Category: Marketing

Benefits of Email Marketing

Small businesses have lots of options when it comes to marketing strategies. However, those options are not all created equal. Some may be more expensive or time-consuming than others, and some may have higher ROI. The type of business you own will largely determine the different marketing strategies you employ, but there is one that is effective across industries:

Email marketing.

There are many benefits of email marketing as a marketing strategy. And did you know that email marketing is one of the most well-received forms of marketing with consistent ROI?

Many people spend a considerable amount of their day looking at emails, especially on smartphones. A recent survey from Statista found that almost 50% of smartphone users prefer to receive communications from businesses via email. And those communications are usually successful in converting to sales. Another survey found that 50% of people buy from marketing emails at least once a month. This leads to an impressive average ROI for email marketing, earning approximately $36 for every $1 spent.

Numbers, however, aren’t the only incentive to work email marketing into your marketing strategy. Read on for the top 7 benefits of email marketing that you can take advantage of for your business.

Personalized Marketing

Email marketing is easy to personalize, which can make it more effective at converting leads and earning sales. Personalization options for email marketing are endless, but there are two common strategies.

The first involves simply including the recipient’s name in the subject line or body copy of the email. It seems simple, but this strategy is incredibly effective in increasing email open rates. Emails with personalized subject lines have a 26% higher open rate than generic subject lines. Most email marketing platforms include easy-to-use codes to include the recipient’s name, so it’s easier than ever to personalize your email marketing strategy.

Segmentation is the second personalization strategy for email marketing. Segmentation is when you divide your email list into categories and send different communications to each category. For example, you could have one email go out to first-time customers, and a different one sent to repeat customers. If your business markets multiple products or services, you can also utilize CRM software to tag your email list based on the services your contacts are interested in. Then you can opt to only send emails about certain services to those contacts. This ensures that your messages are relevant and interesting, instead of being viewed as spam.

Measurable Results

Another one of the benefits of email marketing is how easy it is to see measurable results. Email platforms often have built-in statistics that detail bounce rates, open rates, click-through rates, and more. You can see how quickly a contact opened an email after it was sent, or how many recipients clicked on a link in the email. This data is invaluable for future email marketing initiatives. Use the data to determine what works and what doesn’t, and you can refine future emails using those strategies.

Increased Site Traffic

Improved SEO is another benefit of email marketing. Including links to your website in your email communications encourages recipients to go to your website to check out your products and services. Backlinks to your website via email will improve your website’s SEO ranking overall. Emails with links to your website also can generate more traffic by word-of-mouth. Recipients can forward an interesting email to their other contacts, which could lead to more customers checking out your site who may not have otherwise.

Increased Sales

60% of consumers in a survey reported that they have made a purchase because of a marketing email they received. This statistic is particularly noteworthy for small businesses with an e-commerce site. Emails detailing promotions, sales, or product highlights can generate interest and encourage customers to purchase to take advantage of a deal. You can even develop email-only promotions or deliver your contacts a special coupon code to further entice them.

Cost-Effective

With a high ROI, email marketing is more cost-effective than other forms of marketing. Sending printed mailers, producing radio or television ads, or hiring more marketing personnel are all costly marketing strategies that may be difficult for small businesses. Email is an easy way to reach thousands or hundreds of thousands of people in minutes, at little cost to you. Many CRMs make it easy to send emails directly from their software to your contacts, so you can manage your customers and your emails all in one place for one price.

Timesaving

As a small business owner, you know that time is invaluable. In addition to being cost-effective, another benefit of email marketing is how much time it will save you compared to other forms of marketing. Traditional marketing campaigns, like television, radio, or print, can take weeks or months to produce and implement. Email marketing is easier and faster to put together, which means that your emails can be more timely or topical depending on what is going on in your business and the world at large. Emails don’t have to be fancy, either! A simple text-based email can be composed quickly and sent out even within a single day.

Improves Recognition

Finally, another benefit of email marketing is it can help improve your brand recognition. Email communications, like other written brand communications, will often be composed in your brand voice, or showcase your brand colors, style, or logos. Showing off your brand’s personality in your emails and providing your email list with something of value may even generate excitement for your weekly or monthly newsletters. You can research your audience and even do surveys to determine what kind of content they’d like to see in their inboxes. Then, when you deliver, it will improve your brand recognition and brand image overall.

Develop Killer Email Marketing with Killerspots

When done right, the benefits of email marketing are vast and rewarding. The first step to drafting a killer email campaign, however, is with killer written content. If you need help crafting emails for your small business, Killerspots’ team of talented writers can help create emails that engage and convert. Get in touch with us today to speak with our writing and marketing teams.

On Hold Greetings: Making a Positive First Impression

Did you know that 60% of callers will hang up after they’ve been on hold for 1 minute? While you can’t always avoid putting callers on hold, there are ways to make their hold experience more pleasant.

On-hold greetings are often the introduction to your company, so you need to make sure that you introduce yourself to customers the right way.

How can you put together an on-hold greeting that will make a good impression? And how will your on-hold music, or an on-hold message, help to keep your customer on the line? Here’s our guide on how to make sure your on-hold greetings make the right impression every time.

What On-Hold Greetings Will You Need?

When you’re starting out with on-hold greetings, you’ll need to decide which greetings to record. Depending on the size of your business, you may need just one of each greeting or several greetings for different departments. Whatever your business size, you’ll likely need the following greeting types:

Opening Greeting

This is the message that plays as soon as your phone system picks up a call. The opening greeting will include some sort of welcome message, along with your business name and a next step. For example:

Thank you for calling Dog Groomers R Us. To best answer your call, please choose from one of the following options.

Your caller will feel welcomed and will also know what to do to have their query addressed.

On-Hold Messaging

An on-hold message will let callers know that there is a queue and that they’ll need to hold to speak to an advisor. For example:

All of our agents are dealing with other calls. Please hold, and we will answer your call as soon as possible.

Voicemail Greeting

A voicemail greeting is used for out-of-hours calls. If a customer calls outside of business hours, a voicemail greeting will let them know of alternative ways to answer their query.

It will also let them know when they can call back and can welcome them to leave a message if you have that service enabled. For example:

Thank you for calling Popsicle Vacations. We are now closed. Please visit our website, www.popsiclevacations.com, and use our live chat feature. Alternatively, you can call us back between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday.

How to Ensure a Successful Greeting

Now you know which greetings you need, how do you record a greeting that’ll keep callers on the line? One way is by recording custom on-hold messages with the following:

Use a Pleasant Tone

First off, you don’t want callers to feel like an inconvenience. Don’t ever record a message that sounds frustrated, stern, or tired.

Instead, you want to use a pleasant, upbeat tone that sounds warm and welcoming, as well as eager to help with their inquiry.

Do Apologize

Your customers are paying you good money, so they should be able to speak to you whenever they need to. Of course, sometimes calls can stack up, so there’s a delay in responding to everyone. Callers understand that, but they appreciate an apology.

Saying sorry for making them wait is good manners, and it’ll help customers to feel that you’re aware of their inconvenience.

Don’t Overwhelm Them With Information

One alternative to on-hold music is to give your customers information on other products or services you offer. Or, you may want to let them know other ways to get in touch. Whatever the information you offer, don’t overwhelm your callers by giving them too much information all at once.

Doing so will probably give them a headache and either make them want to hang up or will get them more worked up before speaking to an agent. Instead, break any information down into manageable chunks, and disperse it throughout the message. This will give them a chance to digest the first lot of info before moving on to the next.

Make Your Hold Music Count

While on-hold music can be frustrating as it means a caller isn’t speaking to an operator, it’s still a vital part of your call answering system. And you can’t just put any old music on and expect to keep customers happy. Here are a couple of things to think about when choosing your on-hold music.

Silence Is Deadly

What’s worse than annoying on-hold music? No hold music at all. When callers hear silence at the end of the line, they’ll think that they’ve been cut off and are more likely to hang up.

So, be sure to choose some hold music to include on the line while your callers wait to be attended to. It will boost your call retention and may even help them feel better in the process.

Choose Music To Suit Your Audience

If you have a very specific target market, then you may want to choose hold music that will appeal to them. For example, if most of your customers are millennials, then songs they knew all the lyrics to a few years ago might get their feet tapping.

If you have a wide audience, though, opt for music that is soothing and inoffensive. Classical music is often a popular choice because it’s loved by many and doesn’t get on your nerves.

On-Hold Greetings: The Takeaway

A custom on-hold for business greeting is a way to introduce your company to your customers and is the first step in solving their query. Decide which messages you need to record, and then record your on-hold greetings in a style that will keep callers on the line.

Apologize for any inconvenience, and use a pleasant, upbeat tone to help them feel listened to. If you record your greeting the right way, you’ll boost customer retention and provide great customer service along the way.

Are you ready to customize your on-hold greetings but don’t know what to say? Then contact us and order a custom on-hold message today.

Who is Your Target Audience? How to Engage Yours

Did you know that nearly 60% of marketers today measure the success of their content marketing strategy through sales? Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to engage your target audience and promote your product or service.

Unfortunately, you can’t create content without knowing why your target audience is. If you’re struggling to reach your target audience or even identify who they are, this guide is for you.

Engaging your target audience is critical for effective ads. So who is your audience, and how can you reach them? Keep reading to find out:

Who Is Your Target Audience?

This is the first and most important question you need to answer. How will you effectively engage your target audience if you don’t know who your target audience is?

Your target audience, also known as target consumers, is the group of people most likely to buy your product or use your service. To identify who your target audience is, consider these factors:

Geographic location
Demographics (age, gender, income, etc.)
Interests and hobbies
Psychographics (lifestyle, values, personality)

Once you’ve considered all of these factors, you should have a pretty good idea of who your target audience is.

But don’t stop there! The next step is to research more about your target audience so you can learn as much as possible about them. This will help you fine-tune your marketing efforts and maximize your campaigns.

Below are tips on how to define your target audience:

Study Your Products and Services

To determine who your target audience is, you need to first understand your product or service. What need does it fill? Who would benefit from using it?

Once you have a good understanding of your product or service, you can narrow down your target audience. For example, if you offer a new type of fitness class, your target audience might be people who are interested in getting fit and healthy.

To engage your target audience, you need to speak to their needs and interests. You can do this by creating marketing materials that highlight how your product or service can help them achieve their goals.

You can also reach out to influencers in your target audience and ask them to promote your product or service. By taking these steps, you can ensure that you are engaging with the people who are most likely to use your product or service.

Identify the Benefits Your Business Offers

What is the value of your business to your customers? This is what you need to identify to create an effective marketing strategy. Once you know what your business offers your target customers, you can determine how to reach them effectively.

Your business can offer three types of benefits: functional, emotional, and social benefits.

Functional benefits are the basic features and advantages of your product or service. These are the tangible benefits that your customers can see and experience.

Emotional benefits are the intangible, positive feelings that your customers get from using your product or service. These are the values that drive customer loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Social benefits are the positive effects that your product or service has on society. They show how your product or service will improve the customer’s social status. These values make your product or service unique and different from your competitors.

Some businesses will have a mix of all three types of benefits, while others will focus on just one or two. It all depends on what your business offers and what your target audience is looking for.

Check Social Media Analytics

Your social media analytics is a source of valuable insights about who your target audience is and how to engage them. The data you collect can help you determine the demographics of your audience, their interests, and what kind of content they are most likely to engage with.

Log into your account on each platform and navigate to the analytics section to get started. Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics, and Instagram Insights are good places to start. Review the data and take note of any patterns or trends that you see.

Once you understand who your target audience is, you can start creating content that is more likely to resonate with them. Engaging your target audience on social media will help to build relationships and foster loyalty.

Use Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a free tool that marketers use to track website traffic. It can help you learn more about your customers.

Through the collected data, you can determine how they found your site, what pages they viewed, and how long they stayed on each page. This information can help you determine your target audience and how to engage them.

You can also use Google Analytics to track conversions. Conversion rates can help you determine whether or not your target audience is interested in what you have to offer.

To set up Google Analytics, you will need to create a Google account and add the code to your site. Once you have set up Google Analytics, you can view detailed reports about your website traffic.

How to Engage Your Target Audience

When it comes to engaging your target audience, there are a few key strategies to keep in mind. First, it’s essential to recognize the specific needs and interests of your audience. Then, tailor any communication or content accordingly.

This can involve doing research about your audience and taking their feedback into account when making decisions about your product or service.

Next, it is essential to avoid relying solely on generic marketing tactics. These include flashy ads and catchy slogans. Instead, try to engage your audience on a more personal level by establishing relationships with individuals and being sincere and authentic in your interactions.

Finally, make sure that you are accessible and responsive at all times in order to meet the needs of your target audience effectively. With these simple tips in mind, you can create a dynamic and highly effective strategy for engaging your target audience.

Now You Know Who Is Your Audience

Who is your audience? This is one of the first questions you should ask yourself when starting a business. Once you know who your target audience is, you can begin to think about how to engage them.

There are several strategies you can use to engage your audience, including research and analytics, social media marketing, and Google Analytics. With these tools at your disposal, you can create a tailored approach that speaks directly to your customers and connects with them on a personal level.

Do you need help identifying and engaging your target audience? Contact us today, and we can help you get started.

Commercials 101: How to Create a Radio Commercial

Did you know 83% of Americans listen to the radio on a regular basis?

As a business owner, if you aren’t leveraging radio marketing to widen your reach and grow your business, you could miss out on many potential customers.

One thing that holds many businesses back from embracing radio ads is feeling overwhelmed about understanding how to make one that works. So keep reading to learn how to create a commercial for the radio that stands out in no time!

Determine Your Target Audience

Creating a radio ad is a bit different from creating digital ads or other types you might be familiar with.

Because radio ads are often localized, you might need to hone in on your target audience compared to other ads you run. Take the time to determine who you’re trying to reach and why.

If you’re trying to direct people to a local storefront, your message will be completely different from simply telling people about your website or online store.

Keep Things Short and Sweet

Your radio ad length will likely be around 30 seconds or less. So focusing on keeping your message as short as possible while still providing the listener with valuable information is the key to a successful ad.

Be sure to focus on the benefits your product or service will bring the listener. Avoid spending too much time introducing your business. People can easily do a quick online search to find more basic information if the ad grabs their attention.

If your business lends itself well to something sarcastic or funny, throwing something in there like that can make the ad more memorable.

Remember that people are most likely driving their cars when they hear your ad. So if you want them to remember to look your business up later, they need to be able to recall the information with ease.

Having a short message to repeat your business name, location, website, etc., more than once can help too.

Have a Strong Call to Action

As mentioned above, your commercial needs to encourage listeners to take action. Some great commercial CTAs include:

Command words
Words to evoke emotion
Free consultations
Fear of missing out (sales, new product releases, etc.)

Your ad should have a purpose beyond simply introducing the public to your business.

Don’t Be Unnatural

The biggest thing you should remember when considering how to create a radio ad is being natural is crucial.

If a radio ad is too in your face, people get turned away from your business. Mentioning the products you sell or services you offer once is enough for them to understand what your business is about.

Repeating it too often can make people tune it out or change the station. So instead, try working your message in as naturally as possible, so people don’t feel like they’re being sold something and instead feel like they’re discovering something they need instead.

Stay True to Your Brand Voice

The radio advertising industry is projected to have a $19.58 billion market size this year. That’s a massive bump from previous years.

It can be easy to assume no matter what your ad sounds like, just having one alone is all it takes. But, in reality, focusing on your brand voice is essential if you plan on using radio ads regularly to promote your business.

Knowing what your business stands for and what it doesn’t is a crucial first step before writing any commercials. You don’t want to give people the wrong idea, especially if you have multiple different ads running.

Your brand doesn’t change when the commercials do, so staying consistent matters. Here are a few more tips about maintaining your brand voice throughout your commercials.

Record Quality Audio

If you’ve ever listened to a recording with poor quality audio, you know how frustrating it can be. Usually, it’s so distracting you have no idea what the message actually is because all you can focus on is how bad it sounds.

If your commercial audio quality is poor, assume your results will be poor too.

Using quality recording equipment and choosing the right person to record the ad is necessary. Eventually, your ads might be defined by the speaker you choose, so choosing wisely at the start is essential.

Choose the Right Station

You can create a compelling ad with a fantastic call to action and beautiful recording quality and see zero results if you choose the wrong station to play your ad.

If your target audience is middle-aged people with disposable incomes, running an ad on a popular teen music radio station doesn’t make sense.

You should understand which stations your audience is most likely to listen to and target them.

Click here to learn the ten most important tips for creating compelling ads so you can get started on the right foot and wow people with your ads from the getgo.

How to Create a Commercial: Well Crafted Radio Ads Bring Stellar Results

If you wondered how to create a commercial to catch people’s attention on the radio, this article laid everything out.

If you follow the tips mentioned here, no matter what your business is, you should be able to craft a unique commercial to catch people’s attention.

If you’re ready to hop into radio advertising as soon as possible, contact us today to learn about our radio ad production services, so your audio quality enhances your commercial instead of taking away from it!

What Is a Sound Logo? How Sonic Branding Can Help Your Business + 5 Top Examples

If you own a small business, you already know branding is incredibly important. Branding is the process of creating a perception of a product, service, or company. More importantly, branding is what makes your business distinct in the minds of your consumers. A total brand image should tell your customers what your company does, what your values are, and how they should think about your company.

Branding is accomplished primarily through visual means. Logos, website design, and even the style of writing used in all written and web communications are what most people think of when they consider branding. However, branding can also be accomplished via audio. Most audio branding is accomplished by jingles or radio advertising. But there is another aspect of audio branding that many companies miss:

The sound logo or audio logo.

What is a Sound Logo?

Sound logos are part of an overall marketing strategy called sonic branding. Sonic branding uses sound instead of or combined with visuals to evoke a particular message for a brand. A sound logo is a short sound clip, no more than a few seconds long, that can accompany a visual cue or stand in the place of a visual logo. This strengthens the recognition between the visual and the product/company because the human brain is especially in tune with audio cues. In fact, the brain has a faster reaction time to auditory stimuli than it does to visual stimuli. So, a sound logo is a powerful tool companies can use to cement their brand image into their customers’ minds.

Audio logos are also especially powerful because humans are hard-wired to have emotional responses to sound. Music or other audio cues are processed in the emotional center of the brain. This emotional hub also is responsible for memory recall. For example, a listener can hear a piece of music that makes them feel happy or sad, and they immediately recall memories associated with those emotions.

The right sound logo can evoke powerful emotions in customers that a company can use to its advantage. An expert sound designer can craft an audio logo that triggers the right emotions so that your product or service is viewed favorably by your audience.

But how is this done? Well, consider the following five examples of audio logos. These top companies use these sound logos as part of their overall sonic branding strategy, to great success.

Top 5 Famous Examples

1. Netflix

The Netflix sound logo is one of the most recognizable sound logos of the streaming age. It’s also one of the shortest. At just two notes, the “ta-dum” sound that plays when the app loads on your device is a great example of the emotional power of sound. What do you feel when you load up Netflix and this sound plays? Are you excited about binge-watching? I know I am.

2. Intel

The Intel audio logo is one of the most well-known technology audio logos in history. And on its surface, it may sound simple. A five-note mnemonic, the logo lasts about three seconds. But it’s actually a multi-layered sound comprised of many instruments playing the catchy sequence of notes. You can probably hum it without playing the video above, it’s that pervasive.

3. THX

THX is focused on high-quality sound, so what better way to set audience expectations than with an exciting, engaging, and loud sound logo? A full orchestral suite glissando, the logo starts soft and transitions to a mind-bogglingly loud climax. The THX logo was a staple of many cinematic experiences of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. When you hear this logo, you know exciting things are going to happen.

4. T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s melody is instantly recognizable and iconic. The bright and catchy 5-note trill is an earworm that most people can hum by heart even if they aren’t a T-Mobile customer. Combined with the bright pink T-Mobile logo, the mood and brand image they convey are clear and target modern audiences.

5. Apple

Sound logos aren’t just used in advertising. Audio cues of all kinds are pervasive across Apple’s product lineup. The most recognizable are the Mac startup noises as outlined in the video above. Apple does sound design very well, bringing forth a nostalgic and trustworthy image as a power player of a tech company. You can even hear examples of their expert sound design in the actions you take every day on your iPhone. From the swoosh when you send an email, to the ding-ding of a text message. These sounds are unique to Apple and instantly bring forth their brand image when heard.

How Can My Business Use an Audio Logo?

Now that you’ve listened to these examples and you know the value of an audio logo, you may be wondering how you can create one. If you aren’t an experienced sound designer or if you don’t have a strong brand image in mind, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Killerspots’ sound design and graphic design team can work together hand in hand to help you create a sound logo that will plant your business on the map. First, we can sit down with you and go over your existing visual logo to talk about its message. What colors are you using for your business? What message and mood are you trying to convey? Is your brand punchy or is it warmer and welcoming? How do you want your customers to feel when they see your visual logo and hear your audio cue?

The answers to these questions will guide our branding experts through the design and development process of your audio logo. Once we have a clear idea of your message, then the magic can happen.

And it really is magic. Check out our audio logo and one we made for master entrepreneur and CEO, Storm Bennett:

We Can Hear Your Sound Logo Now

Combined with an overall brand strategy, utilizing an audio logo for your business can set you apart from your competitors. Partner it with a killer jingle or radio campaign, and you have the perfect recipe for a brand that sticks and eventually, a loyal customer base. Get in touch with Killerspots today to find out how we can create an audio logo for your brand that will become synonymous with your business image.

The Formula to Create a Winning Television Commercial

The first paid-for television commercial appeared almost exactly 80 years ago. It was aired on July 1, 1941, and the TV commercial is still an effective part of many advertising campaigns.

Times are always changing in television. Yet, an effective TV commercial still has the power to grab an audience. The so-called demise of print media advertising never happened. Marketers still produce effective print material.

Many thought radio advertising would wane too, but it’s still a viable marketing tool.

The same holds for television. As a result, the TV commercial is more visible in more ways than ever before. Different media now work in tandem to create better results.

So, how do you make a TV commercial that people will remember? All it takes is a well-formulated plan to reach the consumer. Keep reading to find out how.

Set the Goal

It sounds simple, but a plan to produce a TV commercial must come with a specific plan. A TV commercial generally lasts between 30 and 60 seconds, so budgeting is essential.

Questions need to ask what the commercial will achieve. There is no room for vagueness when trying to get the point across to the consumer. People talk of the elevator pitch, which is an analogy that fits here.

Within a short time message must first introduce the product or service. Then it will summarize the product before telling the customer how it affects them. Finally, the message will ask the consumer to take action.

That’s a lot to pack into 30 seconds, so the goal of the TV commercial must be clear.

It must also be measurable. Have a tangible result in mind before producing a script. There is no room for overreaching, so the expected result also needs to be attainable. For example, produce a television commercial with a definite timeline.

It’s easier to measure meeting that goal when a firm end date is in place. All parties involved then know all the parameters. TV production works better with a focused approach.

Finally, the goal for an effective TV commercial should be relevant to the situation. For example, if the advertisement intends to reach a local audience, there’s not to go beyond that border. This leads to the next step in producing an effective TV commercial.

Know the Audience

Good marketers understand that all consumers are not created equal. In every part of the world, people feel and think in different ways. That knowledge is key to TV commercial production.

For example, think of how an audience in rural America would react to a product compared to people in cities. Selling a fancy luxury car in farm country won’t resonate like it would in Los Angeles.

Research must go into a targeted audience to reach them with the expected message. Every market has cues that spark people’s interest. Learn the nuances that make the target audience tick.

With the financial commitment involved to make a TV commercial, a wide target will not work. In addition, there is little value in trying to pull in an audience that won’t view the TV commercial.

Learn the audience’s behaviors and characteristics. A message that relates to their unique traits results in an effective TV commercial. Never make assumptions about expectations of how audiences react.

Remember that the viewer is a passive participant. The best way to catch their attention is to speak their language and understand the way they think.

TV commercial production is not the place to be all things to all people. The closer the message is to the audience that views the TV commercial, the easier it is to measure the result.

Keep it Simple

An effective TV commercial pitch begins and ends with a simple message. When making a single point, there’s no confusion in the viewer’s mind. When crafted well, the audience will get the point right from the start.

Clouding the issue with subtle messaging will leave the viewer guessing. That’s the last thing a good TV commercial should achieve. Instead, leave the viewer a clear picture in their mind.

It’s easy to overwhelm an audience with more information than they need. Simplifying the message to a single takeaway will benefit everyone. It also accomplishes another goal.

The simpler the TV commercial’s message, the more memorable it will be. Advertisers talk about ‘hooking’ an audience when they produce a TV commercial. The hook is the one thing the viewer should keep with them after the commercial ends.

Decide before writing the TV commercial what the viewer should remember most. For example, is the price of the product, or is the limited amount available more important?

If brand awareness is the goal, then price and availability are secondary. With a tight message in mind, there’s a better opportunity to leave the viewer wanting more.

Cliff hangers give marketers a chance to spread the message across channels. This means the marketing efforts from other media deliver a cohesive brand message.

The key is not to confuse the issue.

It’s better to make a TV commercial that gets remembered for one thing. A classic example is Wendy’s famous “Where’s the beef?” commercial. Decades later, people still talk about this advertisement.

Making a simple statement takes time to develop. Try out different messages to see which ones resonate best. It doesn’t need to be clever or funny to be poignant. As long as the message is clear, the TV commercial will return results.

Tighten the Script

With the goal of the TV commercial set and an intended audience researched, it’s time to write the script. With a clear message in mind, the next step is to make a TV commercial that fits in the time format.

The first three seconds are the most important part of an effective TV commercial. It has to grab the viewer’s interest to keep watching. Today’s audiences have become desensitized to a lot of television advertising. If they aren’t interested in the first part of the message, they’ll tune out.

The hook to get attention doesn’t have to be shocking or clever. But, it must be clear. So, every part of the TV commercial that follows will flow from the initial point. The story can then focus more on the product or service.

The next several seconds can connect with other forms of media advertising. Again, a developed theme for crossing media channels reinforces the message.

Then, at the end of the TV commercial, there needs to be a call to action. Tell the viewer exactly what’s expected of them. There shouldn’t be any guesswork involved.

The call to action is the measurable aspect of any good marketing campaign. There’s no better feedback than an audience that heeds the call to action.

Hire Professionals

The best way to achieve the desired results is to contract people who know their business. The return on investment will be worth the effort by hiring the right people to produce a TV commercial.

Marketing agencies that know how to deliver clear messages to consumers pay dividends. Make a television commercial that will reap the expected rewards. Work with TV commercial production companies who have shown results.

Each project is different, and nobody recognizes this better than professionals. They know the steps to creating effective TV commercials with lasting value.

Knowing how the process works will help producers hit the mark on the goal of the project. They can add features to a TV commercial to give it more emphasis.

Memorable taglines are part of their business. They can also produce a jingle for the TV commercial to enhance production value. But, of course, professional TV commercial production companies hire talent for the ad too.

From voiceover personnel to actors, marketers access talent pools for every need. There’s a lot that goes into making a TV commercial. So why leave it to chance?

There is a lot of value in finding a marketing company that knows the audience well. A local agency will have a keen sense of what resonates with viewers in the region.

That’s half the battle won when working on an effective TV commercial campaign.

Make a TV Commercial

Television advertising is still as relevant today as it has always been. It may not seem that way with the bombardment of other media daily. But, TV commercial production has evolved.

Smart marketers now make a television commercials to coincide with other media platforms. As a result, TV commercial projects that reflect similar messages to digital advertising reach wider audiences.

Yet, they also reach targeted audiences faster. Television in all its forms is still prevalent worldwide. TV commercial production enhances cross-media campaigns and still stands on its own so, if you’re looking to make a TV commercial that will exploit your brand, give us a call for a quote today.

8 Tips for Making a Wildly Successful Radio Ad

When a company launches an advertising campaign, it shouldn’t focus specifically on digital marketing, or specifically on TV. It should put efforts toward all forms of marketing, as doing so will allow it to obtain the biggest reach possible.

Radio advertising should not be exempt from a company’s marketing campaign. In fact, it should be a central part of it.

But what if a company needs help making custom radio ads for business marketing purposes? Where should it get started? Right here with this article!

Without further ado, here are the keys to quality radio advertising.

1. Create a Jingle

Regardless of the concept of a business’s ad, it needs to be accompanied by a jingle. A jingle is a short and catchy musical motif that’s meant to catch the ear of the listener and hang around for a while.

A good jingle will be remembered by hundreds or even thousands of people and will become a small part of the local culture. This bodes well for the business to whom that jingle belongs, as it ensures that said business is being thought of on a regular basis.

The question is: how does one go about writing a good jingle? In truth, it’s not all that easy. It requires not only a catchy melody but memorable lyrics as well.

For those unaccustomed to writing music, this can be a serious challenge. This is why it’s often wise to turn to a professional jingle writer. These individuals have written tons of jingles and know exactly how to make them successful.

Finding a jingle writer is as simple as searching “jingle writing [name of location]” in Google. This should return the websites of a variety of local jingle writers. These websites should provide all of the information that an interested party needs.

In the Cincinnati, Ohio area, the Killer Spots Agency is the premier jingle house. Contact Killer Spots today!

2. Cater to the Customer Base

Whether it’s a product or a service, it has a specific type of customer that wants it more than the others. This customer is part of the product or service’s customer base, and he or she is the one to whom the product or service’s ad should be targeted.

For instance, let’s take sporting goods. In the case of sporting goods, the customer base would be, well, athletes. As such, the radio ad should contain elements that appeal to athletes.

These elements could be anything from crowd noises to impersonations of popular sports icons and more. In any case, it should include elements that appeal to athletes.

The same goes for any other customer base as well. A music shop shouldn’t make a sports-themed radio ad, for instance. It should try to come up with an idea that will pique the interest of musicians instead.

3. Use Slogans

Slogans might come across as a little hokey from time to time, but the fact of the matter is that they’re effective.

After all, think of all of the famous advertising slogans that have been rolled out over time: “I’m Lovin’ It”, “Just Do It”, “Where’s the Beef?”, “The Breakfast of Champions”.

On their own, these are just simple 3 or 4 letter phrases. But because they’ve been uttered so many times, they are almost 100% representative of their respective brands. As such, every time those slogans are said, those brands come to the listener’s mind.

What’s the point of all of this? The point is that, when creating a radio ad, a company needs to use slogans within that ad. It needs to come up with something short and catchy and then sprinkle it into the advertisement 2 to 5 times.

If a company isn’t able to come up with its own catchphrase or slogan, it can turn to the services of a marketing company.

4. Write a Good Script

There are some radio ads that are just flat-out bad. What’s the primary purpose for this? In most cases, it’s the weakness of the script.

The trouble is that a lot of small business owners lack creative writing skills. There’s nothing wrong with that; it’s just the way it is.

As a result, when they create radio ads for their businesses, they come up with absurd premises, lazy dialogue, and, well, some of the most cheesy situations known to humankind.

Unfortunately, most listeners don’t respond to these types of scripts. At worst, they make fun of them, which turns the company in question into something of a local joke.

In essence, when creating a radio ad, companies must spend tons of time on the script and make sure that it’s of high quality. If the company can’t produce a good script on its own, it should call up its local marketing company.

5. Hook Them At the Beginning

Perhaps the biggest key to a good radio ad is to hook the listeners from the beginning. If it’s 5 to 10 seconds into an ad before something attention-grabbing happens, listeners will likely miss out on the beginning of the ad entirely, rendering it ineffective.

It’s important to get the listener’s attention from the start. One way to do this is with volume. A loud slogan or jingle will almost certainly get the listener’s attention from the start.

This can be enhanced with the telling of a story, or a special offer, and maybe even a joke (of course, it has to actually be funny). In any case, it’s important to grab the listener’s attention from the word go.

Getting the listener to take notice of the beginning of the ad renders the best chance of getting him or her to listen to the entirety of the ad. And when that happens, sales are made.

6. Get Good Actors

Not everyone is cut out for acting, even on radio adverts for their business. So, while a business owner might want to appear on his or her own radio ad, he or she might not possess the acting chops needed to do so.

There are plenty of radio ads that do feature bad acting. At best, they’re passable and might turn a few sales. At worst, they’re detrimental to the company that created them, as they turn off potential customers forever.

Good acting is not a plus; it’s a requirement. It’s worth hiring skilled actors in order to create a quality ad. And while it’s possible to cut corners in some areas, businesses should never cut corners in this area.

7. Play It for Others First

One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make with a radio ad is having it broadcasted before it’s been listened to by others.

A company could think that it has the greatest ad of all time. However, just because that company perceives it that way doesn’t mean that anybody else will.

In short, radio ads need to be tested. They need to be played for several people so that they can deliver honest feedback; “honest” being the keyword here.

Every business owner is sure to have an honest friend or family member that he or she can turn to; someone who can be blunt and merciless. That’s the type of person who should test each ad.

8. Include a Call to Action

The entire point of a company broadcasting a radio ad is to get listeners to do business with that company. If listeners don’t know how to get a hold of the company, they’re not going to be able to do that.

This is why it’s imperative for radio ads to include calls to action. A call to action is an instruction to the listener.

It tells the listeners to, say, call for a free consultation at a specific number. It might also tell listeners to visit a specific website.

The call to action is what drives sales. All of the other stuff can work to get the listener’s attention, but this is what turns that listener into a customer.

Calls to action should be repeated several times throughout each ad, with special priority on the end of the ad (during which it should be repeated 2 to 3 times). This might feel like overkill, but it’s necessary to get the listener to perform the desired action (ie. make a purchase).

Providing a Range of Radio Advertising Services

If ever a company needs radio advertising services, it should turn to a radio marketing agency. If that company is based in the Cincinnati area, the best radio marketing agency for it to turn to is The Killer Spots Agency.

Our company assists in all aspects of radio advertising strategy. Not only do we create radio jingles but voiceovers and more. We also offer recording studio time.

Contact the Killer Spots Agency now!

10 Reasons to Advertise Your Business on the Radio

Do you think radio advertising is outdated? Radios have been used for personal use since the 1920s, but the radio advertising possibilities constantly evolve to keep up with technology and trends.

Radio ads are just as relevant and effective as digital marketing when used correctly. A strategically created ad can reach and resonate with your target audience, giving you a huge return on investment.

Keep reading to learn some of the many benefits of radio advertising.

1. Remote Reach

Radio makes your advertising available to consumers wherever they go. Unlike TV ads, which are limited to people who are sitting in front of a TV, your radio ads follow your target audience when they’re on the go. That versatile reach makes radio comparable to mobile ads.

People most often listen to the radio while they’re in the vehicle. That means they might hear your commercial when they’re already out and ready to shop, which could persuade them to visit your business. Radio reaches people when they’re closer to the point of sale since they’re more likely to listen when they’re away from home.

With options to listen to radio stations online, people can also hear your ads from anywhere when they listen from their mobile devices. These mobile options often make it easy to combine your radio ad with banners that listeners can easily click and reach your website or social media pages.

2. Both Wide and Targeted Audiences

Radio is the widest reaching platform for adults with 92% of Americans listening to the radio each week. TV comes in next, reaching 87% of adults with smartphones following closely at 81%. Every month, radio reaches 244.5 million adults.

It’s also a diverse audience that listens to the radio. People of all ethnicities and ages listen to the radio, often in large numbers.

With so many people listening to the radio, it’s safe to say your company’s target audience is listening, too. When you advertise on the radio, your potential audience has a good chance of hearing about your company.

While a wide reach is good, a targeted audience is even better. Having a good idea of the type of music and the local radio stations that your audience listens to helps you choose where to place your local radio advertising.

Ad a local business, putting your ad on local radio stations helps you reach people in close physical proximity, which also helps narrow your target audience.

3. Targeted Ad Timing

Radio ad spots are available 24/7, which means you can target when your ads air based on when your audience listens. Timing your ads right can make them more effective and improve your ROI.

Daytime hours often have the highest number of listeners. However, your specific audience might stay up late or get up in the wee hours for an early-bird commute. Knowing this helps you choose those time slots to maximize reach for your specific audience.

Repeating your ads at these target times helps get potential customers to take notice. Most people need to hear your message three times before they start noticing you. They’ll like need to hear the ad even more to really remember you or go beyond just listening to take action or interact with your brand.

4. Lower Ad Avoidance

DVRs make it possible for consumers to skip TV ads easily. If they don’t, they often get up during those ad times and do other things. Online ads are easy to dismiss, block with ad-blocker programs, or skip on videos.

Radio has a lower ad avoidance rate than many other platforms. You often have a captive audience in vehicles. Listeners can’t simply skip an ad like they can online or when watching a TV show on a DVR.

Some people might change to a different radio station, but many stick around and listen to the ads. People tend to be loyal to radio stations, waiting through the commercials for the music or talk show to resume.

5. Time-Tested Yet Modern

When creating a marketing strategy that keeps up with your modern business and target audience, you might think older methods such as radio won’t work. However, it’s time-tested longevity shows that radio advertising still works. Radios are still added to new vehicles, and people are still listening, which means this proven advertising method is still relevant.

Despite its long history, radio advertising isn’t stuck in the past. New research and technology makes it possible to create radio ads that are relevant and engaging to your modern audience. Online streaming options for radio stations also keep this platform current and relevant.

6. Creative, Memorable Options

How many business jingles do you find yourself singing randomly? Audio advertisements, when produced well, can be very powerful and memorable.

These ear worms keep your audience thinking about your business long after they hear your radio spot. Someone who hears your ad might not need your services or products immediately. However, if they do encounter a situation that matches your business offerings, recalling that catchy radio ad could encourage them to reach out to you.

Advertising on the radio gives you a wide range of creative options. First up, you can decide if you want to go the humorous route, get sentimental with listeners, or make a dramatic point based on what you’re trying to do and what feelings you want to evoke.

Audio options can include voices, music, and sound effects to guide listeners. Various voice actors, or even your own staff, can provide a voice that appeals to your target audience and helps set the tone.

Radio stations often offer other opportunities for advertising your business as well. Endorsement ads are paid endorsements where radio personalities talk about your business. Since many people listen to radio stations loyally due to trusting their favorite radio personalities, they might pay more attention to those ads.

7. Theater of Mind Effect

A great radio ad uses what’s often referred to as theater of mind. Because radio ads are heard and not seen, listeners have to use their imaginations to create pictures in their minds based on what they hear. All other ad types have a visual component that spoon feeds the message and doesn’t require users to engage their brains as much.

This actively engages the listener with your ad. When someone hears your ad, they’re thinking about what they’re hearing instead of just staring at a screen. That engagement can make the ads more memorable and appealing to listeners.

8. Personal Experience

It might seem difficult to connect to potential customers via radio ads. After all, listeners simply hear an ad you recorded previously.

But a well-crafted ad helps develop brand awareness and helps listeners feel connected to you. That’s especially true if your voice is heard in the ad. Your radio ad is your chance to express your branding, share your values, and help listeners get to know your brand.

You can also add an emotional side to your radio ad to get listeners personally invested. It’s much easier to convey that emotional feeling with sound than it is with a print ad or online ad that has no audio or video.

9. Quick Turnaround and Cost Effective

Creating radio advertising is relatively quick compared to producing a TV commercial. It’s often much easier to record and edit the audio than it is with video, which means your ad is ready to go much faster. Once produced, you can often get it onto the radio with days.

Radio advertising costs are also budget-friendly compared to some other options. A local radio ad can cost anywhere from $200 to $5,000 weekly. The exact cost depends largely on where you are with larger cities costing significantly more than smaller markets.

The cost is usually calculated based on a CPM rate, or the cost per 1,000 people listening. That rate is multiplied by the number of people listening to determine the total cost of the spot.

Some radio stations offer per-spot pricing, which means you’ll pay less for times when not as many people listen. This can make your radio advertising costs lower.

Since marketing is an investment, it’s important to look not only at the cost but also at the return on investment. Studies show that on average, every dollar spent on radio advertising yields $12 in sales.

The great thing about most advertising methods is you don’t have to use them in a vacuum. It doesn’t have to be radio or social media; radio or print ads; radio or TV spots. Depending on your marketing budget, you can and should incorporate multiple advertising avenues to expand your reach.

Radio might not seem compatible with social media, but you can easily use the two methods to promote one another. By combining radio and social media, you can meet people where they are and give them options that fit how they prefer to interact.

Some radio advertising examples that incorporate social media include promoting your social media accounts in your ads or hosting a social media contest that you encourage people to enter via radio ads.

You can also go the other way, promoting your radio ads through social media. Include the audio of your radio ad on your social media accounts, for example.

Take Advantage of Radio Advertising

If you’re still waiting to jump on radio advertising, stop waiting. Creating a radio ad can expand your current marketing plan with a broad reach, boosted brand awareness, excellent ROI, and many other benefits.

Not sure how to get started? Instead of searching for radio advertising near me and taking your chances, contact us to get a quote. We can help with a variety of marketing services, from radio ad production and video production to social media marketing and SEO.

7 Customer Service Tips for Helping People Over the Phone

60% of people in in need of customer service prefer to call than to communicate using any other support channels. On a phone call, a person can get more information faster than chat support. A person can also interpret the tone and the vocal queues from the other end of that phone call. Some people prefer to hear a voice rather than read a message.

Communicating with a customer over the phone can be very difficult. This is because messages can be misinterpreted and muddled when talking to the person on the other end and without visual contact. Therefore, there is a need for good phone call etiquette.

For the phone call support to continue growing in popularity and have a competitive advantage over chat support, there is a need to improve the experience. Here are seven phone customer service tips to improve on phone etiquette and have better telephone communication skills.

1. Adopting a Positive Tone and the Smile Effect

A customer will feel more comfortable on the call if the customer care representative on the other end projects a natural, enthusiastic, and attending tone. They must also control their pitch and the rate of their speech.

If the customer care representative speaks at a rate beyond 130-150 words per minute, the client may not understand what they are saying. Anything lower than 130 words per minute may seem to the client like the customer care representative is slow and very lazy.

Controlling and balancing one’s pitch is also critical because a high pitch is considered youthful and does not portray the person as authoritative. A low pitch is harsh for any person listening.

For a person to sound interested and natural, they have to find a middle ground for their speech rate and pitch. They must also vary their inflection and avoid using a monotone that’s boring and less enthusiastic.

When answering a phone call, it’s always advisable to smile. As they say, a smile can be heard on the other side of the call. Your voice will be warmer and friendlier when you speak with a smile. Smiling as you greet the caller, ensures that the conversation begins positively and creates leeway for a pleasant and productive exchange.

2. Sincerity

While offering customer service, all conversations must be sincere and genuine. While starting the conversation, say hello and avoid the scripted greeting that sounds inauthentic and artificial. After saying hello, introduce yourself, the company you work for, and offer your assistance.

When working on a switchboard or answering a transferred call, it’s important to indicate the department you are part of so that the client can be assured that you can help. By doing this, the customer will be at ease, and they will know that you are there and ready to help.

Never use phrases like “I can’t do that”, “just a second”, or “I don’t know” because they connote negativity. Instead, always tell a caller what you can do and always specify how long a task will take to complete.

Being sincere and positive while answering a caller’s questions calms them and leaves them satisfied at the end of the conversation.

3. Courtesy While You Put a Caller on Hold

When you need to put callers on hold, you must ask for their permission first; it’s also important that you give them the option of either leaving a voicemail message or waiting. When putting them off hold, it’s advisable to thank them for waiting in line. This assures the caller that you respect their time.

4. Enunciation and Use of Verbal Nods

When on-call, do not use jargon or complex words; instead, use simple words and phrases. Speak clearly, avoid using filler words and slang because they reduce the quality of that conversation. Eating or chewing during a conversation leads to an inaudible speech. To optimize your customer service, avoid these practices.

Words like “I see”, “ah”, and “right” are examples of verbal nods. They are the tiny utterances a person makes while listening to another. In a phone conversation where there is no visual feedback, these words must be intensified.

A skilled phone representative occasionally throws in these words to assure the caller that they are still attentively listening.

5. The Use of a Caller’s Name

A person’s name to them is the most important and the sweetest sound in any language. Using a customer or a caller’s name in the conversation provides a warm personal touch. People love it when they hear a customer care provider address them by their name.

A person on either side of the phone call can easily get distracted. A customer care representative must then use the name of the caller to recapture their attention. Name showering or name-calling is sometimes overused or overdone to the point of sounding awkward. At this point, it’s advisable to let go of the name showering.

6. Listen and Be Prepared for Objections

When dealing with either inbound or outbound calls, a customer care representative has to learn to listen more and answer questions precisely. A caller can read the authenticity of the brand by the way the customer care representative articulates themselves.

It’s also possible that the caller will not always agree with your answers, therefore be prepared to listen, reason with, or counter without getting irritated.

7. Customer or Caller Satisfaction

Before hanging up on a conversation, the caller’s concerns and questions must be answered. Ask the client if there is anything else you can help them with, and if there is no, then provide information that they may need to know in the future as long as it’s relevant.

Share all the necessary information they may need, like if they need to call back whom they should talk to and at what time. And lastly, wish the caller a nice day or tell them that it was nice talking to them. This makes the customer feel like you happily helped them, and if need be, you would happily serve them again.

Why Are These Customer Service Tips Crucial?

Efficient phone call skills are crucial because they result in productive relationships that ultimately lead to increased sales and services. When handling clients on the phone, one must remain confident, remain positive, and empathize with them when necessary.

Once a client realizes that they were treated with consideration, care, and courtesy. They will come back for repeated business, and they will refer their friends to you.

To learn more about business call etiquette and more customer service tips, visit our website.

Automotive Marketing: How to Drive More Foot Traffic to Your Business

As a local car dealership, the success of your business relies heavily on how well you’re known throughout the community and what type of reputation you have. Running a legitimate, customer-friendly business isn’t enough by itself anymore. You must get the word out to compete in today’s capitalistic society.

But things have changed. There are new ways to get people’s attention and increase foot traffic to your dealership. Automotive marketing, in some ways, isn’t what it used to be.

Keep reading for our top automotive marketing strategies, from the tried and true ways of the past to the innovative techniques of the future.

Local TV and Radio Ads

Brand awareness and recognition are some of the most important factors when it comes to making it big in your community. Simply put, people have to feel familiar with your name before they’ll have enough faith to buy a car from you. One of the best ways to plant the seed and get your name out there is with local TV and radio ads.

While many people have converted to satellite radio or streaming services for music, there is a large number who still listen to the radio in their car, at work, or even at home. Buying ad space on popular radio channels is a great way to start planting a seed.

Similarly, despite services like Netflix and Hulu, there is still a wide range of people who watch local TV programming, such as the evening news. This would be a prime spot to place commercials for your dealership.

Host an Event With a Local Charity

There’s a negative stigma out there about car dealerships. People always seem wary about them, even when it’s completely unfounded. Hosting a charity event is an automotive marketing strategy that will raise awareness to an important cause, familiarize the community with your dealership, and shed any negative stigmas.

Work with a local charity of your choice and come up with a community event. Art galas, silent auctions, concerts, and 5K races are all popular. Bring in other local businesses to raise your budget for the event, find new affiliates, and bring in more interest.

Make sure you start advertising for the event well in advance and through multiple platforms (social media, newspapers, radio ads, and more). The goal is to get as many guests as possible to attend.

Buyer Incentive Programs

Next, when it comes to buying cars, people are always looking to get the best deal possible. If there’s a way for them to save, they’ll take it.

We recommend offering new buyer incentive programs once a month or once a quarter to keep things interesting. For example, you could offer cash or mail-in rebates on any new car sales, exclusive low financing APRs, major discounts, etc.

Get Popular on Social Media

Your business needs to have at least one social media account. Did you know that nearly 70 percent of American adults have a Facebook account? That means the majority of your target audience is in one convenient location.

Gain more followers by posting engaging and valuable content and encourage your current followers to like, comment, and share. You can also host fun competitions, raffles, and more that offer an exciting prize. This will get more people engaged, helping you extend your reach.

You can also use social media paid advertising, which comes with the ability to select your target audience based on age, gender, hobbies, location, and more. Additionally, this advertising comes with analytics that will track how each ad performs (likes, comments, shares, views, link clicks). It will also show you any trends or patterns of those who engaged with your ads, such as gender, age, time of day, etc.

Use Landing Page Ads

Landing page ads are a great way to grab a user’s attention with a compelling incentive and a powerful call to action. A lot of business owners offer large discounts, exclusive content, free eBooks, and more to get people to click through.

Where they click through to depends on your strategy. You can use it to drive traffic to your website, guide users to your inventory page to check out your newest vehicles in stock, or persuade them to subscribe to your email list.

You can set up landing pages through your website, affiliate websites, and through paid ads.

Make Sure Your Website SEO Is on Point

One of the most important organic automotive marketing strategies is learning how to use SEO. Search engine optimization is an algorithm used by search engines like Google to find the most relevant websites and information based on keyword searches.

For example, if someone searches for “car dealerships near me,” your website’s local SEO will determine whether or not your site comes up in the search results. You can boost your SEO by adding a blog to your website full of keywords and media embedded with metadata. If you’re not familiar with SEO, it may be beneficial to hire a company that can help.

Affiliate With Other Local Businesses

Running a small business of any kind isn’t easy, and you shouldn’t do it alone. However, we’re not talking about bringing on business partners. We’re talking about building affiliate relationships with other local businesses for your automotive marketing.

Networking with other businesses extends your reach to other client bases. Make sure the companies you approach aren’t competitors but are relevant to your dealership. Figure out a referral strategy that will benefit both businesses.

For example, if your dealership doesn’t offer its own financing, you could approach banks and other lenders. You could also contact local insurance agencies.

Looking for More Tips on Automotive Marketing?

If you’re looking to improve your automotive marketing, we can help. Take a look at some of our professional advertising services. We offer SEO help, email automation, audio production and more.

And for a little insight into what we can do for you, contact us today for a free SEO analysis.

Why You Need an Integrated Marketing Strategy for Your Car Dealership

74% of marketers say it’s important to have a cohesive omnichannel experience for customers. In fact, 73% of shoppers use more than one channel during their shopping journey. Let’s say a prospective client finds your car dealership on a search engine like Google. While they’re searching, they find other car dealerships on Google, in an email, on social media, and in YouTube video. Chances are, they’re more likely to remember the brands they see over and over again. A successful digital marketing strategy requires more than one tactic. With an integrated marketing strategy, you can attract more leads and boost your business.

Keep reading to discover the top benefits of developing an integrated marketing approach.

1. Build Brand Visibility and Trust

If people don’t know who you are, what reason do they have to choose your dealership over someone else’s? It can take five to seven impressions before you can develop even a little brand awareness. However, your brand has to appear consistent each time.

Otherwise, potential buyers might think you’re someone else.

An integrated marketing strategy will unite all of your efforts under the same umbrella. The more often customers see your brand, the more brand awareness you’ll develop. As you appear in front of more people, more often, they’ll begin recognizing your brand.

It’s important to make sure your brand appears the same across every marketing channel. Make sure your colors, fonts, imagery, tone, and voice are consistent. You should also use the same logo to boost brand recognition.

As brand visibility and recognition develop, you can also begin developing a relationship with customers. They’ll recognize your brand based on the message and values you communicate. Building this rapport will make it easier for customers to trust your business.

Without that trust, potential car buyers will turn toward another dealership instead.

2. Eliminate Confusion

Seeing a completely redesigned brand on each marketing channel could confuse your audience. For example, potential car buyers might see your brand on social media but fail to connect it with your website.

A well-thought-out digital marketing strategy can help you avoid causing confusion.

Creating a uniform message and brand image will help people connect your brand on every platform. However, you’ll need to make sure your overall message is uniform as well. Your newspaper ad, Facebook page, and email marketing might all convey different messages that fail to connect.

As a result, customers might fail to connect your brand across every marketing platform. Instead of engaging with your message, you’ll scare them off.

An integrated marketing strategy will unite your tactics within one cohesive campaign. By deciding on a clear message, you can focus customers on a single goal (buying a car). Then, your customers won’t feel confused about who you are or what you offer.

Focus your brand on a single vision. For example, your dealership might want to “provide customers with their absolute dream car.” You might make offering customers with energy-efficient options your goal instead.

Choose a message. Make sure it’s clear and concise. Then, communicate that message across your campaigns.

3. Remain Top-of-Mind

A cohesive message will also help you remain top-of-mind with potential buyers.

When you create a united brand, you’ll begin building brand awareness and recognition. The next time a prospective car buyer thinks about purchasing a new vehicle, they’ll remember your brand instead of someone else’s.

Posting your digital marketing content across different channels will give them the reminder they need.

For example, let’s say someone visited your website to read a blog post. After subscribing to receive your emails, they received a reminder about an upcoming sale weeks later. These strategic digital marketing strategies will help you remain top-of-mind when prospects are in the market for a new car.

4. Become a Thought Leader

Becoming a thought leader can help you gain a competitive edge. People want to buy from the best in the business. By creating high-quality, informative content, you can show prospective buyers you’re a knowledgeable resource in the industry.

Becoming a thought leader by posting regular blogs and digital marketing content is another way to boost your brand. At the same time, you’re creating content you need to remain top-of-mind with customers.

A search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is an effective way to become a thought leader. SEO involves researching what your customers are searching for. Then, you use your keyword research to make compelling, informative content.

Make sure your content is informative and well-researched.

As you rank higher on search engines like Google, you’ll position yourself ahead of competitors. This top-of-page position will make you appear credible and authoritative.

People are more likely to trust a brand with that top ranking. With an integrated marketing strategy, you can unite your SEO efforts, email marketing, website, and social media to boost your brand, ranking, and credibility.

5. Increase Media Coverage

One of the most effective ways to step out of the crowd is to use data-driven PR. People want stories they can connect with. Connecting with PR resources, including publications and reporters, can help you stand out from competitors.

Then, your brand will appear in more publications.

In order to improve your public relations, you need a strong, cohesive brand first. Your integrated marketing strategy will ensure your branding and SEO help you catch the attention of these publications.

6. Keep Your Message Consistent

In order to develop a multi-faceted marketing plan, you need to keep your message consistent. After all, you can’t plan where customers will see your first. You can develop a plan for each of your marketing channels, then unite them to achieve the same goals.

An integrated marketing plan will keep your message consistent. A cohesive message will make it easier for people to become familiar with your brand.

7. Improve Your ROI

All of your digital marketing content takes time and money to develop. That includes images, graphics, blog posts, videos, and more. In order to make the most of these assets, you can create a digital marketing strategy to ensure they achieve the same goals.

By making the most of your content under an integrated strategy, you can save money and boost your ROI.

Speed Up Sales: 7 Reasons You Need an Integrated Marketing Strategy

Attract more people to your dealership and speed up sales. Now that you’re equipped with these reasons to develop an integrated marketing strategy, get to it! By developing a strong digital marketing strategy, you can boost your brand and sell more cars!

Ready to get started? Get a quote from our team today!

How to Create an Editorial Content Calendar for Your Dealership

According to a 2018 report by StatusLabs, 90% of searchers haven’t made up their mind when they search on Google. That means you have an opportunity to turn those searches into viable leads. With search engine optimization (SEO), you can gain a higher ranking. Before you boost your ranking, however, you’re going to need a lot of content. Get started by creating an organized, well-thought-out editorial content calendar!

With an editorial content calendar guiding you, you can remain on schedule and on track for success.

Here’s everything you need to know about creating an editorial calendar. With these tips, you can stay on track with your marketing initiatives throughout the year. Get started with these tips.

Why You Need a Content Calendar

In order to rank above the competition, you need unique, high-quality content. Google’s SEO algorithm prioritizes content that’s relevant to user intent. By learning what your customers need, you can create content that appeals to their interests.

Then, you can create an editorial content calendar to remain organized.

A content calendar can also help you recognize opportunities to connect with your audience. For example, let’s say you’ve created a blog post that’s full of interesting data. You can turn that blog post into:

A video
An infographic
A still image or gif

One piece of content can become four different opportunities for you to connect with prospects. Then, you need to determine where you’re sharing that content.

For example, let’s say you post an article on your blog Monday. Then, you can send a weekly email that features your new blog post on Wednesday. Finally, you can post a gif to social media on Friday to attract more people to your blog.

Strategize

Creating an editorial content calendar allows you to develop a strategy for your content. Learning how to create an editorial calendar will help you remain organized with:

The content you’re creating
The topics you’re covering
Where you’re sharing your content
What form your content will appear in

Organizing your content using an editorial calendar will help you increase productivity and efficiency. In addition to saving time, you can also use your calendar to create content based on your marketing objectives.

Is your goal to generate more leads from your content this year? Your content calendar can help you test different types of content throughout the week. Then, you can use data to determine which topics and forms of content helped achieve your goal.

Researching blog posts and keywords will also benefit your SEO strategy. By focusing on SEO, you can attract more people to your site. Then, you can use compelling call-to-action language to convert them into customers.

You can create content to support other active campaigns, too. For example, you might have new products you’re releasing. Maybe you’re making a big change to your brand.

Planning your content ahead of time will help you make sure everything is aligned. That way, one tactic can support the other to benefit your entire strategy.

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

As many as 63% of businesses don’t have an actual content strategy. Making the effort to create an editorial content calendar will help you focus on content creation. By posting content regularly, you can increase your chances of reaching new customers.

Here are five tips to help you learn how to create an editorial calendar for your business.

1. Know Your Goals

First, determine your goals and objectives. For example, you might want to focus your marketing efforts on:

Driving more traffic to your website
Boosting brand awareness, recognition, and reach
Strengthening your SEO strategy
Building brand loyalty with customers to increase retention
Gaining more leads and conversions
Attracting new customers to increase sales

Once you determine your goals, you can determine what type of content will help you achieve those goals.

For example, let’s say you want to boost brand awareness. You can create company culture videos or vlogs to keep people informed about your business. Video content is a great way to help people connect with your brand.

If you want to generate more leads and conversions, try posting a product demo or tutorial instead!

2. Research Topics

Next, start making a rough list of ideas for content. Make sure your ideas align with your business goals.

For example, if you want to generate leads, create ebooks for site visitors to download. You can have them complete a form on your website that requires their email. The informative ebook can become an incentive for them to provide their contact information.

If you want to improve your SEO, create content that targets specific keywords.

For more sales, create content that focuses on the benefits of your products or services, such as case studies or webinars.

3. Know Your Audience

In order to create content that attracts customers, you need to understand your target audience. What type of content are they interested in? Which headlines catch their attention?

Feel free to see what your competitors are doing. Which pieces of content generate the most shares?

You can use Google Keyword Planner or Google Trends as a place to start.

Once you know what your target audience likes, you can start creating your own content.

4. Start Writing

Start brainstorming ideas and writing content. Make sure to optimize your content using specific keywords. Then, start writing.

Once you have a few pieces of content, start organizing your editorial content calendar. Try to post at least one piece of content a week to start. Then, determine how you can split that first piece of content into new forms.

Recycling your content will help you discover new ways to connect with your audience.

For example, you can convert a few blog posts into a larger ebook. Then, you can make that ebook a downloadable piece of content to generate leads.

5. Monitor and Optimize

Once you start using your editorial calendar, take a look at the progress. Use Google Analytics to determine which pieces of content are attracting the most visitors and leads.

Monitoring your content will help you recognize new opportunities.

Which topics do people enjoy reading? Which forms of content do they share? Make a note of where you succeed.

Then, use that data to improve your overall content marketing strategy.

Stay On Track: How to Create an Editorial Content Calendar for Your Dealership

Ready to get organized and on track? By learning how to create an editorial content calendar, you can attract more people to your dealership with ease!

Need help getting started? Contact us today to discuss your business goals!

How to Develop an Audio Marketing Strategy in 2020

With so many different mediums out there, it is hard to identify and plan the right marketing strategy for your business. What you have to remember about marketing strategies is that the ultimate goal is to connect with your target audience.

While audio marketing was briefly eclipsed by visual media, the number of individuals engaging with audio media like podcasts and the radio is actually on the rise!

Many businesses have been out of the audio marketing game for a while now, which is why we are going to show you how to develop a successful audio marketing strategy in 2020!

Why You Should Choose Audio Marketing

Audio Marketing is a great tool to connect to your target audience! In recent years, it is shown that audio content has the highest retention rate.

The nature of audio allows listeners to engage at any time, unlike visual or written content. Millions of people are now listening to the radio on their way to work, streaming music or books in the background at work, or listening to a podcast while they work out at the gym.

Due to the fact that most audio content can be enjoyed while a person is doing another specific activity, many listeners tune in to their favorite audio media for a dedicated amount of time.

Think about it, you can’t read a book on your drive to work, but you can listen to one. You can’t dedicate time to watch an hour-long TV episode if you are on a run outdoors, but you can definitely tune into a podcast!

People in all age ranges, genders, socioeconomic status and backgrounds are listening to audio media! This is a market that still is under-saturated and any business can weave their audio marketing content seamlessly into it. Now is your chance to try it out!

Identify Your Target Audience

The most important aspect of any marketing strategy is to identify your target audience. Many businesses make the mistake of not being specific enough in regards to this!

A business that sells active wear might say, “We want to target women that go to the gym.” This leaves out a ton of factors like location, age, and socioeconomic status. All of these factors play a huge role in how you can effectively advertise to your specific audience!

Your target audience is going to affect the type of audio content you put out, and where you are hosting your audio content!

If you are advertising a product towards the elderly, it may not make sense to host your audio content on Spotify or YouTube, because the likelihood of it reaching your audience is slim. In contrast, if you want to market a product to teenagers, you might not want to use the radio to market to them because individuals that don’t drive usually do not listen to the radio.

Take time to identify your target audience and then do background research on where your target audience is consuming their audio content!

Different Types of Audio Content

Once you select your target audience, you will be able to choose the type of audio marketing you want to create and where you want to host your content!

There are a few different types of audio marketing you can try out:

Podcasts
Audio Commercials
Audio books
Voice Search

Most people are familiar with audio commercials already, however, this type of marketing strategy can cost a lot of money if you want your commercial to air on a big radio station during the prime listening time!

However, you can try creating a podcast about the product or service you are trying to market by creating your own material and hosting your content for free!

Whatever type of medium you choose, there are several things to keep in mind to make sure your target audience is hooked to the content your producing and driven to check out more information about your business.

1) Build the Sound of Your Brand

We can still recall radio jingles or funny commercials years later! Companies that are successful at marketing take time to build the sound of their brand so that when their content is consumed, the listener knows exactly who that content belongs to!

Take time to choose the voice behind your audio marketing plan and create a hook that draws your listener in every time.

2) Provide a Service or Offer Help

The second thing to keep in mind when creating your audio marketing strategy is that your audio content needs to address a need! If your commercial is just explaining a product without explaining how it can help improve the lives of your listeners, you can guarantee that no one is actually listening.

The purpose of the product or service you are trying to promote needs to be crystal clear. Following up on this, the listener needs to know where they can go to learn more about the product or service if they want!

3) Captivate Your Audience

The last thing you need to remember is to dazzle your audience through your audio marketing strategy! There are millions upon millions of pieces of content that an individual can choose to listen to.

What makes your content different? Is it hilarious to listen to? Is it the most informative? Is it shocking? Does it build upon itself?

Choose an angle and stick to it! The growing number of podcast and podcast listeners show us that people are truly interested in all sorts of things! Make what you have to say engaging and you will surely be able to connect to your target audience.

Don’t Wait, Start Your Audio Marketing Strategy Today!

Now you can see that audio marketing is more relevant than ever before in our society. While some strategies like radio commercials do still cost a pretty penny, there are lots of other affordable avenues to try to make sure your company’s voice is heard!

Narrowing down your target audience and choosing a platform to market your business are the first steps to success. To really drive this strategy home, remember to create a sound brand, share your purpose, and enthrall your audience!

Have more questions on the best audio marketing strategy for 2020 and how to get started? Feel free to contact us! We’re here to help you succeed.

9 Benefits of Video Marketing to Grow Your Online Presence

If you haven’t been using video marketing, then you seriously need to reconsider your marketing strategies because you’re missing out big time. Interesting videos make interesting stories, and stories are excellent for marketing because they elicit emotion.

Some of the most significant reasons why video marketing is essential for your business is the fact that it’s memorable and measurable. This makes video marketing one of the most powerful ways of reaching customers, whether prospective or existing.

So what are the benefits of video marketing, and why should you implement it in your marketing strategies? Once you are done with the marketing basics, you need to delve deeper and capture more attention. Let’s look at the benefits of video marketing for your business.

1. Videos Result In Great ROI

To get you started off with some excitement, video marketing provides fantastic ROI, and this is one of the things you’re in business for. Even though video production may not be the easiest or cheapest of tasks, with a plethora of online video editing tools on the internet, it will pay big time.

Additionally, most customers are not worried so much about the video quality, like the content quality. Provide clear and relevant messages that explain what your products or services are all about. Of course, this is not to say that they should be low quality, even smartphones nowadays produce incredible videos, so you’ll have no excuse.

2. Videos Build Trust

Essentially, trust is the foundation of conversions and sales. In a highly competitive business world, persuading clients to do business with you and not your competitors is not an easy feat. Building trust and strong relationships with customers gets easier with videos.

Videos ignite emotional responses, regardless of how short they are. In fact, you don’t need to keep selling because once you provide useful and interesting information, customers will come to you. Effective and interesting videos present your business in a conversational form and give customers the confidence to purchase products online.

3. Videos Appeal to Mobile Users

An overwhelming 78% of consumers watch videos on mobile devices because people nowadays want to do things on the go. The number of mobile users increases by the year, and this only means that your video audience will keep expanding. Mobile users are more likely to feel a personal connection with a brand than desktop or TV viewers, so it’s imperative that you take advantage of the market.

4. Videos Boost Conversions and Sales

Adding the most important video to your landing page alone could increase your conversion rates by 80%. One of the many benefits of video marketing is that videos have the ability to lead directly to sales. Vision is the most dominant sense that human beings possess, so it’s only natural that videos have such a huge impact on them.

5. It’s Easy to Explain Everything Through Video

It’s so much easier to show people how your products work compared to writing about it. Explainer videos trend every day, and so do tutorial videos. Most consumers are watching explainer videos to learn what products are all about and how to use them.

An explainer video on your homepage would be super effective in driving conversions and sales. If you have a difficult concept, then video is the best way to explain it in a way your target audience understands. Besides, interesting videos, such as animated videos, are fun to watch, and people like to share such videos.

6. Videos Engage Everyone

One of the most significant benefits of video marketing is the ease of video consumption. Consumers get bored very easily, and reading long product descriptions is not pleasant at all. The modern customer is too busy for that anyway, and videos are easier to work with because all they have to do is watch, regardless of where they are.

Even if they’re lazy, as long as your videos have clear audio, they will certainly watch them.

7. Videos Encourage Shares

Most people tend to share videos than they do content, and shares lead to a larger audience. If you want to expand your target audience and get the message out there, delve into video marketing and watch your customer share! This is simply one of the best ways to go viral.

8. Videos Are Excellent for All Search Engines

All search engines, especially Google, value high valuable content, and interesting videos will have a tremendous impact on your SEO. With prolonged exposure, you will build trust, which will signal to search engines that you have valuable content.

You are more likely to rank high on search engines if you have a video on your website, and given the fact that Google owns YouTube, videos certainly affect search engine ranks.

9. Social Networks Thrive Through Videos

It’s already clear that people love videos, and you should give provide just that, but where? Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are some of the best places to post your important videos. Most consumers would share company videos as long as they were entertaining, regardless of whether they are actually interested in the products.

Bonus Tip: Ads Do Wonders in Videos

Video ads have the highest click-through rate among all digital formats. This says a lot about marketing videos and all the benefits they come with. If you do everything right and create awesome videos, you can be sure that people will remember, regardless of whether they watch the whole ad or not. That’s how awesome videos are for business.

The Benefits of Video Marketing: Summing it Up

From financial motives to practical reasons, you can well see the benefits of video marketing. All these points make quite a strong case for videos and showing you that they work. If you want to jump into the modern marketing wagon, video marketing is the way to go.

If you’d like more awesome marketing tips, check out our website or give us a call and we’ll be glad to help.

9 Video Advertising Trends of 2019

Television commercials and traditional advertisements are becoming a thing of the past.

As the next generation of tech-focused consumers saturates the marketplace, keeping up with these advertising trends is important. You either adjust your strategies or you risk having to close your doors for good.

So, where are consumers getting their information these days?

90% have said that they discover new brands through YouTube ads. 80% of shoppers say that they tend to switch between online search and video when deciding what to buy.

Set yourself and your brand up for success by plugging into the “show don’t tell” mindset. Keep up with current trends in advertising and generate quality video for the greatest potential of return on ad spend.

Here are 9 advertising trends for 2019 to get you started!

1. Web-Based Video Content

Focusing on optimizing your advertisements for web users gives you great potential for organic traffic.

More than ever, people are leaving behind paid television programming to switch to web-based streaming entertainment.

Reach them here by providing high-level, professional videos that give the best view of your products or services.

2. Full-Funnel YouTube Advertising

One of the best features of video advertising is that it offers you the chance to cater to the full advertising funnel.

Reach your target customers at the brand awareness level with lighthearted, catchy videos.
Generate interest by showing them how much better or easier their lives will be with your product or service.
Compare your product with similar products to help answer questions they may have in the evaluation phase.
Get them committed to your product by offering incentives, guarantees, or support.
Finally, reel them in by offering special sales and deals at the purchase level.

By offering specialized content at each level, you will be optimizing this marketing strategy in full force.

Bonus: Take advantage of this structure by shooting all of your material at once. Tell your whole story and then chop it up and distribute it where it fits in the buyer’s journey.

3. Over-The-Top and In-Stream Advertising

OTT advertisements refer to those short, 5-15 second ads that play on streaming platforms that a viewer can’t skip.

This style of advertising allows you to lump viewers together into different groups so that you can target them based on their user profiles.

More and more people are switching to streaming alternatives for entertainment. Every platform requires the viewer to create an account or profile. This gives you access to their personalized data information like their region, age range, and viewing trends.

With over 70% of in-stream ad impressions on Facebook viewed to completion with the sound on, this is a valuable way to get your information out.

Additionally, you can control what sort of content shouldn’t be appearing alongside your ads. For example, if you’re running an ad to help people quit smoking, you won’t want a cigarette brand’s ad running alongside it.

4. Mobile-First Advertising Trends

Customers are more likely to shop online with their phones over any other means. It is vital that video advertising (and online shopping platforms) be compatible with this format.

Keep social media formatting in mind when producing video content. Many shoppers rely on clickable and shop-able social media ads. If you are showing them content, make sure they can click through to make their purchase, otherwise, you run the risk of losing them.

5. Customer-Made Content

Customers are more likely to trust the information or opinions of their peers on the Internet over those of a mega-corporation.

Take advantage of this by encouraging opinionated customers to share their experiences. This can be an actual video testimonial or a rave review they left on your site.

6. Influencer Content

Are you a new company or perhaps an established one looking to generate some positive feedback? Buy into social media influencers!

Depending on your product, this can be a powerful way to get your brand in front of a lot of people in a short amount of time.

For a current customer, you can offer them a gift card or free merchandise to introduce new products. Encourage them to focus on their continued business with you!

For new customers, focus on your brand and key products or services. Offer the influencer free product or services that they can review and explain.

Generally, it’s best to establish an agreement for how long your product review needs to stay on their platform. It’s also important to make sure they know you may use their images and video in your advertising campaigns.

7. Graphic or Animated Videos

Blend graphics, text, or animated characters in your video ads. This can be an easy way to tell a story for anew or online exclusive brand people may not have heard of yet.

Bring your blueprints or digital layouts to life in anticipation of a grand opening, use text or customer reviews to tell a story, or animate with generic characters to give viewers a chance to imagine themselves in their place. This creates a much more inclusive branding statement.

8. Cinemagraph Advertisements

Cinemagraphs are cool photo and video hybrid advertisements. Set the tone in your static advertisements by catching the viewer’s eye with some motion.

Some examples are a few strands of hair blowing in the wind, a single blinking streetlight, waves crashing on the sand, or sparks from a campfire.

Generally, a viewer will spend more time looking at a Cinemagraph ad than a photo because they want to see what else is moving. This means greater absorption of your messaging and higher potential for ROAS.

This advertising trend brings life and variety into your messaging, without distracting away from it.

9. Television Commercials

That’s right, television should still be on your radar folks! Don’t alienate or ignore your more traditional customers by forgetting to occasionally advertise on TV.

Think about the types of ads you are working on for the digital market and play to those trends for TV as well. Delight your viewer with ads that they won’t want to leave the room for or fast-forward through. Hit them right away with exciting content so they stick around for your messaging.

Where to Start

For newer, smaller, or more traditional companies, video advertising trends like these may be daunting.

But depending on your customers’ age, lifestyle, region, and shopping habits, video production could be a game-changer for your business! Learn more about your customers and decide what would be the most beneficial avenue to get them your information.

If you’re ready to get started on your video marketing strategy, contact us today.

Marketing Basics for Business

Marketing for a business in today’s world is, without a doubt, more demanding than ever before. The days of merely listing a company name and number in the phone book are over. Nowadays, it is almost expected of companies to market themselves everywhere. Whether that be by word of mouth, on television, social media, advertising out in public, or all over the Internet. To create a thriving business and client-base, it’s important to make sure your business is well marketed. Below are a handful of tips to start promoting and marketing your business.

Establishing Identity

A crucial element to stand out in a marketplace among your competition is finding a unique identity. A common way for people to recognize a company is by the company’s logo and color scheme.

Deciding exactly what your company stands for is the first step. Making your company’s core beliefs and mission as clear as possible is necessary. You need to show why consumers should choose you over competitors. Allowing your brand to develop a personality can help consumers easily relate to you and remember your company.

Knowing Your Audience

You should be creating different content for your audience. This should be based on whether they are old or new customers, or if they’re not sure. Taking the time to get to know and understand the demographics, interests, and niche of the market that you are trying to appeal to is crucial for success. You want to make sure that the content that is being created is targeted toward the appropriate audience. Remaining relevant and valuable to your audience is important to remember.

Website Creation and Maintenance

In today’s world, it is very important for a successful company to have a website. Think about it. People nowadays go straight to Google to learn about things that they want to know more about. Whether it’s to find new restaurants in the area, a place that sells a specific type of light bulb, or even to find a place for your child to go to daycare, the Internet is the fastest way to find the answers that people need. With a website, people can look up information anytime, anywhere, and not have to wait until regular business hours. Having a presence online makes it much more likely for customers to trust you. Making sure that the website has a modern, easy-to-navigate, and mobile-friendly layout will promote more frequent visits. This allows the opportunity for new customers to jump on board.

The website should be navigable enough to allow anyone that visits the website to be able to find any information that they might be looking for. This may include details about the business, products and/or services being sold, and even contact information. Providing this information in a clean and organized manner allows users to obtain a sense of how professional and credible your business might be. This allows customers to decide whether or not they’d like to learn more.

Social Media

Getting into the swing of social media and how to use it appropriately as a business or professional can be tricky. One mistake that businesses often make when starting on this journey is diving in too quickly, all at once. Starting with one simple Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram profile to let consumers know that you exist is a great start. Getting your name out there on your social media platform of choice is a great way to introduce your business to so many potential new client opportunities. Hiring a social media manager may end up being a great option. This would ensure that posts are scheduled to be shared regularly (perhaps weekly, if possible).

Social Media Content

What kind of content is necessary to share on social media? Every business takes a bit of a different route. One of the more popular options is using social media as a platform for customer service. Through the use of Twitter, customers can directly reach out to you. They can ask any questions or concerns that they might have, and feel like they’re speaking to an actual person. Not just some automated machine or bot. Social media may also be used for promotional purposes. Even so, it is very important to not overdo this side of things. The last thing you want is for people to feel overwhelmed with ads and promos that seem like spam. Having a nice balance of the content shared on a business social media page is very important for this marketing strategy to be successful.

These marketing tips are an easy way to build a client base (or grow your current one), engage customers, make your business more readily accessible, and to stay relevant. Although these are not the only options that are available to market your business, they are a great place to start!

Have any questions? Contact us today!

Desktop vs Mobile Advertising

People checking mobile and desktop devices

Smartphones are here to stay. 257 million Americans had a smartphone in 2018, and that number is only going to rise as the years go by. People do everything on their phones; text and call each other, browse social media, read books, and surf the internet. Finding a way to advertise to those users can go a long way to spreading brand awareness. But there are some key differences between internet advertising on a computer and advertising on a mobile device. Let’s go through desktop vs mobile advertising.

Real Estate

The biggest difference between mobile devices and a personal computer is the available space. With a computer, space is hardly ever an issue. Even with the smallest laptops, full-screen browsers offer plenty of space to display menus, banners, navigation tools, and columns for text. Mobile devices are another story. Even with a tablet, the available space for different compositions is limited. Keeping in mind how your website or ad will be displayed on a phone or tablet will help improve reactions to your brand.

Try to keep your call to actions simple on a mobile page. One link to a cart or a contact page is more than enough for a mobile page. Keep the text to one column and make sure it scales for mobile. There’s nothing quite as annoying as having to zoom in and out of a text, scrolling across the page, just to read it.

Optimization

While utilizing the available real estate and space you have for mobile, it is also vital you optimize your page for mobile users; or use a mobile-specific page. Many websites’ navigation relies on mouse hovering, holding your cursor over a link to show more menus. This doesn’t exist on mobile. There are no cursors, only fingers. Having a system that relies on something not there is only going to annoy and frustrate users.

Videos

Videos are another sticking point with mobile users. Many websites will load a video when users access the site. Maybe it’s a news story, maybe it’s an ad. Whatever it is, it must load. This isn’t a problem with a computer over Wi-Fi. Wireless internet is pretty fast nowadays, so bandwidth isn’t a big deal for some at home. Using mobile data, however, is not as quick. You have limited bandwidth on mobile and having a video load right out the gate may slow down site load times.

Adobe Flash is installed on close to 90% of computers, so designing an ad running on flash isn’t a terrible idea for desktop. But for mobile, flash isn’t nearly as popular. It runs only on a few versions of Android operating systems and is completely banned by iOS. That means if you have an ad based on flash, anyone using Apple products won’t see it.

Know Which Ads to Use

Knowing what types of ads to run when interacting with mobile users is crucial. Most people, while using a computer, are sitting down, focusing on the screen in front of them. Often, they’re working or doing something that needs a computer specifically. Longer ads work well here because they’re captive audiences. Mobile usage is different. Users are more likely to use their mobile devices in between activities that require their attention. Browsing social media on the train during their commute, texting a friend while in the waiting room of an appointment, shopping online while on their couch during a commercial break. Mobile devices have used a distraction for most, something to fill downtime with. Keeping your ads short for mobile is ideal. If it’s too long, people might get bored and move on.

Conclusion

There are some key differences between desktop and mobile marketing. Being aware of these differences and knowing how to utilize the advantages and avoid the disadvantages is important. Having a mobile-optimized site is ideal. This way you can take advantage of the benefits of both formats without having to tip-toe around the detractions of the other format. You can tailor ads for the focus you get from a computer user and use the higher interaction rates of mobile users. If you have any questions, contact us here!

The Importance of Jingles

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head all day? You whistle it out every time you stop at a street light? Well, that’s the power of an effective jingle. We all know some iconic jingles; McDonald’s, State Farm, Subway, Kit Kat, songs that have become ubiquitous with the brands that have used them. I’m sure everyone reading this can whistle “I’m Lovin’ It” off the top of their head. And maybe now you have a craving for a Big Mac. Good jingles can do that for a company. So having a good jingle is a crucial step. Let’s look at the importance of jingles in advertising.

Why you should be utilizing Jingles in your advertising

It leaves a lasting impact

Jingles have the benefit of being memorable and entertaining. They aren’t someones disembodied voice talking to the audience. Music, and by extension jingles, is personal. It invokes emotion and can grab people’s attention. Good jingles are catchy and memorable. They can stay with you for the rest of the day after just one listen. If you fail to capture the audience’s attention, then your advert can fall flat and be unremarkable for the consumer.

Choosing the right song

It’s no secret that music can affect one’s emotions. Picking the right song that conveys the right emotional notes for your brand is crucial. If you find the jingle annoying, you can almost guarantee the mass audience is going to find it annoying as well. The jingle will be associated with your brand. If it makes people feel angry or sad, then those emotions are going to reflect on your brand or product. Picking a happy, easy-going song can help improve your audience’s reaction to your song.

You can also go the route of picking a snippet of a song by a band you like and using that for your campaign. Honda did this a few years ago when they released their latest model of the Civic. Set to Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream” the commercial was a hit. I would suggest, if you go this route then you should avoid overly popular songs. These songs are played over and over again on the radio and can grate on some listeners. You don’t want to be associated with that fatigue.

Helps with Brand recognition

We all know some iconic jingles: The Old Spice whistle, McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ it”, Rice Krispy’s “Snap, Crackle, Pop,” and we can probably all break off into song on the first note. We associate those jingles with the brands, and even if you don’t eat McDonald’s or use Old Spice, you’ll think of them as soon as you hear the jingle.

If you pick a song, then hopefully every time someone hears that song they’ll think of your brand or your campaign. The song can even come to represent your brand, giving you an iconic sound. Which will be associated with your brand or company for years to come. Every time someone hears that song or the first notes of your jingle, they’ll think of you.

Conclusion:

The importance of jingles can not be understated. Jingles are still very relevant in today’s radio advertising world. Having an effective jingle can help increase brand awareness and recognition. Finding the right jungle for you is important, so don’t take the matter lightly. If you get it wrong, then your brand could end up being associated with negative feelings. If you get it right, you could end up with an iconic sound just for you. Using music to express emotion is a powerful tool in a company’s arsenal. If you have any questions about the importance of jingles or want help writing your very own, contact us here!

jingles Marketing radio TV

Reach of Radio

Radio is a timeless source of entertainment for all ages in the United States. As such, radio is also an important vehicle for advertising. Earlier I’ve written about some tips to get your message to the largest amount of people. Now I’m going to write about the commercial reach of radio.

Who’s Listening?:

Radio reaches more than 243 million American adults each month. That’s about 96% of US adults listening to the radio at some point each month. Every week, 94% of adults listen to the radio. This has been true for a number of the past few years and is comparable to the 94.9% that listen to the radio in 2001. These numbers haven’t changed much over the years, even with the introduction of iPods and music streaming. So it’s reasonable to assume they won’t change anytime soon.

If we break it down further by generations, we can see some of the specifics of demographics. 95% of Millennials listen every month. 97% of Gen Xers and 98% of Boomers listen to the radio weekly. 44.6 million Hispanics and 34.5 million African Americans listen to the radio each month (96% and 97% respectively). Radio reaches most Americans regularly, whether it be driving in the car, listening at work, or having it on at home.

According to reports, those who are more educated and have a higher annual income, listen to radio more often. As you move from not working to working, levels of education, and average annual income, the higher percentage of people listen. For example, 71% of working people in the survey listen to the radio, compared to 61% of non-workers. 74% of degree-holding people listen to the radio, 62% of those with some college, and 56% of those with no college. On the salary side of things, people who make less than 25k have about a 50% listening rate in that demographic. 61% of those in the 25k-$44.9k range, 68% of those in the $45k-$74.9k range, and 75% of those in the $75k+ range.

Why do people listen to the radio?

Finding why people listen to the radio is helpful information when you begin crafting your ad campaign, but the answers tend to be less than helpful. Targeting a popular DJ is always a good shout for a consistent audience but surveys show that only about 24.5% of people listen to the radio for its DJs or show hosts. Most people listen to the radio because it’s free and convenient to listen to in the car. About 57% of the 18-34 demographic listen because it is free. That number rises as you get older with 61% and 66% in the 35-54 and 55-75 age groups respectively. There’s no single reason why people listen to the radio. 200 million people listen to the radio every month for a variety of reasons. Here’s the full list from Deloitte.

Conclusion:

TV and Newspapers have struggled in recent years, but Radio has stayed relatively consistent. The TV has seen a 50% decline in viewership from the younger demographics in the past few years, and newspapers as a medium are struggling. Radio doesn’t have these problems, and it’s just as relevant now as it was 20 years ago. That means it’s still a viable platform for advertising and marketing. Any more questions? You can contact us here!

radio radio commercial production reach

Hashtags and Digital Marketing

Social media is an important part of our world. Utilizing the platform in your business is also an important task. But how do you use the hashtag in digital marketing? We first have to start with what a hashtag is. Hashtag is the name for the pound sign (#) in the social media world. It began being used as a “hashtag” by Chris Messina in 2007 on twitter. Its purpose is to group posts and other content into easily accessible pathways for users. It is called a “hashtag” rather than “pound sign” because “pound sign” in the UK refers to “£” rather than “#” which is called “hash,” “gate,” and sometimes “octothorpe.”

Today the hashtag is almost ubiquitous with social media, being embraced on almost every platform ranging from Twitter to Instagram to Facebook. The hashtag has entered the cultural zeitgeist, it’s been embraced, it’s been parodied, and it’s been used in everything from disaster relief to weddings to advertising. This means that the hashtag is incredibly useful for online advertising and social media engagement, but how do you use it? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out; here are some tips to utilizing hashtags in your digital marketing.

1. Find the right words for your brand

A Hashtag is a word or set of words that can easily group things. They act as a keyword that people can use to search for tweets and posts related to whatever it is they’re interested in. That means that the words you choose as your hashtag are vitally important to its response from social media. Using big words, more than a couple, or difficult to spell words could hamper engagement and response.

Picking a word related to your brand, product, or service is also important. Some companies have it easier here than others. For example, all Coca-Cola need to do is throw a #coke at the end of a tweet and they have an instant engagement platform. It’s simple, and it’s synonymous with their product to the point that any tweet containing it will immediately hearken back to Coca-Cola.

2. Engage with Trending topics

Engaging with the topics and trends that are popular at the moment is a great way to find expand your brand influence. Find a trending hashtag that relates to your brand or service and engages with it. Using these trending topics are a great way of spreading your brand to more customers. These topics are relevant to people’s lives at that moment, so if you can engage in a way that is also relevant or promote your product when they are thinking about the problem it solves, you can leave a lasting impact on them.

3. Keep it simple.

As stated above, keep your hashtag short, the more words, the harder it is to read. With multiple words, capitalizing each new word is a good way of signifying the breaks between words. This makes your hashtag easier to read and less confusing for the consumer. Keeping it simple also means limiting the number of hashtags in each post. One or two, maybe three, but the fewer number of hashtags in a post the better and more sharable it is. #Putting #a #hashtag #before #every #word #is #annoying #to #read, and will put consumers off. The simpler the hashtag and the post, the easier it is for people to share.

4. Incentivize.

Use your hashtags to promote a deal or giveaway your doing. Give people a reason to use your hashtag, and thus do your advertising for you. A solid discount on a service or a product for using the hashtag or engaging with your social media can a long way in getting a response.

5. Engage with your audience.

A hashtag gives you a way to connect with people talking about the same thing, so actually, talk with them. Listen to what they’re saying, respond and craft your next campaign to utilize the feedback you’re given here. Coming up with a hashtag and making a post is an easy part, now you get to do the leg work and respond to it. They’ll engage with you for a reason, maybe it’s just as simple as saying they like your product. Maybe they’ll tell you something you can do better. Be open and willing to adapt and you can go a long way.

Conclusion

Social media is a platform that grows by the day. It has its customs and language. Being able to utilize those things are an important part of making the most out of social media. Nothing is more ubiquitous with social media than the #hashtag. The hashtag is a part of modern culture and knowing how to use it to its fullest potential can give you a leg up in expanding your business and brand. Keep these things in mind the next time you start a social media campaign. If you have any questions, contact us here!

digital digital markting hashtag Marketing Social Media

Category: Marketing

Personalized Marketing

Measurable Results

Increased Site Traffic

Increased Sales

Cost-Effective

Timesaving

Improves Recognition

Develop Killer Email Marketing with Killerspots

What On-Hold Greetings Will You Need?

Opening Greeting

On-Hold Messaging

Voicemail Greeting

How to Ensure a Successful Greeting

Use a Pleasant Tone

Do Apologize

Don’t Overwhelm Them With Information

Make Your Hold Music Count

Silence Is Deadly

Choose Music To Suit Your Audience

On-Hold Greetings: The Takeaway

Who Is Your Target Audience?

Study Your Products and Services

Identify the Benefits Your Business Offers

Check Social Media Analytics

Use Google Analytics

How to Engage Your Target Audience

Now You Know Who Is Your Audience

Determine Your Target Audience

Keep Things Short and Sweet

Have a Strong Call to Action

Don’t Be Unnatural

Stay True to Your Brand Voice

Record Quality Audio

Choose the Right Station

How to Create a Commercial: Well Crafted Radio Ads Bring Stellar Results

What is a Sound Logo?

Top 5 Famous Examples

1. Netflix

2. Intel

3. THX

4. T-Mobile

5. Apple

How Can My Business Use an Audio Logo?

We Can Hear Your Sound Logo Now

Set the Goal

Know the Audience

Keep it Simple

Tighten the Script

Hire Professionals

Make a TV Commercial

1. Create a Jingle

2. Cater to the Customer Base

3. Use Slogans

4. Write a Good Script

5. Hook Them At the Beginning

6. Get Good Actors

7. Play It for Others First

8. Include a Call to Action

Providing a Range of Radio Advertising Services

1. Remote Reach

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4. Lower Ad Avoidance

5. Time-Tested Yet Modern

6. Creative, Memorable Options

7. Theater of Mind Effect

8. Personal Experience

9. Quick Turnaround and Cost Effective

10. Compatible With Social Media

Take Advantage of Radio Advertising

1. Adopting a Positive Tone and the Smile Effect

2. Sincerity

3. Courtesy While You Put a Caller on Hold

4. Enunciation and Use of Verbal Nods

5. The Use of a Caller’s Name

6. Listen and Be Prepared for Objections

7. Customer or Caller Satisfaction

Why Are These Customer Service Tips Crucial?

Local TV and Radio Ads