6 Steps to Make a Radio Endorsement Work for Your Brand

Radio is already a powerful advertising channel that offers rich targeting, huge reach, and influence on purchase decisions. But can using a radio endorsement really help take your marketing to the next level? In a time when influencer marketing is more and more effective, the answer is a resounding yes.

Radio Personalities Are Major Influencers

Consider the fact that 70% of listeners think of their favorite radio host or personality like a friend whose opinion they value. Another 52% directly stated that the radio host influences their opinion, and 51% have considered or purchased a product or service simply for the fact that the ad aired during their radio host’s show. In fact, in one case study by the Radio Advertising Bureau, 55% of respondents said that they trusted a medical service thanks to hearing their favorite radio personality’s testimonial for it. And interest in radio hosts extends beyond the airwaves, making them influencers on social media as well.

In today’s post, we’ll cover six steps to help you leverage a radio endorsement for your business.

Step 1: Choose a Station Based on Your Audience

Every choice you make in marketing needs to be based on solid data, and that’s no different when selecting the right radio station. Choose the station based off of market research on your target audience to ensure that your endorsement is actually heard by the audience most qualified for your business offering. The more accurately you nail this down the better, and remember that audience segmentation is an important element in your decision making.

Step 2: Choose a Personality Who Believes in Your Brand, Product, or Service

Following your target audience’s habits may nail down a daypart for you to advertise during as well, but with an effective radio endorsement, the host or personality will be talking about your brand on your behalf. It’s critical that this is genuine—no one responds to a flat sales pitch! The more the radio personality believes in your company, the more authentic and powerful their recommendation.

It’s important to realize that an endorsement, radio or otherwise, doesn’t work like other marketing. With endorsements, you are directly tying your brand to a particular personality (or personalities), and that association can have a much larger impact on your business. You need to ensure that you choose a personality that aligns with brand and audience values.

Step 3: Ensure the Radio Personality Is Educated about Your Brand

The importance of authenticity can’t be emphasized enough. In addition to making sure you have true brand believers in your radio personalities, give them access to resources on your products and services, let them ask questions, and listen to their experiences with your brand. When they go on air with their endorsement, they should sound like they know what they’re talking about without giving a sales pitch.

Step 4: Develop a Strategic Plan and Effective Budget

Radio endorsements should be planned according to your greater marketing campaign schedule and budget. Aim to time endorsements when they will have the greatest impact, and coordinate with paid commercials to leverage radio’s role as a reminder medium where it makes sense.

Step 5: Take Advantage of Other Channels

Just like you should plan an endorsement as part of a larger radio marketing strategy, you should work endorsements into an overall cross-channel approach. Adding radio to an integrated media mix has proven results. While radio, TV, and digital each lift pertinent KPIs by an average of 17%, 13%, and 14% respectively, combining radio with TV raises that to 21%, and combining radio with digital raises that to 23%. Take advantage of the fact that listeners access their favorite personalities on multiple platforms, specifically social media.

Step 6: Work with Your Media Partner

Your media partner should be a trusted expert that can provide the best advice and assistance when developing your radio marketing plan. Talk with your media rep about the best stations, dayparts, and personalities to reach your target audience effectively.

Radio hosts and other personalities are undoubtedly influential with their audience. They’re considered trustworthy and their opinion is often highly valued. Using a radio endorsement as part of your radio advertising plan and overall marketing strategy can be a smart choice, but make sure you do so thoughtfully so it pays off for your business.