Since she was 12 years old, Jamie Layne has worked in every department of the family business. This prepared her for taking over as President of Victory Layne Chevrolet in Fort Myers when her dad Ronnie passed away in 2009.

It was during her time in charge of the dealership's marketing department that she learned what makes advertising successful for a Southwest Florida small business owner.

"I was taught," says Ms. Layne, "that the key to advertising is frequency...frequency...frequency.  The more people hear your commercials, the better."

"Of all the media we have used over the years," she continues, "advertising on Fort Myers radio helps us reach the most people and gives the best frequency."

Southwest Florida small business owners have more advertising options than ever. Choices include television, cable, billboards, online, and newspapers. But according to Deloitte, the world's largest business consulting firm, radio "should be a big part of the mix for those buying advertising."

Some small business owners might dismiss Deloitte's advice. They might wonder, "Does anyone listen to the radio anymore?"

"But," says Deloitte, "radio has commonly been underestimated. Radio is the voice whispering in our ear, in the background of dinner, in an office, or while driving the car. It is not pushy or prominent … but it is there."

If I only had a nickel for every local small business owner who has told me that Pandora has been siphoning listeners away from Fort Myers radio.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Southwest Florida radio, it turns out, reaches significantly more adult consumers than any other medium. More than TV. More than newspaper. And more than Pandora and Spotify combined.

What may come as a big shock to Southwest Florida business owners is Pandora's popularity, actually, is cratering among consumers.

Advertising on Fort Myers radio is the best way for business owners to reach consumers.  Last week, 92% of all consumers in Southwest Florida tuned-in to their favorite station.  This reach is significantly higher than local TV,  local newspapers, or streaming audio services like Pandora or Spotify.

What may come to a surprise to most business owners is that Fort Myers radio also reaches the greatest number of people who make the purchasing decisions at other local companies. Almost 95% of B2B buyers tune-in to a local radio station. Significantly more than all other advertising media in Southwest Florida.

It's a fact. Unless a consumer remembers your business when it comes time to buy, then it is likely they will purchase from someone else. Staying top of mind, therefore, is critical for every Fort Myers small business owner who wants to grab a share of the area's $7.1-billion retail market.

Advertising on Fort Myers radio provides local business owners with the most affordable way to move to the top of customers minds. But, before discussing how to get remembered, we must understand why consumers forget.

In 1940, WFTM in Fort Myers signed on as the first radio station in Southwest Florida. Since then, local business owners have depended on radio advertising to successfully market their goods and service. Using any advertising metric, despite the inundation of new media options, radio remains the most potent medium for fulfilling the marketing objectives of Fort Myers and Naples area business owners of every size.

Is radio advertising still effective in the 21st Century? Meet five small business owners throughout the Fort Myers and Naples are who say YES.

It is not a gimmick. Many Southwest Florida business owners qualify for free local advertising on Fort Myers radio. They pay nothing out-of-pocket.  Zero. Zilch. Zip. Bupkis. Free.

Henry Ford understood that the continual investment in advertising was necessary for a business to be successful. “Stopping advertising to save money," he said, "is like stopping your watch to save time.”

Sometimes, though, when daily expenses challenge their cash flow, Southwest Florida small business owners must prioritize spending. Many times, unfortunately, Mr. Ford’s advice is ignored and buying commercials on Fort Myers radio will move down the list behind making payroll, maintaining delivery vehicles, and replenishing stock. A lot of times advertising doesn’t make a list at all.

Some local business owners have discovered that their radio advertising doesn’t have to be sacrificed at all when belts need to be tightened. It turns out, there’s a deep pool of “free money” that can be dipped into for the singular purpose of advertising. These funds are called cooperative funds, or co-op for short.

Advance Solar & Energy (formerly Advance Solar & Spa) is the largest and oldest swimming pool heating company in South Florida. The business was founded in 1983 by cousins Brian Goldberg and Jim Fields. The company is still family owned and operated today.

"At the beginning, we were in the business of selling solar and heat pump systems for pools," says the company's Director of Operations Rick Vaske. "Over the years we have expanded into hot tubs and solar-water heaters for the home. And then, a few years ago, we moved into solar electric systems. That's now the fastest growing segment of our business."

"Five years ago, we did not have much competition for solar," says Mr. Vaske. "There were only 180 solar dealers in the entire state of Florida. But, as the price of panels fell and tax incentives have improved, just about anybody can now afford to power their homes with solar. Needless to say, we soon had more than 400 competitors. It was like a gold rush."

"During that time, however," Mr. Vaske continues, "we were able to stand apart from the competition and grow our company by 50%. Advertising on Fort Myers radio helped us do that."

Until October 2007, there was no Chevy Dealer in Estero, Florida. That was the year Patrick Denson and Charles Winston built Estero Bay Chevrolet from scratch.

"During our first full year of sales," says Mr. Denson, "we sold 600 cars, 100 more than General Motors expected from us. This year, we are on track to sell 2000 cars. Advertising on Fort Myers radio has been part of our growth since the very beginning."

Florida ranks second in the US for motorcycle ownership, just behind California.

At the end of 2017, there were 595,496 registered motorcycles in Florida, 27% more than in 2007. This growth is expected to continue. Over the next 12 months, in the Fort Myers-Naples area alone, 38,000 people plan to purchase a brand new motorcycle.

In May of 2018, to help fulfill Southwest Florida's insatiable appetite for bikes, Stu and Barbara Rosenberg opened Stu's Motorcycles in south Fort Myers.  "Sales have really taken off," says Alex Rodriguez, who helps spearhead the store's marketing efforts. "Advertising on Fort Myers radio has contributed greatly to our success."