DID YOU KNOW…

 

there is an estimated 180 million digital audio consumers in America today? That’s a big market!

 

Basically, your business should always be top of mind to your customers and clients.  Numbers don’t lie so audio advertising really is primo and puts your business a step above your competition.

 

Generally, having a good understanding of audio ads leads you to the next step, which is execution. It’s all in the planning.  As a result, being prepared will help you get to the primo level with more ease.

 

Above all, knowing what you want and what you don’t want with your advertising will help save you time and money.  Take a moment to review the following:

 

• Know your target audience

• Decide if your ad campaign will be ongoing or dedicated within a timeframe

• Brainstorm – how do you want your ad to reflect on potential customers and clients?

• Learn all the ways you can advertise your product or service. For instance, via TV, Radio, Podcast, and/or social media

• Perhaps outsource to a professional.  Realistically, do you have time to do it all yourself?  And will it be the best it can be?

• How do you get your ads out to the consumers?

 

All in all, establishing ways to move forward means you’ve successfully conquered the first step.  Congratulations!

 

Audio advertising is primo and is not just about ads on the radio.  It’s also about the narration that may be part of that radio ad, tv, or online marketing. More so, it’s about putting it all together sometimes with music, fun content, business jingles, and more.

 

To help get you started, I listed a few suggestions you can go over in detail to assist with planning.

 

• Know your budget

• Have a brand in place

• Get to the point with your ad – people have short attention spans

• Focus on your strengths

• Weaknesses – all businesses have them so steer clear of yours.

• How does your product make a consumer’s life better?

• Share what is unique about your business from your competition.

• Your Audience – know who they are.

• Who is your competition? Research them and what they offer, such as pricing, quality of service or product.

• What do they do for advertising?

• Will your ad be 60 sec, 1 min, 30 sec?

• Do you want a business jingle, narration, and music?

Inevitably, having your “ducks in a row” will ultimately provide a smoother more efficient start to primo audio advertising.

 

The bottom line, play it smart and put yourself ahead of your competition right out of the gate.

 

Take a listen to a few radio spots I’ve produced

 

LET’S TALK BUDGET, SHALL WE?

 

I find, knowledge gives you the power to make smart decisions.  This article Should You Advertise on Local Radio goes over the ins and outs of radio vs TV.

 

• Research your local radio stations

• Get quotes

• Put a budget together

• Discuss prime time pricing

It’s a great way to advertise due to the large audience you’ll reach

 

BRANDING

 

In most cases, a logo and color theme is the best way of identifying your business but it’s not necessary for an audio ad on the radio.

 

Why is it so important then?!?!  Without it, who are you?  How do consumers remember you?  You will undoubtedly do advertising that requires graphics at some point.  Visual memory works.

 

For instance, watching TV one night and you see cool sneakers being advertised and it was for Niki but they didn’t have a logo or their “Just Do It” slogan in the ad.  Would you know it was their product?  Probably not.  What does your logo or slogan mean or represent?

 

Do you know how the Niki slogan came about?  I found this on Insider.

 

Believe it or not, Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” slogan was inspired by the final words of a notorious killer in 1970s Utah.

 

Facing down a firing squad in his last moments, double-murderer Gary Gilmore said: “Let’s do it.”

 

Dan Wieden, the founder of ad agency Wieden and Kennedy, was inspired to adapt the phrase to “Just Do It” for a 1988 TV ad that introduced the slogan to the world.

 

Looking back in 2009 he said: “None of us really paid that much attention. We thought ‘Yeah. That’d work.'”

 

A simple change of one word from “Let’s” to “Just” made it all feel much more inspirational rather than the truth behind how the slogan came about.

 

So be identifiable to your consumers so they know all there is to know about you, even if it’s personal or out there like Niki.  There are many ways to do this.  Let’s chat more.

 

Most importantly, get this one done because it’s more than just a logo — it’s reflected in everything about your business from your customer service style, staff, business cards, and your in-store or online marketing.

 

GETTING TO THE POINT

 

By now, you may have figured out how much goes into having a primo audio ad.  Therefore, what is the best way to keep people interested?  Because the truth of the matter is, we can all have very short attention spans when it comes to ads.

 

For instance, if a consumer doesn’t know who you are and what your product or service is in the first few seconds, you’ve most likely lost them.  Remember those Super Bowl commercials???!!!  Wow, right?!  Not that you have to be that elaborate with your campaign, but you get the gist of engagement.

 

Unfortunately, you cannot catch the ear of every consumer.  It can be a little tricky.  Don’t be afraid to try a few different ways to find what works best for your business.

 

It’s recommended you be prepared with a Plan B, C, or D if Plan A didn’t do the trick.  It’s a known fact that marketing is always changing.

 

You can never plan too much when it comes to great marketing. It’s just not a thing.  Keep the ideas flowing!

 

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS

 

Focus on what your business does best. Focus on the important aspects such as customer service & affordability.  Specialty Products & Services you offer.

 

Provide feedback from your current clients.  Talk about how you can solve problems with your services or products?

 

What is it about you and your business that can make a consumer’s life better and easier?

 

WEAKNESSES?

 

Every business has a few. Ugh. Know them and try to improve them.  It’s that simple.

 

I’ve prepared a list, just for you, to show where a business could have problems.  In turn, I hope it will help you better understand what it really means for a business to have a weakness, and to get you on a faster track to improvement.

 

Weaknesses can include but are not limited to:

 

• inadequate product/market development

• service policies

• too many levels of reporting in the organizational structure

• limited product availability

• lack of involvement from management in developing a new service

• quantitative goals are lacking

to name a few.

 

As you develop and grow so do your strengths.  Ultimately, you will expand from a small business to a larger business.  You got this!

 

ARE YOU UNIQUE?

 

Of course, you are!   Come on, we are all unique in some way, shape, or form?

 

You started your business because you had a vision.  That is a uniqueness you can expand on right there!  So what does your vision bring to the table above the rest?

 

For example, is your customer service top-notch?  Do you have specialty services? Do you offer payment plan options? How about free consultations?  Package plans, creative products, or special orders.  Can you provide guarantees on your product or services?  The list goes on.

 

TARGET AUDIENCE?

 

Trying to find your perfect audience takes time.  Honestly, it can be a lot of trial and error.

 

Ultimately, when you find that sweet spot ad, those sales and conversions will pour in.  Most importantly, your achievement of moving to the next milestone of being a new or small business owner.

 

Consider if you want to target locally, nationwide, or statewide.  Young, middle-aged, mothers, elder, or all age groups?  Will you go gender-specific or to all people?

 

Therefore, I suggest you take time to research your audience and be able to provide them with what they want from a business of your type.  Go ahead, put yourself in their shoes with this one.  What would you want from your business?

 

WHO IS YOUR COMPETITION?

 

Knowing your competition is very useful. More importantly, how are they advertising, and is it working?  There is nothing wrong with capitalizing on a working idea and making it your own.  Businesses do it all the time.

 

WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO ADVERTISE?

 

Great question and it does involves more research on your part. Because there are many ways to advertise, it’s important to find the best avenue.

 

Basically, what works for one doesn’t work for all. It’s testing the waters. It’s being top of mind to potential clients and customers. It takes work and planning!

 

LAST, BUT NOT THE END

 

HOW LONG WILL YOUR AD BE AND WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT?

 

So, you’ve done the work and decided to go with an audio campaign or adding it in with other advertising you are doing.  Great! How long should your ad be?

 

Remember those attention spans? Therefore, I recommend keeping it at either a :30 sec or :60-sec spot.

 

Above, I talked about ways you can research to make that :30 – :60 second ad stand out and make it special?

 

 

You can learn more about what audio advertising is here:
https://www.websitedesignsbylisa.com/audio-advertising

 

 

Here’s an article about ways you can use audio advertising that you may find interesting.

 

https://www.voices.com/blog/audio-ads/