The Top 5 Reasons Your Last Radio Campaign Failed – And How to Not Make Those Mistakes Again

Radio remains an incredibly powerful medium. As we’ve noted before, it’s a truly mobile medium – as listeners can tune in anywhere – and it offers the best reach, with 93% of American adults tuning in weekly. It reaches people throughout the day, primarily when they’re in the car and close to their purchase decision. And it delivers an impressive 12:1 ROI to prove it.

There’s just one catch — you need to have your proverbial ducks in a row before you launch your campaign if you want to hit benchmarks and achieve your marketing goals. As you may have experienced, not planning properly can lead to mistakes that will most likely undermine your results.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of radio campaign mistakes that should be addressed before running your next campaign. Neglecting to do so can have a negative impact on your campaign results.

Mistake 1: You Didn’t Set Specific Campaign Goals.

Goals are critical to defining the scope of your ad, from its message and tone to its offer and delivery. These goals also help to gauge the success of your campaign. For instance, if you run an automotive shop and you aim to attract 10 new customers over the next month, then you’ll want your radio ad to:

• Promote a particular service
• Feature a compelling offer that drives potential customers to schedule an appointment
• Include a clear call-to-action directing them to make the appointment (e.g., call a  number or visit a specific landing page on your site)

Your success would be determined by how many people made an appointment and ultimately became a customer.

Remember, you need to use specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-restricted (SMART) goals. What’s more, your goals should align with your broader business objectives. In your next campaign, be sure you’ve identified specific goals and outlined your success metrics to see measurable results.

Mistake 2: You Didn’t Budget Properly.

Your budget is another factor that determines the scope of your campaign. Your campaign creative, frequency, and duration should fit your budget rather than the other way around. What’s more, budgeting properly helps you achieve positive ROI. For instance, if a medical practice reached their target goal of five new patients, but overspent the campaign budget, then that spending cuts into the anticipated ROI and undermines their ultimate goal.

Thus, the budget should always be developed before you begin crafting the campaign. You also need to understand what your radio campaign will entail so you can budget accordingly. Based on your goals and target audience, ask yourself the following questions:

• What time(s) of the day should the radio ad air?
• How long should the campaign be? Effective campaigns often last for at least 18 weeks.
• Will I handle the ad creative or give the station full control of production?
• How often should the ad run (i.e., the frequency)?

Answering these questions can help you determine the overall cost of your radio campaign, and budget properly.

Mistake 3: You Chose The Wrong Station.

When you developed your last campaign, you may have been tempted to choose the most popular station with the most reach, or even your own favorite radio station. However, this tactic doesn’t take into account two of the most important rules in good advertising: know your audience and be where they are.

Based on audience research and data, select the station (or stations) that your target customers tune into most and place your advertisements there. For instance, a home improvement company may want to reach Chicago women to promote their latest bathroom remodeling sale. In this case, one of Hubbard’s stations, 100.3 WSHE, would be the perfect channel to focus their ads.

Mistake 4: Your Offer Was Unclear Or Ineffective.

Your audience needs to understand two things: what’s in it for them and what they need to do to get it. If your offer is confusing or vague, they won’t be interested and they’re less likely to follow through on receiving it.

Fortunately, this is an easy to fix. First, offer something tangible and, more importantly, valuable to your audience. That could be a special discount, a downloadable resource, or free access to an event. A restaurant, for example, could offer a special discount for Mother’s Day, and provide a unique coupon for radio listeners.

Second, you need to ensure that you have a strong, clear call-to-action (CTA) that outlines the next step for listeners. Never assume that your audience will already know to do something; provide guidance and make their path to conversion as frictionless as possible. Your CTA could prompt potential customers to call a specific phone number or visit a landing page URL to take action. Your audience will most likely be driving when they hear your ad, so make the CTA simple and easy to remember.

Mistake 5: You Chose The Wrong Media Partner.

Your media partner can make or break your campaign. After all, they’re supposed to be the experts. But unfortunately, not everyone has the same level of expertise when it comes to successfully managing radio campaigns.

A knowledgeable and trusted media partner – like the experts at Hubbard Chicago – will take the time to understand your business and your unique marketing needs. They’ll also leverage their skills and experience to craft a customized campaign to help you achieve your goals, not just meet a sales quota. For help with this, discover the five things to look for in a media partner.

When your campaign is executed well, it’s a tool that can yield powerful results for your bottom line. However, some radio advertising mistakes, like the five we discussed above, can be the reason your radio campaign fails. Keep these in mind in order to avoid repeating them, and to ensure your next radio campaign is a success.