Many local media sellers work in markets that are part of rural America. These towns and cities are the foundation of the country in several ways, with small businesses playing a key role in economics. Companies operating in smaller markets want the same things as any organization regarding advertising — a return that meets their goals. You’re in a great position to enable this, and digital with radio campaigns are critical to doing so.
So, how can you upsell those who may already be loyal radio spot buyers? What strategies can you leverage to ensure they get the best return on their investments and get ads in front of the right audience?
We’ve got answers for you in this post.
It Starts with Relationships
Businesses in rural areas often look to local media sales professionals as a trusted source. They want their money to stay local, which is part of their appeal to their customers. They’re more than happy to pay this forward as well.
You’ve built a strong relationship with them over the years as they’ve reliably purchased radio ads. The success of these becomes the stepping stone to upselling them with digital ads. Radio never leaves the equation of a campaign; it just becomes one of many tactics.
They may have hesitations about digital advertising. It’s easy for them to have misconceptions that these ads won’t deliver results, yet plenty of data and your own experiences tell a different story.
Addressing Objections to Digital
Objections can range from they’ve tried it, and it didn’t work, to a belief that their customers aren’t online. They may also think it’s too expensive or feel they lack the experience to put together a campaign. You can remove their doubts with these strategies.
They Tried It, and It Didn’t Work
If they’ve tried digital advertising before and didn’t like the results, you need to dig deeper. Which tactics did they try? What was the goal? Did they even have a goal? Talking through their initial experience helps you ease their fears and explain things in common terms.
Since you’ll start with their advertising goal and whom they want to reach, you can recommend the right tactics. You can also help them create assets and determine targeting criteria. Plus, you’ll provide detailed reporting on the campaign’s performance.
They Think Their Customers Aren’t Online
Everybody’s online, and 97% of Americans have a mobile phone. Additionally, 95% of U.S. adults say they use the internet. Those statistics alone showcase how easy it is to reach rural audiences. Another compelling fact is that much of the population searches online locally every day, and 76% of those looking for a business nearby visit it within one day.
Rural viewers do have a higher preference for local channels and broadcast TV than their urban counterparts. However, as broadband internet improves and streaming services become more affordable, many watch OTT and CTV. With the explosion of FAST (free ad-supported TV) channels, they can stream at no cost.
Whether via phone, desktop or connected TV, rural America is connected. Digital advertising can reach them and influence their purchases.
They Think They Can’t Afford Digital
Digital advertising costs vary depending on the tactic and duration. There are many affordable options for them to invest in and test. Display and geofencing are good options for their first campaign and can deliver results that improve brand awareness, drive traffic to their locations and help them acquire new customers.
They Don’t Understand It
Local business owners are smart, hardworking folks. They’re much keener than they think they are about modern advertising. As consumers, they experience ads all the time, so it’s not hard to relay how they work from that perspective.
The key is to explain digital advertising in simple terms regarding where ads play and how targeting an audience works. That’s all they need to know. You’ll also be able to go over ad performance with reports that are easy to understand.
From Objections to Empowering Local Businesses
Once you clear out the objections and misconceptions, you can empower these businesses to be savvier about digital advertising. Their first campaign should start small but still needs at least a three-month duration for it to have time to perform.
A good option for this would be to combine display, geofencing and radio, working toward a single goal with consistent messaging. Here are some examples.
A Local Diner Seeks a Bigger Lunch Rush
Lunch can be profitable for small restaurants. Gaining more diners at this time is a straightforward goal to use in an ad campaign. They can run morning radio spots calling out the day’s specials to give people time to make lunch plans.
Display ads can target the attributes of their typical lunch customer, including demographics, geography and interests. A geofencing ad set completes the campaign. There are a few potential fences — one could be around competitors in the area, and another could be downtown or industrial areas where many citizens work every day.
In this example, digital with radio can reach a variety of audiences in unique ways to get more hungry folks in the door at lunchtime.
The City’s Long-Known Jewelry Store Changes Ownership
Some retailers are a significant part of the community, and people shop there as much for the people behind the brand than what they offer. However, it’s common for original owners to retire and sell their operations. The new owner has brand awareness, but they need to capture the town’s attention and build their own relationships.
A grand reopening would be a cornerstone event to promote with radio, video display and OTT/CTV. Radio ads get the word out about the event to a broad audience. Video ads and those on streaming can use the same content to show new inventory, giveaways, refreshments and more. OTT/CTV is a higher-premium tactic but worth it when a business needs to establish itself. With something as visual as jewelry, video is much more appealing than static images.
Digital with Radio: The Best Way for Rural Businesses to Thrive
Upselling businesses in rural America with digital and radio campaigns may not be as out of reach as you think. In a digital world, everyone interacts with devices throughout their day, giving any organization the opportunity to reach them.
You can start with simple and cost-effective tactics like display and geofencing. Once your customers see how well they perform, you can move up to OTT/CTV, SEM (search engine marketing) and social media ads. Continuing to educate them on how things work ensures they’ll continue to trust you. Radio also stays part of every campaign, as digital and radio work better together.
For more insights on the topic, check out these articles:
Finding Viable Leads in Small Markets: 4 Ideas to Unseat the Incumbent Seller
