Recently, we shared information about the various radio formats you have to choose from when running a radio advertisement. In this blog, I’d like to share the process in choosing a radio advertising solution that meets the needs of your advertising goals and budget.
As a marketing company, Leighton Media helps you develop an image for your brand and create a strategy for promoting your business that elicits an emotional response from your consumers.
The Discovery Meeting
The process starts with a discovery meeting between you (the client), and the Leighton Media marketing and branding team. In the discovery meeting, your business’s goals will be discussed to better understand how you are currently reaching prospects through advertising and how you would like to reach them in the future. The discovery meeting will also uncover your short- and long-term goals for your company, your brand essence, and your customer attributes.
This discovery meeting is critically important to the Leighton team. We don’t believe in offering cookie-cutter advertising packages. We want to meet with you and get to know your business and brand on a personal level. What works for some businesses, won’t work for others. Your brand is as unique as a fingerprint!
Also during the meeting, your advertising budget will be discussed to create the most cost-effective advertising plan geared to help you reach your goals and will be catered to your unique needs.
Radio Advertising Solutions
In the radio advertising world, you’ll hear a lot of numbers like 3-frequency and 21/52. These numbers equate to a key term in radio advertising = repetition. In radio, repetition is king, and this medium relies on it. Why? The more often your ad is heard by your target consumer, the higher the chances your brand will be embedded into their long-term memory and you will be their first thought when it’s time for them to make a purchase.
To explain this concept further, in order to be "heard," your ad will need to reach a frequency of 3 or more within 7 days, or one week's time. Research shows that by placing your ad 21 times a week, 52 weeks a year, this optimal freqency is achieved. This is part of the BrandsFormation process. But the 21/52 methodology is being pushed. In today’s world of instant messaging and texting, recent data shows the 21/52 formula might not actually be enough anymore due to the way we send and receive messages. 25/52 means your ad would run 25 times a week. Your advertising solution will ideally fall between 21/52 and 25/52.
Deciding how often to run your ad is just one factor in the radio advertising process. When and where are two additional factors to consider, but we’ll discuss the “when” in a future blog. Stay tuned.
Going Beyond Radio
Adopting a comprehensive marketing strategy, including radio and digital marketing, is a great way to spread the word about your company and brand beyond your local geographical boundaries. Branding and event marketing plans can create an interactive tie-in to traditional radio Media, delivering a reliable message to your consumers that establish your brand as the go-to company for the products and services they need. Successful plans also include creating a consistent message for your business that is cohesive across all marketing channels.
Client Review Meetings
As important as the look ahead is during the early-stage discovery meetings, is the look back. On a quarterly basis, we review with you your advertising campaign metrics to help uncover and define patterns. These patterns can be measured and can help us determine the most successful advertising route for the future.
We are thrilled when we know we’ve partnered with a business and have reached success together. Tara Gronhovd, from Plaza Park Bank shares:
"While some sales reps act like vendors, the entire team at Leighton acts like your partner. Plaza Park Bank has been working with Leighton for years and we appreciate that their team will go above and beyond to help us create campaigns that will truly connect with our listening audience. More than a creative resource, Leighton is truly a valued business partner."
Creating partnerships with our clients is what keeps us motivated. Connect with us today to learn more about developing your unique advertising solution that will bring your brand to future customers.
