Augusta area business owners are expected to spend $9.1 million on newspaper advertising in 2020. This will be 29% fewer dollars than were spent in 2019, according to a study by Borrell Associates, a company that analyzes local media expenditures across the country.

Of course, the pandemic is part of the reason advertising revenues have plummeted at Augusta newspapers. But, the more significant factor is the sustained erosion of readership.

For example, between October 2017 and March 2019, the Monday-Saturday circulation of the Augusta Chronicle has decreased by 27%. The Sunday edition suffered a 32% decrease.

Among all advertising media available to small business owners, newspaper's ability to reach adult consumers now lags significantly behind Augusta radio, cable, broadcast TV, and social media.

Type "AUGUSTA REAL ESTATE AGENTS" into Google. In slightly over a half-second, the search will deliver 8,410,000 results. Similar searches for Martinez, Evans, Aiken, Greenwood, and Lexington produce a proportional number of returns.

Despite the economic hardships imposed by the Coronavirus crisis on Central Savannah River Area consumers, the demand for real estate is booming. 

The Wall Street Journal published a trend yesterday indicating that mortgage applications for purchase a home have achieved levels equal to last year.

According to redfin.com, home buying demand is 16.5% higher now than it was pre-COVID-19 on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Redfin attributes this explosive growth in real estate shoppers to two factors, including record-low mortgage rates. The other primary driver is a migration trend from expensive metropolitan areas as buyers hunt for more space at lower prices.

To capture a larger share of the robust market, local real estate agents need to stand apart from the millions of Google results.  Advertising on Augusta radio will help accomplish this.  Here's why.

Every week, 412,144 adult consumers tune-in to an Augusta radio station. That is way more than are reached by other media, including local television, newspaper, social media, or streaming audio sites like Pandora and Spotify.

A more significant number for thousands of Central Savannah River Area small business owners who advertise on Agusta radio is how many of these listeners stick around when their commercials come on.

A 2011 Nielsen study discovered that, on average, 93% of listeners stayed with the radio station they are tuned-to when the commercials come on. That number amazed many advertisers at the time who believed that audiences were far more likely to defect when the music stopped.

A lot has changed since 2011. CSRA consumers have many more media options and can instantly connect to each  with a button-push, mouse-click, screen-tap, or voice command. With all of these choices, do radio audiences still stay tuned during commercial breaks?

The chaos created in The Central Savannah River Area 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 Augusta radio, by any metric, was the best way a local small business could advertise.

For instance, pre-Coronavirus, 412,000 adult consumers tuned-in to an Augusta 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 CSRA small business owners who are depending on advertising for their long-term survival.

Central Savannah River Area small business owners are fighting the coronavirus battles on multiple fronts.  Their first objective is to keep their families and employees safe. Then, of course, there are the concerns of keeping their businesses healthy enough to survive current disruptions.

The business literature has an abundance of case studies showing how survival is often connected to a thoughtful communications and marketing strategy during challenging times.  

Business owners need to let CSRA consumers know if they are still open. If their hours have changed. Or if they are providing alternative shopping methods (e.g., delivery, curbside pick-up).

Most importantly, it is imperative consumers know that a business will still be there for them when the crisis is over.

For those owners who are depending on communication to preserve their business, the best option may be to advertise on Augusta radio.

Central Savannah River Area consumers spent more than $9.3 billion with retailers last year. The National Retail Federation forecasts 4.1% more will be spent this year.

Who are the shoppers that will be spending all this money?

According to Nielsen, 46.7% of retail dollars are spent by Augusta area consumers over the age of 50. This may surprise many small business owners because older consumers comprise only 36.9% of the area's adult population.

These older consumers account for a substantial share of spending in almost every retail category. This includes furniture, cars, pet supplies, fast food, and electronics.

To earn a share of these massive dollars spent by these older consumers requires CSRA small business owners to advertise.

Retailers in the Central Savannah River Area rang-up $9,337,776,000 in retail sales last year, according to Nielsen. But wait. It's about to get better.

The National Retail Federation forecasts that in 2020, sales will increase by as much as 4.1%. This will create another $383 million for local small business owners.  

“The economy is growing at a more modest pace, but the underlying economic fundamentals remain in place and are positive,” stated NRF chief economist Jack Kleinhenz. “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.

To claim a fair share of this enlarged pool of spending will require CSRA small business owners to advertise.

“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.”  

How quickly the millennials have grown up.

According to Nielsen projections, 55% of all Central Savannah River Area parents with children under the age of 18 are millennials.  

From the time their kids are born until they reach they are 17, these young parents will, spend, on average, $233,000 per child. This does not include the cost of college.

Currently, there are over 130,000 children under the age of 18 living in the CSRA. That means the local parenting economy is worth upwards of $30 billion. These dollars are being spent, among other things, on diapers, daycare, transportation, toys, education, electronics, clothing, and health care.

For CSRA small business owners interested in competing for a substantial portion of this multi-billion dollar pool of parental cash, they must advertise to millennial moms and dads. By almost any measurement, advertising on Augusta radio is the best way to reach this audience.

March is the biggest single month for used car sales in The Central Savannah River Area. During these 31 days alone, local pre-owned vehicle dealers are expected to bring in $21 million in sales. This will represent 10% of their annual revenue.

By the end of May, these dealers owners will sell more than $58 million worth of pre-owned cars and trucks. This, undoubtedly, makes March-May 'used car season' in the CSRA.

Although most Augusta area used car dealers are small business owners, they do really big business. In all, over the next 12 months, more than 72,000 pre-owned vehicles will be driven off their lots.

To capture a larger share of the area's $210 million used car market requires pre-owned vehicle dealers to advertise. By any measure, the best way for these business owners to advertise is on Augusta radio.

As Valentine's Day sales begin to dwindle, that's when Central Savannah Area small business owners start thinking about Mom.

Mother's Day, which happens on the second Sunday of May, is second only to Christmas in terms of holiday spending. Last year, CSRA consumers spent more than $5.9-million celebrating the women in their lives. That number is expected to grow again in 2020.

To claim a significant share of this Mother's Day cash, local retailers and restaurants will need to advertise.  By almost every key metric, advertising on Augusta radio is the best choice.

Low unemployment, a boom in housing starts, and confident consumers are propelling robust sales for furniture stores in the Central Savannah River Area.

In 2019, local consumers in the Augusta area spent $219 million on furniture and home furnishing. This number is expected to grow.

Based on estimates developed by Furniture Today’s Strategic Insights team and Easy Analytic Software Inc. (EASI), the total furniture and bedding market is projected to expand by more than 22% by 2024.

If a CSRA small business owner who sells furniture, furnishings, or home decor would like to grab a larger share of this expanding market, then advertising is necessary.  By almost every key metric, advertising on local radio is a sound marketing investment.

Small business owners have been advertising on Augusta radio since the first station, WRDW, went on the air in 1930.  By almost every metric, the medium remains the best way to successfully market goods and services to local consumers.

Before  Central Savannah River Area businesses finalize their marketing plans for this year, here are five facts they should know about radio advertising.

Consumers in the Central Savannah River Area spent a record $638-million on home improvements in 2019. This level of spending is projected to drop modestly next year, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“Declining home sales and home-building activity coupled with slower gains in permitting for improvement projects will put the brakes on remodeling growth,” says Chris Herbert, the center’s managing director.

“However, if falling mortgage interest rates continue to incentivize home sales, refinancing, and ultimately remodeling activity, the slowdown may soften some.”

If Augusta area small businesses that sell home improvement products and services would like to continue to grow despite the softening market, then advertising will be required.

Advertising is critical to the success of every Central Savannah Rivera Area small business owner.  One of the most powerful elements of any advertising campaign is how many people it reaches.

Nielsen, the world's largest consumer insights company, found that advertising reach has a more significant effect on sales than branding, recency, and context.

There are many ways a local business owner can advertise. This includes traditional media like Augusta radio, local TV, and newspaper. It also includes online advertising options such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pandora.

They type of customer an individual business needs to reach depends on the goods and services the company sells. For instance, a daycare operator might want to reach households with young children. On the other hand, a real estate agent could be looking for consumers in the market to purchase a new home.

Central Savannah River Area small business owners need employees...desperately.

According to a report from the National Federation of Independent Business, 26% of small business owners say finding qualified workers is their number one problem. 

The report goes on to say that 88% of small business owners looking to hire new employees are finding there are no qualified candidates.

The historically low unemployment figures in the Augusta area appears to be the root cause of local hiring woes. The metro area's jobless rate stands at 3.0%. There are just not enough qualified workers to go around.

Most small business owners have exhausted the traditional methods of recruitment. These include online job board posts, newspaper ads, referral bonuses, and help wanted signs. All to no avail.

To successfully attract the qualified applicants they yearn for, local small business owners need to command the attention of 'passive' job seekers. The number one source for these candidates is Augusta radio.

For Central Savannah River Area business owners who depend on Valentine's Day to spike first-quarter sales, this year could prove to be a battle as the decline in celebrants is expected to continue.

Based on estimates from the National Retail Federation, 249,000 CSRA consumers will be participating in the holiday this year. This is 20% fewer than ten years ago.

There is good news, however, for Augusta  area business owners. Although there are will be fewer customers, local Valentine's Day spending is expected to grow to $40.4-million. This is 28% higher than a decade ago.

So, how does a CSRA retailer or restaurant win the battle for the hearts and wallets of romantic consumers?  Advertising is a necessary weapon to win this war.

No weapon is as potent as advertising on Augusta radio.

When Central Savannah River Area  consumers make their New Year's resolutions, many will have money on their minds.

A new study by Fidelity Investments finds that 67% of adults are considering a financial resolution for 2020. This is 10% more than last year.

The top financial resolution, among those considering one, is, 'saving more'. The study found that, when asked to choose, a vast majority of consumers would rather save $5000 than lose five pounds.

This fervor for finance is excellent news for CSRA small business owners who cater to savers and investors. This includes financial advisors, insurance agents, bankers, accountants, and mortgage brokers.

To compete for a fair share of these resolution dollars requires business owners to advertise. By any metric, the best way to reach potential savers and investors is on Augusta radio.

The buying power of Black consumers in the Central Savannah River Area is now $4.8 billion. Over the past 19 years, according to Nielsen, the pace of spending by African Americans has grown 28% faster than by White consumers.

If a CSRA area small business owner would like to earn a larger share of this spending, the best place to start is with advertising.

"For African American consumers, advertising of all types is an important touchpoint in their shopping journey," says a recent study by Nielsen. "African American consumers are more likely than the total population to agree that advertising provides them with meaningful information about the product use of other consumers."

"African Americans are avid media consumers, across multiple media channels, which gives advertisers ample opportunities to connect with them."

The best advertising medium, though, for small business owners to reach the CSRA's African American consumers is local radio.

Small business owners in the Central Savannah River Area must advertise to claim a fair share of the $9.3 billion retail economy.

“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.”  The SBA goes on to say, “Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your sales, and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your business."

During 2019, many CSRA small business owners sought advertising guidance on the advice pages of www.AdvertiseInAugusta.com. Below are the top ten most-read articles from the past 12 months.

There's a reason many Central Savannah River Area small business owners target their advertising towards consumers who have completed a four-year college degree. It's because, typically, university graduates earn $29,106 more per year than those with only a high school diploma, according to The Federal Reserve.

There are, according to estimates, 108,911  college graduates living in the Augusta area. In total, this population generates $8.5 billion in annual take-home pay.

To tap into a similar pool of spending power, a marketer would need to reach 188,780 consumers who did not go beyond high school. The problem is, there is only about three-quarters of that number in the CSRA.

The number of people reached by a campaign is, generally, what determines the cost of advertising. So, for a CSRA small business owner operating on a tight marketing budget, spending can be kept in check by targeting those consumers with the most money to spend. In this case, college graduates.

Attention Central Savannah River Area small business owners. The five busiest shopping days of the year are imminent.

Based on data from the National Retail Federation, more than 318,000 CSRA consumers are likely to shop beginning on Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday.

“The tradition of Thanksgiving weekend holiday shopping has become a five-day event with consumers spending money in stores, supporting local small businesses, and online with their mobile devices and computers,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Even as people are starting to purchase gifts earlier in the season, consumers still enjoy finding good Thanksgiving deals and passing time shopping with family and friends over the long holiday weekend.”

Based on the NRF findings, here are the number of shoppers local business owners can expect on each of these five days:

Ask any Central Savannah River Area small business owner how to measure the success of an advertising campaign. The answer will almost always 'sales.'

According to Nielsen research, the media-element of a campaign that has the most significant effect on sales is reach. This is the number of different people exposed to the advertiser's message.

There are more ways than ever to advertise. But, which of those options has the largest reach among CSRA consumers?

Doug Schoen, an advertising professional with 35 years of experience, writes in Forbes: "You wouldn’t know it from all the media coverage focused on streaming video and streaming music, but radio actually has the most reach among American media consumers. 93% of adults listen to the radio each week as compared to 87% who watch TV, a substantive difference."

By April 15th next year, 204,541 residents of the Central Savannah River Area will file a tax return.  More than 53% of these returns will be completed by the taxpayer themselves, either by hand or with the help of an online provider like Turbotax.

Every season, CSRA small business owners who specialize in tax preparation services lose customers to the do-it-yourself options.  This year, 935,316 local consumers will spend $18,300,000 with professionals. But, based on the average cost of services, more than $21,000,000 will stay in the wallets of the DIY crowd.

To clawback this enormous amount of money from the DIY market, CSRA tax services will need to advertise the valuable benefits of using a professional.

The best advertising option for professional tax professionals is on Augusta radio stations. Here's why.

Central Savannah River Area small business owners have depended on radio advertising to market their goods and services since June 25, 1930.  That's the day William Davenport and Clark Jack put WRDW, the first Augusta station, on the air.

Today, there are 28 radio stations that serve the CSRA. Each provides a unique blend of music, information, and entertainment.  Some stations focus on politics or sports. Some play country music. Some play the hits. Some play classic rock. Some are on the AM dial. Some are on FM.

When Mr. Davenport and Mr. Jack began broadcasting, there were no TV stations in Georgia. Those would come 18 years later. Also, there was no social media, YouTube, Sirius/XM, Pandora, Spotify, or smartphones. Each of those would all be products of the next millenium.

With an overabundance of advertising options now available to small business owners, does advertising on Augusta radio still make sense?  Here are five facts that serve to answer that question.

Two things are remarkable about voting day in 1920.  It was the first time, ever, women could participate in the selection of the U.S. President. It was also the first time live election results were broadcast on the radio. Not to mention, it was also the first radio broadcast, ever.

The voters' choice that night was between Warren G. Harding  and James M. Cox.  Both men had derived their political power as successful newspaper publishers.  It is quite ironic, then, that one of these men would reach the highest office in the land on the same night that the nascent radio broadcasting business began its takedown of the newspaper industry.

Nowhere is this takedown more apparent than locally, where radio has become, by far, the advertising medium with the largest reach among Central Savannah River Area consumers.