There are many so called social media marketing 'experts' that are advocating the power and inexpensive cost efficiency of social media as an alternative to the more traditional forms of advertising, such as radio, that have utilized BRANDING to communicate to consumers. They are attempting to convince advertisers that their dollars are better spent on new media, and for the most part, radio has been idly standing due to the fact that many of us don't even understand the platforms that exist in the business world.
After some careful evaluation and efforts to stop beating our chest, it can be easily seen where radio and SMM are a great match together! Consider that Twitter and Radio BOTH rely on immediacy in communicating a message to the audience and can be used together as a strong platform to meet an advertisers' needs. Our 5 or 10s sponsorship tags are really very similar to the 140 character messages that Twitter uses to catch your attention before your attention spans wanders. Think about integrated promotional campaigns that use SMM to drive consumers to the stations' website with a link to an advertiser website.
As an example, I personally, am using Twitter as an opportunity to position myself as a BRAND, knowledgable in the fields of radio, SMM, business and sales application. I do not "sell" people into my station - I look to build a following based on credibility and substance. If I build a relationship with business people based on these principles, and yes some might be other radio station reps and managers, perhaps I might be viewed as a 'marketing consultant' and someone people would want to deal with. Does it not help my positioning in the market if other radio people are following my words?
I would appreciate your comments on this and welcome you to seriously consider this philosphy. I utilize Twitter, Linked In and Facebook and am building the brand of RADIOSALESGUY. That's my shamless plug. http://twitter.com/#!/RadioSalesGuy Thanks for reading!
