With so many looking for a piece of the advertising cake will local radio loose out.The big players we know who they are have hoovered up the big chunks ,local radio at best have the crumbs regardless of size.Also newspapers and magazines are dead in the water.Chuck in u tube and,all the Google and FB ads its slip picking for the rest and losers could be local radio ,which would be a shame because they are heartbeat of their community depute the parochial bias .What your views good or bad?
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Local radio in USA is local ad revenue a runner any more?
- Thread starter Mido3737
- Start date
For every loser there seems to be a winner out there that has built and maintains a great relationship in their respective community or communities. That seems to apply to radio and even print. I have come to realize media is no different than any other business model, be it a restaurant, grocery store or other business type. Many don't make it and a few do quite well regardless of trends.
I sell local radio. Yes, there are online options for my customers but most all of them do not offer the customer service and dedication to their continued success as my product does. They know I know their business and 'have their back'. Virtually all the other options lack the personal approach.
The result is we can (as I have made) blanket statements which apply to many but not all. I will say radio does not enjoy the position it once had by any means but when bonded to a community, it can be a force that is not easily toppled.
I sell local radio. Yes, there are online options for my customers but most all of them do not offer the customer service and dedication to their continued success as my product does. They know I know their business and 'have their back'. Virtually all the other options lack the personal approach.
The result is we can (as I have made) blanket statements which apply to many but not all. I will say radio does not enjoy the position it once had by any means but when bonded to a community, it can be a force that is not easily toppled.
All good points well made there room for everyone and you are bang on regarding the service you can provide no one do that better than local.
Plus if you're comparing digital, print, and radio, the easiest distinction question is: What's the conversion rate? That's the question to ask the furniture store owner who used to buy radio and remotes for his sales, but was convinced to move his dollars to Facebook. How much business do you get through the door promoting a big sale with digital, verses the local station doing a remote?
The sad thing is many of the local businesses who would advertise on radio have been driven out by Amazon, Internet-based car sales, and even Walmart. Local restaurants are notoriously tough to collect from, and don't stick around very long. What remains are local gyms, auto repair, and local furniture. With the loss almost entirely of auto, especially with the chip shortages, local advertising has grown even tougher for a local station to keep the lights on.
Like every business when it comes to advertising no one can get you more customers into your. Everyone will give you coverage no one can guarantee you sales. Harsh but true. Never easy to collect from local restaurants you could find yourself going back way to many times for low dollars.
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Harvey_Dogg
Guest
Before I build a radio station, I make sure it's in a community that can support a radio station. Not all opportunities are created equal. I wouldn't want to be in AM radio after 1980.
Salespeople need to have a personal relationship with the client. That's what local radio has over internet advertising.
Salespeople need to have a personal relationship with the client. That's what local radio has over internet advertising.
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This is why it's important for local radio stations to be able to offer a full package of on-air, online, and social options to the advertiser. The second two items cost the station nothing, but provide additional value to the advertiser. Of course that pre-supposes that the radio station is active in ways beyond the air signal, and has cultivated that relationship with the community. This is where the value of local content comes in. If the station is just a syndicated repeater, then there's not much to sell other than CPM.
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Harvey_Dogg
Guest
A radio station owner who pays his bills and has no debt is doing well these days. We have few worries that way.
Actually the station I sell for is doing very well. I cannot pinpoint why but I am signing up new clients to the tune of about 2 a week with substantial long term schedules. That sure wasn't happening pre-Covid.
Amazingly, I have ag equipment dealers being rather aggressive even with the fact much of what is sold is special order since they're waiting on parts to fulfil orders. One is pushing they can rent you what you need at a big discount if your order has not arrived. I have a few clients doing pretty heavy saturations.
A few months back we had the highest billing month since the owner bought the station well over a decade ago. I'm a little part of the reason we are doing so well with much credit to my owner who has made constant improvements in what we do and much credit to the attitude of business owners at the moment. My owner's one of the good guys that puts some dollars back in to upgrading the station to outdistance competition even further.
At least in small markets where direct sales is king, the business owner is not as well versed with their many marketing options and tend to go with people they know and have an ongoing relationship with.
It brings back memories of the wife calling saying to swing by the store for a needed item for dinner. Frequently I'd see so many clients in the store it would take 45 minutes instead of 10-15 minutes to get home. My wife got the same statement to her frustration of keeping dinner 'warm': "Honey, they sign my paycheck and if they want to talk a couple of minutes, then I'm going to talk to them".
Amazingly, I have ag equipment dealers being rather aggressive even with the fact much of what is sold is special order since they're waiting on parts to fulfil orders. One is pushing they can rent you what you need at a big discount if your order has not arrived. I have a few clients doing pretty heavy saturations.
A few months back we had the highest billing month since the owner bought the station well over a decade ago. I'm a little part of the reason we are doing so well with much credit to my owner who has made constant improvements in what we do and much credit to the attitude of business owners at the moment. My owner's one of the good guys that puts some dollars back in to upgrading the station to outdistance competition even further.
At least in small markets where direct sales is king, the business owner is not as well versed with their many marketing options and tend to go with people they know and have an ongoing relationship with.
It brings back memories of the wife calling saying to swing by the store for a needed item for dinner. Frequently I'd see so many clients in the store it would take 45 minutes instead of 10-15 minutes to get home. My wife got the same statement to her frustration of keeping dinner 'warm': "Honey, they sign my paycheck and if they want to talk a couple of minutes, then I'm going to talk to them".
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