The most successful companies use a variety of advertising techniques to reach their target audience and promote their products or services. Some common advertising techniques used by successful companies include:

1. Paid advertising: This includes techniques such as television commercials, radio ads, and online ads (e.g., display ads, search ads, social media ads). Paid advertising allows companies to reach a specific audience and target specific demographics. Think of GEICO and their radio and TV ads. Target and their retargeting ads. Anheuser-Busch and their OTT/CTV, television, radio, print, billboard ads.

2. Content marketing: This involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. Content marketing can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and other forms of digital media.

3. Influencer marketing: This involves partnering with influencers (individuals with a large following on social media or other platforms) to promote a company's products or services. Influencer marketing can be effective at reaching a specific audience and increasing brand awareness.

4. Public relations: This involves managing a company's reputation and building relationships with the media, customers, and other stakeholders. Public relations can include press releases, media relations, and event planning.

5. Social media marketing: This involves using social media platforms to promote a company's products or services and engage with customers. Social media marketing can include creating and sharing content, running social media ads, and engaging with followers.

These companies often use a combination of the above advertising techniques to reach their target audience and promote their products or services. They will continually test and measure the effectiveness of different advertising techniques and adjust strategies as needed.

Most importantly, they have the resources to utilize not only the most effective modes of advertising, but also multiple of them simultaneously. This is a luxury a small business does not have.

So why am I writing this?

Because it's important to see what the 'big guys' do then apply those successes, that they spend the money experimenting on, to your own small business.

For example Federated Media invested in a digital interface where you can have one of their radio station's at your finger tips. Create your own playlists. Listen to whatever song the station plays. Sounds pretty great, right? Your favorite radio station on demand! Except Spotify, Apple, Pandora, and more already do that and when people are listening 'on-demand' they tend to not care about the local aspect a radio station bring to the experience. So a smaller organization, like Big Rapids Media, decided not to do this. Thanks Federated for the experiment.

It's also worth applying even the basic concepts on a local level. For example, most businesses can't afford to put their logo inside Tiger Stadium for an entire season like the Ford Motor Company. But every business can put their logo on the Little League field next to the area's largest elementary school all spring, summer, and fall for $250 total.

Finally, in smaller markets realize the cost of local mass media and digital advertising is most likely not what you think, but you also get what you pay for. Not all radio stations are created equal, and not all media outlets reach the same amount of people.

For example, the Big Rapids Media Network is always offering 'package deals' for airtime like WBRN's Detroit Tiger Baseball Sponsorships and Reed City High School Football. These packages have live and recorded mentions along with commercials in and out of the games making them a full mix of name recognition and branding through commercial messaging, all in one. They also offer a Fire Sale that gives small businesses, even those with small advertising budgets, the opportunity to be on multiple radio stations for the price of 1. For businesses with no advertising budgets, they can participate in the Big Country Auction.

Additionally, Big Rapids Digital has digital advertising approaches that cost as little as $150 a month to target your competitors geo-locations. They can create websites for under $1000 and design graphics for no charge.

Being a business owner in a small market has it's challenges, but it also has it's perks. Such as affordability.

For more info on Big Rapids Media and Big Rapids Digital, contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com

Marketing is an essential part of any business, but it can also be expensive. However, there are many effective marketing practices that cost little or no money at all. Here are some of the best marketing practices that won't break the bank:

1. Utilize social media: Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are free to use and can be great marketing tools for small businesses. By consistently posting relevant content, engaging with followers, and using hashtags, you can reach a wider audience without spending any money.

2. Create valuable content: Providing valuable and informative content can attract potential customers to your business. Consider starting a blog or creating videos that provide helpful tips or solve common problems for your target audience.

3. Network and collaborate: Building relationships with other businesses or industry professionals can be an effective way to market your business. Consider partnering with complementary businesses to cross-promote each other, or collaborating on a project that benefits both parties.

4. Get involved in your community: Participating in local events or volunteering your time and resources can not only help your business gain exposure, but it also helps to build a positive reputation in your community.

5. Utilize email marketing: Email marketing can be a cost-effective way to reach potential customers. By collecting email addresses from current customers and interested leads, you can send newsletters, promotional offers, and other valuable content to a targeted audience.

By implementing these marketing practices, you can effectively promote your business without breaking the bank. Remember, the key is to be consistent, creative, and strategic in your approach.

Finally, remember these efforts require a lot of time, planning, and patience. Big Rapids Digital can help you create content, plan, and execute campaigns so you can focus on your business. A partnership with Big Rapids Digital may be more cost effective than you think as well!

For more contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals that help businesses and individuals plan and achieve their objectives. The acronym was first introduced in the 1980s as a way to guide goal setting and ensure that goals were clear and attainable. Here is a breakdown of each element of a SMART goal:

1. Specific: A specific goal is clear and specific, and answers the questions "what," "why," and "how."

2. Measurable: A measurable goal can be quantified, so progress can be tracked and measured.

3. Achievable: An achievable goal is realistic and attainable given the resources and constraints of the business or individual.

4. Relevant: A relevant goal is aligned with the overall business or personal objectives and meets the needs of the target audience.

5. Time-bound: A time-bound goal has a specific timeline for completion, which helps to create a sense of urgency and accountability.

SMART goals can be helpful in guiding goal setting and ensuring that goals are clear and attainable. By following the SMART criteria, businesses and individuals can develop a roadmap for success and track progress towards achieving their objectives.

How does this apply to Marketing?

SMART goals can help with marketing in several ways:

1. SMART goals provide a clear roadmap for success: By setting specific and measurable goals, businesses can understand exactly what they need to achieve and how to track their progress. This helps to create a clear roadmap for success and ensures that marketing efforts are focused and aligned with business objectives.

2. SMART goals help businesses stay on track: Setting time-bound goals helps businesses stay on track and ensures that they are making progress towards achieving their objectives. This helps to create a sense of accountability and ensures that marketing efforts are consistently moving forward.

3. SMART goals help businesses make informed decisions: By setting relevant goals, businesses can ensure that their marketing efforts are aligned with their target audience and business objectives. This helps to make sure that marketing resources are being used effectively and efficiently.

4. SMART goals help businesses measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts: By setting measurable goals, businesses can track progress and understand what is and isn't working. This helps to identify areas for improvement and optimize marketing efforts for maximum impact.

Overall, setting SMART goals can help you stay focused and achieve success with your marketing efforts. It's important to review and adjust your goals regularly to ensure that they are still relevant and achievable.

For more contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com

KPIs or Key performance indicators are metrics used to measure the performance of a business or individual. They are used to track progress towards specific goals and objectives and help determine if a business or individual is on track to meet their targets.

KPIs can be used to measure a wide range of business activities, including marketing, sales, customer service, and financial performance.

Marketing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are metrics used to measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts. They help businesses track progress towards marketing goals and determine if their marketing strategies are working. Some common marketing KPIs include:

1. Website traffic: The number of visitors to a website. This KPI can help businesses understand how many people are viewing their website and if their marketing efforts are driving traffic to the site.

2. Conversion rate: The percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. This KPI helps businesses understand how effective their website is at converting visitors into customers.

3. Social media engagement: The number of likes, comments, and shares on social media posts. This KPI helps businesses understand how well their social media content is resonating with their audience and if it is driving engagement.

4. Email open rate: The percentage of emails that are opened by recipients. This KPI helps businesses understand if their emails are being read and if their email marketing campaigns are effective.

5. Lead generation: The number of leads generated through marketing efforts, such as website forms or events. This KPI helps businesses understand how well their marketing efforts are at generating leads and attracting potential customers.

By tracking these and other marketing KPIs, businesses can gain insights into the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and make informed decisions about how to improve and optimize their strategies.

While some forms of marketing and advertising are difficult to track, such as radio or television, they are not impossible.

For example, Big Rapids Media provides the dates and times your radio commercials air on any and all stations you're a part of. You can cross reference the days and times with web traffic and foot traffic to gause response. Over the course of 3-6 months, you will begin to have enough data to see an accurate picture of whether your radio advertising is driving traffic to your website or store.

For more on Marketing KPIs, how you can set them up, and how you can apply them, contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com

Setting marketing goals is an important step in any marketing plan. It helps a business determine what they want to achieve through their marketing efforts and provides a roadmap for success. Here are some steps to help a business set marketing goals:

1. Define your target audience: Understanding your target audience is crucial in setting marketing goals. Identify who your ideal customers are and what they need or want from your business.

2. Identify your business objectives: Determine what your overall business goals are, such as increasing sales or expanding into new markets. This will help guide your marketing goals.

3. Determine your marketing budget: Consider how much you are willing and able to spend on marketing efforts. This will help narrow down your options and make it easier to set realistic goals.

4. Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals: It's important to set specific and measurable goals so you can track your progress and determine if you are meeting your objectives. Make sure your goals are achievable and relevant to your business and target audience, and set a timeline for achieving them.

5. Create a plan to achieve your goals: Once you have set your marketing goals, develop a plan to achieve them. This may involve creating a content calendar, identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress, and setting aside a budget for marketing efforts.

By following these steps, a business can set clear and achievable marketing goals that will help guide their marketing efforts and drive success.

For more on finding your target audience: Your Target Audience (bigrapidsdailynews.com)

For more on KPI's (Key Performance Indicators): Marketing KPI's or Key Performance Indicators (bigrapidsdailynews.com)

For more information on how to set marketing goals for your business, contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com

Gorilla marketing is a marketing strategy that involves using unconventional and creative tactics to promote a product or service in a way that is unexpected and attention-getting. The goal of gorilla marketing is to stand out from traditional advertising methods and create a memorable and engaging experience for the consumer.

Gorilla marketing can take many forms and typically involve using low-cost, grassroots tactics to reach a large audience in a short amount of time. This can include things like street marketing, viral marketing, and ambush marketing.

Other examples of gorilla marketing might include using social media influencers to promote a product, creating a pop-up shop or event, or using experiential marketing to create an interactive and immersive experience for the consumer.

Gorilla marketing is often used by small businesses or startups that want to create a big impact with a limited budget. It can be an effective way to create buzz and generate brand awareness, but it is important for businesses to carefully consider their target audience and marketing goals when planning a gorilla marketing campaign.

Learn more about how to find your Target Audience: Your Target Audience (bigrapidsdailynews.com)

For more information on gorilla marketing, contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising refers to any form of advertising that reaches consumers while they are outside of their homes. This can include traditional forms of advertising, such as billboards and transit advertising, as well as newer forms of advertising, such as digital billboards and location-based mobile advertising.

OOH advertising is often used to reach people who are on the go, such as commuters or travelers, as well as people who are in specific locations, such as near a retail store or at a tourist attraction.

One of the key benefits of OOH advertising is that it allows businesses to reach a large audience in a specific location, which can be particularly useful for businesses that have a physical location nearby or are targeting a local market.

OOH advertising can be effective for a wide range of businesses and organizations, including retail stores, restaurants, tourism companies, and service providers. It is important for businesses to carefully consider their target audience and marketing goals when deciding whether OOH advertising is a good fit for their needs.

For more on finding your target audience see Your Target Audience (bigrapidsdailynews.com)

One example of a business using out-of-home (OOH) advertising is a fast food chain or gas stations that places billboards near their exits on busy highways to attract potential customers. By targeting people who are on the go and likely to be in need of a quick meal, this type of advertising can be an effective way for the fast food chain to drive sales and increase brand awareness.

Another example of a business using OOH advertising is a clothing retailer that places digital billboards in high-traffic areas, such as shopping malls or busy city streets, to promote its latest fashion collections. The digital billboard gives the advertiser multiple messages to rotate, which works exceptionally well at intersections with stop lights. This type of advertising can be particularly effective for reaching a younger, fashion-conscious audience.

OOH advertising can also be effective for promoting events, such as concerts or festivals, by using billboards and other forms of advertising to build excitement and awareness among people who are in the area.

Again, the effectiveness of OOH advertising will depend on the specific goals and target audience of the business, as well as the location and type of advertising used. It is important for businesses to carefully consider these factors when planning an OOH advertising campaign.

For more information on best practices and applications of the different types of advertising, contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com

What is a Target Audience for your Business?

A target audience is the specific group of people that a business, organization, or individual is trying to reach with their marketing or communications efforts. The target audience is usually defined based on characteristics such as age, gender, location, interests, and income level. Identifying the target audience is an important part of the marketing process, as it helps to focus efforts and resources on the people most likely to be interested in the product or service being offered. By understanding the characteristics, needs, and behaviors of the target audience, businesses can tailor their marketing messages and tactics to be more relevant and effective.

How do you find your Target Audience?

There are several ways that a business can determine who their target audience is. One way is to conduct market research, which involves gathering data on potential customers, such as their demographics, interests, behaviors, and needs. This can help a business to understand who their customers are and what they are looking for in a product or service.

Another way to determine a target audience is to look at the business's existing customer base. By analyzing customer data, such as purchase history and feedback, a business can identify common characteristics among its customers and use that information to define its target audience.

A business can also use its competitors' customer data to identify potential target audiences. By analyzing the customers of similar businesses, a business can gain insights into who their target audience may be and how to reach them effectively.

Overall, there are many ways that a business can determine its target audience. The specific approach will depend on the business and its goals.

Why is it important to know your Target Audience?

It is important to know your audience when marketing your business because doing so can help to increase the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. By understanding your target audience, you can create marketing messages and campaigns that are tailored to their needs, interests, and behaviors. This can help to capture their attention and persuade them to take the desired action, such as make a purchase.

Knowing your audience can also help you to choose the right marketing channels and tactics. For example, if your target audience is young adults, you may want to focus on social media marketing, whereas if your target audience is older adults, you may want to focus on print or television advertising. By choosing the right channels and tactics, you can reach your audience where they are and increase the chances of success.

Overall, knowing your audience is essential for creating effective marketing campaigns. It allows you to tailor your messages and tactics to the specific needs and preferences of your target audience, increasing the chances of success and helping your business to grow and thrive.

You know your Target Audience, now what?

Once you have identified your target audience, there are a few steps you can take to effectively reach and engage with them:

1. Develop a marketing strategy: Create a plan for how you will reach and engage with your target audience. This should include tactics such as SEO for your website, social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and paid advertising such as radio advertising, search engine marketing, programmatic, OTT & CTV, and more.

2. Create relevant, high-quality content: Develop content that is relevant and valuable to your target audience. This can include blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, and other types of media.

3. Use data and analytics: Use data and analytics to understand the behavior and preferences of your target audience. This can help you tailor your marketing efforts and make them more effective. Gather data by asking customers how they heard of you, send existing customers surveys on behavior, etc.

4. Engage with your audience: Interact with your audience on social media and other platforms, and respond to comments and questions in a timely manner. This can help build trust and loyalty among your audience.

5. Test and optimize: Regularly test and optimize your marketing efforts to ensure that you are reaching and engaging with your target audience effectively. This can involve A/B testing different tactics or analyzing data to see what is working and what can be improved.

For more on finding your target audience and reaching them, contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media at scarp@bigrapidmedia.com.

Big Rapids Media offers radio advertising on the Big Rapids areas largest radio stations (Y-102, Big Country, WBRM, Rewind 99.1) as well as the full suite of digital advertising products via Big Rapids Digital.

The terms advertising and marketing are often used interchangeably, but they are actually two different concepts.

Marketing refers to the broader process of promoting and selling a product or service. It includes activities like market research, product development, branding, pricing, distribution, and customer service. Marketing is concerned with creating and delivering value to customers and satisfying their needs and wants.

Advertising, on the other hand, is a specific type of marketing activity that involves promoting a product or service through paid messages in various media, such as television, radio, print, online, and outdoor advertising. Advertising is focused on creating and disseminating messages that will persuade potential customers to take a specific action, such as make a purchase.

In short, marketing is the overarching strategy that a business uses to promote and sell its products or services, while advertising is a specific tactic that a business can use as part of its marketing strategy.

Why is advertising important for a business?

Advertising is important for a business because it can help to inform potential customers about the business's products or services and convince them to make a purchase. Advertising is a key component of a business's marketing strategy, and it can help to build brand awareness, improve customer engagement, and drive website traffic and sales.

Advertising allows a business to reach a wide audience and target specific demographics. For example, a business can use broadcast radio to target a specific demographics in a specific geographic location. Radio stations have formats they present for listeners that form specific audiences. For instance Rewind 99.1 is a classic rock station. Songs are played from the 70's up through the 90's. The audience for classic rock are men ages 45-64 with a secondary audience of men ages 18-35 who are returning to the 'nostalgia' of the classics.

Another example is social media advertising to reach customers in a specific age range or location. Both broadcast radio and digital advertising can help to increase the effectiveness of the business's marketing efforts.

Advertising can also help to build trust and credibility with potential customers. By consistently promoting a business and its products or services, a business can establish itself as a reputable and trustworthy provider. This can help to convince potential customers to choose the business over its competitors.

In short, advertising is essential for a business to succeed in today's competitive market. It helps to inform potential customers, build brand awareness, and drive website traffic and sales. Without a strong advertising strategy, a business may struggle to attract and retain customers.

What are the most important advertising platforms to consider?

This is a loaded question. Your business type, geographic location, and target audience are all considerations for defining the 'most important' advertising platforms for your business.

Some of the most common types of advertising include:

1. Broadcast Radio and television advertising: This type of advertising involves placing ads on radio stations with specific formats and in specific television programs. Television and radio advertising is a powerful way to reach a large audience, but television in particular can be expensive. Radio remains one of the most cost effective platforms, but in larger markets can become costly to be effective (many stations means too much noise for smaller/shorter campaigns to have effectiveness). Both mediums have also seen streaming cut into their audiences but radio remains resilient with more than 85% of Americans listening every week. As of 2022, broadcast television reaches less people than streaming video (OTT/CTV) does.

2. Paid search advertising: This type of advertising involves placing ads on search engine results pages (SERPs) based on specific keywords that users search for. Paid search advertising can be an effective way to reach potential customers who are actively looking for products or services like those offered by the business. It is very effective at catching potential customers late in the sales cycle, but without a strong brand awareness can struggle to translate into real sales.

3. Social media advertising: This type of advertising involves placing ads on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media advertising can be a powerful tool for reaching specific demographics and interests and engaging with potential customers, but many social media campaigns struggle to connect 'engagements' with actual sales.

4. Display advertising: This type of advertising involves placing ads on websites and other online platforms such as apps and games. Display advertising can be an effective way to reach a wide audience and drive website traffic and sales, but it is today's most popular form of advertising making a businesses attempts to 'cut through the clutter' difficult.

5. Print advertising: This type of advertising involves placing ads in newspapers, magazines, and other printed materials. Print advertising can be a effective way to reach a specific audience, but it can be limited by the reach of the publication. The cost of print advertising has risen in recent years despite it's circulation falling.

6. Outdoor advertising: (also known as out-of-home (OOH) advertising) this type of advertising reaches consumers when they are outside of their homes. Outdoor advertising includes a wide range of formats, such as billboards, street furniture, transit ads, and other forms of "ambient" advertising. OOH is a great complement to other forms of advertising such as broadcast radio, digital advertising, and video/TV.

Again, the most important types of advertising to your business will depend on the specific goals and objectives of your business, your target audience, geographic area, and more.

For more information on best practices and applications of the different types of advertising, contact JT Scarpelli at Big Rapids Media: scarp@bigrapidsmedia.com