The Caledon/Bolton area is growing quickly, and although we are well served in many ways, we've always had serious gap in our "information chain" - and that is our ability to get up-to-the-minute, localized weather, traffic and road conditions that are tailored to our area. We've been forced to rely on the GTA news media for our day to day weather, traffic and road conditions, but as anyone who lives in Caledon will tell you - our weather and road conditions can vary greatly from those in Mississauga, Toronto or Brampton. We also have never had a "mass communication" method which local emergency services can use to notify the community at large about emergency situations, accidents, power outages and so on. Having local radio helps solve that problem, in addition to offering local businesses, sports teams and organizations another way to inform the community about their services. We also feel that we can offer a valuable showcase to local musicians and bands.
Q2. Why do you have 2 radio stations, wouldn't one be enough?
One station would definitely be a simpler way to go, but unfortunately, it wasn't possible in our case. Due to geographical constraints and the need to protect the signals of existing radio stations near us, we were unable to find one single signal that would cover the entire area. In fact, we did originally hope that our signal could cover west Caledon as well, but no one frequency was able to do this. So we opted to use two different signals. each offering a different type of service to the community it serves. This summer, we received a negative response on an application to the CRTC to turn 102.7FM into a repeater for 105.5FM - an initiative we had hoped would allow us to provide the same programming for the entire area. We are currently looking at other initiatives that would accomplish the same goal.
Q3. Can I listen to your stations on the web yet?
YES! We went online with streaming audio on May 18th, and it is working wonderfully! This has made a huge difference to our ability to serve area's of Caledon that our signal won't reach due to geographical constraints & other radio signals! Its great for people who work outside the area as well, since it gives them the opportunity to check weather and traffic at home before heading out the door!
Q4. Why Should I Advertise?
Advertising offers people who are unaware of your company an opportunity to get to know you and the service or product you offer. In addition, when advertising is used, customers who would otherwise do business with your competitors do business with you instead. The approximately one-third of businesses that advertise consistently find doing so is profitable for three reasons;
1) Advertising replaces the 20 percent to 25 percent of clients who are lost annually to attrition.
2) Advertising reaches people as they make buying decisions. Each and every day people make decisions to buy products and services.
3) Advertising builds Top of Mind Awareness (the ability to recall and associate a business name with a specific product or service). Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA) equals market share. For example: approximately six of ten people, when asked to name a high-end mattress name Sealey®. Sealey® has approximately a 60 percent share of the high end mattress market. Today the average consumer is exposed to more than 2,500 advertising impressions a day; ranging from television, radio ads and billboards to toothpaste tubes and magazines. If your competition is engaged in an active advertising campaign they are inviting potential customers to do business with them instead of you.
Q5: Why Advertise on the Radio?
A: Radio is a perfect fit for modern life
Canadians have never stopped tuning into radio. Always accessible, radio reaches into the heart of communities with news, insight, entertainment, companionship and a soundtrack for life.
Generally speaking, adults spend close to 1/3 of their daily media time with radio. This translates to 95% reach of adults 18+ every week, second only to TV at any age group.
Busy, mobile Canadians (like those of us who live live in Caledon) are particularly strong radio listeners because of its accessibility while we are on the go – at work, driving, relaxing at home or using the Internet.
Radio’s relevance to today’s lifestyle is reflected by the fact that the following groups are reached better by radio on a daily and weekly basis than by any other medium:
Working adults, especially owners, managers and professionals
Women with kids and teens at home
Adults 25-54 with over $75,000 annual household income
Because consumers spend a significant part of their day listening to radio, it delivers higher adult reach than newspaper and TV in all day parts from early morning to early evening. (Source: BBM-RTS Spring 07)
This ongoing, daily presence in the marketplace is key to creating a competitive edge because it enables advertisers to stand out amongst the increasing volume of consumer-targeted messages.
Radio’s cost-efficiency enables advertisers to be heard not only every day, but multiple times throughout the day. This frequency is critically important for quickly delivering advertising response – web visits, store traffic, sales, brand recall and intent-to-purchase.
Q7. Why should I advertise with Radio Caledon?
A: Radio is a local Medium...
...an information and entertainment source that is central to each community’s culture and activities – from major news, entertainment and sporting events to the smallest community initiatives that bind people together in a common cause.
In fact, radio stations contribute millions of dollars each year to supporting charitable and other local causes that are important to their community of listeners. And listeners respond in droves, demonstrating their unique connection to the radio stations that serve their communities.
Marketers become a part of a community’s way of life through radio, which offers a unique local flavour, tone of voice, and presence within communities across the country. Radio is a powerful medium for advertisers that want strong engagement with consumers.
Add to that the fact that Radio Caledon is commited to providing a good, local source of information, that serves the non-profit sector, works with the community, supports the local merchants and services and informs the local population, and you can quickly see why YOU need to be advertising with Radio Caledon!
Q8. I don`t know how to write an ad - does that matter?
A: Not at all!
We can create your commercial from notes written on the back of a napkin, if that is what you have to start with. We`ll confer with you about what you want to say, create a `draft`commercial, get your approval and only then will we record it. On the other hand if you have a pre-recorded commercial or have prepared your own script, thats great too.
Q9. You are a new radio station - how do I know that anyone will hear my commercial?
A: We advertise too!
We are making every effort to ensure that the community knows we are here. We have made sure we have advertising in trade publications, recreation catalogues, and newspapers. We are maintaining the highest community profile we can, attending as many local functions as we can. We had a float in the 2007 Bolton Santa Claus parade. We are holding contests to promote interest in the community. We have had (or are scheduling) meetings with local government, merchant and business associations, the Chamber of Commerce, Fire Department, Police Services and so on. And we are contacting as many sports organizations, community services and recreational organizations we can find. We understand that we need to do these things to make the community aware we are there.
Q10. How do I Advertise with Radio Caledon?
A: The first step is to contact us:
You can reach us by phone during office hours at (905)880-4636, or via email at info@radiocaledon.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
