Rating: +2
Radio works great for two types of products and services: the first is a product or service where there is an immediate need. The second is a product or service where the listener can call up immediately and book in an appointment.
So, since a broken pipe will likely send a potential customer online or to the yellow pages, you may be able to model what the automobile brake companies do with radio: use it as a proactive “brake check service.”
The most successful companies in this category don’t sell “fixing a brake,” they sell the idea of “a break check” … that leads to a “brake fix” if needed.
Maybe your proactive offer could be a “Free pipe check” or “leak check” or “save water” device … or some other low-cost/low-involvement offer that can be easily translated into the radio space and generate calls for book-ins.
This then can lead to a “clean your pipes” or “fix your pipes” follow-up or back-end for revenue.
Remember the simple formula: Target, Offer, Copy.
You may be targeting the wrong audience with your choice of stations or programming. Take a look at this and make your target anyone who owns a house, with a free offer of some proactive plumbing product or service. The copy should take care of itself, because the main elements of this strategy are making sure you are getting to the people who can actually benefit from your product or service.
With this strategy, you may also see a pickup in your calls overall, as people who go to the yellow pages will remember your company and choose you over the competition.
One way to track this is to change the question, “How did you hear about us?” to “Where did you first hear of us?”
I know it’s a small distinction, but it’s one that can make tracking and your test and measure more accurate.
