Radio Facts

We’re not going to bore you with statistics about how many people listen to radio in a given week.  Whether you’re a radio station or an individual advertiser, you know radio can work.  Emphasize CAN.  But only if it’s used properly. Over the years, what an advertising message says has drastically changed.  So why do so many advertisers write and voice their copy?  Why do radio ad people walk into a client’s business and ask, “So, what do you want us to put in your copy?” It worked in 1960.  Over SIXTY years ago.  Today the average listener is bombarded by messages via countless media.  Some estimates are as high as ten thousand individual messages are knocking on the consumer brain’s door, desperate to get in and own a share of the mind.   So the effective advertising message has to take into account: • The perceived need of the potential customer • The position of the advertiser in relation to the advertiser’s competition • The perceived need of the potential customer • The location of the advertiser • The perceived need of the potential customer • The ad budget of the advertiser • The perceived need of the potential customer. I hope you’re seeing a trend here.  A killer schedule can be designed to reach that potential customer.  But if the message doesn’t appeal to the perceived need of the potential customer, you’re throwing money out the window.  Because, like most advertising today, the ineffective message is based on what the advertiser THINKS is interesting to their potential customer.  Meantime, the message goes in one ear of the customer and out the other.  Because the potential customer only asks one question:

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

The Wizard of Ads, Roy Williams, calls it Answering Questions that Customers Aren’t Asking.  So, if you believe potential customers are dying to know that: • The advertiser’s business is locally owned • The advertiser’s business was founded by your grandfather 75 years ago • Your business has a convenient location, has a phone number and hours of operation, has fast friendly service, etc… …I am confident we won’t be able to help you.  Because you want a message that was created back in 1960.  The business world has moved on.  So has effective advertising. However, I can help explain how effective advertising does work today.  I will always make time to talk with you.  Give me thirty uninterrupted minutes.  I’ll explain how we craft a message that resonates with the potential customer.  Match it with an effective ad schedule that creates momentum for the client’s business.  And how it takes patience and strength of conviction to see the plan through – because great radio advertising is a PROCESS, not an event.