Small AM radio stations offer great advertising opportunities. Their listeners are local, so you won't waste money advertising to people who are too far away to use your service or product. And AM radio stations often have specific listener groups, which will allow you to target potential clients. For example, an oldies station will have a very different audience from a college station, allowing you to focus your advertising efforts on the group that will benefit you most.
Instructions
1. Determine your advertising budget. Radio-advertising campaigns can get expensive, so it's best to figure out exactly how much you can spend before you plan your campaign.
2. Decide who your target audience is. Record the basic demographic information of your current customers: gender, how old they are, what income bracket they occupy, etc. If you have no customers currently, survey potential customers at local malls or public gathering places. Offer them a discount or other promotional gift in trade for some information and a few minutes of their time.
3. Contact any AM radio stations that you want to advertise on. Radio stations make all their money through advertising, so they will have a sales staff that can give you specific info on rates, which vary widely, depending on the hour of the day you advertise. For example, the morning rush hour period may be significantly more expensive than the overnight period.
4. Ask the radio stations for their listener's demographic data. Use this information to determine which stations your target audience listens to. Radio stations keep track of their listener's demographic data for just this purpose. They focus on serving specific demographic groups to convince potential advertisers that their station is the best way to reach those particular groups.
5. Decide how long your commercial will be. Compare your advertising budget to the station's advertising rates. Then decide how much time you can afford. If your budget is small, keep your commercial short and to the point---under a minute should do. Don't forget to leave enough money in your budget for recording costs.
6. Record your commercial. If you are only advertising on one station, consider hiring its on-air voice talent to record your commercial. It will give your advertisement credibility with that station's audience, which will already be familiar with that voice. Otherwise, find a local recording studio that specializes in recording radio commercials. They will connect you to musicians, voice talent and scriptwriters that can help you develop your message.
7. Finalize the deal. Deliver your commercial to the radio station in whatever audio format they request, sign any contracts and pay your advertising bill.
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