their search. With the internet, someone who has a properly designed website has a very good chance of attracting the attention of new customers all on their own. No longer are they reliant upon placing their company information into someone else's container and hope they'll be seen. This new way of searching for information has eroded the viability of traditional media and printed directories.

Now that the phone book and newspaper industries are entering a new era, how are they doing it? Sadly, some newspapers chose to use their Digital Advertising off of an old business model. Digital Advertising sells you the opportunity to be seen online, but their website still acts like a container with an improved index. The same old problem arises. The "Digital Advertising Container" (i.e. their website domain that they own) is full of other information. Their container is crowded and it's difficult for your business to stand out organically.

If a business has a properly built website with clean code, strategic keywords, and their own domain name, why would they want to spend precious money on Digital Advertising coming from an old throw-it-all-into-one-big-container format? Wouldn't it be more prudent for your potential clients to make a straight path towards your business?

In other words, if you want your business to stand apart from the competition, why would you want to stand in the middle of a crowd? Wouldn't it be better to stand alone at the very front so people can easily find you?

Zenergy Works is a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company that helps you stand apart from the crowd and your business competition. Here are some reasons why the Zenergy Works approach far outshines the "Digital Advertising Container" method used by the traditional media industries.

Zenergy Works is the only SEO company that does targeted, LOCAL SEO strategies for each client. This means that when your company's website pops to the top of the search engine results page, that's because your placement is authentic and EARNED due to the location and keywords specific to you.

Zenergy Works uses GEO OPTIMIZED Landing Pages that are keyword specific. For example, if you are an international company you might start with optimized landing pages geared towards each country and major city you want to target. A nation-wide marketing campaign might include a landing page optimized for each state, county and major city you want to target. For local business in your area, you might include a separate landing page optimized for the county, city and/or specific neighborhood zip codes you want to target.

Zenergy Works has superior tracking reports that shows who visited your website, how long they stayed there, and if an action or sale took place.

The Zenergy Works approach to website design understands the needs of businesses desiring local traffic. By placing maps, directions, and keywords specific to the area on your business website, it helps people find you and buy from you. The "Digital Advertising Container" approach offers little more than an address and phone number.

Because Zenergy Works operates with a more local focus, we can provide a complete and effective needs analysis for your business.

Zenergy Works uses SEO methods that raise your company's ranking organically. High organic rankings are the best long term value for our clients. The "Digital Advertising Container" approach uses data warehouses to boost their clients' position and ranking, but the end results are more topsy-turvy. Wouldn't it be better to get to the top of the list and stay there?

The "Digital Advertising Container" entices prospects with free ads using unsold inventory, but this does not compare with the value of targeted paid ads or a pay-per-click campaign.

The "Digital Advertising Container" sites claim that they drive website traffic to your business, but that traffic may just keep on driving by. Zenergy Works not only drives traffic to your business, but initiates conversation and entices your visitors to stick around.

At Zenergy Works, we offer local support and can help answer technical questions. The "Digital Advertising Containers" offer little or no local assistance.

When your media representative comes to talk to you about using Digital Advertising, make sure they know what they're talking about. If your marketing and advertising dollars are precious and limited, it greatly benefits your company to work with experts in online media who get you the results you're looking for, provide excellent customer service, and are local partners.

We hope this article has helped explain the difference between Digital Advertising versus Search Engine Optimization, and why the Digital Advertising approach through traditional media companies has a long way to go before they catch up. Perhaps it has rustled up a few questions? Zenergy Works is passionate about effective online marketing strategies and would be happy to answer any questions that keep you awake at night about your company's website.

Zenergy Works welcomes your inqueries and invite you to contact us at 888-278-5718 or info@zenergyworks.com. For a free website analysis, click here to gain access to our Web Analysis Form. http://ping.fm/fj80M

2010-12-02T17:24:00.001-08:00

Is Your Website Making You Money? - if you answered no, then you have not explored search engine optimization (SEO). Check out http://ping.fm/KzfXz

ASRW | NACE Expo | CARS Expo | ASA Expo

2010-10-05T14:01:00.001-07:00

Zenergy Works To Attend Automotive Service Repair Week (ASRW) In Las Vegas October 10th-13th

10/5/10-Zenergy Works, a best local seo company, will be attending Automotive Service Repair Week (ASRW) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on October 10th-October 13th. Zenergy Works will be celebrating the launch of the new Automotive Service Council of California (ASCCA) website at www.ascca.com.

â€œThis is a great opportunity to work with the automotive repair industry to demystify the process of local search engine optimizationâ€, said Bryan Fikes, Managing Partner and Chief Strategist of Zenergy Works, â€œthere is so much change in the industry for shop owners to handle from a technical standpoint that most shops need help with their online marketing efforts and website design.â€ â€œASCCA has made us a preferred provider for website design, search engine optimization (SEO), and online marketing for their members because we have a track record of success in the industry,â€ said Fikes, â€œI look forward to seeing some old friends and meeting some new ones in Las Vegas at ASRW.â€

â€œZenergy Works takes a unique approach among SEO Companies,â€ said Eric Van Cleave, General Manager of Zenergy Works, â€œwe are transparent about what we offer the client, and give them an online access to follow the progress of their online marketing efforts.â€ Zenergy Works continues to build a reputation as the best local seo company. We are proud to serve the automotive repair industry as a key Search Engine Optimization and website design resource.

ASRW is a week of exhibits, seminars, training classes and information sessions put on by International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE), Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS), Automotive Service Association (ASA), and Autmotive Service Counsel of California (ASCCA).

Come by the ASCCA booth and join us for your chance to win an IPAD, or click on ZENERGYWORKS.COM/ASRW for your chance to win 1 of 3 great prizes.

2010-10-05T14:00:00.001-07:00

Zenergy Works, a best seo company, will be attending Automotive Service Repair Week (ASRW). Joining NACE, CARS, ASA, and our friends at ASCCA.

ASRW | Automotive Service Repair Week | Zenergy Works SEO Company

2010-10-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

ASRW | Automotive Service Repair Week | Zenergy Works SEO Company

SEO Santa Rosa | SEO Windsor | SEO Healdsburg

2010-07-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

2010-06-18T14:02:00.001-07:00

Presented "Facebook and Twitter; It is not just for kids anymore" to an audience of 100+ business owners with Sacbee.com. Great feedback.

The Sales Foundry | Sales Training in Santa Rosa

2010-06-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

2010-04-24T12:02:00.001-07:00

Zenergy Works signs Guy Fieri - best seo company | Internet marketing | top seo company. http://ping.fm/Uad4s

2010-02-27T18:13:00.001-08:00

Seo Santa rosa | seo rohnert park | seo Windsor | seo Sebastopol | seo petaluma

2010-02-27T18:09:00.001-08:00

Seo Santa rosa | seo Petaluma | seo Windsor | seo sebastopl | seo rohnert park

2010-02-20T14:17:00.001-08:00

SEO Santa Rosa - Voted best seo company by hundreds of business nationwide. www.zenergyworks.com

2010-02-20T14:16:00.001-08:00

SEO Santa Rosa | Santa Rosa SEO | Best SEO Santa Rosa

2009-12-31T10:48:00.001-08:00

Starting in January, we will be announcing the addition of Email Marketing, Social Media Optimization, Live Chat, Video Optimization, PPC Flat Rate Fee, and a few other valuable internet marketing services. http://ping.fm/ql2cc

2009-12-31T10:46:00.001-08:00

Prepping next week's training session. We are pleased to announce the addition of two new sellers. The SEO team keeps growing.

SEO Santa Rosa Company | Zenergy Works

2009-12-26T16:56:00.001-08:00

SEO Santa Rosa Company | Zenergy Works

Bryan Fikes was invited to speak to a group of professionals in the Roseville area about Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Optimization hosted by the Roseville Chamber of Commerce. Bryan gave our group an excellent, informational presentation. As the coordinator for this seo seminar, I appreciated the fact that he did not sell his SEO Santa Rosa Company and SEO Services when he clearly had the opportunity to do so. It was evident that Bryan was there to educate our group at the very onset of his SEO presentation. His upfront delivery of industry specific keywords and phrases regarding the social media environment and search engine optimization components of internet marketing carved a concise path for the balance of his presentation. Bryan’s interactive light heartedness helped personalized his message, he made all of us feel comfortable asking questions. I look forward to having Bryan at future events hosted by the Roseville Chamber of Commerce. A true SEO professional with some incredible knowledge and powerful presentation skills.
Respectfully submitted by:

Jackie McLain
Advertising/Membership Sales Development
Roseville Chamber of Commerce

http://ping.fm/voOaQ

2009-12-26T16:42:00.001-08:00

Will be enjoying the company of close friends at the Hopmonk tonight in Sebastopol. It's a Ugly Christmas Sweater Themed Party.

2009-12-26T16:41:00.001-08:00

Preparing for our monday morning routine of checking all analytic reports for our SEO clients. Looks like Google has released a few more additional features for clients to enjoy. Will report more on these on our blog at blog.zenergyworks.com.

2009-12-22T12:04:00.001-08:00

Looking forward to Christmas.

2009-12-20T15:58:00.001-08:00

Participating in a charity poke tournament to benefit the family of a nine year old boy with stricken with severe cancer. The group of people here are incredible people supporting a good cause. Who says Poker doesn't bring out the best in character. I will post my results later tonight. Looks like 125+ entries or so.

2009-12-17T16:03:00.001-08:00

Just discovered this fantastic transmission shop in the Stockton area. http://ping.fm/zect6

2009-12-10T17:50:00.001-08:00

January 2010 is looking like a monumental month for Zenergy - SEO & Web Company. Another big announcement on the way.

2009-12-09T16:45:00.001-08:00

We are hiring! Expert Sales professionals. Call 888-278-5718. $145k yr income potential within first year. Learn how to sale web design and services from Top Industry leaders. Ask for Bryan Fikes.

2009-12-08T18:22:00.001-08:00

Just downloaded an App on my iPhone that connects me to every social site I currently use to network.http://ping.fm/7xhft

California SEO Company - Website Design & Internet Marketing - Zenergy Works

2009-12-04T18:26:00.001-08:00

California SEO Company - Website Design & Internet Marketing - www.zenergyworks.com

2009-12-04T18:25:00.001-08:00

California SEO Company - Website Design & Internet Marketing Company - http://ping.fm/cjxUq

2009-12-04T18:24:00.001-08:00

California SEO Company - Website Design & Internet Marketing - Zenergy Works

2009-12-01T11:27:00.003-08:00

Working on the functionality of the new "white paper" section on Zenergyworks.com

2009-12-01T11:27:00.001-08:00

As of November 30th, 2009 - Zenergy Works has a 97.3% client retention rate over the 3 years of doing SEO business...find out why we excel at http://www.zenergyworks.com

Best SEO Company In The Bay Area

2009-12-01T11:26:00.001-08:00

Best SEO Company In The Bay Area.

In this competitive world, it has become really difficult to earn profit and to maintain a secure position in the business world. There is a lot tough competition between companies and/or the businesses. Recession left people frustrated and bewildered. Many companies had to shut their doors, as the failed to bear the hard blow of recession.

There are some companies which boldly faced the challenges and escaped severe economic problems. They had applied some effective business strategies to maintain their position and to attract the customers. They have applied some really effective marketing strategies to allure more and more customers to buy their products and avail their services. To improve their Search Engine Ranking, they followed some simple steps. The importance of good SEO ranking of the website has been realized by these business owners.

Good SEO ranking can have positive impact on your business. Many business owners and companies know this to be true. But how many of them are able to make their sites stand in the first position of the Search engine ranking? It is in fact quite difficult to get that position in the Search Engine. Competition is really tough. Every businessman is trying to improve their SEO ranking. But the winners are those who are applying right and effective SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategies. Achieving the first position in the SE page is not so easy. A lot of factors needed to be considered. Many people judge the products and services by the quality of site and its ranking. So, it is very crucial to improve the website ranking.

Many SEO companies are there to help you sort out these problems. They have experienced SEO professionals. You can take their help to improve your website ranking in the Search Engine. They are efficient and experienced enough to help you in achieving marketing goals. They examine the parameters of the number one site and the correct the problems of the client’s sites. They also help the customer in choosing the right keywords for their websites.

Selecting an authentic and reputed SEO service is extremely essential, if you want to make your site stand in a better position in the SE page permanently, you need to keep in mind certain points while selecting a @t SEO professional or SEO company.

Here are a few tips to consider while you are seeking the right SEO professional to help your web site get a better rank in Google:

1. Check whether the previous SEO campaigns of the SEO company were successful or not. If you find them successful, then it is better to opt for them. If not, then it is better to opt for other options.

2. Selecting an SEO expert who has sufficient knowledge about the market you are working in, can be beneficial for your business. Such an SEO professional will understand your marketing and SEO requirements in a better way.

3. Time-consumption- It is an important factors that you need to consider while taking any definite decision regarding this issue. Ask the SEO professional about the approximate time that he/she will take in completing the task.

4. Check out the reputation and authenticity of the SEO Professional before availing his/her service.

5. Clearly tell your SEO professional that you do not want any black hat SEO practice during the SEO campaign. In the long run, they prove to be dangerous for the business.

#Zenergy Works is one of the reputed SEO companies. They serve the customers with excellent customer service. They offer both Search Engine Optimization services and web designing services. They give valuable marketing tips to the clients and allow each client to view their SEO campaigns.

Best Tips on Internet Marketing

2009-12-01T11:21:00.001-08:00

Best Tips On Internet Marketing

The greatest thing in today’s business scenario is publicity. You would want to reach as many people as possible. Increasing your visibility is of immense importance in a highly competitive world. Today more and more people are using the internet as a secondary marketing tool. A dominant web presence is important if you want to carve out market share. In this business proposition one thing that can be of immense value is SEO.

SEO technically stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO improves a website’s placement in the search engines like Google. Your aim is to bring your website as close to the web surfer a possible. SEO helps in placing your site or web pages on the first page of a search engine.

Different search engines like Google, MSN, Yahoo, Ask etc. have different criteria for search engine optimization process. But mostly they follow the traditional method of keyword formations. A good SEO firm knows how to create the best combination of keywords and other technical and marketing tools that help you achieve your target market.

Market survey has shown that the rate of internet traffic is growing at a huge rate. Therefore it is high time that you utilize this medium well before your competitors does. Remember that more than 80% of internet users rely on search engines to reach their targeted site. In this scenario it is important to use consultants who know how to help searchers reach you easily, quickly and effectively. Your site not appearing at the top of the search listings is a failure of the SEO process and you may not get another chance to rectify it.

Choose a SEO consultant that can provide you with the best possible options for your business. If you have been searching for a long time for such an organization to give your product/service that extra boost, then the best name available for you is Zenergy Internet Marketing. We are a one-stop shop for all your website marketing needs and have the best internet advertising tools.

Our package includes the best in the industry. Some of this includes- analysis of market situation, research for keyword, Meta tag formations, title tag formations, HTML optimization, Spider-friendly site architecture, Robots.txt creation, blog formations, article syndication, directory submission, keyword success reports etc.

The marketing platform is created keeping in mind the individual needs of the customers- irrespective of their size and location. We know that individual firms need individual marketing options. We provide the best customized publicity solutions available on the internet. We are the most transparent SEO consultants with over 10 year’s experience. We also provide other specialized services like pay-per-click management, marketing through e-mailers, blog creation and management, social media marketing on Orkut, Facebook etc.

Check us out at: www.zenergyworks.com

Our packages start at $199 a month!! We charge no set up fee or registration fee! We are authentic and we value your business. We give you the best ROI day in and day out, because of our expert SEO programmers.

Keywords: seo, internet marketing, seo company, local seo, local internet marketing.
http://www.zenergyworks.com

2009-11-28T08:31:00.001-08:00

Check out my new clients site for all your Scuba Diving needs.......http://ping.fm/bGexy

2009-11-28T08:30:00.001-08:00

Heading to Santa Rosa Country Club for a round of golf with good friends. Back is stiff, not sure how I will shoot.

Top Ten Mistakes You Will Inevitably Make In Advertising

2009-11-28T08:29:00.001-08:00

Top Ten Mistakes You Will Inevitably Make In Advertising

10) You will pick the media choices reflective of what you consume…without considering what your target customer is consuming. You don’t count…sorry!

9) You spend 90% of your time selecting and negotiating with the media for the best price and only 10% on the creative message they have been hired to deliver.

“What you say times how many times you say it, dictates the effectiveness of any ad campaign.”-Dave Gifford noted marketing expert

8) You don’t schedule a saturation of messages to reach your target customer enough times to get them to move to your product or service.

Consumers will generally use a product or service they are familiar with…even if they consider it mediocre or inferior…over a product or service they are unfamiliar with…even if they perceive it as superior.

7) You begin an ad campaign and then change the message or delivery system before the target customer has become familiar with you (see above). Consumers have 30,000 messages bombarding their brain every day. Most of them bounce off as a defensive mechanism to avoid insanity. Every time you change the message you “reset” the memory button to zero. Even mediocre campaigns can work if you create repetition-which creates recall-which initiates action upon facing need.

6) You don’t demand the best media representative. Talk to the sales manager of whatever media you are interested in and demand the best. You should never have to educate your media representative about your business. Conversely, they should be able to educate you about their business to the degree you can make a valid decision.

5) Your “brand message” is not identical throughout your company and every facet that might have contact with your target customer. In other words, if your advertising says something… make sure your invoices, staff shirts, web site, delivery trucks, on-hold message, colors, font, logo, etc., have the same message on it. Advertising and marketing does not have the immediate impact of an asteroid hitting the earth (unless you have billions of dollars)…it is more like Chinese water torture with one drop hitting your forehead every ten seconds again, and again, and again…

4) You fail to convert “high tech” web users into a “high touch” relationship with your target customer by making human contact with your company difficult. Unless your company is completely based on e-commerce, you should have your telephone number and physical or email address at the top of your web page and easy to read. Do not rely on the contact page to funnel prospective customers your way. In today’s world one more click…may be one too many.

3) You don’t ask for action on your web page. Initially the Internet was utilized as a distribution method for information. Today you can develop the first step in a relationship if you ask for the user to respond by voting, asking for more info, signing up for a newsletter, asking for permission to contact them, inviting them to register to win, or offering application to validate qualifications. When someone surrenders their email address by responding to any of these options they are opening the door to a consumer relationship.

2) You have not identified your core value -- what makes you unique -- what people would want from you and can’t get elsewhere. That is your message! Now render it down into a word phrase that is 6 words or less.

“Sticky notes where you want them”
“The six minute pregnancy test”
“More HD channels than cable”
“The fastest selling hybrid in America”

1) You begin advertising with the intention of someday stopping. As long as you are in business you have to consistently market and advertise in some form to bring new customers to your business, reinforce your value proposition to current customers, and (if your aggressive) create new revenue streams to fend off competitors who want a share of your market.

2009-11-27T18:43:00.001-08:00

Created our Fan Page for Facebook | Facebook.com/topseo | www.facebook.com/topseo

2009-11-27T18:40:00.001-08:00

Getting ready to finish the left over Turkey, I think they call it Turkey Ala King....Or Biscuits and Gravy

2009-11-27T18:39:00.001-08:00

Working on a deal with the Press Democrat in Santa Rosa to provide Top Notch SEO services to the North Bay.....zenergyworks.com

Top 50 Social Sites

2009-11-27T18:38:00.001-08:00

Social-Media/Social-Bookmarking Sites
Share your favorite sites on the Web with potential clients and business partners by commenting on, uploading and ranking different newsworthy articles. You can also create a member profile that directs traffic back to your company's Web site.
1. Reddit: Upload stories and articles on reddit to drive traffic to your site or blog. Submit items often so that you'll gain a more loyal following and increase your presence on the site.
2. Digg: Digg has a huge following online because of its optimum usability. Visitors can submit and browse articles in categories like technology, business, entertainment, sports and more.
3. Del.icio.us: Social bookmark your way to better business with sites like del.icio.us, which invite users to organize and publicize interesting items through tagging and networking.
4. StumbleUpon: You'll open your online presence up to a whole new audience just by adding the StumbleUpon toolbar to your browser and "channel surf[ing] the Web. You'll "connect with friends and share your discoveries," as well as "meet people that have similar interests."
5. Technorati: If you want to increase your blog's readership, consider registering it with Technorati, a network of blogs and writers that lists top stories in categories like Business, Entertainment and Technology.
6. Ning: After hanging around the same social networks for a while, you may feel inspired to create your own, where you can bring together clients, vendors, customers and co-workers in a confidential, secure corner of the Web. Ning lets users design free social networks that they can share with anyone.
7. Squidoo: According to Squidoo, "everyone's an expert on something. Share your knowledge!" Share your industry's secrets by answering questions and designing a profile page to help other members.
8. Furl: Make Furl "your personal Web file" by bookmarking great sites and sharing them with other users by recommending links, commenting on articles and utilizing other fantastic features.
9. Tubearoo: This video network works like other social-bookmarking sites, except that it focuses on uploaded videos. Businesses can create and upload tutorials, commentaries and interviews with industry insiders to promote their own services.
10. WikiHow: Create a how-to guide or tutorial on wikiHow to share your company's services with the public for free.
11. YouTube: From the fashion industry to Capitol Hill, everyone has a video floating around on YouTube. Shoot a behind-the-scenes video from your company's latest commercial or event to give customers and clients an idea of what you do each day.
12. Ma.gnolia: Share your favorite sites with friends, colleagues and clients by organizing your bookmarks with Ma.gnolia. Clients will appreciate both your Internet-savviness and your ability to stay current and organized.
Professional-Networking Sites
Sign up with these online networking communities as a company or as an individual to take advantage of recruiting opportunities, cross-promotional events and more.
13. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a popular networking site where alumni, business associates, recent graduates and other professionals connect online.
14. Ecademy: Ecademy prides itself on "connecting business people" through its online network, blog and message-board chats, as well as its premier BlackStar membership program, which awards exclusive benefits.
15. Ryze: Ryze lets members organize contacts and friends; upcoming events; and even job, real-estate and roommate classifieds.
16. YorZ: This networking site doubles as a job site. Members can post openings for free to attract quality candidates.
17. Xing: An account with networking site Xing can "open doors to thousands of companies." Use the professional contact manager to organize your new friends and colleagues, and take advantage of the Business Accelerator application to "find experts at the click of a button, market yourself in a professional context [and] open up new sales channels."
18. Facebook: Facebook is no longer just for college kids who want to post their party pics. Businesses vie for advertising opportunities, event promotion and more on this social-networking site.
19. Care2: Care2 isn't just a networking community for professionals: It's touted as "the global network for organizations and people who Care2 make a difference." If your business is making efforts to go green, let others know by becoming a presence on this site.
20. Gather: This networking community is made up of members who think. Browse categories concerning books, health, money, news and more to ignite discussions on politics, business and entertainment. This will help your company tap into its target audience and find out what they want.
21. MEETin.org: Once you've acquired a group of contacts in your city by networking on MEETin.org, organize an event so that you can meet face-to-face.
22. Tribe: Cities like Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, New York and Chicago have unique online communities on tribe. Users can search for favorite restaurants, events, clubs and more.
23. Ziggs: Ziggs is "organizing and connecting people in a professional way." Join groups and make contacts through your Ziggs account to increase your company's presence online and further your own personal career.
24. Plaxo: Join Plaxo to organize your contacts and stay updated with feeds from Digg, Amazon.com, del.icio.us and more.
25. NetParty: If you want to attract young professionals in cities like Boston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Orlando Fla., create an account with the networking site NetParty. You'll be able to connect with qualified, up-and-coming professionals online, then meet them at a real-life happy-hour event where you can pass out business cards, pitch new job openings and more.
26. Networking For Professionals: Networking For Professionals is another online community that combines the Internet with special events in the real world. Post photos, videos, résumés and clips on your online profile while you meet new business contacts.
Niche Social-Media Sites
Consider linking up with one of these social-media sites to narrow down your business's target audience. You'll find other professionals, enthusiasts and consumers who are most likely already interested in what your company has to offer.
27. Pixel Groovy: Web workers will love Pixel Groovy, an open-source site that lets members submit and rate tutorials for Web 2.0, email and online-marketing issues.
28. Mixx: Mixx prides itself on being "your link to the Web content that really matters." Submit and rate stories, photos and news to drive traffic to your own site. You'll also meet others with similar interests.
29. Tweako: Gadget-minded computer geeks can network with each other on Tweako, a site that promotes information sharing for the technologically savvy.
30. Small Business Brief: When members post entrepreneur-related articles, a photo and a link to their profile appear, gaining you valuable exposure and legitimacy online.
31. Sphinn: Sphinn is an online forum and networking site for the Internet marketing crowd. Upload articles and guides from your blog to create interest in your own company or connect with other professionals for form new contacts.
32. BuzzFlash.net: This one-stop news resource is great for businesses that want to contribute articles on a variety of subjects, from the environment to politics to health.
33. HubSpot: HubSpot is another news site aimed at connecting business professionals.
34. SEO TAGG: Stay on top of news from the Web marketing and SEO (search-engine optimization) industries by becoming an active member of this online community.
General Social-Media Sites
The following social-media sites provide excellent opportunities for businesses to advertise; promote specials, events or services; and feature published, knowledgeable employees.
35. Wikipedia: Besides creating your own business reference page on Wikipedia, you can connect with other users on Wikipedia's Community Portal and at the village pump, where you'll find conscientious professionals enthusiastic about news, business, research and more.
36. Newsvine: Feature top employees by uploading their articles, studies or other news-related items to this site. A free account will also get you your own column and access to the Newsvine community.
37. 43 Things: This site bills itself as "the world's most popular online goal setting community." By publicizing your company's goals and ambitions, you'll gain a following of customers, investors and promoters who cheer you on as you achieve success.
38. Wetpaint: If you're tired of blogs and generic Web sites, create your own wiki with Wetpaint to reach your audience and increase your company's presence online. You can easily organize articles, contact information, photos and other information to promote your business.
39. Frappr: Embed a Frappr map and guestbook into your company's Web page so that you can pinpoint exactly how users find your site, discover in real-time what they have to say about your company profile and services, and create an "interactive, fun and engaging" spot for visitors.
40. Yahoo! Answers: Start fielding Yahoo! users' questions with this social-media Q&A service. Search for questions in your particular areas of expertise by clicking categories like Business & Finance, Health, News & Events and more. If you continue to dole out useful advice and link your answer to your company's Web page, you'll quickly gain a new following of curious customers.
Job Sites
If you want to secure high-quality talent during your company's next hiring spree, you'll need to maintain a strong presence on popular job sites like the ones listed below.
41. CareerBuilder.com: Reach millions of candidates by posting jobs on this must-visit site.
42. The Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal: The Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal attracts well-educated professionals who are at the top of their game. Post a job or search résumés here.
43. CollegeRecruiter.com: If your firm wants to hire promising entry-level employees, check CollegeRecuriter.com for candidates with college degrees.
44. Monster: Post often to separate your business from all the other big companies that use this site to advertise job openings.
45. Sologig: Top freelancers and contractors post résumés and look for work on this popular site.
46. AllFreelance.com: This site "offers self-employed small business owners links to freelance & work at home job boards, self-promotion tips" and more.
47. Freelance Switch Job Listings: Freelance Switch is the freelancer's online mecca and boasts articles, resource toolboxes, valuable tips and a job board.
48. GoFreelance: Employers looking to boost their vendor base should check GoFreelance for professionals in the writing, design, editing and Web industries.
49. Yahoo! Hot Jobs: This site is often one of the first places that job seekers visit. Post open opportunities and check out informative articles and guides to gain insight on the hiring and interviewing process.
50. Guru.com: Build your company's repertoire with top freelancing professionals by advertising projects on this site, otherwise known as "the world's largest online service marketplace."

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2009-11-27T18:05:00.001-08:00

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Top 10 Marketing Ideas

2009-11-27T17:53:00.001-08:00

1. Print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to a target list.
People will read your postcard if you limit the information you print on the card. Make each point critical to deliver the best message. Mention any specials or promotional offers on your best services. People will buy services and products they are familiar with and are in need of, so market your best foot forward. Save money, market to your core audience only.

2. No single advertising or marketing strategy will work all the time, so rotate your strategy.
People get bored quickly and easily so rotate your strategies. Keep your message fresh and current. Try using several means to deliver your message. This does not suggest you try a bunch of different advertising mediums once, and then stop. You should have a stable medium like internet to help deliver your message. Make your message fresh and compliment your main marketing methods with splash campaigns. Landing page tactics work well, for more information on landing pages, contact Zenergy Works.

3. Synergistic Pairings or Buddy Marketing.
Co-marketing is useful in helping business owners advertise their service and save money doing so. It also allows a business owner to co-brand their companies helping build the reputation that you put in the marketplace. Find like-minded business owners and develop marketing campaigns together.

Make A Splash

Keep It Simple

4. Answer your phone in a unique way to attract more customers.
Changing your delivery per season and adding new statements like “Thank you for calling Zenergy Works, ask about our Free SEO Analysis, this is Bryan how may I help you?” Will invite your callers to ask more about what you do and what you can offer them. Keep your message fresh and current. Try using several means to deliver your message. This does not suggest you try a bunch of different advertising mediums once, and then stop. You should have a stable medium like internet to help deliver your message. Make your message fresh and compliment your main marketing methods with splash campaigns.
Be Consistent

5. Stick Mini Billboards everywhere
Design a simple sticker that has your logo and a quick message. Stick it everywhere, your postcards, on the back of your business cards, any print advertising, on any envelope you send out, including your bills, (Hey bill collectors buy services too) on handwritten messages. Think of this as mini billboards sending out your message.

6. Make contact within 2 weeks to a previous customer
Send a second offer to those people who have already done business with you. People buy products and services they are familiar with. Your past clients are your best targets. Making contact with them inside of 2 weeks keeps your product or service fresh in their mind.

Don’t Fear The Unknown

7. eNewsletters
There are several companies who offer quick and easy email newsletter delivery systems. We recommend Constant Contact. People will open an email from people they have done business with or would like to business with. People will open emails from people they are familiar with. Use opt -in campaigns only. That is, allow each person you email the chance to opt out of receiving any future newsletters. DO NOT BUY LIST; start with collecting emails from current clients, family, and friends. Encourage them to forward your newsletter and have that person contact you to be put on your list. Try using only 1 newsletter a month. Do not over contact people, they will get annoyed. Sign Up For A Free 30 day trial by clicking here (link to : http://ping.fm/r6EAj)

8. Seminars and Open Houses
One of the best ways to talk about your product or service is to hold seminars. Use your advertising methods like Radio , TV, and print to invite people to attend. Invite your key customers and prospects. Limit the attendance and charge a fee. A fee will give the impression of value. Holding Free seminars will often give impression that they are going to a sales pitch. Most people do not want to be SOLD, they want to be educated.

9. Bartering
This is an excellent tool to promote your business and get others to use your product and services. You can trade your product for advertising space or for another company's product or service. This is especially helpful when two companies on limited budgets can exchange their services.

10. Internet Marketing
One of the biggest mistakes that small businesses can make is not doing enough internet advertising. The easiest way to do FREE internet marketing is making sure you are on all the local search engine listings. Go to Yahoo and Google and click on the local link. At the bottom of each page you will see “ADD YOUR BUSINESS”. Click on it and follow the instructions. Contact Zenergy Works for a quote on how we can help you manage your internet advertising in a more effective manner today, 888-278-5718

2009-11-27T17:29:00.001-08:00

Wow! This is seriously powerful stuff.

2009-11-27T16:44:00.001-08:00

Have you ever wondered how to handle all of your Social Networks at once? Well find out on http://ping.fm/VP8Nw

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2009-11-26T04:48:00.000-08:00

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2009-11-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

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What are these Radio Buying Services I keep seeing?

2008-06-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

I have been asked several times this month about those "Cheap" radio buying services that business owners are seeing on the internet after doing a google search: "How To Buy Radio Advertising". It frustrates me that the first potential piece of information that a business owner recieves after trying to educate themselves on using radio advertising as a viable media to advertise their business is information on how to "NOT" to buy radio advertising. Radio Advertising is not "CHEAP". Here is a definition of "cheap" as defined by dictionary.com ;

1. costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive: a cheap dress.
2. costing little labor or trouble: Words are cheap.
3. charging low prices: a very cheap store.
4. of little account; of small value; mean; shoddy: cheap conduct; cheap workmanship.
5. embarrassed; sheepish: He felt cheap about his mistake.
6. obtainable at a low rate of interest: when money is cheap.
7. of decreased value or purchasing power, as currency depreciated due to inflation.
8. stingy; miserly: He's too cheap to buy his own brother a cup of coffee.

The problem with putting the word cheap and radio together is that people have the perception that they can buy an effective advertising while buying the cheapest commercial inventory. Here is an inside secret into what is know as "traffic" in radio stations. The cheapest spots or commercials get the lowest priority. Your commercials will get bumped off, switched around, thrown out, or put into placement from Midnight to 5am in the morning. Yep! You heard me, those cheap spots are useless when trying to reach your target audience. Trust me, if you are considering Radio Advertising, their are plenty of professionals who can help you do it the right way.

For more information about how I can help you, visit

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The Upside Of A Recession: 'The Dumbbells Cut Back... The Smart People Don't'.

2008-06-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

The market drops 370 points in a single day, corporate earnings disappoint and housing prices continue to sink.

We are in uncertain economic times. We may be in a recession right now, or could slip into one next week... or next month.

As optimists, we don't like forecasting difficult economic times. But, even optimists have to come to grips with the realities of our uncertain marketplace.

With economic anxiety looming, many of our clients are asking: how should I position and market my firm in the year to come? Assuming yours is a healthy company, here are our general recommendations.

The Cumulative Power Of Marketing

The laws of marketing never change, even in a recession. In fact, if played correctly, they can compound in your favor. Marketing, in any economic environment, is about sustained and integrated activity.

Like the principle of compound interest, a little investment, applied consistently, will pay great dividends down the road. There are of course short term benefits – marketing assists in generating immediate sales – but the real power of your marketing program is cumulative. This cumulative effect drives awareness and ultimately preference in your service so, at the elusive time of need, your prospect thinks of you first.

A sustained marketing effort will help ensure that your pipeline is consistently replenished, leads are properly nurtured, and your market presence is maintained.

The advantages to continuing your marketing in uncertain economic times go far beyond simply maintaining the status quo. The reality is many of your competitors are going to pull back their marketing. As a result, your dollar is going to go further than it is now. Your share of voice will grow. This represents a great opportunity for forward looking firms that are committed to growth because there are still lots of buyers out there.

The Reactionary Response

Many service firms automatically cut expenditures, and marketing is often on top of the list. It's an instinctive response to difficult economic conditions. Almost universally, this response will lead a company to have real trouble in the coming years, recession or no recession.

We can understand why firms think they need to cut back. The sensationalistic media attention given to the economy creates a quiet panic in all of us. We run all sorts of scenarios through our head: clients are going to brace for hard times... they will take longer to make purchases... perhaps they'll even cut service providers. As you think of sales cycles stretching, client retention diminishing, and project size shrinking, you may find yourself looking to cut costs.

Marketing is one of those initial costs that seem easy to reduce. It's hard to measure and you aren't quite sure if it's needed when it's time to hunker down. Why not cut it until things are looking up again? It's easy to justify: "We'll go full force once the market turns, it won't hurt a thing."

The Facts

Study after study demonstrates why this is not wise. Keith Roberts, of PIMS Associates, found firms that increase their marketing spend during a recession actually grow significantly faster than firms that maintain or decrease their marketing spend.1 Additionally, firms that invested more in marketing in a down market realized a 4.3% increase in their ROI. This compared to companies that maintained or cut their level of effort during the two years following a recession.

The study also pointed out that those who increased their marketing efforts during a recession gained market share three times faster in the two years following a recession than businesses that cut their marketing. While service firms don't play the market share game, this does illustrate the cumulative effect of marketing and the opportunity for advancement in a recession.

While the work PIMS did is compelling, it's hardly the only material on the subject:

McGraw Hill found that business to business companies that maintained or increased their marketing during the 1981-82 recession grew during and after the recession at a far greater rate than those who didn't maintain or increase marketing spending.2

The research firm of Meldrum & Fewsmith studied all post World War II recessions and found that advertising aggressively during recessions not only increases sales but it also increases profits, and at a far greater rate than those firms that cut back.3

American Business Media found that maintaining share of mind during an economic downturn directly related to current and future sales and that maintaining share of mind costs much less than rebuilding it after a period of marketing inactivity.4

According to Coopers & Lybrand, marketing during a time of economic difficultly solidifies your client case, portrays you as stable, takes business away from less aggressive competitors and positions your firm well for post recession growth.5
We could go on, but we're sure you get the point – this storyline, and the research behind it, is compelling.

The Silver Lining

As legendry ad man Ed McCabe puts it, "All great enterprises move forward in a recession, and the weaklings move back. The dumbbells cut back...the smart people don't."

Be one of the "smart people." Whether there will be or won't be a recession, maintaining a healthy marketing program will only build on what you have already developed. And maintaining and growing what you have toiled long and hard over requires careful planning, decisive execution, and plain old guts. Now more than ever the money you spend now on marketing matters. Not because dark times loom, but because there is real opportunity out there right now.

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2008-06-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

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Radio Advertising Today

2008-05-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

In today's market it is getting tougher and tougher to break thru the clutter. It is more important that ever to have the right professional on each project you do. Check out this radio advertising site to find that professional:

The Right Professional for your Radio Advertising needs, click here

Linkedin Profile - Great Way To Connect, Contact, and Recruit

2008-05-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

Radio Heard Here – FAQs

2008-05-22T10:46:00.001-07:00

Radio Heard Here – FAQs
1. What is Radio Heard Here?
Radio Heard Here is a far-reaching, multiyear initiative designed to reignite the public’s passion
for radio. The fact is, despite the arrival of new communications and entertainment devices within
the past 20 years or so, radio has maintained its integral and near-ubiquitous presence in most
people’s lives. In fact, more than 235 million Americans say that radio plays an important role in
their lives. Radio Heard Here will showcase the many ways that radio has continued to adapt, to
innovate and to maintain its relevance in a digital world.
2. Who is behind this initiative?
Radio Heard Here is being made possible by a coalition of three major players from within the
broadcasting industry – the National Association of Broadcasters, the Radio Advertising Bureau
and the HD Digital Radio Alliance. These three organizations are overseeing the various educational
and promotional elements of the campaign, and the presidents/CEOs of each organization (David
Rehr, NAB; Jeff Haley, RAB; and Peter Ferrara, HDDRA) will be playing active and prominent
roles within the campaign. In addition to these major players, the campaign also will involve a variety of
industry partners, including Internet Service Providers, advertising agencies and other creative outlets.
3. What’s the impetus behind it?
There is understandable enthusiasm for new entertainment technologies. But in a world of digital
downloads, streaming audio and MP3 players, Americans have continued overwhelmingly to tune in to
radio to be entertained and informed. The radio industry never left – but it did seem quiet compared
to its new competitors in the marketplace. Radio has now reemerged with a greater sense of vitality,
versatility and innovation. The industry has invested millions of dollars in new technology – HD
radio and new delivery devices, for example – as well as made significant strides toward improving
the quality and diversity of its content. While Americans have more options than ever before about
where they find information and entertainment, radio is responding to this competitive landscape
by enhancing the listening experience in bold new ways. Communicating this renaissance in radio
is what Radio Heard Here is all about.
4. What are the objectives of the campaign?
Radio Heard Here seeks to change the public’s perceptions about the future of radio. This is a medium
that is approaching its centennial anniversary and Radio Heard Here not only will remind Americans
about the relevance of radio in their lives, but also will inform them of the innovative ways that
radio is expected to improve in both the programming and technology in the years ahead.
www.radioheardhere.com
Radio Heard Here – FAQs (continued)
5. What will the campaign entail?
The initiative will feature:
 A broad-based advertising campaign called “Radio Heard Here”.
 Outreach to industry and trade partners, which will include a prominent Web presence, a variety
of regular blogs, and a campaign to educate the creative community within advertising agencies
and universities on how to successfully write and place radio advertising.
 Public relations, which will target the industry, trade media and other key influencers.
 A viral communications component, which will involve videos produced for YouTube, MySpace,
Google Video and the like.
6. Why now?
The level of activity and innovation happening now within the radio industry is unprecedented, and
consequently there is no better time than now to begin communicating the many ways that radio is
adapting, changing, exploring, innovating, investing and responding to a changing world. As the
industry approaches the 100th anniversary of its first commercial broadcast, it is a fitting time to
celebrate radio’s significant achievements and focus on the bright future the industry has ahead of it.

Radio Heard Here

2008-05-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend of Radio,
They say that radio is making a comeback, but you and I know that it never went away. Radio has been
an integral part of our lives for almost 90 years and is still going strong.
But, like any long-term relationship, things have become a little predictable. It just needs a little help
to reignite the passion.
That’s why the National Association of Broadcasters – together with the Radio Advertising Bureau, HD Digital
Radio Alliance and others – recently launched Radio 2020, a comprehensive, multimillion-dollar, multiyear
initiative designed to reinvigorate the medium.
It is with great pleasure that I introduce Radio Heard Here, the initiative’s far-ranging advertising and
promotional campaign. Radio Heard Here is designed to showcase the broadening versatility of radio
content, the pioneering innovation of its technology and radio’s continued relevance in the lives of Americans.
Enclosed you will find a packet of materials describing the campaign in further detail, including facts
about the campaign, and biographies of the key players.
It’s a dynamic time in our industry with tremendous innovation and opportunity. Please join us in this endeavor.
Best wishes.
Sincerely,
David Rehr Jeff Haley
President and CEO President and CEO
National Association of Broadcasters Radio Advertising Bureau

RADIO COALITION KICKS OFF INITIATIVE

2008-05-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

Radio Heard Here Keeps Americans in Tune with Radio’s Advances
Washington, D.C., April 15, 2008 – In a world of mobile digital devices, digital downloads and streaming
audio, one of the most venerable and pervasive forms of media – radio – is launching a major initiative
designed to underscore the broadening versatility of its content, the pioneering innovation of its technology
and the continuing relevance of the medium in Americans’ lives.
Radio Heard Here – a comprehensive, multidimensional, multiyear initiative made possible by a partnership
among the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and HD Digital
Radio Alliance – is kicking off this spring with a series of far-reaching elements focused on turning up
the volume on radio’s reemerging presence in a digital world.
“The sleeping giant has awakened,” said David Rehr, NAB president and CEO. “For close to a century,
radio has had a ubiquitous and integral presence in our nation’s life, and today more than 235 million
Americans turn to radio each week to be informed and entertained. Despite its universal presence, or
perhaps because of it, radio’s abiding impact has been overlooked and underappreciated. The medium,
however, has a bright future, and Radio Heard Here will help showcase radio’s robust advances, particularly
in harnessing new technology and expanding and enhancing the diversity of its content.”
“We are seeing a renaissance in radio with respect to programming – programming that has become
more versatile, more experimental and of a higher quality than ever before,” said Jeff Haley, president
and CEO of RAB. “This is an industry that is being bold, taking risks and engaging audiences in a variety
of creative ways. And listeners are taking note. More than 90% of Americans say that radio continues
to play an important role in their lives.”
“Radio is not standing still, nor resting on our laurels,” said Peter Ferrara, CEO, HD Digital Radio Alliance.
“The radio industry has invested millions of dollars in recent years on new technologies designed to
expand and improve the delivery of radio programming. Our investment in HD technology, the embrace of
online streaming content, the convergence of radio with such modern devices as mobile phones and
MP3 players – these and other efforts demonstrate our broad commitment to keeping radio a current
and relevant part of the nation’s cultural landscape.”

Top 100 Social Sites

2008-05-11T19:44:00.001-07:00

Rank Social Networking Sites (Alexa/Google PR)
1 http://360.yahoo.com (1/7)
2 http://www.orkut.com (2/9)
3 http://spaces.live.com (4/ 8)
4 http://www.myspace.com (6/ 8)
5 http://www.facebook.com (7/ 8)
6 http://www.hi5.com (8/6)
7 http://www.friendster.com (14/7)
8 http://www.fotolog.com (15/7)
9 http://www.livejournal.com (60/8)
10 http://www.xanga.com (99/7)
11 http://www.bebo.com (104/7)
12 http://www.multiply.com (108/6)
13 http://www.linkedin.com (205/7)
14 http://www.stumbleupon.com (298/8)
15 http://www.gaiaonline.com (300/6)
16 http://www.last.fm (304/7)
17 http://www.piczo.com (351/6)
18 http://my.opera.com/community (495/8)
19 http://www.buzznet.com (593/6)
20 http://www.imvu.com (607/6)
21 http://www.twitter.com (639/8)
22 http://www.squidoo.com (728/7)
23 http://www.mybloglog.com (769/7)
24 http://www.wayn.com (816/5)
25 http://www.slashdot.org (1,094/9)
26 http://www.blackplanet.com (1,136/5)
27 http://www.ning.com (1,286/7)
28 http://www.myyearbook.com (1,403/5)
29 http://www.meetup.com (1,664/8)
30 http://www.classmates.com (1,692/7)
31 http://www.unyk.com (1,865/4)
32 http://www.vox.com (1,897/7)
33 http://www.faceparty.com (2,058/5)
34 http://www.yuwie.com (2,124/5)
35 http://www.yelp.com (2,177/6)
36 http://www.hubpages.com (2,632/6)
37 http://www.secondlife.com (2,771/8)
38 http://www.nexopia.com (3,378/4)
39 http://www.mobango.com (4,085/4)
40 http://www.43things.com (4,204/7)
41 http://www.tribe.net (4,211/6)
42 http://www.fanpop.com (4,839/5)
43 http://www.reunion.com (4,968/5)
44 http://www.greatestjournal.com (5,150/5)
45 http://www.care2.com (5,176/6)
46 http://www.migente.com (5,272/5)
47 http://uk.tribe.net (5,635/1)
48 http://community.adlandpro.com (6,207/1)
49 http://www.broadcaster.com (6,246/5)
50 http://www.ecademy.com (6,710/7)
51 http://www.couchsurfing.com (7,058/6)
52 http://www.downelink.com (7,490/5)
53 http://www.mog.com (10,312/6)
54 http://www.gazzag.com (10,458/1)
55 http://www.ryze.com (13,792/6)
56 http://www.gather.com (14,294/6)
57 http://www.zaadz.com (15,909/5)
58 http://www.librarything.com (17,191/7)
59 http://www.xuqa.com (18,810/5)
60 http://www.directmatches.com (19,811/3)
61 http://www.profileheaven.com (20,430/5)
62 http://www.dogster.com (22,382/6)
63 http://www.eons.com (23,951/7)
64 http://start.aimpages.com (26,586/6)
65 http://www.passado.com (29,966/5)
66 http://www.ruckus.com (31,343/6)
67 http://www.travbuddy.com (31,852/5)
68 http://www.student.com (32,949/5)
69 http://www.sosyalan.com (39,410/3)
70 http://www.graduates.com (56,012/5)
71 http://www.tagworld.com (56,274/6)
72 http://www.takingitglobal.org (58,663/6)
73 http://www.blurty.com (72,692/5)
74 http://www.bizpreneur.com (88,278/3)
75 http://www.deadjournal.com (106,356/6)
76 http://www.mygamma.com (108,786/1)
77 http://www.trade-pals.com (119,086/4)
78 http://www.musicforte.com (123,719/6)
79 http://www.consumating.com (124,922/7)
80 http://www.meetin.org (132,335/4)
81 http://www.wallop.com (150,190/6)
82 http://www.mugshot.org (181,098/7)
83 http://www.dandelife.com (188,889/6)
84 http://www.dodgeball.com (189,116/6)
85 http://www.groovenet.ph (204,372/3)
86 http://www.itsjustcoffee.com (242,134/4)
87 http://www.oyaye.com (243,763/3)
88 http://www.socialgrid.com (285,886/5)
89 http://www.tripconnect.com (327,071/6)
90 http://www.decayenne.com (349,546/4)
91 http://www.listography.com (436,905/4)
92 http://www.flingr.com (458,075/4)
93 http://www.kontakan.com (641,254/3)
94 http://www.katropa.com (932,484/4)
95 http://www.intellectconnect.com (940,414/3)
96 http://www.bizfriendz.com (975,651/3)
97 http://www.sitespaces.net (1,040,719/3)
98 http://www.refer-online.com (1,433,365/3)
99 http://www.yapperz.com (1,741,210/3)
100 http://www.babbello.com (1,994,389/4)

Effective Advertising Copy means saying "So What"

2008-04-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

"So What"...the simple test for any copy that will save million$$ on ineffective text

Consumer skepticism is at an all time high with 30,000 advertising messages bombarding our psyche each day. Ultimately, consumers only care about what makes their life better and they sift through those messages based on that test. You can gage the impact of your copy based on the simple, yet effective, “So What!” test.

Read out loud every line of copy you plan on using in your brochure copy, radio copy, newspaper copy, or web copy. If your target market could respond to that copy with an honest “So What”....you can deem that copy unnecessary.

We’ve got the best prices of the season”

-So what!

“Locally owned and in business for 40 years”

-So what!”

“We’ve got the best selection and a friendly staff to service you”

-So what!”

“You’d pay $29.95 everywhere in town but this week we can offer it to you at just $19.95”

-Now you’ve got my attention!

“We’ve been backing up our ‘satisfaction or you money back’ guarentee for 40 years...why would you take a risk anywhere else”

-Now you’ve got my attention!

“With over 22,000 different items in the store, you’ll be able to take care of all of your needs in one stop.”

-Now you’ve got my attention!

The “So What Test” is the most painful and valueable tool in your marketing tool chest.

"The Eyes have it"-A surefire way to supercharge you print advertising and guarantee every reader sees your ad.

Psychologists established years ago that mentally healthy humans have an innate need to maintain eye contact. Tests confirmed that it is uncomfortable for humans to confront another person, and even a picture of another person, without making eye contact.

The first goal of any visual marketing tool is to command the target audiences’ attention. Without initial attention, the message will never be delivered. The cheapest, and most effective, way to command that attention is to include the “eyes” of a human being. It will not only instantly direct the reader’s attention to your message, it will also ‘humanize’ the marketing message and create an emotional attachment that most ads only hope to achieve.

Add a human face with compelling eyes, or at the very least, just eyes to every visual marketing campaign you create.

Test it yourself or on you family. It works 100% of the time.

Link Rolls For Del.icio.us

2008-03-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

New Del.icio.us Badges

2008-03-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

my del.icio.us
Bay Area Radio Advertising For Business Owners

Constant Contact and Email Marketing Strategies

2008-03-20T21:28:00.002-07:00

Trusted Email Marketing

and Online Surveys

Ready to open the lines of communication? Speak and listen with Email Marketing and Survey by Constant Contact, and begin an ongoing dialogue with your customers, members, or clients. Email Marketing and Survey helps you build strong, lasting relationships.

With Email Marketing you can stay connected and get your message out. Survey lets customers communicate back to you—with new ideas and feedback to better understand and meet their needs. You'll gain a broader, more representative view of what customers or members really think about your products, services and communications.

Survey gives you new insight that helps you gain the focus you need to meet customer needs...and deliver what they want. And with Email Marketing, you can close the communication loop. Your audience will know you listened to them when they receive your targeted, follow-up email communications.

* Create professional email campaigns and online surveys—in no time at all—with step-by-step wizards and more than 200 easy-to-use templates
* Get survey feedback and measure email campaign results in real time with instant tracking and reporting
* Uncover revealing trends and patterns with Survey's powerful filtering option and easy-to-read graphs and charts
* Manage your email and survey lists, and reporting—all in one place with one, integrated Constant Contact account
* Create targeted email lists based on survey response, and follow-up with relevant email communications

Open the lines of communications with your customers or members. Begin a dialogue with Email Marketing and Survey by Constant Contact today! Email Marketing and Survey helps you build strong, lasting relationships.

Email Marketing

2008-03-20T21:28:00.001-07:00

Survey by Constant Contact— makes conducting online surveys simple, fast, and highly affordable—no technical or market research skills are required. Survey gives you insight, new ideas and the knowledge to help meet customer needs...keep them...and grow your organization. You'll make more informed decisions—because you'll have a broader, more representative view of what your customers and members really think about your products, services, and communications.

With Survey by Constant Contact, you can:

* Create online surveys fast, with our step-by-step Survey Wizard—or create your survey from scratch
* Choose from more than 40 professionally-written survey templates—from member satisfaction to testing new products
* Save time—with questions and answer choices written by experts
* Invite survey participants with an email invitation or post a survey link on your website
* Manage your survey contacts with email list management
* Interpret results fast with easy-to-read graphs and charts
* Export results in Excel for comparison over time
* Choose to add Email Marketing to your account—manage your contact lists and reporting in one place (optional)

With your online survey results, you can:

* View summary or drill-down to individual survey responses
* Uncover revealing trends and patterns with Survey's powerful filtering option
* Create targeted email lists based on survey responses, and then follow-up with relevant communications

Discover how the power of Survey by Constant Contact can help you better understand your customers...meet their needs...and have them coming back—again and again.

Survey Marketing

2008-03-20T21:27:00.001-07:00

Trusted Email Marketing

Best Email Marketing Company & Survey too

2008-03-20T21:22:00.001-07:00

Email Markeing for small to medium sized business

Trusted Email Marketing

Best way to populate your Myspace Page

2008-03-11T13:14:00.001-07:00

Using social networking sites effectively today is easy. You need his software

Directory Submission Tool

2008-03-11T13:06:00.002-07:00

This is the best directory submission software on the marketing today, click on the banner to buy.

Merchant Circle Reviews

2008-02-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

Check out my reviews from Merchant Circle. Business in the East Bay are starting to reap the benefits of "Fike Shway".

If you own a business in Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, Danville, Orinda, San Ramon, Livermore, Dublin, Alamo, Blackhawk, Brentwood, Pittsburg, Lafayette, Moraga, Tracy, you should check out:

Bay Area Radio Advertising

Reciprocal Links

2008-01-26T21:39:00.000-08:00

Listed on: Add Your URL Directory

SEO Link Popularity

2008-01-23T17:35:00.000-08:00


	Link Popularity Tool © SEO Chat™ URL Valid URL to check Enter Captcha To Continue To prevent spamming, please enter in the numbers and letters in the box below Report Problem with Tool.

Alexa Code

2008-01-21T19:55:00.001-08:00

I am in the process of doing some extensive research on the Alexa Code and how it can help you improve your site, especially if you are doing ecommerce through your site.

Add Power of Radio

2008-01-14T08:37:00.001-08:00

ADD POWER TO AUTOMOTIVE ADVERTISING
WITH RADIO
Americans form strong emotional connections with their rides. They also feel deep personal connections with their favorite Radio stations. Advertising the right vehicles on the right Radio stations – alone or in tandem with a TV campaign – can make your dealership the destination when consumers are in the market to buy.
Think TV’s the Place to Be? Boost the Visual Impact of TV Ads – with Radio:
• Exchanging one of two TV ads for two Radio ads in tests increased unaided brand recall by over 1/3 (34%). Additionally, more consumers chose that advertised brand as their first-choice product. (1)
• Radio communicated the main messages just as well as TV for a variety of ad campaigns ranging from sexy-looking cars to tasty-looking sandwiches, underscoring Radio’s ability to enhance the impact of TV messages. (2)
• Studies on imagery transfer all have confirmed that approximately 3/4 of participants could recall at least one visually transferred aspect of a TV ad when exposed to audio playback of TV spots.
• Radio ads have emotional impact at least equal to that of TV ads, according to an evaluation of 16 real campaigns on both media – reinforcing the engagement of Radio listeners and the perceived relevance of ads they feel are directed to them. (3)
• Radio’s ROI was just as potent in the presence of 50-100 TRPs of national television as it was by itself. (4)
Radio Is Everywhere, Yet Listeners Connect One-on-One:
• Radio’s range of formats lets you target groups of listeners with similar lifestyles on their favorite stations, as well as zeroing in on specific geographic areas for your dealership – or a single buy can blanket the nation.
• The original mobile medium, Radio is still highly effective at reaching listeners in cars, at work and in areas where they relax, play – and shop.
• Radio reaches the majority of consumers age 12 and older in every market – 93% of the total U.S. (5) – with the average listeners tuning in for 20 hours per week. (6)
• Listeners build emotional connections with "their" Radio stations. In this environment, Radio ads are perceived to be "more honest" and less intrusive and annoying than TV ads. (6)
(1) "The Benefits of Synergy: Moving Money Into Radio" (2004)–The PreTesting Company with Radio Ad Lab
(2) "Engagement, Emotions, and the Power of Radio" (2007)–Gallup & Robinson with Radio Ad Lab
(3) "Engagement, Emotions, and the Power of Radio" – Gallup & Robinson for Radio Ad Lab, 2007
(4) "Radio’s ROI Advantage" (2005)–Millward Brown and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) with Radio Ad Lab
(5) RADAR 93, June 2007 © Arbitron, Inc.; (7 Arbitron Maximi$er Plus National Regional Database, Fall 2006
(6) "Personal Relevance, Personal Connections: How Radio Ads Affect Consumers" (2003) and "Personal Relevance 2: Radio’s Receptive Ad Environment" (2006)–both WirthlinWorldwide with Radio Ad Lab

Useful Radio Advertising Links

2008-01-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

The Following is just a small list of links that I use on a daily basis. Feel free to check them out. I would love to hear your feedback.

Useful Links
How To Start A Business
How To Marketing A Business: A fine set of tips on how to market your business.
Top 10 Mistakes of Small Business
How To Advertise Your Business
How To Use Social Networking Sites For Business: Great Blog site on expanding your business using sweat equity.
Which Media Is Right For Your Business: Choosing the right media(s) for advertising can be a hard task. Let the experts guide you through the process with a simple and easy tool.
How To Create A Brand: Creating a long lasting brand is one key to success. This link will explore how this step can be accomplished.
Merchant Circle: Following this useful to link to the Fike Shway page. This is a great tool for small business to have a large impact on your organic search result with yahoo, google, ask, and many other national search engines.
Create A Blog Site Specific To Your Industry: Using blogs to become an expert in your field is a great way to increase your reputation among peers. It is also another way to make money, but be prepared for long hours writting if you plan on making an huge income.
Learn How To Use Myspace To Capture Local Business: Setting up a myspace page can be helpful in capturing local friends who may need your business or service. Learn how I did it here by clicking on this link.
Find Out How To Use ZOOM Info: Another great tool for a small business. Follow this hyperlink for more information on social networking 101.
Ezine Articles are another way to communicate your expertise: A wonderful author grabs some important information about advertising on radio. See if you can find one of her sources.

Bay Area Radio Stations

2008-01-08T09:06:00.000-08:00

Below you will find a complete list of the local radio stations that you can find on the FM dial. If you plan on using any of the Coast Radio stations, please feel free to consult with me prior to contacting them in regards to radio advertising. I have over a decade of using radio successfully to help clients improve their advertising results.

RADIO WORKS

Bay Area Radio Stations
Callsign Frequency Description Market City / Owner
KLLC 97.3 Adult Contemporary San Francisco - CBS
KOHL 89.3 Top 40 Freemont
KJZY 93.7 Smooth jazz Sebastopol - Redwood Empire Stereocasters
KFFG 104.5 Classic Rock San Francisco - Cumulus
KFGY 92.9 Country Station Santa Rosa - Maverick Media
KZSC 88.1 College UC Santa Cruz
KQED 88.5 Public Public Radio - Bay Area
KUSP 88.9 Public Public Radio - Central Coast
KCEA 89.1 Big Band Atherton - Public Radio
KSQQ 96.1 Portuguese San Jose - Coyote Communications
KPFA 89.3 Variety Berkeley - Public
KMTG 89.3 Variety San Jose - Pioneer High School
KPOO 89.5 Soul, Jazz, Blues & Oldies San Francisco - Poor People's Radio
KSMC 89.5 Variety Moraga - St. Mary's College
KFJC 89.7 Cutting Edge Los Altos - Foothill College
KUSF 90.3 Alternative San Francisco - University of San Francisco
KFER 89.9 Religious Santa Cruz - Public
KSJS 90.5 Urban San Jose - San Jose State University
KWMR 90.5 Community Radio Point Reyes - Community Radio
KVHS 90.5 Alternative San Mateo - San Mateo Junior College
KALX 90.7 School Radio Berkeley - California State Berkeley
KHRI 90.7 Christian Bay Area - Christian.net
KCSM 91.1 Community San Mateo - College of San Mateo
KKUP 91.5 Free Radio Cupertino - Community Radio
KALW 91.7 Information Radio Bay Area - Local Public Radio
KLVR 91.9 Christian Music Rocklin - Educational Media Foundation
KKDV 92.1 Variety 70's,80's, & 90's Walnut Creek - Coast Radio
KSJO 92.3 Spanish San Jose - Clear Channel
KTOM 92.7 Hot Country Santa Cruz - Clear Channel
KNGY 92.7 Pure Dance San Francisco - Flying Bear Media
KRZZ 93.3 Regional Mexican San Francisco - Clear Channel
KPFA 94.1 Free Radio Berkeley - Public Radio
KBAY 94.5 Soft Rock Oakland - InterTech Media
KYLD 94.9 Urban, Party Music San Francisco, Clear Channel
KRTY 95.3 Hot Country San Jose - MediaSpan
KBWF 95.7 Fresh Country San Francisco - Entercom
KOIT 96.5 Lite Rock San Francisco - Entercom
KWAV 96.9 Soft Rock Monterey - Private
KISQ 98.1 Old School, R & B San Francisco - Clear Channel
KVRV 97.7 Classic Rock Santa Rosa - Maverick Media
KFOX 98.5 Classic Rock San Francisco - Clear Channel
KSOL 98.9 Regional Mexican San Francisco - Univision
KVMQ 99.7 Rhythmic AC San Francisco - CBS
KBRG 100.3 Recuerdo (Latin Oldies) Bay Area - Private
KZST 100.1 Adult Contemporary Santa Rosa - Redwood Stereocasters
KVVZ 100.7 La Kalle San Francisco - Univision
PCR 87.9 Pirate Radio Bay Area - Unknown
KXTS 100.9 Hispanic Station Santa Rosa - Private
KIOI 101.7 Adult Contemporary San Francisco - Clear Channel
KXFX 101.7 Rock Santa Rosa - Maverick Media
KDFC 102.1 Classical San Francisco - Bonneville
KRSH 95.9 Adult Alternative Rock Santa Rosa - Wine Country Radoi
KNOB 96.7 Classic Rock Santa Rosa - Wine Country Radio
KKIQ 101.7 Variety 70's, 80's, & 90's Pleasanton - Coast Radio
KUIC 95.3 Adult Contemporary Vacaville - Coast Radio
KBLX 102.1 Adult Contemporary, Oldies R & B San Francisco - ICBC Broadcast Holdings
KSCU 103.3 Eclectic Santa Clara - Santa Clara University
KKSF 103.7 Smooth Jazz San Francisco - Clear Channel
KMHX 104.9 HOT Adult Contemporary Santa Rosa - Maverick Media
KVCH 104.1 Christian South Bay - Private
KFOG 104.5 Classic Rock San Francisco - Cumulus
KRPQ 104.9 ???? Santa Rosa - For SALE
KLDZ 104.9 Modern Rock San Jose - Clear Channel
KITS 105.3 Modern Rock - Alternative Blend San Francisco - CBS
KEMR 105.7 ????? East Bay - Up For Sale
KMEL 106.1 Urban Contemporary San Francisco - Clear Channel
KEZR 106.9 Hot Adult Contemporary San Jose - Intertech Media
KIFR 106.9 FM TALK San Francisco - CBS
KSAN 107.7 ROCK San Mateo - Cumulus Broadcasting

Bay Area Radio Player

2007-12-31T12:09:00.001-08:00

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Make your business "SOUND" like big business

2007-12-23T22:23:00.001-08:00

How do you pronounce "meme"?
"Meem" (rhymes with "dream")

What is a meme?
Memes are the basic building blocks of our minds and culture, in the same way that genes are the basic building blocks of biological life.

Isn't memetics just a fancy name for _________ (fill in the blank with "cultural evolution", "behavioral psychology", "sociobiology", or anything else)? Why is this anything new?
The breakthrough in memetics is in extending Darwinian evolution to culture. There are several exciting conclusions from doing that, one of which is the ability to predict that ideas will spread not because they are "good ideas", but because they contain "good memes" such as danger, food and sex that push our evolutionary buttons and force us to pay attention to them.

Who invented memes?
Oxford zoologist Richard Dawkins is credited with first publication of the concept of meme in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene.

If memes control our thoughts and therefore our actions, what about free will?
We continually understand more and more about how our bodies and minds work. We now know that trillions of organic nanomachines in the cells of our bodies work together to give us life. Neither that understanding nor the new understanding of our minds that memetics will give us should affect the philosophical question of free will.

In Virus of the Mind, you seem to neglect truth as a main reason that memes replicate, focusing instead on psychological button-pushing, evangelism, and other non-obvious means. Why?
First, the theoretical reason. Our minds evolved to support survival and reproduction in the ancestral environment (Stone Age). The kind of truth that would have aided that would have pertained to knowledge of terrain, seasons, and so on. These things are concrete and simple. Our society today is so complex that concrete and simple things that "make sense" are likely to out-compete "true" memes that are less appealing. Second, empirical evidence shows that students are getting worse and worse at knowledge tests.

You talk a lot about living life in "Level 3." What does that mean?
It means not just living consciously, but consciously choosing the memes I allow to program me. Read this.

Q & A With Fike Shway

2007-12-18T11:58:00.001-08:00

Q & A With Fike Shway

Q –Is Radio too expensive?

A- I have heard over the years from several business owners who have stated radio is expensive. And they can be right, if you look at all the choices that an advertiser has today, radio can be an expensive option. I tell every client that is radio does not work, yes, it is too expensive. That why it is important that you work with the right Account Executive to match your product or service with the right audience for maximize result.

Q –Does Radio Work?

A - The simple answer is yes. But it is not a cookie cutter process. Individual attention needs to be given for every new client. Example: You could take two dealerships that sell the same line of vehicle. One advertiser sells on price, the other sells on quality. The radio campaign needs to match the clients brand, unique identifying feature, and the message they deliver with their overall advertising.
Q – How does a Radio Station price their commercials?

A- Each radio station prices their inventory in various ways. Radio stations can offer 15, 30, and 60 second radio ads. One standard in pricing their ads is using market analysis on where they stand in overall market share. For national business a formula of Cost Per Thousand is used based on the overall 60 second “spot” cost. For regional and local business a rate is used for the time period you are buying. “Prime Time” is the when the station has the most listen, thus, they can charge more per minute. Usually a radio stations morning show 6a-9a Mon – Fri is considered the most expensive.

Q – How do I buy Radio?
A – There is now exact formula for buying radio. If this was true, their would be no need for Account Executives. Each campaign should reflect what it is you are trying to sell to the listeners. Example: A restaurant client. This client would target the time period that reaches the listeners when they are most likely to make the decision to eat. Qualitative analysis would be available to pin point those time periods that would be best.

Q – What does FM and AM represent?

A – Frequency Modulation and Amplitude Modulation. In basic terms, it means the wave the radio wave travels. Typically an AM signal can travel a farther distance with low wattage.

Q – Why are AM stations usually talk radio?

A – Because of the way sound travels on an AM radio wave, it is general best for voice tracks. With new technology of course this can all be corrected for both FM and AM. So the biggest reason is because of history. Historically when radio started, AM was used to get local news and weather out to local populations. When FM was developed, stations would play music. It just sort of stuck after many years. However these days, you will find FM talk shows and AM music stations.

Q – What is Fike Shway?

A- Funny story. In 2006 I worked with a general sales manager in the Sonoma county marketplace. He and I would come up with extremely creative ideas to solve client advertising problems. He stated that I needed a moniker (Personal ID Tag) that explained my creative thought process. Between coffee and managing clients one morning it hit us…Fike Shway. A play on Feng Shui. Sort of a movement and creative style used by me to help clients solve their advertising needs. So Fike Shway was born.

Q – What is satellite radio?

A- Satellite radio is a subscription radio service. It is similar to cable TV, in that it provides a wide range of programming not available on traditional AM/FM radio for a monthly fee.

Q – What is the difference between satellite and AM/FM radio?

A- While satellite radio offers you a large coverage area where you can tune into a wide array of programming, it does not provide local programming. That is local programming that is relavent to the area. Weather, News, Concerts, Events, and local stories. While there was a big push for satellite in 2003 today it only has around 11 million total sucribers. AM/FM has over 285 million. The biggest difference, is that AM/FM is FREE.

Q- How does a radio station program its music?

A - Radio stations for the most part use what is called a time clock. That is a formula that they set up using A, B, C, D and sometimes E. Each letter dictates the genre or artist type that they want to play at the minute in that hour. The formula is under the control of the program director and is the secret sauce to a stations success or failure.

Q – Why do most commerical radio station play the same song several times throughout the day?

A- There are different audiences at different parts of the day.

The morning show - commuters
Lunchtime shows - office workers etc
Afternoon show – Office workers, People looking for a jolt in their work day.
Afternoon show - commuters
Evening shows – Active Adult, Teenagers, 2nd Shift Workers.
Night shows – 3rd Shift, Night Shift, and Truck Drivers

Plus they want to play popular songs to keep their audience or play requested songs which tend to be the "Hits" of the moment. Radio stations know that there is a burn out period for a song and the industry is working hard on improving sounds quality as a whole.

Q – What is HD Radio?

A- HD Radio is an upgrading of the way AM and FM radio signals are transmitted, from analog to digital signals. Sounds neat. But what does that mean for us listeners?

HD Radio technology allows broadcasters to transmit a high-quality digital signal. For listeners who have an HD Radio receiver, the benefits are:

FM radio with near CD-quality sound
AM radio that sounds as good as traditional FM
No more static, pops, crackles or fades
Transmission of additional information, such as song titles and artists
Increased listening options with multicasting
Tagging a song for later purchase through the iTunes® Store

Q- How does HD Radio Work?

A - HD Radio technology works pretty much just like traditional analog radio transmission:
1. The radio station sends out the analog and digital radio signals, along with a third signal for text data.
2. The digital signal is compressed before being transmitted.
3. The three-layered signal is transmitted from the radio station's upgraded digital transmitter.
4. Multipath interference, caused by the signal reflecting off of buildings, is ignored by the digital radio, which is able to discern the true signal and ignore interference.
5. Your radio receives the signal and, depending on your equipment, you hear either the digital or analog feed.

Q – Where can I heard HD Radio?

A- For now in major markets only. It is costly to convert a radio station to HD. It is estimated that between $75,000 and $120,000 will be spent for each station in a a radio group. Most groups are 3-7 stations.

Have a question for Bryan, email him here…..

Small Business, you should be here

2007-12-10T20:50:00.001-08:00

Local Business goes Digital

2007-12-10T20:37:00.000-08:00

15 Sites for Promoting Your Local Business
Want to get your name out to the local market? Take advantage of these online marketing sites and watch your business grow.

The future advertising is online--and going local. This hot trend is growing rapidly and shows no signs of letting up. In fact, according to a report by Borrell Associates, local online advertising is expected to grow by 31 percent this year, hitting $7.7 billion. The report also predicts local paid search will skyrocket by 86 percent this year, up to $1.8 billion. Local e-mail marketing will experience growth of about 54 percent, reaching $233 million.
There's no question that consumers are using the internet to navigate their way to local brick-and-mortar retailers. A recent study by ROI Research Inc. and Performics shows that online searches influence 20 to 30 percent of purchases made at retail locations--and that number is only increasing. More and more sites, like Local.com, are making their presence known by competing against major search engines like Google and Yahoo!. So study up, plan your budget and get in on the online advertising game.

1. Website: Google AdWords
How It Will Help You: AdWords helps you target local online customers by setting your pay-per-click ads to appear only when people search a particular city, state or region. There's no minimum spending requirement--your daily budget is up to you.

2. Website: Yahoo! Local Listings
How It Will Help You: Local Listings will promote your business to customers looking for information in Yahoo! Local. Choose from three different plans (one is free) to meet your company's needs.

3. Website: CitySearch
How It Will Help You: CitySearch offers online advertising tools to easily open your account, manage your daily results and receive ad placement on MSN, Yahoo!, Google and Ask.com. Similar to the idea of pay-per-click advertising, CitySearch offers two paid plans, "Web Connect" and "Call Connect."

4. Website: Ask.com's AskCity
How It Will Help You: Ask.com recently launched AskCity, a new local search application that's a one-stop destination for making plans. In one screen, consumers can map a route, make dinner reservations, purchase movie tickets and e-mail plans to others. Pricing for advertising on Ask.com varies.

5. Website: AOL's CityGuide
How It Will Help You: AOL's CityGuide specializes in providing local entertainment information to AOL service members. Advertising with AOL allows marketers to target consumers specifically by lifestyle and market.

6. Website: Craigslist
How It Will Help You: Craigslist gets an estimated 10 million unique visitors per day. With an online classified ad format organized by region or city, Craigslist connects buyers and sellers in more than 300 communities; for the most part, posting on the site is free.

7. Website: MerchantCircle.com
How It Will Help You: This free site offers a local business listing service that allows you to better manage your online reputation and become more visible in search engine results.

8. Website: Dotster
How It Will Help You: Dotster is a web domain registration and hosting company offering a local web advertising package called "Local Site Promotion." You set your monthly budget and Dotster will make your ad visible on all the major search engines.

9. Website: Local.com
How It Will Help You: Advertising on Local.com will give you access to their 10 million-plus monthly customers. Choose from a free basic listing or pay-per-click options.

10. Website: Froogle Local
How It Will Help You: Google's shopping search engine allows users to search for specific products by location. It's a great way for users to find retail stores regardless of whether you use e-commerce.

11. Website:ReachLocal
How It Will Help You: This site provides a central location for businesses to set-up, maintain and track local search advertising campaigns. Pricing varies.

12. Website: RegisterLocal
How It Will Help You: RegisterLocal is a service, costing $199.95 per year, that allows you to create a master profile they submit to search engines and directories on your behalf.

13. Website: TrueLocal
How It Will Help You: This local search engine features full-text searching and offers advertising opportunities for businesses. Currently indexing more than 13 million local businesses, TrueLocal starts at just $1 per month.

14. Website: YellowPages.com
How It Will Help You: YellowPages.com is a large online local directory site featuring city guides and advertising solutions. Basic listings are free.

15. Website: Web.com's MyEzClicks program
How It Will Help You: MyEzClicks lists your business on more than 30 major search engines, including Google, Yahoo! and MSN for a monthly fee.

Your advertising is not working... Here's why

2007-12-10T20:02:00.000-08:00

Small town advertising isn't as easy as most people think. Most small towns are generally limited to two principal media...radio and the local newspaper. TV, though sometimes available and used on occasion, is often cost prohibitive for many businesses.

The problem with small town advertising is often the same as big city advertising. It isn't the form of media, it's the message along with how and to who it's delivered.

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What do you want your advertising to accomplish?
You started your business because you studied and learned your craft or skill and wanted to offer it to others. I would never dream of coming into your place of business and telling you how to run it. I don't have the expertise you do. When it comes to marketing and advertising, many small business owners don't have the expertise to do it correctly or profitably.

I will never understand why business owners take advice from unqualified strangers before they trust their own instincts or consult an informed reputable source. I have overheard business people ask complete strangers in movie lines if they should advertise on the screen between movies. Forget demographics, target market and product positioning. I guess if the stranger said yes, the business owner would make the deal with the manager after the movie.

Advertising generates traffic to your business. You need to generate a certain amount of income to keep your doors open. How many customers does it take to do that each day? How much must each spend? Who are they and how do you reach them?

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Learn The Fike Shway of Marketing
In my strategies, I talk about a college professor who told a story about a big game hunter. He wanted to shoot a tiger. He asked the local "wise man" of the tribe how to do it. The wise man replied, "To catch a tiger, learn the ways of a tiger."

In case you missed the point of that story, let me rephrase it. "To find your customers, learn the ways of your customers." You must know who they are and how they find information before you can advertise effectively.

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Make a choice
So, you have two choices to make. One, hire an advertising and/or marketing company, if one is available and you can afford it. Or, if that is cost prohibitive, do it yourself. In this blog we deal with a lot do-it-yourselfers from all over the world.

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Where do I start?
When you started your business, hopefully, you constructed a business plan. If you don't have one...get one. Your business plan should have outlined why you think you have a viable business and who your customers are and how you intend to reach them.

If you are a new business you don't really have a customer base to analyze. One place you can look for help is trade magazines. Look for success stories of people in your industry and call them up. Ask them how they advertise and where? What promotions work? Who is their ideal customer?

Let's look at some advertising basics and how they work and don't work.

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The "Fantastic Four" of advertising
No, I'm not referring to the Super Hero's. Advertising was originally designed to accomplish four things.

1. To provide information about your company to your customers.
2. To create an image of the company for your customers.
3. To provide sales leads to the company or sales force.
4. And most important of all...to sell.

Advertising is usually sold at a "cost per thousand" readers/listeners that the advertising reaches. As you have read here before, I prefer to buy advertising at a "cost per customer." If I spend $50.00 on an ad and it produces three customers who spend $10.00 each, what happened? I just lost $20.00. My advertising stops being an investment, and becomes an expense.

Track your ads to save money. Where are people coming from? How did they find you? What made them find you?

As I go through each of the four types of ads the question to keep in mind is, "What do I want my advertising to accomplish?"

Let's look at each one of the "Fantastic Four" and the mistakes most businesses make when they take on the job of in-house advertising manager.

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Information Advertising
This is the most common type of advertising and the most often abused. Companies buy ad space and fill it with, "me", "me", "me." The customer isn't interested in you. The customer is interested in what benefits them. (See: Why Customers Buy) There is nothing wrong with showing off your company in a positive light. Just be sure you are talking with the customer's needs in mind.

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Image Advertising
This is another passive form of advertising. There is nothing wrong with keeping your name in front of potential customers or creating an image. Most common mistake here is big headline, too much text and no room left to display the logo, company name, phone or web site at a readable size. The message overpowers the purpose. If you are really out to build a name, run several small ads with just the logo or company name and the phone. Put as many as you can in sections you know your target market reads.

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Lead Generation Ads
Many companies produce an image ad or an information ad and expect it to act as a lead generation ad. In most cases, they are very disappointed. What's usually missing? A "Call To Action." Something that motivates the customer to act. Make a call, return a coupon, enter a contest, get valuable information, visit the web site or physically come to the store. Make them act now! Fear of loss is more powerful than expectation of gain.

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Ads That Sell

This is where copywriters really earn their keep with big companies. You and I are not big companies. Writing ads that sell is an art. Can you write one? Sure you can.

What's missing from most? The company never asks for the order. The biggest single reason people don't buy is because no one asks them. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's true. Make sure your ad asks the customer to take action and buy your product.

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The last word on advertising mistakes
In order to make your advertising pay for itself, you must know your objectives. What do you want your advertising to accomplish? Design ads that match your company objectives. Ads should produce customers. Track your advertising. Ask every customer how they found you. Keep track of where customers live, how much they spend, what products they buy, how often they buy and most important...why they don't buy. Follow up and ask them.

Advertising done right is very exciting. It pays for itself. The more of it you do (correctly) the more profit it produces and the more ads you can place. That makes a strong and profitable business which is what we all want.

Have a business question for Bryan

Email him at: Bryanfikes@yahoo.com

Small Business Marketing Tips

2007-12-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

Small business owners face a rough decision where advertising is concerned. With a small budget, you need to compete with the bigger businesses and their marketing teams and endless resources. The good news is that there are many ways to draw attention to your business without spending a fortune.

Some of the best advertising strategies have an amazing ROI - return on investment. For just a few pennies or an investment of a bit of your time, you can get top ads that will bring in new customers. It isn't magic and will take some work, but it is possible. Many small business owners are using these techniques to increase the visibility of their companies and bring in new clients and customers.

Get familiar with the appropriate types of advertising and where to advertise. Learn how to target the audience you're trying to reach. Check out some of the 'Net's best resources for strategies, advice, how-to's and tips for identifying prospects, good places to get the most for your advertising budget and making your ads work for you...

Stick around for the Fike Shway of Marketing......

TOP 10 Marketing Ideas for Small Business

2007-12-10T18:13:00.001-08:00

Top 10 Marketing Ideas for Small Business

-Print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to a target list.
People will read your postcard if you limit the information you print on the card. Make each point critical to deliver the best message. Mention any specials or promotional offers on your best services. People will buy services and products they are familiar with and are in need of, so market your best foot forward.

-No single advertising or marketing strategy will work all the time, so rotate your strategy.
People get bored quickly and easily so rotate your strategies. Keep your message fresh and current. Try using several means to deliver your message. This does not mean try a bunch of different advertising mediums once, and then stop. You should have a stable medium like Radio to help deliver your message. It simply means make your message fresh and compliment your main marketing methods with splash campaigns.

-Synergistic Pairings or Buddy Marketing.
Co-marketing is useful in helping a small business owner advertise their service and save money doing so. It also allows a business owner to co-brand their companies helping build the reputation that you put in the marketplace. Find like minded business owners and develop marketing campaigns together

-Answer your phone in a unique way to attract more customers.
Changing your delivery per season and adding new statements like “ Thank you for calling Bay Area Radio Advertising, ask about our free 30 minute assessment.” Will invite your callers to ask more about what you do and what you can offer them.

-Stick Mini Billboards everywhere
Design a simple sticker that has your logo and a quick message. Stick it everywhere, your postcards, on the back of your business cards, any print advertising, on any envelope you send out, including your bills, (Hey bill collectors buy services too) on handwritten messages. Think of this as mini billboards sending out your message.

-Make contact within 2 weeks to a previous customer
Send a second offer to those people who have already done business with you. People buy products and services they are familiar with. Your past clients are your best targets. Making contact with them inside of 2 weeks keeps your product or service fresh in their mind.

-eNewsletters
There are several companies who offer quick and easy email newsletter devlivery systems. I recommend Constant Contact. People will open an email from people they have done business with or would like to business with. People will open emails from people they are familiar with. Use opt in campaigns only. That is, allow each person you email the chance to opt out of receiving any future newsletters. DO NOT BUY LIST, start with collecting emails from current clients, family, and friends. Encourage them to forward your newsletter and have that person contact you to be put on your list. Only 1 newsletter a month. Do not over contact people, they will get annoyed.

-Seminars and Open Houses
One of the best ways to talk about your product or service is to hold seminars. Use your advertising methods like Radio to invite people to attend. Invite your key customers and prospects. Limit the attendance and charge a fee. A fee will give the impression of value. Holding Free seminars will often the impression that they are going to a sales pitch. Most people do not want to be SOLD, they want to be educated.

-Bartering
This is an excellent tool to promote your business and get others to use your product and services. You can trade your product for advertising space or for another company's product or service. This is especially helpful when two companies on limited budgets can exchange their services.

-Internet Marketing
One of the biggest mistakes that small businesses make is not doing enough internet advertising. The easiest way to do FREE internet marketing is making sure you are on all the local search engine listings. Go to yahoo and google and click on the local link. At the bottom of each page you will see “ADD YOUR BUSINESS”. Click on it and follow the instructions. Contact Bryan for more quick and easy ideas on how to market. He has a complete list of methods that are available if you invite him to your business for a 30 minutes assessment.

How To Use Radio Effectively

2007-12-10T17:57:00.001-08:00

How To Use Radio Effectively

I have spent a decade in radio. Everything from Oldies stations to Contemporary, Country to Spanish language. I've been involved in every aspect of radio including being an on-air DJ on a 100,000 watt station in South Dakota, as an account executive in small and large markets, and a consultant nationwide with the some of the largest broadcast groups. I learned what works on the radio and what doesn't. Now, I'd like to share that information with you so you will be better prepared when using radio in your next advertising and marketing campaign.
Formats
It's essential for you to realize that the type of programming, or format, of a particular station should determine the type of commercial you should run. I am always amazed when a radio station runs commercials that do not fit the particuliar audience that listens to the format. Example would be an ad promoting a Monster Truck Event on a jazz station. When a commercial that does not fit the format comes on, many listeners will automatically tune it out. If you are on a very limited budget and cannot afford to cut a spot for each station you will be using, consider using live commercials. The listener already relates to the announcer and will not see the commercial as an intrusion, since the D.J. usually reads a liner or two during the course of a break. This can also lend credibility to your product and/or service because it is almost an implied endorsement. However, this does not work with automated or semi-automated stations which are run by a computer which inserts the commercials at their appropriate times. In this case, it would be worth the extra investment to cut a spot custom made for that station.
Demographics, Ratings, and Cost Per Prospect
I'm a staunch believer that demographics don't buy products, people do. No doubt you have been told by your radio rep, "Our audience demographic is males aged 18-34 with a crossover into the 25-54 group", or something like that. Next time you hear that say, "Yes, but do they buy (your product inserted here)" Many times people in the media tend to conveniently overlook the fact that, although they may reach a very appealing demographic group on paper, in real life the audience is not a very active buying audience. An example of this is using a station that reaches the 55+ crowd. This demographic is a great audience for a variety of services, but they spend money in unique ways. They are in the distribution phase of their life and are generally looking to protect their wealth, not spend it. So putting a heavy campaign on-air that promotes a lot of retail spending can fail.
Ratings don't say much either. They are a snapshot of the moment in time during which the ratings were taken. Afterwards, tastes may fluctuate, people move into and out of town, or a new station may come onto the scene and take everyone's audience.
The point is, you should try to determine which station(s) will reach the demographic YOU want but more importantly, reach the BUYERS you want. For example, the town I lived in has 16 radio stations to a population of 450,000. The top two radio stations fluctuate each year. One is a Adult Contemporary station aimed at the 25-54 female audience, the other is a Rock station that reaches 18-34 males. Currently, the Contemporary station is holding down the Number One spot with the majority of listeners tuning it in throughout the day.
Now, let's say you are selling automobiles to an upper scale, affluent audience. Which station would you choose? It's hard to tell with just demographics and ratings, isn't it? Well what if I added that fact that the Rock Station audience tends to have an average of 30% more discretionary income than the Contemporary audience? Now which station would you use?
These factors are extremely important when deciding which station to use. It does not matter which station is number one, ONLY that the station or stations you choose reach the audience you want to reach. In this case, I would recommend that my client use the Rock Station because, even though the overall audience is smaller, the people it does reach are in a more tenable position to buy the automobiles.
This factor is what some people call "Cost Per Prospect." It is a variation of the venerable "Cost Per Thousand" used by many stations to illustrate how much it costs to reach 1,000 listeners. It is crucial for you to determine not the cost per thousand, but the cost per prospect. This is how much it costs to get one new prospect in your store based on the advertising you run. Afterwards, you should try to determine the cost per customer, or how much it costs to convert that prospect into a customer, again, based on the cost of your advertising. Once you determine that, you can easily see how much each commercial really costs. You may find that while you are only paying ten dollars for a spot on a station, you're only getting one prospect for every three times the spot runs... a cost of thirty dollars per prospect! If that person buys only twenty dollars worth of merchandise from you... well, you can do the math.
Production
Please, please PLEASE don't record a radio commercial yourself unless you have at least a few years worth of radio experience. I take note everytime I hear a spot that was done by an owner of a company one of their family members and do not deliver an effective message. Why do people who have never been in the business think that they can do a better job than a veteran? I believe it may have to do with the radio sales people who, in an effort to kiss up to their client, encourage them to do so. "Oh, you'll be great!" they exclaim. And when the spot bombs because the client can't read, the sales rep says, "Well, we'll just have to try again." Neat way of increasing the buy, wouldn't you say?
Seriously, use the stations talent or better yet, hire a production company. They know what they're doing. If your budget won't allow that and you must use the station, I use a team effort to write and produce your commercials. Using Radio DJ’s and the production staff along with myself and your thoughts to write, record, and edit a clean message. Radio DJ’s are on the air an average of 4 hours and know what sounds good and what the listeners tune in and out.
Regardless of who writes it, however, make sure it is effective and sells your product. We're not looking to win awards, just sales. "If it doesn't sell, it's not creative." Also, look into using sixty second commercials as opposed to thirty second. In case you weren't aware of it, a radio commercial is sold by the minute so every other time unit is a percentage of the sixty. So a thiry does not cost you half of a sixty. Instead, it usually costs 70-80% of the sixty and a fifteen second liner usually costs about 30-50% of the sixty. If you look at it this way, you can see how buying a sixty is actually less expensive than buying thirty. If you are accustomed to buying thirty second spots, think of it as buying one thirty and getting a second for just two or three dollars more. Look into that.
Cost
Now we're getting to the best part. How much should radio time cost? Well, of course it's going to differ from market to market. Locally, you can buy a radio spot for as little as 50 dollars or as much as $125 . Go to L.A. or New York and the prices are astronomical. The point is there is no standard rating system for radio commercial air time. Most stations will charge according to their position in the ratings with the top stations charging more. Overall, pricing a station is based on market averages.
What can you do to stretch your radio budget? Trade is one excellent way of doing this. With most stations usually engaged in some sort of on air promotions, free products or services to give away are always welcome. Some stations will go as far as giving you all the air time you need in exchange for your freebies while others will only trade a part of the air time and require a cash buy as well. You will have to negotiate that with your station rep but you can usually work out a deal that is beneficial for both. Another way to stretch your budget is to negotiate for late time hours. Increasingly, more and more people are working swing shifts or overnight shifts so you can't always reach them during "normal" listening hours. Ask your station us to throw in some free overnight and early morning spots in addition to your buy. Most will and you can actually double the amount of exposure you have without doubling your budget.
Use Fike Shway Effectively
Ok, So I covered a few points on using radio effectively. Now lets talk about using my services to help increase your revenue. I have been in the business of over a decade. I have a million ideas and have implemented a lot of succesful campaigns. But it starts with you. You are the most important asset to a good marketing effort. Small Business and medium business alike have more hurdles than a large company. With limited budgets and some many options, it is more important these days to have the right people working with you. That is why a good relationship in radio, starts and finishes with having the right account executive on your campaign.
Be prepared if you call on me to use my services to help you for some intimate questions about your business. It is essential that I become a professional with your products and/or services. I have actually stepped in with clients and helped them run their businesses. One example was a car dealer client of mine who had a huge promotion going, their sales team was on the floor and slammed. I noticed a customer who was ready to buy and wanted information on a particular vehicle. I stepped up to this potential customer and started answering their questions until I could get a salesperson over to help them through the process. They made the sale.

I have shared some of the basic tips on How To Use Radio Effectively. Keep in mind that each business is different and that there are no exact formulas to success. It takes honing a campaign and adjusting to what is going on in the real world. That is what makes radio so great, is that is adapts to what is going on with the world, instantly.

Clients Page of Bay Area Radio Advertising

2007-12-07T16:44:00.001-08:00

What do you think of my client page?

More Bay Area Radio Advertising

2007-12-07T16:42:00.000-08:00

This is what my Bio page will look like. What do you think?

Bay Area Radio Advertising in the making

2007-12-07T16:40:00.001-08:00

This is the first glance at my new website in the making.

Why Radio? - East Bay Radio Advertising

2007-12-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

WHY RADIO:
Why Radio
Your market listens to the radio.
The people who buy your product or use your service listen to the radio. In fact, close to 90% of the population listens to the radio.
Radio is targeted.
Each radio station is operated with specific market segments in mind, so despite there being many radio stations nationwide there are particular stations that target your specific market.
In the car, at the office, in the garden you can reach your customer on the radio throughout the day or night. This increases the frequency that your message can be delivered.
Radio reaches your customer with frequency.
Advertising works by repetition. You may need to be exposed to a commercial three or four times before you take action. To reach this “viable frequency” radio advertising is often more cost effective than other media.
Radio offers additional promotional opportunities.
Announcers in your store, sampling your product on air, running a competition. Hard to do with print or on TV, but radio can offer this sort of “added value”, personalizing your product to your customer.
Sound is memorable.
Sound is stored in the memory more effectively than the written word. Sound, the spoken word offers emotion and encourages the listeners imagination to produce their own desirable image of a product. Radio is the theatre of the mind.

Bay Area Radio Advertising - Small Business to Medium Business

2007-12-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

In a single week, radio reaches more than 228 million Americans. That's 94 percent of everyone age 12 and older, according to Arbitron. So no matter what types of prospects you want to reach, radio advertising will help you do it. Plus, radio is mobile. Eighty percent of adults listen to radio in their cars, and a quarter of the population also listens while at work.
There's a lot that's new in radio. Many stations now stream their programming on the internet and reach additional local and even national audiences. What's more, if online listeners like what they hear in your streaming radio spot, they're just one click away from your website.
Radio provides an ideal advertising medium for small businesses, but running an effective campaign takes a bit of know-how. Fike Shway offers you these 4 tips to success:

1. Target Your Audience.
Every radio buy must begin with a clear understanding of the listeners you want to reach. We will determine the best target audience profile based on the demographics of your prospects. This should include their age, gender, where they live and other factors, such as household income. Then share this information during our consultation. We will discuss tell what percentage of our stations' listeners match these demographics and at what times of the day or during which programming you'll reach your best prospects.
There also may be qualitative characteristics of your ideal prospects you should consider when making your radio buy. A restaurant owner, for example, would look for a radio station whose listeners dine out frequently. We have access to both qualitative and quantitative information concerning our listeners and will be able to give you a customized proposal that includes a schedule with rating breakdowns. We will also provide you with a signal coverage map that shows precisely where their stations are heard.
2. Know What You're Buying.
The three most important elements when evaluating proposals are reach, frequency and cost-per-point. Reach is the number of your prospects that'll hear your marketing message. Frequency isn't the number of spots you run, but the average number of times your prospects will actually hear your message. Cost-per-point is the basis for evaluating cost effectiveness. CPP is what it'll cost to reach 1 percent of your target audience population, so it's the best way to compare the value of competing stations. Buy enough frequency to ensure your message is heard at least several times.
3. Look for Special Promotions/Events.
Radio stations are promotional engines, and there are at least two ways you can get on board. First, most stations offer the opportunity to sponsor news, weather reports or other types of regular programming. As a sponsor, you'll typically get additional mentions, such as with "billboards," which are announcements of your sponsorship that lead into special programming. Often, sponsorship will guarantee your spots air first in the commercial breaks, or pods, so you'll reach more listeners before they have a chance to switch stations or tune out during long breaks.
Radio stations also get involved in the community with special events. Look for sponsorship opportunities that include on-air mentions, as well as visibility at the events themselves. And be sure to seek out events that are well attended by your target audience and put your company in the spotlight.
4.Wow the Audience.
Effective commercials are key to a winning campaign. Our radio station group offers production at no additional cost and has produced thousands of successful commercial campaigns. But you should understand a few basics to be an effective part of the team and keep us on track.
Great radio spots grab and hold attention, usually through humor. They may also use sounds, compelling music or unusual voices to grab attention. Your spots must tell stories or present situations your target audience can relate to. To keep your audience listening to your spots month after month, make them part of an ongoing campaign theme. Your audience will listen for the newest versions, helping extend your message more successfully than if you were to run unrelated spots. For maximum results, make your call to action--a URL or phone number--easy to remember and tie it in with your company name or message.

That is Fike Shway. Contact Bryan Fikes today for your free 30 minutes assessment.