How Expensive Is Radio Advertising?

The first thing to understand about radio advertising is that no two radio advertising campaigns are alike. That being said, no two campaigns will cost the same amount either. So, how expensive is radio advertising? That all depends on the scope and size of your campaign – as well as the cost of air-time in your city. The larger the city, the more it will cost every time your commercial airs.

dollarsignsLets look at two identical businesses in a case study. Both have the same budget, but both are in very different size cities. Because of this the expense of airing a commercial will be quite different in each station. Both campaigns can be effected, however the times and layout of the campaigns will be quite different.

Business Type: Dental Office
Target Customer: Adults 25-54 (more female than male) with mid to high levels of income.
Total Budget to Spend on Radio Each Month: 4K

Let’s see how this would play out in city “A”. 
City A has a population of 200,000 people. The most popular station with this dental office’s target demo is an Adult Contemporary station.

The radio station is high in the ratings and will get their message in front of nearly 6,000 potential customers each time a radio commercial airs in prime time and around 2,000 outside of prime time.

The cost to air a commercial on that station in prime time is $75, the cost to air it outside of prime time (nights 7p-11p and weekends) is $35.

Based on these facts, a mix of prime time airings and non-prime time airings would get this client the best exposure for their budget of 4k.

I would put together a plan that gives them 25 airings in prime time and 60 out of prime-time airings. This will get them constant exposure with their target audience at all hours of the day.

The plan would reach 270,000 gross impressions. This is a very healthy campaign.

 

Now, let’s see how this would play out in city “B”. 
City A has a population of 1,000,000 people. The most popular station with this dental office’s target demo is an Adult Contemporary station.

It is high in the ratings and will get their message in front of nearly 30,000 potential customers each time a radio commercial airs in prime time and around 8,000 outside of prime time.

The cost to air that commercial on that station in prime time is $275, the cost to air it outside of prime time (nights and weekends) is $100.

Based on these facts, a campaign that only focuses on non-prime time airings would get this client the best exposure for their budget of 4k.

Why only non-prime? Because the total budget would be eaten up far too quickly if we focused on prime time airings. Granted more people would hear it each time in prime, but they wouldn’t hear it frequently enough for it to be effective or to see consumers take action. Our best bet is to reach the night and weekend listeners with the radio commercial on a frequent basis.

I would put together a plan that gives them 40 airings in non-prime hours. This will get them constant exposure with their target audience.

The plan would reach approx 320,000 gross impressions. A very different radio advertising campaign when compared to A, yet still a very healthy one.

The lesson of all of this – No radio plan is created equal.

Plan B airs less frequently, costs more per airing and never airs in prime-time.  Yet, it reaches more people due to the size of the city and audience. Sure we could have bought ‘prime time only’, but it would not reach the audience enough to be effective. This is a move I often see take place with in-experienced business owners or media buyer, and they regret every penny spent.

Plan A has a balance of prime and non prime airings. It gives them balanced exposure all day long and optimizes their budget for exposure. Putting all the funds into prime-time alone would not give them the depth of exposure that mixing in off-prime does.

Do you need to worry about any of this?

No, that’s why I’m here! This is what my agency does, and we don’t charge you a penny for our knowledge and expertise. We help you determine the best ways to buy radio advertising and answer the age-old question of “how expensive is radio advertising?”. A question with many different answers based on where the radio commercial is going to air. Call me direct if you could use some help 231-468-9972.

quote7






 

Contact Us

Get a Quote for Your Campaign Today!

Call us direct at (231)468-9972

Contact Us
By |radio advertising costs, radio advertising rates, radio advertising tips|Comments Off on How Expensive Is Radio Advertising?

National Radio Advertising Rates

If you find yourself researching the costs of advertising on the radio nationally, you may end up with a massive headache and more questions than answers. The internet is loaded with various opinions and incorrect information on the topic of national radio commercials. What is the real story on national radio advertising rates?

national radio advertisingThere is an option out there for almost any realistic budget.

You just have to understand what your options are.

When people think “national radio advertising”, they tend to assume that the main and only options are high-priced outlets like Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck. These are solid options if your target customer is a conservative male age 35-64 with a mid to high level of income AND you can afford to spend more than ten thousand dollars per thirty-second commercial. They are not the ONLY options though. Far from it, in fact.

The price point per airing on shows like this are simply not approachable for most small, medium or even large business.

What are the other options?

Take your pick!

There are hundreds of other shows that reach national audiences on AM, FM or Satellite Radio ever single week. While they may not have quite as many listeners as the big dogs of talk radio, they still command millions or hundreds of thousands of listeners every single week. Nothing to put your nose up at. Plus they often have radio ad rates that are dramatically lower than their more popular counterparts. Rates as low as the $100 to $800 per airing range depending on the show and its reach.

With a realistic starting budget of 8k to 10k per month, you can consistently reach a national audience with your message to grow your brand. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you need millions of dollars to get a message to a national audience.

If you would like to know more about the options available for national radio advertising, give us a call or email us through the link below.

quote7






Contact Us

Get a Quote for Your Campaign Today!

Call us direct at (231)468-9972

Contact Us

4 Tips For Effective Radio Advertising

Believe it or not, the commercials that you hear on the radio are often times dissected, re-worked, re-arranged, re-worded and re-voiced several times before finally becoming the finished product that you hear every single day. Yes, there is a method to the madness of creating a quality radio commercial production.

ontheairBut what is it?

The method really changes from commercial to commercial, but one thing always remains the same. Relate to the person listening to the commercial. One way or another, that message and offer needs to strike a cord with the target listener if its going to be effective.

Here are some tips to make your radio advertising campaign effective.

  • Don’t over think it. People are passively listening to your message, make it clear and make it good. Putting 10 restrictions on something will lose the target quicker than you can say “call now”.
  • Keep the offer good. Don’t skimp and offer 10% off something – make something FREE when they come in or call. I’m not telling you to go broke, but the better the offer the better chance you will have for that potential new customer knocking on your door wanting to get you what you offer.
  • Advertise on a station your customers listen to, it may not be the “highest rated in the market”. It might not be your “favorite station” either. Ratings and demographics exist for a reason: to tell you who is listening to what.
  • Look for frequency. It comes in many forms: Being on the air at the exact same time every day, or having enough message spread out over a set time frame. Frequency will be the key to your success.
  • Don’t rely on bargain basement radio commercial production. If your commercial was created for “Free” or next to nothing or “thrown in”, chances are it will not be of the best quality. Spring for an outside production service to create your message. Having an effective commercial that stands out from day on will save you money in the long run and likely bring in more business.

Now that you know some of the inside things to look out for and be aware of when you venture into the world of radio advertising you will be better equipped to come away from radio commercial production with positive things to say and more money in your pockets. Radio can be an incredibly effective medium when used correctly.

quote7






Contact Us

Get a Quote for Your Campaign Today!

Call us direct at (231)468-9972

Contact Us
By |radio advertising tips|Comments Off on 4 Tips For Effective Radio Advertising

How Do Radio Commercials Attract New Customers?

is advertising on the radio effective?

Do radio commercials attract new customers?

The short answer: Yes. The long answer: Yes.

There you go… article finished. You’re research is complete. Move along… nothing more to see here.

Lets be real. You are doing your due diligence into the world of radio advertising because you want to know if the medium can still produce results. While the answer is yes, there are still several factors that play into the medium of radio advertising being effective. Just so you know though… there has always been multiple factors that play into how effective a radio commercial can be. This has nothing to do with the amount of new advertising mediums that exist or surround radio.

At the time of this articles writing (2012), more than 94% of the population listen to radio on a daily basis.

Jeff Healey the President of the Radio Advertising Bureau recently said “Advertisers’ expanding use of Digital and Off-Air platforms to complement their sustaining broadcast commitment strengthens Radio’s current and long term viability,”. He also said that “The live and local environment that Radio offers provides an ideal platform for a diverse group of advertisers to zero in on their target audiences,” because of this “The positive growth we’ve seen over the twenty-one month period is unprecedented since the late 1990?s. Once again, this underscores Radio’s strength during these unusual economic times,”.

The growth in radio revenue is a clear indicator of the power that radio advertising brings to the table for small and medium-sized businesses in troubled economic times.

While it is true that some radio stations are not as “interactive” with their community as they once were, there are still several stations that play a major role in community events and charity work. These are the stations that are trusted by their listeners and often times deliver the best results to their advertisers.

Sometimes opportunities exist to co-sponsor community events with radio stations. This helps cover the costs the radio station incurs for helping with the community events and helps grow the brand and good name of the businesses involved.

It is clear that a focused message airing on a targeted and well listened to radio station can produce results for almost any small, medium or large business. As more and more people ditch the cd and find the process of creating a tedious “playlist” just that, tedious – the influence of radio advertising will continue to grow into the future.

quote7






Contact Us

Get a Quote for Your Campaign Today!

Call us direct at (231)468-9972

Contact Us
By |radio advertising tips|Comments Off on How Do Radio Commercials Attract New Customers?

How Many People Listen To The Radio?

You’re thinking about more ways to advertise your business and the idea of “radio” has popped into your head! Good for you, you are certainly on the right path when it comes to getting your name and message out in front of the masses.

radios005While radio does reach more people than almost any other medium each time a message airs, you need to be sure that your message is optimized to its fullest potential so you have the best chances of seeing results. Making your radio advertising count is what this article is all about.

If your business has a storefront sign, chances are it was made by a professional. Sure you could have just ran down to the hardware store and picked up a can of spray paint and “did it your self” or went with a super cheap sign guy who could inhale the paint fumes instead of you… but chances are you knew enough to have the sign put together by someone who knew what they were doing.

When it comes to creating your radio commercial for your radio advertising campaign, be sure you follow the same logic. While you could of course go the “do it yourself route” or “cheap” route, the end results would be that of spray paint vs. professional. While this may be obvious to some, it is not to others. If you take a moment to take in some radio commercials on your local station you will very quickly be able to find those who went the cheap route and those who invested in a professionally created radio commercial.

When a commercial is created by professionals: it just sounds better… There is no simpler way of putting it. The message stands out, it conveys a sense of professionalism which in turns builds trust in the minds your potential customers. If a commercials is created on the cheap by the same voices that are on every other commercial on the air, or read by someone who clearly has no conviction behind what they are talking about, your business also comes off as unprofessional and with out even saying it “untrustworthy”. Is that the type of message you want to convey?

Creating a professional radio commercial for your radio advertising campaign is not a very expensive proposition and can be done in a very short period of time. The results more times than not will pay for themselves with your first sale.

quote7






Contact Us

Get a Quote for Your Campaign Today!

Call us direct at (231)468-9972

Contact Us
By |radio advertising tips|Comments Off on How Many People Listen To The Radio?

How To Make Your Radio Advertising Message Effective

Nothing drives a focused person like myself more crazy than an unfocused person who has no idea what is best for themselves.

radios007You know what I’m talking about. The type of person who has all the information laid out in front of them, they are one step away from making the right decision and yet, they still can’t decide or just make bad choices time after time. I have a person in my life who is like this…

Granted, that person is a 5 year old girl… It still drives me crazy.

“I want that piece of the pizza”, she will say as she grabs the largest slice of the pie and puts it on her plate. Thirty minutes later, two bites have been taken out of it and she is “full”, yet wants to take a second slice and eat the very same type of pizza off other peoples plates.

You have to say “no” and show her why that type of choice is wrong, time and time again until it registers in her little brain. That’s what being a parent is all about though. Continued, repeated guidance and repetition to help the little one fully understand what type of decision they are making and what would be most beneficial for them. After some time and accurate guidance, most children will begin to be able to make good choices.

As a parent you breath a huge sigh of relief, and then move onto the next behavioral flaw you want to improve with the ones you are charged with preparing for the world. Does this process remind you of anything that goes on in your business?

Essentially what you are doing is “marketing” good choices to your children. You show them why it would be best to do what you want them to do and eventually they do it. Key-word, EVENTUALLY… Quite often they don’t take your advice the first time it is presented.

Neither do new customers.

When you are advertising or marketing your own products or services, you know better than anyone what an obvious choice it “should be” for select customers. The people who are hearing your message may not pick up on the obvious so quickly though. That is why mediums like radio and TV act as the “parent” and continue to repeat and re-enforce the message you want to communicate.

Just as you try to keep your message to your children clear and to the point, the message you put out on radio and TV should be on target and clearly show your the potential customer why your offering is the best solution to their problem. Do this time and time again, and you will very quickly find yourself in the company of well behaved children… or… customers. That how it should work “most of the time” anyway.

quote7






Contact Us

Get a Quote for Your Campaign Today!

Call us direct at (231)468-9972

Contact Us
By |radio advertising tips|Comments Off on How To Make Your Radio Advertising Message Effective

National Radio Advertising 101

A national radio advertising campaign can be incredibly effective and profitable. It can also be incredibly costly if one doesn’t know the options available to them or how to use them effectively.  With all things in marketing, it comes down to your budget. What you can afford to do, will determine the best route to take your national radio advertising campaign.

How do the price brackets break down when it comes to national radio advertising? Lets take a look – from lowest priced options to highest price.

mapLike it or not, a national radio advertising campaign is going to cost more than paying interns to run through the streets with mega phones. One of the lowest priced options out there (and sometimes most effective) is satellite radio advertising on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Starting plans on this medium are in the 5k – 20k range depending on the stations you want to air your message on and how frequently your message airs. Satellite radio offers a wide range of very targeted programs for virtually every demographic and very competitive rates. Some stations can be as low as $35 per airing, while others will go above the $200+ mark  based on the size of the audience and demand.

If you need to reach a national audience and are on a budget, my first suggestion is almost always satellite radio. If you would like to explore these options be sure to give me a call. The number is listed on the top of this page.

If you have a higher budget to work with and want to reach a national audience via radio, the next logical choice would be to explore syndicated shows. There are several tiers when it comes to syndicated radio.

You have your smaller syndicated shows that air on 2 – 20 stations and have price per airing in the $200 – $400 range. Then you have medium-sized shows carried on 21 – 60 stations, prices on these shows range in the $200 – $700 depending on the show. Then you have large and major shows (Rush, Hannity, etc). Rates on shows with audiences this large very quite a bit and can be anywhere from 1k – 10k per airing. Typically the more affiliates a show has, and the type of stations those shows are carried on will be reflected in price.

If you would like to explore a campaign like this, click “contact us”, and let me know. I would be happy to get you some numbers to review.

Keep in mind all syndicated talk is not political. There are several “lifestyle” or “music” shows out there that offer very competitive rates and are always searching for advertisers. Rates vary based on demand.

quote7






Contact Us

Get a Quote for Your Campaign Today!

Call us direct at (231)468-9972

Contact Us
By |radio advertising tips|Comments Off on National Radio Advertising 101