For B2B salespeople, it can be ultra-challenging to get an audience with key decision makers. Busy schedules and layers of gatekeepers work to keep C-suite executives out of reach. Just finding out the identity and contact information of the right person to speak with can seem like a heavy lift.
Luckily, there is another way to get in front of the right person. Consider public radio sponsorship to reach top-tier employees for B2B sales.
C-Level Executives Are Public Radio Supporters
The NPR audience includes leaders in the workplace in both public and private sectors, as well as self-employed professionals. They are 69% more likely than listeners of commercial radio to be C-suite executives and 104% more likely to work in top management. These influential listeners are also 113% more likely to own their own businesses (MRI-Simmons Doublebase 2021).
When you sponsor public radio, this highly-engaged and intelligent audience has a greater chance of hearing about your company. Short, to-the-point messaging that blends in seamlessly with content is more likely to resonate with audiences. This is a perfect opportunity to have the people you want to sell your products or services to know about them before you even schedule a sales meeting.
Public Radio Listeners Support Public Media Sponsors
Public radio is a community of listeners, sponsors, and program providers, and 70% of listeners admit that they prefer to do business with brands that support public media.
Your sponsorship of public radio gives you an automatic in-road to the 80% of listeners who consider public radio to be an important aspect of their lives (Kantar, NPR State of Sponsorship Survey, April 2021). C-suite executives are a substantial and influential part of that group.
Clutter-Free Messaging Resonates with C-Level Employees
In keeping with the culture of public radio, messaging is informative and clutter-free. 89% of the audience reports that public radio provides them with information they want and need, but can't get from other media sources (NPR Impact Study, July 2019). That includes pertinent information from public media sponsors.
Delivered in a way that does not bombard the listener with a direct sales pitch, your company's message is more likely to be heard by a busy CEO during the course of the day. Without all the noise, the brand you represent has a chance to stand out.
The Public Radio Audience Appreciates Brands with Purpose
Public radio listeners are 303% more likely to participate in causes or environmental activist groups and 159% more likely to contribute financially to cultural, arts, or environmental causes. They are also 72% more likely to volunteer for charitable organizations, 198% more likely to serve on a local non-profit organization's committee, and 193% more likely to have contacted a state, local, or national politician about an issue that is important to them (Kantar, NPR State of Sponsorship Survey, April 2021).
This engaged audience strives to make a difference in the community, and they appreciate brands that do the same. If your purpose aligns with theirs, all the better. A common interest in supporting public radio can help establish a relationship with the decision makers you want to reach.
Public Radio Sponsorship is the Key to C-Level Decision Makers
When the goal is to attract the attention of the decision makers you want to do business with, public media sponsorship is an excellent route. Because many C-Level executives depend on public radio for information they can trust, this gives B2B sales representatives a direct line to them that could lead to a meeting and sales. Thanks to the Halo Effect, when you advertise on public radio, the brand you represent is seen as one that can also be trusted.
NPR listeners enjoy supporting the businesses that sponsor their favorite programming and hold them in high regard. They like brands that have a purpose and take a strong interest in the community. When your purpose coincides with theirs in the form of public media support, the audience is more likely to do business with you. This holds for key decision makers, as well.
Talk to your media partner to find out about opportunities for sponsoring public radio. With popular programming that is listened to by an influential audience on a daily basis, it can help you make the B2B connections you need to make to meet sales goals.
