Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
What a difference a few years make. We have all seen it and experienced it. Although different, business is back from the impact of the pandemic. Shelves are full and automotive dealer lots are full. Automotive has gone from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market.
Continue reading “Radio Accelerates Website Traffic for Auto”Author: Victor Texcucano, Content Coordinator, RAB
Pens, pencils, paper, staplers, sticky notes… Even more expensive things like computers, printers and office chairs. These days, it’s practically impossible to run a modern office without such items. Whether you work from home or work at a business office, supplies get used daily, and while e-commerce retailers are fierce, office supply retailers have a need to reach consumers in their areas.
Continue reading “Use Radio for Office and BTS Supplies”Author: Nick Arias, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB
Although the year is still young, the summer season is quickly approaching. People are in the right mindset to get in the best shape possible. While many are reaching their fitness goals, there are some that are still figuring out where to start.
Continue reading “Radio’s Strength in Fitness”Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB
Partnerships are important. Ask anyone who is trying to grow their business, and they will admit that along with their own hard work, the partnerships and relationships they build with both consumers and other businesses has helped their own growth and impact.
Continue reading “Radio is the Perfect Partner”Contributor: Fleur Voruz, Senior Director/Media, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Through purposeful partnerships, radio stations uniquely position themselves as champions by raising funds and awareness for critical needs in their local communities. These collaborations not only elevate positive listener sentiment, but they also drive employee engagement and business value for the radio station and its sponsors.
Continue reading “Radio’s Impact: Championing Children’s Health and Building Transformative Business Partnerships”Contributor: Steve Passwaiter, President, Silver Oak Political
Last week, I provided some background into local races. I also focused on the importance of sharing insights and information about radio listeners, dispelling misperceptions about radio and tapping into the creativity that is synonymous with radio. This week it is about execution.
I think I’ve likely given you some definite clues about taking care of executing political advertisers. Armed with solid data about how adding radio to schedules helps increase the advertisers reach to voters, you’ve got a talking point to get someone’s interest. What are you doing to promote that? Radio has multiple platforms to reach listeners AND advertisers. It’s worth using some of those to make the results of this study known in your market.
The one indispensable piece of advice I can provide is the one that is used in the title of this blog: Don’t forget your backyard! Use your local influence; get out and meet the people within an hour’s drive that are going to control millions of local dollars. Get to your state’s capital and introduce yourself to the people that run the political parties at the state level. This is a group of advertisers running a massive one-day sale in November. How can you help them deliver their message to the market? Think about bundling those digital assets they can use, too. (Many are unaware that radio can do that too.)
Remember – you must play the long game in politics. That means that you don’t stop once the election is over. There will be dollars in play in 2025, and the “off” years are not so off any longer. This is a great time to expand relationships and explore new ways of helping.
I once was told by one of my old radio sales managers that the best time to sell is when nothing is happening. He was right about that. You’ll find that political agencies and political contacts will be more likely to hold a meeting with you, especially if you’ve have people that will recommend you. Sales is like politics – it is all about relationships.
As we consider the rest of 2024, pay particular attention to your properties that reach into the African American and Hispanic communities. Political parties will plan to spend not just candidate dollars but, dollars aimed at increasing voter registration and participation in both communities. Recent polling is showing a shift in voter attitudes and that likely translates to each political party having to do more work and spend more money to bring these voters to their side or keep them on their side.
There are local coordinators that are in charge of these efforts and it’s time to get to know them and see what you can do to help them to do their job. The financial rewards are obvious in the short term and the relationships you build are a bonus in the long term – with future election.
Former Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill, was credited for saying that “all politics are local.” For radio broadcasters who work hard and who are part of their communities, it’s time to change the rules of engagement. It is time for broadcast radio to reap the shares it deserves in political advertising.
