Technology is gradually evening the playing fields between small businesses and large corporations. This is welcome news for many Northern Indiana business owners who now have more access to utilize more marketing channels than ever. From radio advertising to podcasting, businesses expand their marketing channels to embed themselves in consumers' minds.
Consumers are bombarded with a plethora of different advertising options every day. Many adapt by "compartmentalizing," or forming consideration sets that contain the brands they commonly consider before making a purchase. Marketers, in turn, make it their mission to enter those consideration sets and occupy as much mental real estate as possible.
To compete with current marketing campaigns, marketers must look to the future: integrated marketing. That means going beyond “cross-channel marketing” to provide a unified, consistent experience that sticks with consumers whether they listen to podcasts or use voice technology.
How can you remain at the top of listeners' minds?
In the marketing world, staying "top of mind" means your brand positions itself at the forefront of a buyer's consideration set. This positioning ensures that your brand or product will be considered by the buyer when they decide to make a purchase.
Staying top of mind rarely happens by dominating a single advertising channel. Instead, you must strive to become part of the buyer's ecosystem. The best way to achieve this goal is to combine radio and other traditional marketing channels with the newest digital marketing channels. By using a hybrid approach, you can expand your audience and maximize the impact of your message.
What are some marketing channels to help you stay top of mind?
Ultimately, the marketing channels you choose will determine whether your brand stays top of mind among your target audience.
Some popular choices include the following:
- Voice technology: Voice technology is an underutilized but powerful way to increase listening. From smart speakers to game players, to customized apps, consumers have more devices than ever to boost listening.
- Radio advertising: Radio is second to none when it comes to advertising reach. Radio reaches 92% of Americans each week and offers superb staying power. Radio also offers podcasting opportunities and other on-air broadcasting possibilities.
- Podcasting: With spending on podcasting expected to increase by over $300 million since 2016, it is no surprise that podcasts are growing rapidly. In addition to offering convenience and being great for branding, podcasting helps you establish yourself as an industry expert. To maximize your regional impact, make sure your podcast contains references to specific locations or events in Northern Indiana.
- Influencer marketing: Influencer marketing remains an effective way of helping you stay top of mind. This tactic tends to be more effective when incorporated into on-air radio personalities. For maximum impact, look for influencers near Fort Wayne or South Bend.
Why are long-term data insights important to a marketing plan?
There is no substitute for data-driven marketing. Through regular monitoring, you can use past information to predict buyer behavior in the future.
More importantly, you can isolate the tactics that are working well for your organization and tweak them to optimize their impact in the future. Finally, you can further separate your brand from the competition by going beyond basic analytics to incorporate artificial intelligence into your future strategy.
How can you enhance the customer experience to gain traction?
Another great way to stay top of mind is to deliver an unforgettable customer experience. Integrated marketing does this by focusing on the customer's total experience instead of zeroing in on individual touchpoints throughout the sales funnel. Consumers can be exposed to a variety of marketing messages throughout the day. Here are some examples:
- Emailing your customer base with valuable information… think content, not spam
- Radio ads that reach 92% of consumers who are at all stages of the buying funnel
- Paid search ads that insure shoppers can find your business when they’re looking
- Display ads that reach people already in your buying funnel
- Voice tech for smart speakers around the house
- Podcasts for leisure and educational purposes
What lies ahead for Northern Indiana businesses?
Integrated marketing has emerged as the key to etching your brand in the minds of consumers. And within the integrated marketing arena, there will be a return to undervalued technologies like voice. Branded podcasts that feature their own local influencers will become more commonplace as marketers compete to enter consumer consideration sets.
By developing a strong working knowledge of integrated marketing, you can more effectively localize your advertising efforts to Northern Indiana. Local listeners will be more apt to listen to your message because it is more relevant to them. The end result is a stronger, more established brand image. To learn more about how integrated marketing works, download "The Importance of Digital & Radio's Combined Efforts."
