Posts Tagged ‘social media’

Radio Promotions Worth 3 Times their Weight in Gold

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

800-599-RADIO | Text DR Radio to 511-511 | 714-787-0101 International

By the RadioActive Media Team

The right promotion will impress an advertiser’s audience, increase visibility, connecting it by association with stations, concerts, contests, or other events. At RadioActive Media we are adamant that a promotional campaign deliver 3-4 times the media investment. A client spending $100,000 to participate in a media event should expect a great return, around $300-400,000, on that commitment. It takes experts to evaluate and negotiate packages of tremendous value.

The team at RadioActive Media participates in creating packages in concert with radio stations. They look at events and contests for possibilities. Often canned station packages won’t provide enough value, aren’t appropriate or creative enough to explore all the potential added value.

If a station has a booth at an event, how can leads be generated for the advertiser? Can brochures be given out at the booth? Can visitors sign up for giveaways, expressing their level of interest for the product/service?

If there’s a concert, how about on-screen exposure and sponsor messages at intervals?

Obviously every client and opportunity has to be carefully matched and their entire program developed and planned extensively. With that said, let’s go ahead and look at many of the options for campaign inclusion.

While the rules for sweepstakes have caused stations to be leery of collecting audience information to pass through to advertisers, it’s absolutely possible and easy to encourage visitors to receive discounts, coupons, prizes or other benefits when they go to either the station or advertiser website and give permission (opt-in) for additional messages.

Stations can do emailings to their own subscribers, or promote on their Fan Pages. Advertisers should expect promos for participating as sponsors in contests. Speaking of social media, there are a myriad of opportunities for expansion of exposure in promotion on Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, to name a few.

When stations use other media like print or TV, they can feature sponsors. Many times they’ll have spots voiced by talent at no additional charge. Inclusion in press releases and mentions in appearances by promotion teams are more great examples of stretching value. “Bumpers” or audio messages going into commercial, news and other station breaks kick the impression level up another notch.

New opportunities are expanding. Stations have iPhone apps. Sirius XM provides offer codes to pad displays. Radio ads have calls-to-action that ask consumers to text message which can generate text, audio, video responses and coupons. Driving traffic to websites is just the beginning of what’s possible.

To learn more about how radio promotional campaigns can be developed into spectacular successes for consumers and advertisers alike, reach out to Jeff Pollak at 800-559-RADIO (7234), text DR RADIO to 511-511.

@radioactivemed

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Frequency – Should it be Measured by Mathematical Formulas or Behavior?

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

800-599-RADIO | Text DR Radio to 511-511 | 714-787-0101 International

By the RadioActive Media Team

At RadioActive Media, our simple goal to constantly improve tracked results for our clients’ radio ad campaigns replaces planning formulas once a campaign starts.

Mathematical formulas can be helpful in starting the campaign planning process and as one of the measurement tools. We were recently having a discussion about the number of times a spot needs to be heard in order to produce the desired action (i.e. a sale, an inquiry, store traffic.)

Frequency is part of the GRP equation: Reach X Frequency = Gross Rating Points which is a mathematical formula.  Pure, easy to calculate and is used in most media plans and calculated on most media buys.  The concept is good, however the execution may be somewhat flawed and here is why.

1. Computer formulas have generalized the process of media buying:

- In order to have actual reach and frequency calculations, true duplication needs to be accounted for in the buy.

- The formularized version may use duplication tables, which makes all talk radio equal.  Some Tier 1 radio personalities would disagree because audience composition may be different.

2.  Mathematical formulas do not take into account the advertised product or service:

- Once or twice in a lifetime purchase (such as a home) versus multiple purchases of DVDs.

- Big ticket items such as solar panels versus small ticket items such as movie tickets.

- The influence endorsements by a radio personality have on the potential consumer.

3.  Product/category life cycle:

- New category?  Before the iPhone we didn’t have apps. More exposures are needed to explain new inventions first, prior to actually buying.

- New product/service in an existing category?  Consumers understand the category, however as a new market entry, a brand name building campaign is more appropriate and should still be tied to performance-driven elements.

- Existing category and existing product?  Maintenance schedules are often recommended in this scenario but may be affected by changes in the competitive landscape.

4.  Cross media campaigns and the new technologies:

- Most formulas are media specific such as radio exclusively or TV.

- Social media has certainly had an influence on purchasing behavior.

- Mobile media is game changing.

Finally, we come to the consumers themselves.  There is always a certain amount of folks who have already made the decision to purchase an iPhone, as an example.  They are just waiting for the new version, their next paycheck or their maybe even their tax return.  In any event, the decision is not will they buy; It is when they will buy and from whom.  Solar panels are a bigger ticket item and still relatively new to market. The decision cycle may take more time and more research on the part of the consumer.

In our opinion, results do not come from formulas.   Results come from experience, testing and most of all tracking and fine-tuning the campaign every step of the way.

Contact Jeff Pollak at 800/599-RADIO (7234) and we can discuss the many ways we can design a results-orientated campaign.

@radioactivemed

The purpose of the program: to find information about DR programs (and the frequency of any alerts)
Message and data rates may apply
Text STOP to cancel alerts
Text HELP for information
A statement of privacy disclosure

Mixing Up Your Advertising Campaigns

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

By the RadioActive Media Team

Different mediums offer different advantages and benefits to the advertiser. At RadioActive Media we recognize this and have provided strategies for our clients that include mediums other than radio.

When you are using multi-media, you need to make sure your advertising is working together, providing the same message and call to action by directing consumers to a specific website, phone number or to text a message. You want your marketing dollars to work most effectively and by using multi-media you can reach a larger and wider audience providing you with quicker results and ROI.

RadioActive Media creates a specific plan for each client, matching their needs. Some of our clients are using other mediums to market their companies. RadioActive Media believes Radio could work in conjunction with mobile marketing, television, direct response, public relations, e-marketing, social media and outdoor. Our goal is to make sure they all work together forming synergies that yield returns above and beyond what each medium could do on its own.

If your advertising needs a little more “oomph” or you are interested in branching out and trying some other advertising channels, please give us a call at 800-559-RADIO (7234). We will give you a free 15-minute marketing analysis.

@radioactivemed