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Stated simply, "If you have limited dollars do you want to make a big impression on an identified audience or do you want to make just an impression on a scattered audience?"

If you take your limited budget and put 20% in newspaper, 20% in radio, 20% in handbills, 20% in direct mail and 20% in whatever remains you have made a small impression on a larger number of people.

But.... if you put 80% of your budget into one medium you will make a larger impression on the audience of that medium. In the case of radio that means you'll be able to run more ads... giving you

REPETITION!

which is the most powerful element of radio advertising.

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WHAT MAKES RADIO ADVERTISING WORK?

Frequency.

That may seem to be too simple, but it's the single most important element in making radio advertising effective because it is frequency that locks a message into the human mind.

Research has shown that for a radio ad to be effective it must have been heard by the customer a minimum of THREE times in a period of one week. So, the more times you run your radio ad, the more listeners will hear it that important three or more times, and the more people that are likely to act on your message.

BUT I'M NOT VERY CREATIVE!

So?

Think about yourself... what kind of advertising do you react to?

Ads that entertain don't always sell products. Actually, every year the ads on radio ant TV that win the awards for creativity aren't the ads that really sell well. Plus, if you spend all your time trying to be creative you might lose the focus of what it is you want your ad to do... and that is to sell your merchandise or service.

Remember the two "F's".... FREQUENCY AND FOCUS

That's what makes any advertising work.

HOW DO I MAKE MY RADIO ADS?

Think simple.

The radio station will write and produce the actual ad but you must know what you want to accomplish.

You need to identify the most important point you wish to put across with your radio message. Then you build around that wish with copy that will cut through the clutter.

People are exposed to thousands of advertising messages every day and it is your radio ad's job to cut through and find a place in the mind to be remembered. Cute and Creative don't necessarily translate to results. You only have a few seconds to get their attention then place your message where it will stick. KEEP IT SIMPLE.

DO YOUR OWN RADIO ADS!

But I don't like to hear my own voice on the radio.

Actually, if you want to place more credibility in your radio ads it is your voice that will do that.

A cultured radio voice pitching your business might sound better and more professional but your voice talking about your business is going to sound more sincere. Sincere sells.

If you don't make your own radio ads make sure that the station doesn't doll them up with too many distractions.

HOW DO I SELECT THE RIGHT STATION?

Only one?

Look at the market. In our market there are three (four actually, but two share the same programming) stations to choose from.

Our stations, KOAL AM-750 and Kickin' Country FM are aimed at a particular audience and each have years of experience in building the maximum audience for its format.

KOAL AM-750 is eastern Utah's oldest radio station having been established in 1936. KOAL broadcasts with 10,000 watts of power 24 hours a day with NEWS-TALK-SPORTS programming.

KICKIN' COUNTRY FM-98.3 is the area's 2nd oldest station and broadcasts MODERN COUNTRY music 24 hours a day. A translator station at 106.7 serves Emery County.

WHAT ABOUT ADVERTISING RATES?

A large market radio station sets its rates based on its measured audience. A small market radio station must base its rates on a number of factors including its own costs of providing radio service. National audience measuring in small, rural markets is based on small samples and data that is often 18 months old when it is released.

We base our radio ad rates on our operating costs plus a reasonable profit for our own growth.

Doing this we have been able to serve our market for over 60 years.

HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH TO ADVERTISE?

That depends.... are you a NEW BUSINESS or are you an OLD BUSINESS?

If you are an established business you have an idea of your expected volume, margins and other expenses. You can follow the traditional percentages that other businesses spend on advertising.

For example, a retail business that has a normal profit margin of 40% to 50% (based on sales price) might normally budget 2% to 4% of sales for advertising. This business might go as high as 10% of sales for heavy promotional periods or unusual circumstances. Coop advertising dollars should be budgeted on top of these percentages.

However, if you are a NEW BUSINESS you need to budget an unusual amount compared to your actual sales. The time to skimp on advertising is not when you are trying to establish your business concept. In the case of a new business your advertising budget probably won't be related to your actual sales as much as it is related to how much you can spend.

The advertising dollars you spend in the first year of your business may not be in proportion to the amount of sales you generate, but these dollars are an investment in the long term positioning of your business. You need to say who you are, where you are and what you believe to be the concept of your business. And you need to tell them often enough and long enough so that when they make a decision to buy it will be you they think of.

MENTION YOU HEARD THIS AD AND..........

Fat chance.

There's a real temptation to find out if all this money you're spending on radio advertising is being heard.

So, many new advertisers say to the radio station, "Let's test this radio... I'll give an extra 5 or 10 percent discount to anyone who mentions my ad."

Unfortunately this is not a test of the value of radio advertising because it is not testing the right thing.

"Mention you heard this ad....." is testing the ability of the radio ad to get people to admit to having been manipulated. And people aren't likely to admit to having been manipulated.... are you? So.....

HOW DO WE TEST MY RADIO ADS????

Try advertising a value.

That's true of testing any advertising medium. If you want to know if it works then advertise something that will bring in the buyers. -(Note: we said buyers, not shoppers.) Advertise in a way that will tell you that people responded to your ad. People recognize a value in any business line. If you advertise one people will respond and you will know: YOUR ADVERTISING WORKED!

This brief pamphlet has been prepared to give you an introduction to the advertising philosophy of KOAL AM-750 and Kickin' Country FM 98.3.

Our advice is based on current management's over 30 years experience in marketing in the Carbon Emery market.

We hope to work with your business to develop a stable, long term relationship to build your profits. We realize that the dollars you spend with us will come out of your profits and only by increasing those profits can we be worthy of your patronage.

We are also pragmatic and flexible. That means that if you don't agree with our philosophy we will happily work with you to implement your philosophy using our radio stations.

Call us at 435-637-1167 Toll Free 800-748-4169 or Fax at 435-637-1177. Or you can Back To Top