“Back-to-class shopping is one of the most important consumer shopping occasions of the year," says Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation (NRF).  "Our research for 2023 shows American consumers are eager to jumpstart their back-to-school and college purchases early."

Based on per capita spending estimates from the NRF, Augusta, Georgia area parents are expected to spend a record $74,783,779 to prepare more than 91,600 children returning to grades K-12. These expenditures will exceed 2022 back-to-school sales by 12.5%

Expenditures to equip K-12 students in the Augusta area will be on:

• Clothing: $27.3 million
• Shoes: $21.6 million
• Supplies: $14.1 million
• Electronics: $11.7 million

In addition to expenditures for K-12,  $169.3 million is expected to be spent in the Augusta area to prepare college students for their return to campus. This is 27% more than was spent last year. Another record.

The biggest spending categories to equip Augusta area college students in 2023 will include:

• Electronics: $41.8 million
• Dorm/Apartment Furniture: $23.6 million
• Clothing: $22.5 million
• Food Items: $18.7 million

In order to capture the largest portion of this record back-to-class cash, Augusta small business owners will need to fight to keep these dollars local. According to the NRF, a painful majority of shoppers plan to buy online and in department stores.  While only 13-15% of consumers plan to buy locally.

Local businesses have been marketing their goods and services on Augusta, Georgia radio since June 25, 1930. That's when Warren Davenport and Clark Jack put Augusta's first radio station, WRDW, on the air.

Mr. Davenport and Mr. Clark were owners of Musicove, a store at 309 Eighth Street that sold radios, records, and sheet music.

The inaugural broadcast of WRDW began at 1:05 am and lasted nearly three hours. The first program included a performance by local musician J. Bernard Carpenter.

A few days later on July 3, WRDW broadcast a speech by J. Roy Cooper, a candidate for Mayor in Augusta. This was the city's first-ever political broadcast.

WRDW had several owners over the years including soul music legend James Brown.  Mr. Brown's family had moved to Augusta when the singer was four years old. 

Who could have guessed that 93 years later, advertising on Augusta radio would still be the best advertising option for all types of retailers and business owners.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Augusta radio reaches 343,125 adult consumers. This reach is significantly higher than all other advertising options including local TV, cable, social media, streaming video, online audio, and newspapers.

Reach, according to Nielsen, is the audience metric most responsible for driving the success of an advertising campaign. Only the message itself carries more sway.

There are 15,499 small businesses in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Almost every one of these businesses is competing for a portion ofƒ the $11.4 billion of local retail spending expected to occur in 2023.*

To capture the largest share of this giant pool of consumer cash, Augusta small business owners will need to consider advertising.

"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. Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your sales., and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your company."

One of the best ways to advertise in August may be on local radio, a fact not lost on the world's largest advertiser, Proctor & Gamble. Last year, P&G upped spending on the radio by 43% to $235 million, according to Vivvix (formerly Kantar Media), led by a big jump in local radio.

Despite high-interest rates, inflation, and recession fears, Augusta, Georgia, area consumers are expected to spend between $11.4 and $11.6 billion dollars at retail in 2023, according to recent per capita forecasts based on a survey by the National Retail Federation. This will be a 4-6% increase over 2022.

“In just the last three years, the retail industry has experienced growth that would normally take almost a decade by pre-pandemic standards,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “While we expect growth to moderate in the year ahead, it will remain positive as retail sales stabilize to more historical levels."

The challenge for CSRA retailers, however, is keeping a significant share of these dollars in local cash registers. According to the NRF, the amount of money spent online and non-store options will increase by 10-12%. This is nearly twice the growth rate of all 2023 retail dollars and translates to more than a $1.1 billion dollar outflow.

To keep the expected deluge of new retail dollars local, area small business owners will need to advertise to convince Augusta consumers of all the benefits of buying from local companies.  By almost every marketing metric, the best way to advertise is on Augusta radio.

Augusta, Georiga radio reaches more CSRA consumers each week than any other advertising medium.

According to Nielsen, 367,447 adults tune in to their favorite AM/FM stations every week.  This is significantly more consumers than are reached by Augusta TV, cable, streaming video, streaming audio, social media, or newspapers.

AM/FM radio's dominance among local consumers is driven, in large part, by the 406,962 CSRA adults who take to the road in their car or truck every week, according to Neilsen.

Over the next 12 months, according to Nielsen, 62,631 Augusta, Georgia area households plan to buy furniture and mattresses. Based on a per capita forecast from Furniture Today, these expenditures will total $223.7 million during 2023, a $4.1 million dollar increase over 2022.

Although the forecast growth of furniture and bedding sales is expected to moderate a bit versus 2021, what retailer would not want to grab a share of the multi-million dollar category growth this year?

To capture a bigger share of the increased spending on chairs, couches, beds, tables, and mattresses will require local stores to invest in marketing. And according to most key metrics, the best way to reach CSRA furniture buyers is with advertising on Augusta radio.

CSRA business owners should brace for a sweet Valentine's Day in 2023.

Based on per capita spending forecasts from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Augusta area consumers are expected to spend $45.9 million on their Valentines this year, 8.4% more than they did in 2022.

Overall, says the NRF, 52% of consumers plan to celebrate Valentine's day this year. On average, each celebrant will spend $192.80 on holiday gifts and outings. This is $17 more than last year.  Here is the most interesting part, though.

"While spending on significant others and family members is in line with last year, many consumers are looking to show appreciation for the other meaningful relationships in their lives," says the NRF. "Of the $17 increase in per-person spending, $14 comes from gifts for pets, friends, and co-workers, along with classmates or teachers."

Augusta, Georgia area business owners have an abundance of options for marketing their goods and services to local consumers. New research from Nielsen, however, indicates that advertising on Augusta radio is still the best way to reach local shoppers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Augusta radio reaches 367,446 adults. This is significantly more than are reached by social media, local TV stations and cable systems, newspapers, streaming video and audio, and podcasts.

In addition to listening to their favorite Augusta radio stations over the air, Nielsen reports that 106,828 adults also listen to local stations online every month.

As a matter of fact, according to a study conducted by Edison Research during the third quarter of 2022, among Adults 25-54, 17% of all time spent listening to local AM/FM stations occurs online. This share of online listening has nearly doubled since 2016.

Augusta, Georgia area consumers are expected to spend close to $8.9 billion at retail in 2022, based on per capita spending estimates from the National Retail Federation (NRF). This would be an eight percent increase versus 2021.

To capture significant shares of the increased retail spending, the 15,499 small business owners in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) would typically invest in advertising. Persistent and pernicious inflation pressures, however, are starting to gnaw away at marketing budgets.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business Owners (NFIB), businesses cite inflation as their number one problem. For many Augusta business owners, uncontrollable wholesale, transportation, and labor costs are forcing retailers to raise the prices they charge their customers. But, for many retail products, inflated retail prices can drive customers away. 

To limit consumer price increases and still make a profit, CSRA business owners, then, are forced to cut expenses, including advertising and marketing. This means it is now imperative that the limited investments retailers can make in advertising must deliver the strongest returns possible. 

According to a recent study by Nielsen, advertising on Augusta radio can provide the best return on investment (ROI) for local retailers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Augusta, Georgia radio reaches 362,800 adult consumers in the CSRA. This is significantly more people than are reached by local TV, cable, social media, streaming video, streaming audio, or newspapers.

Because of its humongous reach, CSRA small business owners advertise on Augusta radio to successfully market the products and services they sell.

Many first-time advertisers on Augusta radio will ask how many times a consumer needs to hear a commercial before they become a customer.  Often the business owner is told that to be effective, a consumer needs to be exposed to a message three times before they will buy.  Unfortunately, this prescription for a three-time frequency is more myth than substance.

A study by Nielsen provides some data-based insights about effective frequency, But first, here's the origin of the mythological rule of three.

To maximize success, every Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) business owner needs to advertise.

"Think you have a great product?" asks the US 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 product sales, and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your business.”

According to the US Census Bureau, there are 15,499 small businesses in the CSRA This geography includes Augusta, North Augusta, Aiken, Martinez, Evans, and every point in between.  Most of these diminutive companies have limited dollars to invest in advertising.  

Advertising successfully in Augusta is achievable, though, with a small budget if the available funds are invested wisely.  Oftentimes, this means selecting one medium rather than spreading money over several.

So which medium makes the most sense for small business owners with limited budgets? By most key advertising metrics, advertising on Augusta radio is the best option.

Advertising is crucial to the success of Central Savannah River Area business owners. According to Investopedia, "lack of adequate marketing and publicity are among the issues that drag down small business".

According to Borrell Associates, a company that tracks advertising trends across the country, Augusta area business owners are expected to spend $210 million to advertise the goods and services they sell. This represents an 8% increase versus last year.

The majority of these dollars are being spent by Augusta business owners to capture a significant share of the $7.7 billion dollars local consumers will be spending this year. These estimates are based on a revised forecast from the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Of course, there is an over-abundance of ways a local business owner can advertise. Perhaps the best way to generate sales from local consumers is with Augusta radio. Here are the top five reasons why...

Retail spending in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) is expected to reach $7.7 billion this year, a 13.5% increase versus 2020. These estimates are based on a revised forecast from the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Since 1930, when WRDW-AM signed on as the first station in Augusta, local business owners have depended on radio advertising to help market their goods and services to CSRA consumers.  But has the Coronavirus pandemic altered the medium's ability to deliver customers to ring up sales for local retailers?

Two critical marketing metrics indicate that advertising on Augusta radio remains the best way for a small business to advertise.

The first measurement is reach. This is the number of different consumers who are exposed to an advertising campaign.

The second measure is return-on-investment (ROI). This is the amount of sales a business can expect for every one dollar invested in advertising.

Based on these metrics, here is how advertising on Augusta radio measures up to other options available to local small business owners.

Earlier this year, based on projections from The National Retail Federation, Augusta area consumers were expected to spend more than $7.7 billion at retail this year, a 6.5% increase versus 2020. New data, however, indicates spending will be remarkably higher.

The NRF revised its data this month, and now expects annual growth of 10.5% to 13.5%. Based on these revisions, the Augusta area retail economy could now top $8.1 billion. Excellent news for Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) small business owners.

“The economy and consumer spending have proven to be much more resilient than initially forecasted,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “The combination of vaccine distribution, fiscal stimulus, and private-sector ingenuity have put millions of Americans back to work. While there are downside risks related to worker shortages, an overheating economy, tax increases and over-regulation, overall households are healthier, and consumers are demonstrating their ability and willingness to spend. The pandemic was a reminder how essential small, mid-size and large retailers are to the everyday lives of Americans in communities nationwide.”

To put in historical context for CSRA small business owners, Mr. Klenhenz noted that he anticipates the fastest growth the U.S. has experienced since 1984. The reopening of the economy has accelerated much faster than most had believed possible a year ago.

To capture the largest possible share of spending growth, local retailers will need to advertise. By the most crucial marketing metrics, the best best way to reach area consumers is by advertising on Augusta radio.

There are 145,100 millennials in the Augusta, Georgia area.  The oldest of them turn 40 this year. According to The Pew Research Center, millennials comprise the generation of Americans born between 1981 and 1996.

As a consumer group, millennials account for an outsized percentage of retail spending. This generation represents 32% of the Augusta area population but almost one-third of metro-area sales. 

All in, Augusta millennials are expected to ring up more than $3.1 billion in purchases during 2021.  You name it, millennials are planning to buy it.

According to Nielsen, over the next 12 months, Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) millennials will show up in huge numbers at auto dealerships, furniture stores, mattress stores, appliance stores, home improvement stores, and scores of other retailers and service providers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, 88% of adult consumers tune in to an Augusta, Georgia radio station. This is significantly more people than watch broadcast TV, local cable, or video streaming services. It's more than use social media sites like Facebook or Instagram.  And, it's more than read local newspapers.

Augusta radio is also the medium with the greatest reach among millennials, a generation that not only has embraced an abundance of online media options but also accounts for nearly a third of all local consumer spending.

This reach advantage is a crucial reason why Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) small business owners depend on Augusta radio to market their goods and services.

A study released this week by Edison Research and NPR discovered that their six distinct types of radio listeners. The study also examines how each group of listeners engages with both programming and advertising.  These distinctions are important for Augusta small business owners to understand.

The six listener categories as described in the study are:

Now is a crucial time for Augusta, GA area small business owners to advertise.  

According to the Conference Board, consumer confidence has surged to 110, the highest it has been since the onset of the pandemic last March.  The index has bounced back from a low of 89.6 in February. 

Moving forward, Central Savannah River Area business owners can expect buyer optimism to remind high.

“The recovery in consumer confidence is set to continue in the coming months, buoyed by the combination of improving health conditions and wider vaccine distribution,” said Lydia Boussour, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. “This should support hearty consumer spending and pave the way for a mini-boom in economic activity this spring and summer.”

As CSRA consumers gain confidence, they are expected to unleash the record $2.3-billion in personal savings amassed during the pandemic. This number is based on figures reported by Barron's in November. 

This combination of consumer confidence and the cache of cash-on-hand has led the National Retail Federation (NRF) to forecast a 7% increase in retail spending in 2021 versus last year.

To claim a significant share of the expected spending tsunami, Augusta area business owners plan to boost advertising investments this year.

According to Borrell Associates, a company that tracks advertising trends across the country, Augusta business owners are expected to spend $210 million to advertise the goods and services they sell. This represents a 6.0% increase versus last year.

Despite all of the media options available for small business owners to market their goods and services, advertising on Augusta radio is still the best way to reach local consumers in the Central Savannah River Area.

Adult consumers are spending 741 minutes per day consuming electronic media, according to a new study by Nielsen.  This is 7.8% more time than they spent last year and 11.2% more than in 2018.

The typical daily media diet consists of radio, live TV, time-shifted TV, DVD/Blue-ray devices, game consoles, internet-connected devices, as well as internet via computers, smartphone apps, and tablet apps.

According to Nielsen, despite all of these media options, local radio reaches the most consumers every week.

Central Savannah River Area small business owners may perceive the continuation of advertising as a luxury right now. This is especially so when compared to the necessity for covering the costs of utilities, inventory, payroll, and rent.

Before pulling the plug, though, business owners from Aiken to Evans must consider the consequences of 'going dark', a marketing term which means to stop advertising.

"According to our analysis, short-term decisions to go dark create significant risk for long-term revenue," says Ameneh Atai, Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy at Nielsen. "This affects both incremental revenue and base sales."

"Our database of long-term effects models suggests that cutting ad spending for the rest of 2020 could lead up-to 11% revenue decrease in 2021," says Ms. Atai. "It could take three to five years of solid and consistent brand building to recover from an extended dark period of media."

"We have a ton of evidence in our historical analysis," adds Nielsen's Tsvetan Tsvetkov, Senior Vice President of Agency and Advertiser Solutions. "Companies that step away from advertising efforts for a period of time, whether it's a couple of quarters or a full year or longer lose the momentum they have built over time the minute they stop. To recover takes a long, long time."

To avoid the economic risks of going dark, local small business owners need to make sure every dollar spent on advertising produces solid returns.  By most marketing metrics, advertising on Augusta radio could prove to be the best option.