Radio Advertising

In1895, Guglielmo Marconi became the first person to successfully transmit and receive long-range radio signals. But once the details of his advances became widely known, a large number of competitors sprang up on both sides of the Atlantic, many of whom developed important refinements of their own. The age of radio, and thereby radio advertising, had begun. Many believe the age of advertising on radio has past but it still remains one of the most affordable and effective forms of advertising. If you are thinking of buying radio station advertising you are in good company. Advertisers spent close to $20 billion on radio in 2000--and even during the 9/11 crisis, radio never fell victim to the slump experienced by print and other media. The cost of radio advertising will be determined by what you are looking for, such as local, regional or national coverage but radio advertising rates are still among the most competitive rates in the advertising marketplace.

The results you are likely to get from your radio campaign will depend on at least two important factors: creating appealing and effective spots, and making an effective media buy. To accomplish both, stick to the following guidelines.

· Hire production pros. This is not a do-it-yourself field, unless you have worked in this field yourself.

· Make sure the spots produced are relevant to your target audience.

· 60-second spots are still the norm. Use engaging music, sound effects and voice talent. You need to be able to create images in the minds of the listeners that engage them.

How do I buy time for radio advertising?

· Identify a narrow demographic target audience. Identify their habits and characteristics.

· Contact the stations you believe match your audience and have them provide you with proposals. These should include a ratings breakdown for your target group and a signal coverage map.

· Evaluate the proposals. Base your decision on reach, frequency and cost per point. The ‘reach’ constitutes the number of individuals in your target group who will hear your message. Frequency is determined not by how many times your spot will run but by how many times your target group will hear it. The ‘cost per rating point’ or CPP is the cost to reach 1 percent of your target audience. Watch for ROS or run-of-station prospects. These are lower-cost spots but they air in the middle of the night. If you are targeting that market than you can save with these lower rates.

· Select the station that gives you the most frequency, and then reach. It will take more than one exposure for your message to be effective so buy as many additional prospect contacts as you can afford.

Additional information can be found at these links:

marketing-plan

broadcast-education

radio advertising bureau

jingle-writer

 

Marketing Sales Services Links

Ad Agencies
Automotive advertising agencies, internet advertising agencies, best advertising agencies, pharmaceutical advertising agencies, advertising agencies

Banner Advertising
Banner advertising rates, web banner advertising, advertising banner, advertising online, internet advertising

Media Buying
Online media buying, media buying company, media buying services, media buying, media buyers

Web Design - Small business custom website from EverestWebDesign.com.

Rich Christiansen - Management metaphors at RichChristiansen.com.