Mid-Missouri Marketing Resource Blog

So you want to run a radio ad. Wonderful! Which station do you choose? When do you want your ad to air? Do you choose the station YOU like, or is there a better plan of attack. How do you get started and what is it important for you to know? Here is information on both the art and science behind radio advertising. Information that will help you make smart decisions when buying it for your business.

As a business owner, you cannot avoid, or ignore, branding. Branding is just as important, if not more important, than most of the day-to-day aspects of your business. In fact, branding encompasses everything your business is and how customers think about you and what you can provide them.

History has a great way of teaching us lessons. During tough economic times, it might seem logical to make cuts to your advertising budget, but in reality, that’s not a sound idea, as it actually hurts your business. By staying the course, you keep your brand and business in the forefront of your customer’s mind. An effective advertising strategy should actually help you increase sales.

Did you know it costs five times more to recruit a new customer than it does to keep an existing one? That’s right, and what’s more, it can cost as much as 30 times as much, depending on the industry! However, many companies simply fail to quantify the impact of customer retention. They do not focus enough on current customers or consider how to retain them. Instead, they focus their marketing efforts on garnering new customers, much like a toddler who tosses an old beloved toy aside in preference to a shiny new toy. To place customer retention in the place of prominence it deserves, answer the following questions:

1. How can I re-sell to the customer?
2. Is there an opportunity to cross sell?
3. Are there additional products or services to up-sell?

Keep in mind, all the new customers you can hope to obtain are not worth as much as the customers you already have.

“Call 1-800 steemer… Stanley Steemer gets carpet cleaner!”

“Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of that... Kitkat bar!”

“Like a good neighbor… State Farm is there!” 

(We are willing to bet you just sang those catchy jingles while reading them…)

Some may say that nothing can drive an advertising message like a catchy jingle. We like to think of jingles as an important part of your “audio signature.” Whether your listeners love it or hate it, a good jingle will relate your brand name with a concept, idea, or promotion. While many people believe that jingles are outdated, we disagree. In fact, one recent study found that 89 percent of participants believed jingles to be an effective method of advertising.

So, does your business need a jingle? Here are three reasons why your answer should be yes:

You see it every day. Advertising by the biggest brands out there. If big brands that already have significant market share are advertising, why aren’t you? Obviously, there is a great deal of value in advertising, or these huge brands would not be deploying millions of dollars across a variety of advertising channels. It’s important to take a look at not only why the biggest brands are advertising, but how and where they’re doing it, and how frequency in marketing helps to build and maintain brand-loyal customers.

So… what DO they really care about?  The short answer is themselves.  For elaboration on this blunt, over-simplified assertion, please read further:

At Zimmer Radio & Marketing Group, we are passionate about helping businesses establish (and maintain) an immediately recognizable, and therefore, exceedingly successful brand.

Think about it. If you’re going to try and attract more business with a juicy offer, that offer needs to be something that people simply can’t refuse. Because even the most powerful call to action won’t work unless your offer is practically irresistible. Regardless of what you’re selling—and even if you’re giving something away—there are some things that go into creating a really effective offer.

At Zimmer Communications, our purpose is to help our client’s business grow. Our efforts are focused on developing ourselves through training and coaching. We accomplish this through an environment where exceeding company standards, continual improvement, initiative, and innovation are recognized and rewarded. Because we’re super-committed to that goal, Zimmer has grown and evolved over the years...a lot. For that reason, we frequently hear people say, “I didn’t know you guys did that!?” We are so much more than radio. Here's the scoop on what we offer and why: