Live radio remotes were once commonplace, and though they’re a bit less so these days they’re still an excellent way to engage with the local community. A well-done live radio remote can be an effective part of your overall marketing plan, and provide a boost to the visibility of your business. Today’s we’re going to walk through some of the considerations and expectations for remote broadcast success.

1)    Reason for the remote – A live remote is a special occasion! It’s a unique experience and setup that flips the script on a normal broadcast. Celebrations are typical setups for live remotes – events like grand openings, business anniversaries, customer appreciation days or events giving back to the community are all great potential reasons to get on the air.

2)    Select the station & talent – A live remote represents valuable airtime to the radio station, so be prepared to incur some expenses. It’s important when selecting a station to make sure their audience matches your target demographic. A live remote represents an opportunity to speak directly to people, and no part of that opportunity should be going to waste! That’s why the local on air talent is equally important. Do they engage with their listeners, put forward the kind of personality you want associated with your business and/or brand? If neither the station nor the talent fit your needs, look elsewhere! If both match what you’re looking for, make sure that the talent will be on site. Some live remotes are handled by a promotions team on site with air talent back at the station. Those local on-air personalities are a big draw, and part of your success factor. The most effective campaigns when it comes to live remotes include longer-term media buys, which include pre and post event advertising. By making a longer term commitment, you’ll not only be able to negotiate a better deal overall, but also sustain the investment – a better approach than “one-and-done” when you’re cultivating a relationship with your community.

3)    Expected outcome – Set realistic expectations for your event. Are you trying to build awareness for your location, or perhaps promote a special deal? Are you giving back to the community, or holding a fundraiser? Ultimately, the reason you are making this investment in a live on-location broadcast is to increase sales. That increase happens through both direct traffic and increased visibility – if your are in the restaurant business, maybe a goal of 10-15 percent increased traffic for the time you select is reasonable. For a car dealership, you may be looking for increased foot traffic and an uptick in test drives. A live remote, unless accompanied by an aggressive promotional offer, will only drive incremental increases in business.

4)    Preparation – Don’t let your media partner to carry the entire load of promotion. The more eyes and ears on your business, the better! Leverage their social media as much as possible, tagging them (and yourself!) in posts. Get involved in email marketing and digital advertising to get the most out of the event. Remember: while the day of the event is certainly important, part of the benefit is having a reason to talk about your business and create a buzz. The better you do with that, the more people will share the message. Partner with neighboring businesses, if possible! That partnership can include anything from exchanging gift certificates to promotional items. Be creative! A register-to-win or promotional offers tied to customers sending out a photo via social media are both great – and low-cost- ways to extend your marketing investment and get the most bang for your buck.

Think Through – Radio remotes are not one-size-fits-all. When held at the right time with the right team, a live broadcast from a local radio station can boost your business significantly. Make sure your business strategy is suited and your goals are being met. A live remote is an investment, and while it can be an exceedingly beneficial investment, save your money if it’s not exactly what your business needs. With the right media partner and the right talent – and with a little extra effort and community engagement – a live remote can be one of the most effective forms of marketing available to a small business.

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About the Author:

Gregory Woloszczuk is an Entrepreneur and experienced tech executive that helps small business owners grow their top and bottom line. Gregory believes in straight talk and helping others see things they need to see but may not want to with a focus on taking responsibly for one’s own business. He and his wife, Maureen, started GMW Carolina in 2006.
Gregory has been fortunate to have been part of building teams for companies that went through hyper-growth as well as his own company. He also has experience in working through economic downturns and taking responsibility to fix what is in his control. The focus has always been working with partners, customers, and building a successful business channel. His range of experience includes marketing, sales, support, training, and operations.
Gregory holds an MBA from Nichols College.