Think radio. Yes, radio. You may be surprised to learn that young people today listen to the radio. According to a recent report from marketingprofs.com, more people between the ages of 18 and 34 user radio each week than use Facebook or twitter. And this is not Pandora radio, but the kind of radio that is transmitted with commercials over the air waves.

I have worked with a couple of local businesses that advertised on local radio stations, and the voice of business became somewhat of a local celebrity. One office products business does not have a retail store, but their spokesman said he would be outside their warehouse facility one afternoon handing out free samples and invited people to come by to see him. That business was amazed at the amount of traffic and engagement that invitation generated. People who knew him from the radio wanted to come by to meet him and say hello. New customers were generated, and the company had new avenues of communication that they had never had before.

In another example, the owner of a restaurant I work with advertises on local radio stations that cater to sports fans and to the baby boomer generation. He is so well known by his voice now that people will recognize it, and also come in to the restaurant to meet him. He doesn’t even need to use his last name anymore – everybody thinks they know him and have a relationship with him. The ads fit the personality of his business.

Think about your local market. What radio stations serve it? What does it cost to buy a series of ads? They can be shorter than 30 seconds each. Who can be the voice of your business? Your brand personality can come out clearly on the radio, and it may be a good investment of your advertising dollars to drive loyalty, awareness, and conversation.

Read the full marketingprofs.com article here: http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2013/10374/five-ways-to-connect-with-millennials-yes-via-radio

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