Did you know that almost 250 million Americans are listening to the radio on a regular basis each month? Nearly 70 million of them are millennials and they have a broad range of tastes and preferences when it comes to news, sports, and music.
If you’re a businessman trying to sell a product or service, doesn’t this sound like a goldmine to you? You can attract more prospects and increase the exposure of your company by buying radio commercials. If you have never done it before, keep reading this article to find out what you’re missing out on!
1. Radio Commercials Are Bought As 15, 30 or 60 Second Segments
You have listened to a radio station before. You probably saw that most programs, commercials, and news are delivered quickly and concisely. There’s no space for a 3-minute commercial and probably no one will ever listen to it. If you’re serious about radio advertising, your commercial should be no longer than 15, 30 or 60 seconds.
Obviously, the longer your ad, the more you’ll have to pay for it, but we’ll cover the costs later. What’s important is to design your ad to be as concise and attractive as possible because you only have one minute or less to captivate your audience.
2. Pick The Right Radio Station with the Right Audience
Speaking of audience, you need to make your products and services to the correct radio stations. There are multiple radio stations out there aiming at various demographic segments. For example, some of them target people over 40 years of age. Other radio stations focus on rock music, trance music or pop music which pleases the crowds.
If you’re selling clothes for teenagers, you need to go for a radio station listened by a lot of youngsters. If you sell hearing aids, you might want to opt for a station catering to the needs of seniors. Choosing the right radio station is crucial for the success of your marketing campaign, so don’t overlook this step.
3. Be Mindful of the Peak Listening Hours
People tune in to their favorite radio stations at different moments of the day. For example, most of them listen to the radio in their cars while driving to work in the morning. The segment from 6 am to 10 am consists of peak listening hours. Most people also listen to the radio while they drive back from work and this usually happens between 4 pm and 7 pm. Obviously, every radio station also has listeners late at night or during lunchtime, but their number is significantly smaller in comparison with peak hours.
If you want your ad to get maximum exposure, you should negotiate with the radio station owners to air your ad during these peak listening hours. That’s when most listeners are open to new information and suggestions.
4. Consider the Radio Advertising Costs
This is another important aspect you shouldn’t overlook. Start by making a list of the top radio stations in your country. Note down the average number of listeners on a day or month. More reputable radio stations with hundreds of thousands of listeners are more costly to work with, but you get the maximum exposure for your radio ad.
The length of the commercial is also an important cost factor. If you have the budget, you might want to go for the full-minute ad, but make every single second count. If you want to test the waters first and have a smaller budget to begin with, go for a 30-second ad instead.
The airing frequency is also paramount for your marketing campaign. Companies choose to broadcast their commercials on a regular basis for one, two, six or even 12 months in a row. If you’re convinced that your ad will work, you can sign a contract for a full year. On the other hand, airing the ad for just a few months is the best bet if you’re new when it comes to buying radio ads.
Your commercial can also be aired several times a day. Again, the higher the frequency, the more exposure you get. At the same time, your ad will eventually be ingrained deeply into the mind of the listeners and they’ll want to take action such as buying your products or giving you a call.
In some cases, extra services such as having a team of experts design the ad for you can also increase the total bill. It depends on a lot of factors, but having your ad created from scratch might cost several thousand dollars as well. In this case, we talk about professional radio ads that are created based on tested parameters and are more likely to be successful for your business.
5. Make Sure that You Captivate the Listeners’ Attention
Some businessmen decide to write their ads and save money in the process. If this is your case as well, you need to follow a few marketing tips and tricks. Remember that you only have about a minute to entice your potential clients, so there’s no room for storytelling here.
As a good rule of thumb, you should hire someone with a good “radio” voice to narrate your ad. Monotonous voices are not very attractive and they might make your ad less effective. Regarding the ad copy, be as concise as possible. State the features of your products and services as bullet points and describe the benefit a customer gets if he or she buys from you.
When it comes to designing your own radio advertisement, there will be a trial and error process. Be prepared for that and learn from each marketing campaign. Next time, use what worked in the previous ad and eliminate boring/unattractive stuff (if any).
Now You Know a Lot About Buying Radio Advertising!
Buying radio space is one of the best ways to increase the exposure of your business. Although this shouldn’t be the focal point of your marketing campaign, it’s definitely an important asset.
If you liked this article, don’t forget to check out the other blog entries and sample through the numerous informative pieces that help you run your business better!
