Fayetteville small business owners have more advertising options than ever. Choices include television, cable, billboards, online, and newspapers. But according to Deloitte, the world's largest business consulting firm, radio "should be a big part of the mix for those buying advertising."
Some small business owners, might dismiss Deloitte's advice. They might wonder, "Does anyone listen to the radio anymore?"
"But," says Deloitte, "radio has commonly been underestimated. Radio is the voice whispering in our ear, in the background of dinner, in an office, or while driving the car. It is not pushy or prominent … but it is there."
Almost Everybody Listens To The Radio
Deloitte recommends radio advertising because of this. "Radio’s weekly reach—the percentage of people who listen to radio at least once—has been remarkably stable in the United States. Not only has reach hovered around 94 percent for the last few years, but that number is essentially unchanged from the 94.9 percent figure in spring 2001 (when Apple introduced the iPod)."
"Further, an August 2018 Deloitte Global survey found that, of those who report listening to live radio i[n the United States], over 70 percent say they listen either every day or on most days. A majority of radio listeners are tuning in as part of their daily lives."
This is also true in Fayettevile, where 288,946 adult consumers tuned to their favorite radio stations. This is significantly more than the 181,951 consumers reached by area TV stations or the 182,061 reached by local newspapers.
Additionally, Fayetteville radio reaches everyone. Unlike other local media, which tends to skew towards older audiences, Fayetteville radio reaches consumers of all ages. This includes members of Generation X, Y, and Z; Millennials, and Boomers. Everybody.
Radio's demographic appeal is a major reason Deloitte recommends the medium be part of every business's advertising mix.
"One might think," says Deloitte, "since radio in North America is popularly perceived to be largely free and ad-supported, that it would appeal mainly to demographics that are of less interest to those who buy advertising. The exact opposite is true."
"The August 2018 Deloitte Global survey found that the percentage of Americans who report listening to live radio is higher for those who are working, those with more education, and those with higher incomes (figure 3). Keep in mind, too, that, because radio listening in this survey was self-reported, the real numbers are likely 25 percentage points higher for older demographics and 40 percentage points higher for younger age groups.
Fayetteville Business Owners Find Radio Advertising Effective
James Grafstrom, General Manger of Fayetteville's Crown Complex, agrees with Deloitte's findings. He has been advertising continually for the past 5 years on local radio to build his venue's brand among local consumers.
“Although the media landscape has changed, no matter how you look at it,” he says, “radio is still in the forefront. People are in their cars every day whether they going to work or coming home. During that time, they are listening to Fayetteville radio. They might be listening to a rock station; a pop station; a rap station; a talk station; or a county station. But the bottom line is they are listening.”
“They might not have a chance to look at the newspaper that day, or check Facebook,” Mr. Grafstrom continues, “but because they are captive in their cars, we can reach them with our message, even if it just for 15 or 30 seconds. I see this as a real value to keep The Crown Complex top-of-mind in our community.”
Like Deloitte, Mr. Grafstrom believes advertising on Fayetteville radio should be part of every local business owner's marketing mix.
“Radio advertising can help other Fayetteville small business owners achieve their goals as well,” adds Mr. Grafstrom who, in addition to his role at the Crown Complex is also the Chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce. “My advice for those business people is to really understand who their target customers are. Then, do the research to make sure the stations purchased really reach the right listeners.”
Learn More About Advertising On Fayetteville Radio
