Small Business Marketing Strategies All-In-One For Dummies

Chapter 3

Broadcasting Your Message

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding broadcasting lingo and buying airtime

Advertising on radio and TV

Producing infomercials and webinars

With at least one TV set in 99 percent of U.S. homes and radios in almost all cars, your customers are unquestionably tuned in to the broadcast world. Whether they’re tuned in to broadcast ads is another question. More than half of all new cars feature a trial of commercial-free satellite radio, and nearly all TV viewers skip the ads at least some of the time.

Still, research confirms that TV ads are the most memorable form of advertising. And few advertising channels can beat radio for delivering an immediate message to a targeted and often captive audience.

The drawback is that low-budget broadcast ads — especially TV ads — air alongside ads by mega-marketers who spend millions on slick productions that make locally produced ads look as cheap as, in comparison, they are. Furthermore, even the most frugal TV ad and schedule can break a small business marketing budget, and for that reason many small businesses rightfully cross TV advertising off the list of possible marketing channels.

Yet others — especially restaurants, retailers, campaign and event organizers, and those seeking to reach local audiences in small, relatively affordable market areas — consider broadcast advertising essential to success. If broadcast advertising is important to your small business, this chapter helps translate the lingo, guide production ...