Category: Direct response

Reaching a Targeted Audience…Like Truck Drivers

Reaching a Targeted Audience…Like Truck Drivers

Hitting the right target at the right time with the right message is crucial to the success of your business. If your target audience is made up of truck drivers, Precision Target Marketing is the ideal match between your business and the customers you want to reach.

Media Partners Worldwide can help.

Precision Target Marketing to Truckers

The IRS has a penchant for auditing truckers who are infamous for keeping inaccurate financial records. Agents frequently adjust the amount of income truck drivers report by taking away many reported expenses. Like a “minor delay” on the highway, there is no end in sight for truckers and their tax issues.

The key to effectively marketing to truckers is to pinpoint your message based on demographics and individual interests. The professionals at Media Partners Worldwide are experts at precision target marketing. If you are a Tax Accountant, Tax Attorney, or Tax Resolution Specialist, our proprietary database of over 4 million truckers combined with trucker apps is an ideal and precise target marketing opportunity for your business. We can even identify drivers who have state and/or federal tax liens against them.

How We Do It

Media Partners Worldwide creates marketing opportunities by compiling true and accurate data. That data is then used to segment consumers to help our clients discover the Holy Grail – the Right Person on the Right Device at the Right Time.

We start with a custom email Drip Campaign that alternates frequently to help cut through the clutter. Because our database includes truckers’ unique Mobile Device IDs, we are able to identify where they are physically by Geo-fencing hundreds of locations nationwide.

Once trucker locations are identified, we deliver custom digital ads and video commercials directly to mobile devices through a Trucker App. Ads are deployed when there is a break in content or a new page is loading on a trucker’s mobile phone. This helps to eliminate distractions like small, unreadable banner ads and keeps eyes glued to the screen. When available, we can also deploy ads that take over an entire phone screen with a custom digital ad or video.

Media Partners Worldwide

Think of Media Partners Worldwide as a Precision Marketing Matchmaker. We can connect your business to millions of truckers nationwide.

Contact us today for a free quote.

 

Live Radio Reads in the Lead

When it comes to marketing your products or services locally and affordably, you can’t beat radio. In 2019 the format reached, on a weekly basis, nearly 93% of all adults ages 35-64. But to make the most of this marketing medium, studies are increasingly showing that live reads are the way to go. If you’re looking to better capture your audience and convert listens to sales, here’s everything you need to know.

Live Reads vs. Recorded Spots

You can reach your intended audience quickly and easily through radio, whether you use live reads or recorded advertising pieces. However, live reads come with a wide variety of advantages that help them to consistently out-perform their pre-recorded contemporaries. When opting for live, marketers…

  • Can tweak campaigns for every read if changes are needed
  • Provide a more engaging, personal feel in every recommendation
  • Will seamlessly integrate promotional content into entertaining radio shows, reducing station surfing and disconnection

Research shows that midday airing prompts the best return on investment for radio advertising campaigns, and that live reads are up to three times more effective than recorded spots at these times. It’s really no surprise – when you speak live, you foster stronger brand loyalty by creating a more personal connection between speaker and listener.

Choose Media Partners Worldwide for Your Live Read Needs

Founded in 1997, Media Partners Worldwide has since garnered over twenty years of success stories. Our decades of dedication have brought with them resources and connections, and we’d love to use these tools to take your business’s marketing to the next level. We’ll meet your radio campaign with excitement, experience, and attention to detail, guaranteeing you unmatched reach and results.

Contact us today to learn about our analytics tracking, performance campaigns, and influencer reads. The radio industry is alive and well, and it’s time for your company to be live right alongside it!

What Does Corona Virus Mean for Advertising?

We have lived through Swine Flu, Ebola, SARS, and now Corona Virus. What makes Corona Virus unique is the fact that it is officially a pandemic. The point of this article is not to spread fear (there is enough of that) or tell you what you already know. The point of this article is to talk about what this means for the advertising and marketing community.

We see that the stock market is down. This is a reflection of the significantly reduced economic activity. People are stocking up on essentials and trying to stay home as much as possible. Restaurants are offering take-out and delivery only, if not closing doors completely. Major metropolitan cities are implementing city-wide lock downs, closing bars and other places where large groups of people are gathering. Many large companies are having their employees work from home until further notice. Students are transitioning to online classes.

The question that marketers are constantly asking is, “Where is my audience?” This question is relevant now more than ever. Audiences are shifting and the way the general population is operating has changed almost overnight. So, what does an increase in remote workers mean for advertisers? It just means that our audience is in a different place!

Nielsen Scarborough USA+ reports 90% of Americans working from home listen to AM/FM radio. People are clinging to any sense of normalcy they can find nowadays. Listening to radio can provide this sense of comfort, that things aren’t completely upside down.

“AM/FM radio is the soundtrack of the American worker regardless of where they sit,” Chief Insights Officer at Cumulus Media & Westwood One, Pierre Bouvard, states. Share of listening studies see at work listening at 68%. This number jumps up to 75% at home. This study was conducted on people 18 and up in age during 2019.

An interesting insight seen in this table is the drop in engagement on other platforms at home. This can be attributed to people having other services on in the background.

A recent MARU/Matchbox report shows “…only half of at-home Pandora and Spotify listeners can actually hear the ads.” On the other hand, AM/FM radio ads are heard 83% of the time from at home listeners.

Data from smart speakers shows the prominence of radio listening. AM/FM radio is the number one activity in terms of share of time spent, holding 24% of the share. This is 60% larger than Amazon Music’s 15% share.

NuVoodoo came out with a very recent study showing the consumption trend for radio as Americans tune in for more updates on the pandemic. The study shows 27% of those surveyed claim they are listening to radio more during the pandemic and 37% say they are using it for local market updates.

So, what’s the take away? The take away is that your audience is still there! Engaged now more than ever!

Communicate how your product/services will be augmented in accordance with the pandemic where your audience is actually listening. The key here will be to frame how your brand can help. 

Call us for great deals on remnant so we can help you realign your brand get back in touch with the world during these turbulent times. 562-439-3900

Messenger Marketing: Why It’s Hot

Mobile messaging is not a new technology or practice. We’ve all been doing it for years now. However, recent applications of its use in commerce has shown compelling reasons to think about implementing messenger marketing in your mix.

1. Popularity

Messaging used in business is becoming more common everyday. Why? Well, 87% of the global population engages in chat messaging of some sort. Over 100 billion messages pass through Facebook products everyday. To capture this huge volume of conversation, more than 40 million companies across the world leverage Messenger on Facebook. Click-to-Messenger ads on Facebook are one of the fastest growing advertising products that Facebook offers.

2. Intuitiveness 

It just feels natural. Messaging is how people communicate with almost everyone. Friends, family, coworkers, etc. Why wouldn’t they want to communicate with businesses in the same way? Messaging is quick and flexible. 64% of people would rather message than call a company. 60% claim to be open to receiving personalized messages from companies.

What’s more is people already have the apps necessary to receive and send messages! There is additional friction regarding app download, new interface, or extra notifications. This convenience and familiarity makes it easy for brands to talk to their market through messaging apps. Canadian airline, WestJet, implemented a new chat bot for Messenger which resulted in a 24% positive sentiment lift as well as increased WestJet’s message capacity by five times.

3. Immediacy 

One of the biggest advantages is that the communication is in real time. This is particularly powerful for industries like travel and hospitality. People can get flight notifications, hotel check-in updates, ask urgent questions, and make changes. All on the go. KLM airlines leveraged WhatsApp by sending booking confirmations, flight updates, and gate details to their thousands of passengers and their friends and family.

4. Scale-able Communication 

Advances in natural language programming and artificial intelligence have made bots more intelligent and user-centric. This leads to companies being able to cater to many different customer needs simultaneously. GlobeAir, a private jet chartering company, used WhatsApp to improve its customers’ experience with the brand and smooth out peak business period demand which customer query fulfillment time by 33%.

5. Personalized Engagement

When artificial intelligence meets chat, companies can deliver information and promotions to individuals at scale. Studies cite that 91% of consumers are more likely to buy from companies who remember them and provide personalized offers. The other side of the coin is the sheer amount of time savings. Automated chat allows brands to do more with that freed up time. Singapore based resort, Marina Bay, harnesses the power of chat to accommodate basic requests and give recommendations. This allows the staff to tend to more complex issues or provide a more personal touch to others.

To wrap up, the popularity, ease, speed, scale, and personalization of messaging is great for companies that provide a service such as hospitality and travel. However, having a personal messaging mechanism set up does not guarantee automatic success. A Spectrm study of 242 brands revealed that 45% did not respond within 5 days of being messaged. Similarly, many brands are not providing bots with support staff for complex queries they cannot handle. For chat to be effective, it must be smart and responsive. With proper execution, chat can be one of the most powerful tools that brands leverage.

Give us a call to talk about what chat marketing could mean for your brand! 562-439-3900

Is Your Target Audience Feeling Tech-Fatigue?

All great things come to an end. Even the hyper-connected tech savvy consumer will eventually get tired of being on their phone constantly. A recent study from iHeartRadio sheds light on media consumption trends.

The results highlight the effects of “tech-fatigue”. This refers to consumers scaling back phone usage. This means less opportunities to reach your audience.

1. Digital Detox 

The digital detox trend, coupled with data privacy and malware fears has made the mobile advertiser’s life difficult. 64% of participants in the study reduced their daily phone usage from 5 hours to 4 hours in the span of 14 months. That is a 20% drop in phone usage.

2. Broadcast Radio is Unaffected by Digital Detox 

The listening rates for AM/FM radio have remained constant over the past 5 years. 90% of listeners have listened to the radio at the same consumption level, if not more.

3. Broadcast Radio Gets More Time Than Social Media

This one may be a bit hard to believe, but that doesn’t make it any less true. The average daily time spent per adult (18+) in the U.S. on radio is 102 minutes and 51 minutes on social media. Radio gets twice as much engagement time than social media.

The moral of the story is to prevent your campaign from being hurt by trends such as tech fatigue. Having radio in your marketing mix ensures reach, scale, and reliability.

Call us today for great deals on radio spots! 562-439-3900

Three Tips to Optimize Audio Ads

When advertisers are preparing a new spot for an audio advertisement, a lot of time is spent on deciding how long the spot should be. Westwood One wanted to see if spending a significant amount of time on deciding spot length had a strong enough impact to justify the time spent on this otherwise simple decision. What they found was that longer ads do perform better, but they do not always lead to a significant difference in creative scores.

Now that advertisement length is known to not drive a significant impact on the performance of the spot, attention can be turned to finding other ways to optimize audio advertisement performance. Three best practices were identified.

1. Less messages leads to better recall!

Millward Brown, a global leader in brand strategy consulting, advertising development and optimization, media effectiveness, and brand equity research, reports that more messages in an ad leads to a lower likelihood of a single message being recalled. Powerful numbers are provided to prove this point. The first message of an ad with four total messages only has a 43% recall rate compared to an ad with a single message.

This makes sense once you think about it. Cramming a bunch of messages into an ad makes it harder to remember anything that was in the ad. A 15 second ad with one message will likely perform far better than a 30 second ad with three messages.

Instead of taking a 30 or 60 second ad as an opportunity to say everything you can about the brand, take that time to communicate one central idea in an entertaining & memorable way. Think about Snickers’ advertisements. “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” One central idea that is communicated in a consistently entertaining & attention grabbing way. Time is not wasted talking about taste, size, packaging, price, or the myriad of messages they could communicate. Instead, the message is just to eat a Snickers when you’re hungry. Now that’s memorable.

2. Prioritize brand building, not sales activation 

The Head of Effectiveness at adam&eveDDB, Les Binet, and Peter Field, a Marketing Consultant, studied the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) database of case studies to prove this point. They explain that sales activation campaigns focus on customers who are likely to buy in the very near future which is accomplished by leveraging existing brand equity to drive sales.

They make the analogy that sales campaigns are like carbs; they produce a sugar rush-like  short term sales boost followed by a crash. Sales campaigns are easy to measure because results tend to be immediate and direct.

Similarly, branding campaigns are compared to protein; a sustainable and long lasting source of energy. Brand building is more difficult and requires greater investment, however, it is critical. This involves the process of creating mental associations and beliefs that ultimately leads to the preference of one brand compared to the next. To build a brand, mass media like television and radio are necessary. This is because the objective is to communicate to everyone in the category, not just people in the market right now.

The difference compared to sales campaigns is that brand building sales effects grow and compound, becoming a main driver of long term growth. The ideal mix of sales and branding campaigns should be 60% branding and 40% sales. This makes sense because that means more brand equity is being built than being spent on sales activation.

3. Focus Creative on Emotional Claims Instead of Rational

This may sound backwards, but let’s stop and think about it. Becoming top of mind for consumers is an issue of reach. Creating brand likability and understanding is the product of good advertising. Does this sound like a feat that is accomplished through dumping facts or telling a captivating story that touches the heart?

The Binet & Field analysis reveals that emotional branding performs more strongly across all metrics, including: awareness, commitment, trust, differentiation, fame, and image. Emotional advertising and storytelling creates bonds and associations more efficiently than throwing a bunch of facts about the brand or product at the audience. Naturally, these efficiencies translate to an increase in the bottom line. Creating emotional bonds with the target market yields higher long-term sales, share, pricing power, and loyalty.

To sum up, it’s not the spot length that matters. Focus on the number of messages, branding and sales mix, and emotional claims in your audio creative.

Give us a call 562-439-3900 so that we can create high quality audio creative for you and get you great deals on media placement!

Radio is Still Thriving in 2020!

It’s 2020! And at Media Partners Worldwide we are still experiencing a lot  of interest in radio and audio, and with life life-changing technology at our fingertips like our smartphones, AirPods, voice assistants and smart speakers, it continues to thrive and be the king of mass reach!

According to Nielsen,  Radio is still the #1 reach medium, and has held its top position consistently for 16 quarters. Moreover, mobile devices, streaming, and podcasts have fueled the demand for content that can go wherever the consumer goes.

So what trends do we see in 2020?

Fragmentation of all media not affecting radio

Radio may be the king of mass reach, but it also commands a majority of our attention. In Nielsen’s Total Audience Report Q2 2019, time spent with radio among adults 18 and older is nearly 12 hours per week, while adults spend just under six hours a week with their TV-connected devices. They say we’re living in the golden age of TV, but there are only so many hours in a day one can set aside for binge-watching. Radio is there to entertain and inform when you are in your car, at the gym or wherever you go, helping to keep AM/FM radio as the #1 in-car entertainment choice.

Political Season with News/Talk driving the listening

Even though, pop music and country is reaching more of the younger audience, News/Talk was by far the most listened to genre last year according to Nielsen with a 9.5% share of listeners among persons 6+ in 2019. Though it’s held the top spot among general audiences for almost a decade, listening typically spikes around key election years, and 2020 will be no different. Radio has proven itself as a trustworthy resource for consumers who want to stay informed at the global and community level, and as usual, radio will not disappoint.

Looking to reach loyal, highly-involved listeners? Media Partners owns inventory on many News/Talk network that are jam-packed with top stations across the country.

Demand for Attribution on Radio

Attribution is a buzz word for 2020 and  what everyone is looking for and wants with radio/audio.advertising has made it easy for marketers to precisely track campaign response, and that granular level of detail has raised the bar for other media platforms. At Media Partners Worldwide, we provide our ADTRACTION software so we can measure and pinpoint how your campaigns drive traffic to make smarter creative and media buying decisions, so you can get the most of your dollars spent.

Radio is still relevant as a medium for many advertisers, with less fragmentation, more attention and now attribution is possible.

TV Shifting to Impressions Measurement… Will Radio Follow?

The Television Bureau of Advertising announced in late 2019 that it is planning to lead an industry wide change involving the transition from a rating-based to an impression-based system of audience measurement for television. Their plan is to implement these changes in 2020. Is it possible that radio will follow in suit?

Many big players in the television world are on board with the change. This includes NBC, CBS, ABC, and other television media giants. Ratings got the job done in an era of limited media platforms, but simply won’t cut it in today’s fragmented and measurable media landscape.

The problem that the TBA is trying to solve stems from the local TV market being based on cost per rating point. This is calculated by taking a program’s Average Quarter Hour Persons and divides them by the population. This is called a rating. These ratings are shrinking. An impression-based system solves this problem by providing more granular measurement that minimizes ratings compression. Costs would then be based on a cost per thousand impressions system. The bottom line is to give media sellers more power when it comes to pricing and simplify the job for advertisers when they are buying media by having everything on a common metric. A large part of this transition is educating key stakeholders on the benefits of the switch.

Now, the radio industry isn’t just closing their eyes and covering their ears while all of this is going on. Brad Kelly, Managing Director of Nielsen Audio says, “Advertisers are telling us having a commonality of metrics would ease cross-media planning and buying, and help remove friction from their processes.” Kelly is not the only decision maker for the whole industry of radio. There needs to be a consensus in the marketplace for any change to start being implemented.

As of now, there are no signs that radio is either for or against a change in metrics in their respective industry. However, one can only imagine they are feeling the pressure to innovate as they watch their fellow traditional media giants make the switch.

Industry leaders like Tom Langmyer say, “TV and radio are the only mediums that typically don’t transact based on CPM calculations, but we have the data.” A metric that can highlight the value of using radio as an advertising platform could be exactly what the industry needs. However, radio “must continue to sell integrated marketing plans, sponsorships, events, and unique experiences that aren’t valued solely on impressions. That’s where smart sales and marketing people provide even more value,” Langmyer states.

This transition allows for simplification when buying and selling media, accurate targeting and evaluation, less friction in media planning. Is this decade going to be the comeback for TV and radio? 

Let’s chat about it! Call us at 800-579-3031

Why Instagram Should be in Your Marketing Plan

Instagram often gets neglected by marketers because they believe it will be of no use to their respective business or that their target market is not on there. With over one billion monthly active users, it is safe to say that at least some members of the chosen target audience is present. There are five big reasons to start including Instagram in marketing plans.

  1. Target market access: with the one billion monthly users mentioned above, combined with social media’s ability to communicate personable messages, this is a great medium to find your target audience.
  2. Intuitive: Instagram’s user interface is powerful and simple. There is no learning curve or training necessary. For the most part, you can jump right in and get to work. 
  3. Free: It costs nothing to make an Instagram, publish content on it, and see an endless amount of content. There is also an option to do paid advertising on Instagram as well. The core functions are free, though. 
  4. No equipment necessary: Smartphones are sophisticated enough that an expensive camera, studio, or any other content production tools are not necessary. Creativity, patience, and the slightest photography know-how will get the job done at superb quality
  5. Automation capabilities: Adding another platform to the marketing mix can sound like a lot of extra work, but it really isn’t thanks to recent developments from Facebook, Instagram’s owner. There are automation dashboards that allow Instagram posts to be scheduled ahead of time, in bulk with tools such as Buffer, Hootsuite, and Sprout Social. 

To summarize, start using Instagram in your marketing plan because it’s free, easy to use, doesn’t require fancy equipment, and your target market is on there! 

Next, learn how to optimize your Facebook marketing campaign!

5 Ways to Generate Leads for Small Business

5 Ways to Generate Leads for Small Businesses

As small business owners know, there are many challenges to be faced when starting your own company. One of those obstacles is generating leads. Finding the unique way to attract people to your business requires strategy, patience, and creativity.
Here are 5 ways to engage potential customers and get them on the path of eventually buying your product or service.
1. Strong Branding
Customers love authentic companies who are strong with their message and consistent with their content. Millennials are typically more likely to support a brand if they feel they are reliable. (Check out our blog on millennials here!) So, don’t try and be everything to everyone.
Keep your brand strong by having a clear definition of who you are and maintain this definition throughout your content, visuals, and products.
2. Newsletter
If you don’t have a newsletter, you are missing out on ample opportunities to engage with potential customers. Make sure you put a newsletter sign up in every possible place that makes sense on your website.
Email campaigns are a great way to fight your way through the internet noise and be seen. Create your newsletters to include industry news, product announcements, and insights from your company. For more tips, check out our post on email marketing here.
3. Blogs
Nowadays, most reliable companies have a blog. It allows your company complete control of what is said on your niche topic and it also allows opportunities to have the undivided attention of your reader.
Create posts with statistics and credible information to authenticate your brand and allow your readers to learn. Give it real value and don’t make it all about you. Of course, there will be room to promote your product or service. But foremost, relay engaging information and join conversations that are prevalent in your field.
4. Networking at Events
Don’t forget about the real world in this predominately digital market. By going to events, you will meet people, expand your network and gain referrals.
Bring business cards and put yourself out there. Even if the event doesn’t directly pertain to your business, go anyway as it can bring about valuable contacts and leads.
5. Offers
You want to get potential customers to visit your website and an offer is a great way to do that. But keep in mind, that the offer must have enough value to a visitor to merit providing their personal information in exchange for access to it. An example of this would be creating an ebook on something prevalent and informative to your niche, or a special coupon code that offers a discount if the customers provide their email address.
Then you can use this information to send out your newsletter or latest blog post via email, which will keep your customers coming back for more.

Once you put all these elements together, you will establish brand awareness, connect with the potential customer and find what strategy works best for your company.
For more information on lead generation or how to market your small business, contact us here at Media PartnersWorldwide via phone (562) 439-3900 or email [email protected]