Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications

It's Stressfull In Kansas City!

So, I've now met with my client the National Tractor Parts Dealer Association and visited with their members.  And...now...

It's a toss up.  Tomorrow I stand in front of lots of people and tell them they need to re-focus their energy to capture another market...if they are to grow.

I'm really not sure how this will go.  It's never easy to vision.  And, when corn is selling on contract at $5.20 it's even more difficult to look toward the future when "today" is looking just fine.

But, that is what we get paid for.  Advertising agencies, like ours, look beyond today...and help our clients see what the future might hold.  We then set out a series of ideas and plans.  Some may take it and run...others might just say "no thanks".

We'll see how it goes...

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications...

Listen Up: Most Radio Stations Are Lousy Marketers

Now that I have your ear! 

(I'm sorry...but we had to!  OK...we're from Iowa!  OK??)

Ever listen to a radio station market themselves?  They are usually really (no we mean REALLY) bad.  It's kind of like somebody at the station says, "Say, we've got all this time to fill...let's say some dumb stuff that will entice business people to advertise with us!"

Here are a couple of examples:

Somebody, usually the Sales Manager, (often the least creative person on the planet) instructs his/her sales people to take a page out of 1964 and voice a message about "making those cash registers ring!"

Here is the script:

"Hi, I'm Michael Libbie, Senior Account Executive (It's more impressive to be "senior" than say....I've been here three weeks!) with K-Splat.  Ever considered Radio Advertising?  (Often it's not a good idea to ask this question...some folks can just say "no".)  Give me a call (Here we give the station phone number...sometime we'll write about phone numbers and radio advertising...but not now.) I can make your cash register ring!"  (Really?  Do cash registers "ring" anymore?)

D-U-M-B

Here is another one:

"Coming up 55 minutes of commercial free music!"  Or:  "Join us for 104 minutes of continuous music on More Music Monday!" Or:  "More Music - Less Interruptions!".

Here they are telling listeners (business people listen too) that commercials are a bother.  Gosh, wouldn't you love to advertise on a station that says your ad is "getting in the way of the Spice Girls"?

S-I-L-L-Y

You see, for all the creativity that can be housed in most radio stations, these folks are often just plain lazy.  They don't "get it" but they are trying to "sell it".

There are some neat ways to say many of the same things...but it takes creativity, thought and direction.  It takes time.

My point here is that these are often the same people many companies trust to write and then produce their radio ads...if they can't market themselves how in the world can you expect them to be serious about your message?

Your turn.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we love radio but think you deserve more...