by Darren Matassa, General Sales Manager
Starboard Communications LTD.
Many people aren’t aware of the connections between different types of media, such as how many companies successfully use radio to increase internet traffic.
However, even as these interactions multiply and the internet becomes increasingly ingrained in our lives, the steps to making a sale remain constant:
(1) Get the prospect’s attention via highly relevant, creative and intrusive advertising, such as a radio commercial.
(2) Pique the curiosity of the listener, so that he or she thinks, “Maybe I should look into that…”
(3) …and then says, “Yeah, I want one of those… need one of those, have to get one of those, might need one of those ”
(4) Cause the prospect to act: he or she visits the store and buys the product and or go online to learn more about the product, your business, your location, your phone number and email addresses, can it be bought online etc.
It is highly likely that between the third and fourth steps, (the transition from interest to commitment), the prospect will go online and search for the product to learn more.
The top search results displayed to your prospect have a high SEO (search engine optimization). As prospects browse, they are most likely to click on links listed on the first page. Furthermore, survey results are clear: Between 72 and 82 percent of respondents say they click on the name they have “heard of.”
That’s where radio comes in because it’s a form of intrusive advertising that increases top-of-mind awareness (TOMA) using creativity and emotional tethering. When a listener thinks about an industry or product, the brand or organization the one that first comes to mind without un-aided recall has managed to be a more important category advertiser, product and service provider on-air than their competition. Consumers are more likely to purchase something with that name that they so easily recognize or recall or have positive feelings about.
Your digital presence is crucial in today’s world, but focusing solely on SEO, SEM (search engine marketing), or social media is not only expensive but misses a key potential advantage in any buying cycle: TOMA, which can be increased with radio.
TOMA is one of the best ways to edge out your competition, and it’s facilitated by the mix of digital media and radio. Radio grabs attention, creates interest, and builds desire that supports your digital display and SEO/SEM, which will generate leads that increase sales.
Make sure your products and services are known BEFORE your prospective clients and current clients begin to search online for just anybody to fill their need or want. When your prospects know you and of you before your competition, you’ll get the lead and the sale first.