Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Make your business "SOUND" like big business
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.
"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.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Q & A With Fike Shway
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…..
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…..
Monday, December 10, 2007
Local Business goes Digital
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.
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
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?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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......
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
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.
-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
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.
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.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Why Radio? - East Bay Radio Advertising
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.
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
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.
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.
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