The Rio Deal

http://allisonanderson.wordpress.com/2007/02/01/ablogabout-learning-ecosystems/

 Allison, can you tell us more about it?

In the Portland Metro area, as well as many other metro areas, there is a strong surge of small business lately.  Some will make it, most will not.  The triumphant will have done a really good job at marketing as well as providing excellent products or services. 

But how does someone afford to get TV spots, newspaper ads, and the costly Yellow Pages ads?  That’s it! Or maybe I should say, “that’s NOT it!”.  There are so many other cost effective ways to market a small business. 

I’m going to start with one for now.

1. Radio ads-In my past experiences radio advertising gave the best return on investment (ROI) for a computer services company.  But the key to a good ROI is to do some shopping first.  Call different radio stations and ask for their rates.  Rates will vary with the time of the day and/or the program related to that time slot.  Think about your audience, or like I like to say… What Would the Customer Do? (WWCD).  Silly but VERY important.  Another thing to remember is that YOU are NOT the customer; so do not think that just because you do not listen to a radio show, your customer won’t either.  Go by the numbers/statistics that the radio station will provide.  Think about age group, sex, and even the topics discussed in the programming.  Also remember that marketing is not a vehicle to reflect your personal passions unless it is directly related to your product or service. 

Lastly, let’s talk about the ad content.  The first portion needs accomplish one thing:  Capture your audience!  This will ensure they listen to your ad.  The “meat” needs to be clear and concise about the product or services and where to get them.  And always finish with WHERE to get it!  Contact information should be in the middle AND at the end of the ad.  During the whole process keep in mind that you want them to retain the information for future use.  Don’t try to cram too much information into an ad; be clear, concise and go straight to the point.  You might only have 15 seconds to do so!