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Fort Myers Radio Listeners Will Power The Post-Pandemic Recovery

Jun 10, 2020 3:49:57 PM / by Larry Julius

At the dawn of 2020, Southwest Florida small business owners were expecting the area's retail economy to expand by 4.1%. This optimism was stoked by the National Retail Federation's chief economist who said, "Consumers remain upbeat and have the confidence to spend, and the steady wage growth that has come with the strong job market is fueling their spending. The state of the consumer is very healthy."

By February, however, the country entered into a COVID-19 induced recession. Then, to slow the spread of the pandemic, on April 3, the Governor of Florida locked the state down. This brought the SWFL area's $22.5 billion retail economy to a standstill.

As stores, restaurants, and offices in the Fort Myers-Naples area begin to re-open, consumers' appetite for spending is returning. According to Nielsen, loyal radio listeners are very likely to be first in line at the cash registers.

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Topics best way to advertise, automotive, retail, small business advertising, radio advertising, small business owner, consumer spending, small business, retail sales, retail store, retailer, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, crisis marketing, recovery, reopen

Who'll Be Buying As Southwest Florida Small Businesses Reopen?

May 19, 2020 7:16:00 AM / by Larry Julius

To slow the spread of COVID-19, the Governor of Florida shut down all but the most essential businesses in the state on April 3. This public safety measure inflicted a severe disruption to the Fort Myers-Naples' $22.5 billion retail economy.

As local small business owners begin to reopen, each must concentrate on supercharging their cash flows to compensate for weeks of consumer abstinence. Turning the lights back on and hanging out a welcome sign might not be enough, though, to bring even the most loyal customers back.

Some customers may not return because of personal safety concerns. Other customers may have discovered alternative sources to purchase goods and services.

But, there is one thing every Southwest Florida small business owner can be assured of. Consumers will not return if they aren't aware that a business has reopened.

Advertising is a potent tactic for any Southwest Florida small business that needs to reintroduce itself to local consumers.

“Think you have a great product?” asks the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Unfortunately, no one’s going to know about it unless you advertise.”

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Topics best way to advertise, retail, store traffic, radio advertising, small business owner, small business, retail sales, retail store, retailer, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, crisis marketing, reopening

Should Your Fort Myers Small Business Continue To Advertise?

May 16, 2020 7:21:00 AM / by Larry Julius

COVID-19 has had a profound effect on cash register receipts in Southwest Florida. Every day small business owners from Marco Island to Cape Coral are being challenged by the pandemic induced recession.

Just yesterday, for instance, the US Commerce Department announced that April retail sales were down by 20% vs. the same month last year. This is sure to take a massive bite out of the $22.5 billion in annual consumer spending in The Fort Myers-Naples area businesses had been expecting in 2020.

“April was the cruelest month,” Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, told the Wall Street Journal. "Retail spending likely bottomed out in the first week of May with spending picking up due to Mother’s Day and gradual state reopenings.

“It’s going to be less worse with each month,” said Mr. Johnson, “as people slowly come out of the foxhole and enter the mainstream of American consumerism.”

The ability of an SWFL small business to survive past the lockdowns will depend on the steps it takes now.

WARC, a company that collaborates with more than 50 respected marketing organizations, including the Advertising Research Foundation and the Association of National Advertisers, has identified ten tactics that businesses should implement immediately. The #2 step on this list: Keep advertising if you can.

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Topics best way to advertise, small business owner, recession, small business, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, crisis marketing, WARC

Advertising On Fort Myers Radio Still Best Option During Corona Chaos

Apr 16, 2020 8:31:52 AM / by Larry Julius

The chaos created in Southwest Florida by the onset of Coronavirus has been a disruptive force among consumers. 

Work routines, buying habits, family life, and media consumption have all been palpably affected. These are all factors that need to be considered by small business owners who continue to advertise their goods and services during the crisis.

Before the current chaos, advertising on Fort Myers radio, by any metric, was the best way a local small business could advertise.

For instance, pre-Coronavirus, 807,000 adult consumers tuned-in to a Fort Myers radio station every week. This is significantly more than watched local TV, read a newspaper, accessed social media, or streamed audio from sites like Pandora and Spotify.

New research released from Nielsen indicates that amidst the current crisis, listening to local radio remains little changed. This is great news for those SWFL small business owners who are depending on advertising for their long-term survival.

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Topics pandora, best way to advertise, spotifty, streaming audio, radio advertising, online advertising, digital advertising, social media advertising, newspaper advertising, television advertising, facebook advertising, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, crisis marketing

Fort Myers Small Business Advice: Marketing During The Corona Crisis

Apr 8, 2020 7:07:27 AM / by Larry Julius

In 'normal' times, Southwest Florida consumers would be expected to rack up $22.5 billion in annual retail sales. Of course, since the onset of the Coronavirus crisis, nothing has been normal.

But as Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates, explained to Fort Myers-Naples area small business community via teleconference, consumers are still spending. This, it turns out, is normal.

Mr. Borrell shared research from Ibis that demonstrates during every type of crisis, including depressions, recessions, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and, now, pandemics, consumers still spend.

The business literature contains an abundance of examples of how continuing to market and advertise during an economic crisis can help a company survive and emerge from the episode even stronger than before.

SWFL small business owners who do continue to advertise and market, however, should consider modifying their pre-crisis strategy.

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Topics best way to advertise, radio advertising, small business owner, small business, retail sales, retail store, retailer, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, crisis marketing, Borrell Associates

Crisis Marketing: What SWFL Small Business Owners Should Know

Mar 31, 2020 12:57:21 PM / by Larry Julius

Last week, Gordon Borell, CEO of Borrell Associates, shared insights with Southwest Florida small business owners on the value of marketing to consumers during a crisis. A video replay of the teleconference is available by clicking here.

Mr. Borrell is the CEO of Borrell Associates. His company is one of the most trusted sources of trends and forecasts for local media today.

According to Mr. Borrell, despite social distancing and economic jitters induced by the Coronavirus chaos, consumers are still spending money.

He points to research from Ibis that consumer consumption continues in almost every crisis including, depressions, recessions, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and, now, pandemic.

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Topics best way to advertise, retail, small business advertising, radio advertising, small business owner, small business, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, crisis marketing, Borrell Associates

Fort Myers Radio: Who's Listening During The Coronavirus Crisis

Mar 27, 2020 3:32:59 PM / by Larry Julius

In a typical week, 800,000 adult consumers tune-in to Fort Myers radio stations.  But, since the onset of the Coronavirus, the weeks have not been typical.

Before social-distancing and work-from-home orders, 454,000 Southwest Florida consumers would drive to-and-from work each day. More than 94% of these commuters could be reached by radio.  

SWFL small business owners who depend on radio advertising to market their goods and services, therefore, might be concerned that the disruption in commuting patterns could depress the amount of time consumers spend with local radio.

According to market research, however, radio listening remains an important part of the daily life of consumers. Even amid the current chaos.

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Topics best way to advertise, retail, radio advertising, small business owner, small business, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, crisis marketing

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