Fayetteville, North Carolina area business owners have an abundance of options for marketing their goods and services to local consumers. New research from Nielsen, however, indicates that advertising on Fayetteville radio is still the best way to reach local shoppers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Fayetteville radio reaches 282,794 adults. This is significantly more than are reached by social media, local TV stations and cable systems, newspapers, streaming video and audio, and podcasts.

In addition to listening to their favorite Fayetteville radio stations over the air, Nielsen reports that 73,320 adults also listen to local stations online every month.

As a matter of fact, according to a study conducted by Edison Research during the third quarter of 2022, among Adults 25-54, 17% of all time spent listening to local AM/FM stations occurs online. This share of online listening has nearly doubled since 2016.

Me: Alexa, how many consumers In Fayetteville, North Carolina have access to a smart speaker?

Alexa: According to a recent Nielsen study, 80,762 Fayetteville adults own a smart speaker. This is 23.1% of the local population.*

Me: Alexa, what exactly is a smart speaker?

Alexa: According to Wikipedia, A smart speaker is a type of loudspeaker and voice command device with an integrated virtual assistant that offers interactive actions and hands-free activation with the help of one "hot word" (or several "hot words"). Some smart speakers can also act as a smart device that utilizes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other protocol standards to extend usage beyond audio playback, such as to control home automation devices. This can include, but is not limited to, features such as compatibility across a number of services and platforms, peer-to-peer connection through mesh networking, virtual assistants, and others. Each can have its own designated interface and features in-house, usually launched or controlled via application or home automation software. Some smart speakers also include a screen to show the user a visual response.

Me: Alexa, what brand of smart speakers are Fayetteville consumers likely to own?

In 2020, there were 17,494 new cars and trucks registered in the Fayetteville metro area. This number is based on projections from the National Auto Dealers Associaton (NADA) and the U.S. Census bureau.

In all, says NADA, there are 249 new-car dealerships in North Carolina. Despite the pandemic, these dealers, including those in the Fayetteville area, sold $20.1 billion worth of new vehicles.

Through June of this year, these same dealers have already rung up $17 billion in new car sales.

When it comes to buying new vehicles, Fayetteville consumers have a broad range of preferences. Some buyers want Fords while others want Chevrolets, Toyotas, or Teslas.  Some buyers want pick-up trucks, while others want sub-compacts, SUVs, or sports cars. Of course, some want blue vehicles, while others want pearl white, orchard green, or redolent red.

There is one purchase criterion, however, that most Fayetteville car buyers can agree on. They want an AM/FM radio smack-dab, in the middle of their dash.

Each week, according to Nielsen, 59.8% of Fayetteville, North Carolina consumers watch video programs that aren't delivered over-the-air by local TV stations.  They aren't coming from a local cable company or by satellite.  Instead, these programs are being streamed directly to viewers via an internet connection.

This type of streamed video content is called OTT (Over-The-Top-Television) or CTV (Connected-Television). These two terms are sometimes are often used interchangeably but do have a subtle difference.

OTT generally means the video is watched on a small device like a computer, tablet, or smartphone.  CTV, on the other hand, typically means the content is viewed on a smart-TV or a regular television using a streaming device like a Roku or Amazon stick.

In Fayetteville, OTT/CTV has exceeded the weekly reach of local newspapers and streaming audio services such as Pandora and Spotify. The medium is rapidly approaching the reach of local cable and broadcast TV stations.

Fayetteville, North Carolina area business owners are expected to invest $65-million during 2021 to advertise to consumers connected to the internet. This forecast was produced by Borrell Associates, a company that tracks business advertising expenditures across the country.

These online marketing dollars will be spent on banner advertising, search engine marketing, email, as well as audio and video advertising. This is all to capture the attention of shoppers and buyers as they go about their connected days.

According to Nielsen, 94% of adult consumers in the Fayetteville area have access to the internet. They connect, primarily, with desktop and laptop computers; smartphones; or tablets.

Ninety-four percent of Fayetteville adults spend at least one hour per week online, with most spending at least 10 hours connected.

There's a reason many Fayetteville small business owners target their advertising towards consumers who have completed a four-year college degree. It's because, typically, university graduates earn $29,106 more per year than those with only a high school diploma, according to The Federal Reserve.

There are, according to Nielsen, 65,496 college graduates living in the Fayetteville area. In total, this population generates $5.1 billion in annual take-home pay. To tap into a similar pool of spending power, a marketer would need to reach 113,526 consumers who did not go beyond high school.

The number of people reached by a campaign is, generally, what determines the cost of advertising. So, for a Fayetteville small business owner operating on a tight marketing budget, spending can be kept in check by targeting those consumers with the most money to spend. In this case, college graduates.

Ask any North Carolina small business owner how to measure the success of an advertising campaign. The answer will almost always 'sales.'

According to Nielsen research, the media-element of a campaign that has the most significant effect on sales is reach. This is the number of different people exposed to the advertiser's message.

There are more ways than ever to advertise. But, which of those options has the largest reach among Fayetteville consumers?

Doug Schoen, an advertising professional with 35 years of experience, writes in Forbes: "You wouldn’t know it from all the media coverage focused on streaming video and streaming music, but radio actually has the most reach among American media consumers. 93% of adults listen to the radio each week as compared to 87% who watch TV, a substantive difference."

By April 15th next year, 161,148 residents of Fayetteville will file a tax return.  More than 53% of these returns will be completed by the taxpayer themselves, either by hand or with the help of an online provider like Turbotax.

Every season, Fayetteville small business owners who specialize in tax preparation services lose customers to the do-it-yourself options.  This year, 75,519 local consumers will spend $14.5 million with professionals. But, based on the average cost of services, more than $16.6 million will stay in the wallets of the DIY crowd.

To clawback this enormous amount of money from the DIY market, Fayetteville's tax services will need to advertise the valuable benefits of using a professional.

The best advertising option for professional tax professionals is on Fayetteville radio stations. Here's why.

Advertising is critical to the growth and ultimate success of a Fayetteville small business. The U.S. Small Business Administration recommends that mature businesses should budget 7-8% of its annual income for advertising the company's goods and services. 

Businesses who are in their early growth phase, however, should plan on investing 10-12%.  Start-up companies that may not yet be familiar to their target consumers should consider investing even a larger percentage.

Deloitte, the world's largest business consulting firm, recommends that "radio advertising should be a big part of the mix for those buying advertising."

Fayetteville shoppers are expected to spend $999 million this holiday season.  This is approximately 4% higher than last year. These estimates are based on forecasts by the National Retail Federation and Deloitte.

To claim a fair share of the Christmas cash, local small business owners will need to battle some giant competitors. Advertising on Fayetteville radio stations may be the perfect weapon to ensure success.

According to information published in the retail trade magazine Chain Store Age, as of right now, here is where consumers are planning to shop...

Fayetteville small businesses that sell products or services to pet owners should sit up and take notice.  Local consumers will spend $99,000,000 this year on behalf of Fido and Fluffy. This amount has increased 323% since 1994, with no sign of letting up.

According to the American Pet Products Association, here's how spending on furry companions breaks down:

• Food: $40,701,242
• Supplies/OTC Medicine: $21,839,691
• Vet Care: $24,817,831
• Live Pet Purchases: $2,978,140
• Other Services: $8,934,419

The biggest month for sales of pet-related products and services is, by far, December. That is when 10.5% of all annual spending happens in this category.

Fayetteville area consumers are expected to spend $8.5 billion at retail this year, according to Nielsen. This means that every household, on average, will be spending $48,564.

To capture a larger share of these dollars, small business owners in Clark and Robeson counties need to know the answer to two questions.

The first question is, where is this enormous amount of cash being spent?  The list below details the answer.

Fayetteville area consumers are expected to spend $999 million on this year's holiday shopping, based on predictions by The National Retail Federation.  This would be a 4% increase over last year.

Deloitte, one of the world's top four accounting firms, forecasts similar growth.

"The projected holiday season growth is, in part, due to the current health of the labor market,” said Daniel Bachman, Deloitte's U.S. economic forecaster. “Near record-low unemployment rates, coupled with continued monthly job creation, may encourage people to spend more during the holiday season. The economy is still growing, albeit at a slower rate. Additionally, we continue to see consumer confidence elevated, which also helps boost holiday spending."

For most local retailers, holiday spending brings in about 20% of annual sales But, long gone are the days when the bulk of this shopping occurred between Black Friday and Christmas.

Last week, according to Nielsen, 92,639 single, adult women tuned-in to a Fayetteville radio station.  This is 92% of every consumer who fits this description.

Why should Fayetteville small business owners take note of this demographic? A study by investment bank Morgan Stanley finds 41% of working-age women are single. That number is expected to increase to 45% over the next ten years.

The study, called 'Growth of the SHEconomy', indicates that single women outspend the average household in many retail categories. Remarkably, says, Erica Sweeney of MarketingDive, "Women purchase more than half of products traditionally considered 'male' including autos, home improvement products, and consumer electronics."