Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 12:17:35 +1000 Subject: Radio Commercials From: "DON DIXON" <balloons@magna.com.au> To: Balloon Headquarters <balloondeco@fooledya.com> G'Day from Downunder, Commercials ...... very tricky! The cost of radio or TV commercials is very high, but that is proportionate to the return one can expect IF ...... you do your homework first. We'd like to share our experiences. We first tried radio commercials for Dolly's decorating company about 2 years ago. We ran 3 separate 30 second commercials, 4 nights a week between 7pm and 11pm. During the "Love Song Dedications" show. The radio station we chose mainly for geographic reasons. (our target area) These ads ran for a month.It turned out to be a total waste of a lot of money! We got orders ..... but ......? It has taken 2 years for Dolly to even LISTEN to the idea of trying again. Recently we began a new radio campagne. This time .... radio station with wider geographic audience but high DEMOGRAPHICS towards females aged in our target bracket ..... daytime only, .... one day per week only. The results have been very good so far! We'll run for at least 3 months and then probably give it a rest till the season (or reason) is right again. The best thing .... the total cost of this campagne is less than the radio ads 2 years ago that bombed. If you own a balloon decorating business, there are so many critical factors to consider for radio or TV advertising. Consult some experts, it helps enormously. Things to consider; Demographics that fit your target market. (WHO specifically are you trying to reach?) The day of the week and the hour of the day that your product / service will appeal to listeners. (toilet cleaners don't advertise well during breakfast radio) The month/s of the year. (season) The duration of the advertising campagne. The wording of your ad can make or break the bank. What is the REAL purpose of the ad? Selling product? Maybe .... maybe not .....? Too many words or messages in an ad loses appeal. Remember the "KISS" message? Are you seeking short term or mid-long term return on your investment? There are key factors that I can't divulge on this list. (Dolly has competitors - so ask us at IBAC) If you disregard just one factor, your results could be disasterous. A tip from a couple in Sydney who found the answer the expensive way .... be careful, be thorough and seek professional guidance BEFORE you listen to that first demo tape. Our best advice is; don't disregard any form of advertising until you have thoroughly looked into the merits and demerits of each IN RELATION TO YOUR BUSINESS. Start with establishing a FIXED annual advertising budget. Good luck to all and we welcome some of your advice/tips on this very important topic. Don & Dolly Dixon CBAs Business of Balloons Pty Ltd Sydney - AUSTRALIA