Tips for Buying Radio Advertising
Each day, millions of people rely on radio for information and entertainment. For business owners, radio provides a tremendous opportunity to reach a large number of qualified prospects to purchase their products or services. However, like any advertising medium, radio requires a basic understanding of how to use it in the most effective way and to maximize precious advertising dollars.
Other People Are Reading
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Know Your Market
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One major advantage of radio advertising is that it allows for effective target marketing. Radio offers a number of different formats that cater to a wide variety of listeners. The key is to be able to identify your target market and find the station or stations featuring programming that appeal it. For instance, if you own a sporting goods store, a station featuring a sports talk format or that broadcasts local sporting events is an ideal fit.
Purchase Longer Terms
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In general, the longer the term you purchase, the cheaper your cost per advertising spot (another term for commercial). By entering into a contract over several weeks or months instead of a week or two at a time, you guard against rate increases because the contract guarantees you a fixed price. You won't have to pay for the total amount upfront, as you are permitted to pay in more manageable weekly or monthly increments.
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Off-Peak Hours
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For most radio stations, the peak advertising time is morning or afternoon "drive time," when many people are in their cars traveling to and from work. However, this is also when rates are the most expensive. You can save money by purchasing at least some of your time during off-peak hours. Depending on the station, there may not be a great drop-off in listenership during these times, which can make for a more cost-effective advertising strategy.
Shorter Spots
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In radio, the longer the spot, the more expensive it is. By creating a short, concise message that grabs the attention of listeners quickly, you can have the same impact as you could with a longer spot. Strive to make your point in 30 or even 15 seconds as opposed to the standard radio spot length of 60 seconds. Also consider purchasing five-second spots for the purpose of identifying your business name or brand.
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References
- Photo Credit radio image by Claudio Calcagno from Fotolia.com
