What Does Reach Mean in Advertising and Marketing?

What Does Reach Mean in Advertising and Marketing?

by | May 30, 2019 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo's Collective Wisdom, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

If I were to ask a dozen people what REACH means, I am sure I would get at least 4 or 5 different answers, all depending on each persons life experience.

You take the basketball player and they know that reach is important in being able to grab a loose ball and that if you have longer arms than your opponent, you have a better shot at getting the ball because you have greater reach.

But in the advertising and marketing world, reach has a different application.

Reach often refers to the size of the audience that you can reach for the dollars you spend.

I was reading one of Seth Godin’s daily blog updates recently and he inspired me today.

Seth said:

Reach is overrated

It might be the biggest misconception in all of advertising.

The Super Bowl has reach.

Google has reach.

Radio has reach.

So?

Why do you care if you can, for more money, reach more people?

Why wouldn’t it make more sense to reach the right people instead?

Seth continues his article with some valid points and wraps it up with this question:

Perhaps it makes sense to pay extra to reach precisely the right people. It never makes sense to pay extra to reach more people.

So I mostly agree with what Seth says, but there are a few items he leaves out.

Both Reach and the Right People are important.

It’s not a pick one and only one choice.

It is really important to make sure the Right People are reached by your advertising and marketing messages.

I started a conversation with a gentleman named Kyle who started a company that converts old video tapes into digital media.  He can put your old videos that are currently stored on a video tape on a flash drive, a DVD, or store it in the cloud.  Initially he contacted me because he listens to our rock radio station, The Bear and thought that would be a great place to advertise.

However as I heard his story and what he needs to do, the rock station, The Bear is not filled with the Right People.  They may have a great reach of over 50,000 weekly listeners, but considering their age, it’s not the best place to find radio listeners that have old video tapes to convert.

So I am going to offer as the best option, another of out radio stations, WOWO.  WOWO is a news talk radio station with the majority of our listeners age 50 and older.  I will also offer a campaign on our ESPN Sports station targeted to parents and coaches that have videos of family and players that need to be preserved.

Granted WOWO overall has a greater reach with over 100,000 weekly listeners but we are only going to focus our ads on a smaller percentage of them and not try and reach everyone.  I can create an ad campaign that scales for the right audience and the right number of people to make it both affordable and profitable.

What about using the internet?  Maybe.  That is where we are going to send our radio listeners, to their website.  But attempting to use online ads is a gamble.  I’ve seen only a couple of business people do it successfully this year and with my insider knowledge, I’ve even backed away from recommending many of the online options.

Bottom line is that you need to reach the right people who want what you have to sell, and do it in a manner and with a message that is profitable.

Reaching a lot of people who aren’t really your potential customers isn’t usually a good idea.

Reaching a lot of people but with not enough frequency is also not a good idea, but I’ll save that topic for another day.

Want my help?  Let’s talk. Drop me a note. Scott@WOWO.com is my email.

You can also get my free media and marketing tips email by signing up for Sound ADvice on my website at Scott Howard.me

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Let WOWO Radio Tell Your Story

Let WOWO Radio Tell Your Story

by | May 21, 2019 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

Let Someone Else Say It for You

When you spend money on advertising, you obviously want to say positive things about your business, and you want to brand your business in a credible way. 

While most business owners don’t want to brag, at least publicly, bragging or boasting about your business is exactly what you should be doing! 

When it comes to advertising, especially the digital and social media of today, to say consumers are skeptical is an understatement.  Today’s consumers question nearly everything they see on the internet and the trust factor increases only slightly more when it comes to traditional media unless there is something extra that creates trust.  I’ll have more on that in a moment.

Consumers will always be leery of the claims you make in your advertising.  Understanding how to get them to or make them less leery is key to getting them to open their trust. 

In this environment where skeptics are comparing your claims to your competitors, it’s increasingly important that you build “validators” into your branding.

One validator can be to use third party quotes or research to validate your branding claims. Referrals or recommendations from others can go a long way towards making your advertised claims more credible. 

That is the something extra I offer to my advertising partners on WOWO radio.  It comes in a couple of different forms.

Start with the foundation of trust that WOWO radio has built over decades including more than 20 as a news and talk radio formated station.

Back when I was a kid, WOWO had legendary radio icon Bob Sievers as their morning show host and if Bob told you something, you believed him. 

Today we have our morning news host Kayla and afternoon talk show host Pat along with our weekend hosts Rob and Rick who all do personal endorsement ads.  They are priced at a premium and they work.  In April, I had a new advertising partner with Pat Miller that tracked 35 WOWO leads for the month.  To put that in perspective, the average job this company does is around $4,000 or more.  They only spent $2000 and well, you can do the math to see how profitable it has been for them.

Along with the full fledged live 60 second personal endorsement ads, another option I have is live news, weather, traffic and sports sponsorships.  These are about 10 seconds long and businesses get an implied endorsement from the news person or show host.

Even regular recorded ads have a stronger impact on WOWO than other stations I work for and it is because of the format and characteristics of the audience. With a music format, listeners perceive anything but music to be an irritant. But with our news and talk format, WOWO listeners are paying closer attention to the talking and that includes the commercials.

I have other advertising partners that use third party and customer testimonials in their ads and that works well too.  What is the best tactic for your business?  I don’t know but let’s sit down and brainstorm.  Contact me with an email at Scott@WOWO.com

I also have a bonus article from my Sound ADvice Marketing tips Newsletter.

Click here to read the Eight Ways to Validate Your Advertised Claims.

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7 Sales Secret Tips

7 Sales Secret Tips

by | May 14, 2019 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo Sales Tips, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

Every once in awhile, it’s good to take a look at what has helped you become successful and today is one of those days.

In 2009 I wrote and published an article on 7 Sales Secrets that generated some national attention.

I was 6 years into my position as an advertising sales person with a group of radio stations and saw that there were lots of reasons why people were not successful and I wanted to do what I could to help them succeed.

These 7 Sales Secret Tips apply to you if you work for someone else or are running your own business and they are timeless, not matter what the technology changes that have taken place or will occur in the future.

I’ve updated these tips for 2019:

The 7 Secrets are neither original, nor secret.

1. People don’t want to buy what you are trying to sell them.They want to buy a solution to their problem/need/want. The classic example is people don’t buy a drill because of the shiny black handle. They buy a drill because they need to create a hole. What is the other persons real problem/need/want?

2. Price is not important. Value is all that matters. While there are limits to what someone is willing or able to spend, if your customer sees no value in what you are offering, there is no price cheap enough to overcome a lack of value. You can discount yourself out of business and you can also train your customers to only buy from you when you offer a discount.  The companies and people that having staying power go beyond price and offer value, Do you?

3. Objections can lead to a yes. An easy “yes” means you either know your client very well, or you’re just being an order taker. I know it sounds harsh, but objections are conversation starters, and these conversations can lead to customizing a solution to their problem/need/want.  I rarely have a package or program that I “pitch”. Instead I know why options I can offer.  Do you know the difference? Which leads us to…

4. You have to listen and learn, more than smile and sell. I do my homework and am prepared with research about my customers and their business. I also look at their competition and we talk about them. We talk about their goals for the future, their past history, what they have done that was successful and what didn’t work too. Too often salespeople are only focused on what they have to sell instead of seeing how they can help their customers. If you are focused too much on what you want, it will show and you can actually repel people from buying from you.

5. Your customer knows more than you give them credit for. We live in an information age with easy access via the internet. Your customer has done their research. However…

6. Your customer knows less than they think they do. Just because the information is available, doesn’t mean they know how to use interpret it and use it to their advantage. That’s where you come in as the expert. Which means that you better know your stuff inside and out. You are personally responsible for your own education, not your boss. Be your very best. You need to also talk with your customers in such a manner that they understand.  Don’t limit yourself to insider jargon.

7. Relationships are forever. Apply the Golden Rule. Treat others with the same honesty and respect that you would like to be treated with. Keep relationships alive with your customers, potential customers and even those that may never become your customers. After a few years  I had developed relationships that began paying off in ways I would have never imagined. Now that I have more than 16 years in the media and marketing world in Fort Wayne including working for WOWO radio since 2013, I am enjoying the fruits of my years of cultivating my own brand and reputation.  How about you?

That’s it. A half dozen plus one Sales Secrets, that shouldn’t be secret. Your comments are always welcome.  Reach me at Scott@WOWO.com if you would like my help or have more to add.

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The Mystery of Branding

The Mystery of Branding

by | May 7, 2019 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

The POWER of Brand Identity…Still the Most Important Thing!

Running a business 15 years ago was difficult enough.  With the advent of a New Media World, it became even more difficult and more competitive. First, it was the internet disrupting the Yellow Pages and print mediums.  Then Google overtaking Yahoo, Twitter yielded to Facebook, and now Facebook is taking a backseat to Instagram and Snapchat.  Mobile phones, blogs, podcasts, smart TV’s, Roku, Netflix, Amazon, and on and on and on it goes, where it’ll stop nobody knows! 

Do you realize that the what is currently the largest Social Media Network, wasn’t even open to the public 15 years ago?  September 2006, is when Facebook went from a student only social network to one that anyone 13 and older with a valid email address could join.

No wonder so many business owners are wondering what is next and how do they survive?  The old idea of building a name for yourself and promoting it seems to be forgotten.

Or is it?

This is the so-called Mystery of Branding that we’re going to talk about.

When it comes to running a business, a few things remain steadfast.  The businesses that run a clean business inside and out, offer an exemplary level of service, and are well known to the general public will not only survive, but they will thrive. 

The world’s largest advertisers, Proctor and Gamble, did the research for you.  Several years ago, they jumped into the digital/social world with both feet.  It didn’t take them long to learn they were losing “Brand Identity”.  Understanding that their “Brand” (e.g.  Tide, Crest, Bounty) was everything, caused them to re-think their marketing strategy, and as recently as last year, moved back to the traditional electronic media and in one year grew their sales and grew their brand awareness.  Without Brand Identity or Top of Mind Awareness, you have nothing!

Strategically, most online and mobile marketing kicks in after consumers have identified a need for your products and have begun to search for, or accept ads for, what you sell. Only 10% of adults will click on a paid internet ad and only 26% of the population even has Snapchat, compared to over 90% of adults being influenced by radio every week.

To hedge your bet as you stick your toes into new digital waters, you’ll want to build a strong awareness and preference for your brand BEFORE consumers begin their search or BEFORE they have a need and begin accepting your mobile or online ads.

While the internet has disrupted all media, the intrusive power of audio media and the emotional power of music and the human voice on radio remains the strong backbone of any successful digital campaign today.

Do you have Top of Mind Awareness?

Over the weekend, I saw a message from a friend who needed a plumber, asking for a recommendation. 

Now a plumber is not usually on your mind as you go through out your everyday activities, however when you need one, you really need one that you trust and that is why my friend was looking for recommendations.

I happen to have a client who does Heating and Plumbing so they were top of mind with me and got my recommendation.

This company advertises daily on my radio station, WOWO radio in Fort Wayne, Indiana and had branded themselves so that when I was asked, they came to mind without hesitation.  (My friend is also a WOWO listener, but in his frustration with his kitchen sink, not only was his drain clogged, his mind was clogged too!)

After I told him who to contact, he then went online to get their number.  That’s how the combination of branding on WOWO Radio and the convenience of the internet can work hand in hand.

If you would like to visit about how a strategic mix of broadcast to inspire and internet to inform can help grow your business, contact me.

Email Scott@ WOWO.com and we’ll set up a time to discuss how to take the mystery out of branding your business.

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Keeping Your Core Customers

Keeping Your Core Customers

by | Apr 30, 2019 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, Uncategorized, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

Core Customers – Keep Them!

Every business owner understands that keeping a current customer is much less expensive than creating a new customer. Or at least you think they would! Let me rephrase this; Every SUCCESSFUL business owner not only understands this, but they do things to ensure that they remain a customer and become a Core Customer.

So what exactly is a Core Customer? A Core Customer is someone that has done business with you in the past “X-period of time” and has the potential to do business with you again.

The “X-period of time” depends upon the purchase cycle or how often purchases are made within each business category. For example, in the automotive category, a typical person purchases a vehicle every 3-½ years. In the plumbing business, less than 20% of the population use a plumber every year and 50% of the population only needs a plumber every 4 to 6 years. In the hardware business, it can be 1 time per month or more.

If your current customers have purchased from you within your “purchase cycle” time frame, these people should be considered a “Core Customer”. As a business owner, you want to connect and reconnect with people between purchases until, at minimum, they are out of the “purchase cycle” period.

The other important question is, how often do you need to keep in contact? It can vary to some degree depending upon the buying cycle, but the rule of thumb is 3 to 5 times a year, with a minimum of two.

The first thing you must do is identify your business’ buying cycle. Then, identify who your current core customers are.

If you do not have a list of your customers and their contact info, start to create one. The only info you need is the name, mailing address, email address, date of purchases, and if possible, what they purchased and the transaction amount.

Having this information is useless unless you USE it!

Keeping your current customers is one key to success, but we must understand that regardless of what you do, you stand to lose 20% of your customers each year due to attrition in one form or another. Therefore, it’s paramount that you continue to attract new customers that turn into Core Customers. Once you’ve created the relationship, do everything you can to keep them!

I have 8 helpful tips on how to stay connected with your Core Customers and protect them from predators (your competition). Just email send me an email to Scott@WOWO.com with the subject  Core Customers. I also have a weekly marketing tips newsletter that I will send to you free when you fill out the form below.

 

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The Truth About Boomers and WOWO

The Truth About Boomers and WOWO

by | Apr 23, 2019 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, ScLoHo's Collective Wisdom, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

We want young people, you know, the ones who have money to spend and are not stuck in their ways to come to our place.

That was part of the conversation I had with a couple of business owners in their 40’s recently.  Their Mom was in her late 70’s and still active in the family business.

But these two brothers were having a hard time understanding who they should be inviting to spend money with them.

There is a stereotype that Baby Boomers are too old.  Boomers are not going to change their buying habits.  Boomers are looking for cheap stuff and discounts.  Boomers have limited incomes. Boomers are not worth inviting to your business.

This was either said or implied by people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.

They may be right.  But not really.

Over the years I have worked for a few radio stations that played music that catered to Baby Boomers and I’ve worked for radio stations that have a talk format that is also popular with Baby Boomers.  WOWO Radio for example.

When I worked for the music stations catering to Baby Boomers, I met those listeners and many of them fit those stereotypes that I mentioned.

But I’ve also met the WOWO News Talk Radio listeners and the majority of them don’t fit the stereotypes I mentioned.

By the way, Baby Boomers are currently ranging in age from 55 to 75.  More than half are still working full time, and even more are working part time.

Here’s a few more insights from Mediapost on the Baby Boomers that listen to WOWO Radio:

In the United States, Boomers and seniors control more disposable income than the rest of the generations combined. The term disposable income is important.  In our 20’s and 30’s, we may have a decent income, but that money is flying out the back door as quickly as it comes in the front door.  College Debt is at a record high level and young adults are delaying major purchases and starting a family.  Meanwhile, Boomer grandparents are chipping in sometimes because their monthly expenses are lower.  Or they are indulging in buying stuff they couldn’t afford when they were younger.

I have friends who are in their 50’s and 60’s who are buying brand new custom homes, who are taking trips, who are eating out every weekend.  Money is not the issue that it was when they had little kids and teenagers to take care of.

84% of surveyed Boomers prefer to shop in-store. This is great news for local retailers.  Are you inviting Boomers to come to your store or restaurant?  I can help you design a plan for that using WOWO radio.  Boomers will also buy online, but it’s still an alternative, the second option, not the first choice for most Baby Boomers.

Boomers place greater emphasis on convenience than other generations. They want an easy-to-access store, with ample parking and clearly defined return policies. We know what it was like to have real interaction with people when shopping instead of the self check out lanes.  Our generation values truth, honesty and a good buying experience, because we’ve seen that level of service decline over our lifetimes.

Contrary to popular opinions, Boomers aren’t necessarily attached to classic brands. Of the groups surveyed, they were the only generation that didn’t prioritize buying the brands that they identified with from their childhood. For example, every summer, my wife and I visit a new restaurant nearly every week.  I’ve introduced her to nearly all of the local brew pubs and I see a few more opening soon for us to check out.  We may stick to a few items from our youth, but Boomers are living life with a freedom and gusto that we had in our teen to explore this world and all it offers.

Having trust in a retail purchase is also immensely important to Boomers. Internet-based review sites now provide consumers easy access to product testimonials, and Boomers love them. I emphasise to my clients the importance of maintaining a solid reputation online and offer tips on how to do that.

A brand looking to attract and convert sales from Boomers should spend its time and money advertising in the pre-purchase stage. Another way to look at this is you want to create Top Of Mind Awareness.  If my car needs new tires, I am going to go to the first tire store that comes to mind.  I’ll either do that in person, or online. The beauty of radio ads on WOWO Radio is that we create Top Of Mind Awareness for our advertising partners with our listeners.   Want to know how it works?  Ask me.

 

 

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