Former TTFM Morning and Drive presenter Nigel Ross is warning retailers against playing the radio or music on their iPods in store. Not only could they incur fines, they could also be missing out on a great opportunity to promote products or services directly to their customers.
Ross and former FM radio sales supremo Cameron Milnes, together with retail consultant Paul Williams have launched In Store Broadcast (ISB), a purpose built music and consumer message package specially designed for business settings. All music copyright fees and licenses are included and there are rich promotion opportunities with targeted voice messages to customers.
ISB promotional messages can direct customers to selected products or services, or alert them to upcoming sales. These can be programmed to play at specific times and dates in sites individually, regionally or nationally.
“ISB messages talk to customers, not at them,” says Ross. “They are in a live, adlibbed style and sound like a member of your staff rather than a commercial. The music selections and volume are meticulously customised to each individual business. Our customers report substantial increased revenue, especially in direct response to the targeted consumer messages.”
Ross also believes that inappropriate choice of music by staff can also be off-putting and impact negatively on sales, while live radio in store can promote competitors’ ads to your customers.
“These days I’m telling store owners to turn their radios off and to make sure they’re not using their iPods in store,” says Ross. “It just might prove too expensive for businesses in a number of ways.”