On The Road Again

On The Road Again

by | Dec 4, 2023 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo's Collective Wisdom, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

‘Commutes Are Back’ As Time Spent With AM/FM In Cars Hits Eight-Year High.

That was the headline of an InsideRadio.com story last month and that’s great news for those of us in the radio broadcasting industry.

It’s also fantastic news for businesses that want to reach a regular and consistent audience and invite them to become their customers.

Naysayers have been predicting the end of radio relevancy for decades, and when something like a pandemic happens that disrupts our daily lives including our time spent driving, those negative voices get louder.  However as a radio insider, I have the facts that say differently.

Here’s some more from that story:

Compared to results from earlier surveys by MARU/Matchbox and Nielsen since April 2020, the height of the pandemic – when more than half (52%) of pre-COVID commuters were working at home – that share gradually fell to just 6% in the recent survey, meaning 94% of average Americans are now commuting to work.

Here in Fort Wayne, Indiana the average commute time is around 20 to 30 minutes.  Longer in the afternoon than morning for some reason. Radio continues to live in the car, or whatever you drive.  The radio station I’ve been working for the past decade, WOWO in Fort Wayne Indiana did something this year that we’ve been talking about for a few years, we added an FM signal to the WOWO listening choices.

The backstory is that with the growth of EV’s many car companies were not including AM radio in the dashboards, only FM.  While the broadcasting organizations having been lobbying Congress to force AM radio to be included in all new cars, at WOWO we decided to be proactive and rebrand with a focus on our full strength FM signal 92.3 along with our 1190 AM radio signal.  And not to get all techy, but before May, you could listen to WOWO on the FM band at 107.5, but that was a low-power FM signal.  If you had an HD FM radio, WOWO could also be heard at 97.3 HD2, but those were not as popular as a traditional full strength FM signal like we have now at 92.3 FM.

Going back to talking about people driving, last month I noticed that our two major malls were getting busier and busier as the holidays approached. Which means even more time spent in cars, listening to the radio on the way to buy from traditional brick and mortar stores, similar to what we had 4 or 5 years ago.

It’s a good sign for the local economy to see people buying locally and for radio stations like mine that are providing news and local information.  This trend will continue after the new year too and if you want help driving our listeners to your business, contact me.

 

Top 10 Holiday Shopping Days of 2023

Top 10 Holiday Shopping Days of 2023

by | Nov 27, 2023 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

If the experts are correct, retailers should get set for a very Merry 2023 shopping season.

According to the 2023 Deloitte holiday survey, the holiday spirit and spending will rebound and consumers expect to spend $1,652, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time. As givers grapple with inflation expectations, they still plan to spend nearly 14% more than last year.

Are you ready for the rush?

While some gifts have already been purchased and wrapped, on average, the top 10 busiest shopping days in the U.S. account for approximately 40% of all holiday retail traffic.

Businesses that are well-planned and run well-executed events and promotions during and around these ten days will help garner more than their fair share of the holiday shopping pie. Knowing when the shoppers are ready to shop and being prepared for them is paramount to getting that fair share.

Stores that plan in-store special events and then promote them will see more significant store traffic and greater sales than those that simply sit back and “hope” people stop in. Inviting holiday shoppers into the store at key buying times can and will make all the difference.

The busiest shopping days will see some slight changes in 2023, due to Christmas falling on a Monday. With that said,  2 of the top 10 have already passed as Black Friday will hold its title as the busiest shopping day.

Are you ready?

According to an analysis from the retail traffic consulting and analytics group of Sensormatic Solutions, a Johnson Controls company, here are what are expected to be the 10 busiest shopping days of 2023:

1. Friday, Nov. 24 – Black Friday

2. Saturday, Dec. 23 – Super Saturday

3. Saturday, Dec. 16 – Third Saturday in December

4. Friday, Dec. 22 – Friday before Christmas

5. Saturday, Nov. 25 – Saturday after Black Friday

6. Tuesday, Dec. 26 – Boxing Day

7. Saturday, Dec. 9 – Second Saturday in December

8. Saturday, Dec. 2 – First Saturday in December

9. Saturday, Dec. 30 – Saturday after Christmas

10. Sunday, Dec. 17 – Sunday before Christmas Eve

While this article focuses on retail, there is major money being spent in and around the holiday season in many other business categories. For example, life insurance and investments, HVAC, and many end-of-year health care procedures are being completed.  The age-old saying, “making hay while the sun shines” is appropriate in these and other categories as well.

Most, but not all of the companies I work with are not dependent on the end of year sales that most retailers count on.  We build long term, year round marketing campaigns however we will also kick it into high gear when there is a reason like the holidays we are in right now.

If you would like help in planning any of your marketing and/or advertising events for this holiday season, it’s not too late. Or if you want to start planning for 2024, this is the time. Contact me Scott @ ScLoHo.net.

Readers of my Sound ADvice weekly newsletter got that list a few weeks ago and I’ve been working with them to make sure we have everything in place.  If you would like my free Sound ADvice newsletter too, send an email to Scott@ScLoHo.net.

 

Digital Discrepancies

Digital Discrepancies

by | Nov 20, 2023 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo's Collective Wisdom, ScLoHo's Web World, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

I was born in the 1900’s.

I heard that line last month when comedian Nate Bargatze was hosting Saturday Night Live. Of course I didn’t watch it live on Saturday night, I saw it a few days later because we have YouTubeTV as our streaming service and my wife was catching up on some of her favorite shows.

Back in the 1900’s, (I’m talking about the century, not the decade) we saw a change in advertising targeting options mostly with the growth of cable TV that happened in the 1980’s and 1990’s and what that brought us as consumers was hundreds of TV viewing channel options instead of just the local broadcast TV signals.

Baby Boomers like my wife and I, Gen X and even Millennials like my kids are different from the current Gen Z in terms of media and entertainment experiences and choices.  Social Media giant Facebook is on the cusp of being 20 years old, and that was a game changer.  Media was not just one way from them to us.  With Social Media, we all got the opportunity to have a voice online and share our thoughts and media beyond what the traditional media companies were offering.

A dozen years ago, I took a break from radio and worked for a couple of web based companies.  Targeting to the “right people” was the sales pitch for these new digital advertising options which was pretty cool we thought.  I mean if you could only send your ads to the people who are most likely to respond… that was a game changer too.

However, there are a few flaws with that kind of thinking because it ignores Human Behavior.   I’ll dig more into that in the future but the basics are that we don’t just respond to targeted ads when they are presented to us, there has to be a need on our part to spend our money, or something stronger than a targeted ad that has created the desire within us.

There is a real problem with highly targeted ad placement, in that the controls for the systems that spit out those ads are not very reliable. Some of us are overserved ads for things we might want to buy is one flaw.  Another is getting served ads AFTER we made the purchase because the algorithms haven’t been created to address that flaw.

MarketingCharts.com released a report that says:

Only 15% of US advertisers are very confident in their ability to see all creative running across all channels, and even fewer (13%) are very confident in their ability to tie creative performance back to campaign ROI, according to a survey  commissioned by Claravine and conducted by Advertiser Perceptions.

In total, the advertisers surveyed – all of whom spend at least $50 million on digital advertising each year – estimate that the wrong creative is served to the wrong consumer about one-quarter (25%) of the time. That includes a majority (56%) who believe the wrong ad creative is served at least 20% of the time, and about one-sixth (17%) who estimate that it’s served to the wrong consumer at least 40% of the time.

Advertisers believe that their ROI would increase by an average of 29% if they were able to serve ad creative to the right consumer every time.

Now, I’m not at all against digital advertising, I just believe it’s not as complicated as some will have you believe.

Instead of targeting individuals, you need to go back to targeting known audience groups.  You can do this with social media and other digital advertising but it’s what really what advertising was all about back in the 1900’s.

When mass media like radio, print, TV, heck even Cable TV were the choices business had, they used the characteristics of the media channels audience as the determining factor for where to spend their advertising money.

Going back to my knowledge and expertise in tracking digital targeted ads, I know that when you dig deep enough, all the data becomes less and less reliable.

I challenge you to think like a person, a consumer, a person that could be your customer and the habits and characteristics they have, and then create ad campaigns that speak to them with a relevant message on a form of media that they are likely to use.

If you’re in the Fort Wayne Indiana area, I can help you walk thru this process in person.  Contact me, Scott@ScLoHo.net and we can set up a time to help you avoid all of these Digital Dispensaries and actually grow for the future.

 

Building Momentum

Building Momentum

by | Nov 13, 2023 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

Are you the type of person who jumps out of bed in the morning full of energy and ready to take on the world?

Or are you like the rest of us adults who start a little slower, with a morning routine that perhaps includes a cup of coffee to perk up your senses and as you get moving you build up your energy so you’re ready to take on the new day?

This momentum concept also applies to our businesses and marketing.  When we decide to launch a business, there is a tremendous amount of planning and preparation that goes on before the doors open.

The last space shuttle took off in July of 2011 and since then, we’ve had private companies create outer space flight experiences.  But here’s some interesting data I found out about those space shuttle missions…

For many things, the most energy expelled is in the process of just getting going.  For example, when the space shuttle takes off, fifty percent of the fuel stored in those huge tanks is expended just to get it off the launch pad.

The initial effort to get anything to move is always greater than the effort required once motion has begun. Ever tried to push a car? At first, it seems almost impossible, but once it gets rolling its motion requires less effort and becomes quite predictable.

Advertising, in most cases, uses the same energy. Getting your advertising off the ground also takes a great deal of up-front effort, but once it takes hold, the positive results come with relative ease.

There are several reasons it can take longer than we would wish to get your advertising working for you.

One is the length of your product’s cycle. In the automotive market, for example, there is less than 2% of the population in the market for a car on any given month. No amount of advertising energy can make someone who just bought a car buy another.

In the HVAC business, the average person only has a need for service every 4 to 6 years, meaning less than 1% of the population is in the market for an HVAC repair person every month.

Groceries and gas are the only two things we consistently consume on a weekly basis.

Another notable reason that it takes time to get a return on your advertising investment is that people are creatures of habit. Very often they’ll keep buying where they have always bought until their current supplier lets them down.

In many cases, your advertising is simply positioning you to be the first supplier prospects think of when their current supplier does let them down….. and they will let them down!

There are many other reasons why expecting instant gratification from your advertising can be unrealistic. Like a rocket, it takes a lot of energy to get your marketing ball rolling. But, once it’s launched and gaining traction, it continues to work with much less effort.

Marketing guru, Roy Williams, in his Twelve Causes of Advertising Failure, states that failure cause number one is, “The desire for instant gratification”.

If you want to ensure the success of your advertising, click here to see all Twelve Causes of Advertising Failure to help you avoid these huge mistakes.

Now along with radio advertising, I have some additional ways to help you get leads for your business that work hand in hand with radio.  If you’re in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area, reach out to me at Scott@WOWO.com.  As we approach the end of this year, now’s the time to develop a marketing strategy for the new year and that is a free service I provide too.

Some of this article was sent out to subscribers of my free Sound ADvice newsletter.  If you would like a free weekly subscription, just email me at Scott@ScLoHo.net and ask to be included.

Leadership Lessons

Leadership Lessons

by | Nov 6, 2023 | Sound ADvice, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo

What does it take to be a leader?

That question was asked of myself and a couple dozen others this summer at a half day retreat our company held in August.

The answers were plentiful and good, as most of us were in a leadership position.  Some of us had a leadership title with people that reported to them, while others were leaders due to the work they did or how they performed.

One topic on the subject of leadership was sent out to subscribers to my Sound ADvice newsletter and it goes like this:

Are you a boss, or are you a manager?

When you approach the definition of the word boss or manager as a noun, they basically mean the same thing. However, when approached as a verb, they have drastically different meanings.

 

As a verb, Webster’s dictionary defines “boss” this way, “to order about in a domineering way”.  A “manager” is defined as, “to handle or direct with a degree of skill”. It even adds in, “to treat with care”.

Poor customer service is often the result of interaction with people working for a boss who is not happy with their situation. Strong, professional, and polite customer service comes from employees working for and with someone who is a manager.

The most successful managers today hire people who have a passion to do their jobs to the best of their ability…these people don’t need a boss. These people need a manager who will give them access to the tools, training, people, resources, and environment that allows them to perform to the best of their ability.

So, if you’re a manager, here’s an idea. Instead of giving your people a “to-do” list, try asking them to give you a “to-do” list. What do they need you to do to help them be more productive or deliver better customer service?

In our Twelve Ways to Create Happy Employees, number seven is “360-degree feedback”…asking your employees how YOU are doing.

 

Zig Ziglar said, “You can get whatever you want as long as you are willing to help others get what they want.”  It’s also been said that “You can be as successful as you want if you are willing to let others take the credit.” 

If you look honestly into a mirror and ask yourself, “Am I a boss or a manager?“, what would you answer?

If you’re a boss, are you ready to quit being the boss and become the facilitator or manager of your team’s success? A culture where the “boss” works for the staff and the staff works for the customer can create a successful company without anyone working for the company!

Happy employees will deliver happy customers.

If you would like to see the Twelve Ways to Create Happy Employees, click here now and start making happier employees, more satisfied customers, and more money!

For close to 10 years, I have worked for Federated Media and most of those years I got to work as a member of the advertising sales team for radio station WOWO. Then for close to 4 years, I got to lead the WOWO sales team and then took on the General Sales Manager position for 3 more stations.

Now again I am back to my first love of marketing consulting and advertising sales.  During those management years, I learned how challenging it is to be a boss, a manager, a leader with the title and consistently do a good job for your team and your bosses.

For those of you who are in that role and doing everything you should be doing I salute you.  If you need any help, or guidance, I have some recommended books and podcasts, just reach out to Scott@ScLoHo.net

If you would like to receive my Sound ADvice weekly newsletter, send me an email to Scott@ScLoHo.net.