More than 1.8 million Charlotte area consumers are expected to celebrate Easter in 2023, according to per capita forecasts from The National Retail Federation. In all, the NRF predicts $263 million will be spent this year.

Not only will spending on Easter in Charlotte top last year's take by 16%, but it will also blow past the spending record of $237 billion set in 2021.

“Easter endures as an important holiday for many Americans, signifying new beginnings and a time of celebration with friends and family,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “As consumers plan to mark the occasion through a variety of traditions, retailers are dedicated to making this year a memorable holiday.”

According to the NRF forecasts, here's how Charlotte consumers are expected to spend their Easter Holiday cash:

• Food: $80.0 million
• Clothing: $43.8 million
• Candy: $41.6 million
• Gifts: $36.1 million
• Flowers: $19.7 million
• Decorations: $19.1 million
• Greeting Cards: $10.9 million
• Other: $9.8 million

There is one obstacle, however, between small business owners and this gargantuan pool of Easter cash.

According to the NRF, the vast majority of Easter shopping will be spent at discount stores, box stores, and online. Only 22% of spending will occur at local small businesses.

To Keep more of this cash in the Charlotte area, retailers will need to advertise to convince consumers of the values and benefits of buying from local small business owners.  According to most marketing metrics, the best way to advertise in Charlotte is on local radio.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Charlotte radio reaches 1,983,988 adults. This is more consumers than use any other medium, including local TV, local cable, streaming video, social media, online audio, and newspapers.

Reach, though, is only one component used to calculate ratings.  The other metric that contributes to the rating formula is the time spent using each medium. So, although for the past 10 years, AM/FM radio's reach has been significantly higher than the reach of local TV, consumers spent considerably more time watching TV. As a result of the math, TV has enjoyed higher ratings than radio.

For the first time, however, AM/FM radio ratings have exceeded local TV ratings by three percent among the key advertising demographic of 18-49-year-olds, according to Nielsen's Total Audience Data for the third quarter of 2023.

In the Charlotte area, there are 1,425,172 18-49-year-olds, the majority of whom are millennials, a generation that now accounts for nearly one-third of all retail spending.

Charlotte radio reaches more local consumers each week than any other advertising medium.

According to Nielsen, 1,983,988 adults tune in to their favorite AM/FM stations every week.  This is significantly more consumers than are reached by Charlotte 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 2.5 million Charlotte area adults who take to the road in their car or truck every week, according to Neilsen.

Over the next 12 months, according to Nielsen, 371,860 Charlotte area households plan to buy furniture and mattresses. Based on a per capita forecast from Furniture Today, these expenditures will total $1.11 billion during 2023, a $20.1 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 local furniture buyers is with advertising on Charlotte radio.

Charlotte area construction companies will need to recruit 4,782 more workers in 2023 in addition to the normal pace of hiring. This forecast is a per capita estimate based on research from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).  

The frenetic pace of recruiting construction workers in Charlotte is expected to extend into 2024, with an incremental 2,838 workers needed next year, as well, in addition to the normal pace of hiring.

Overall, the demand for construction workers in America has been increasing at an epic rate.

According to ABC, the construction industry averaged more than 390,000 job openings per month in 2022, the highest level on record, and the industry unemployment rate of 4.6% in 2022 was the second lowest on record, higher than only the 4.5% unemployment rate observed in 2019. In addition, national payroll construction employment was 231,000 higher in December 2022 than in December 2021.

Right now, filling open jobs at any Charlotte company is a struggle.

A recent survey by the National Federation of Independent Business Owners found that after inflation, the most critical problem facing these businesses is the inability to recruit and retain quality employees.

Right now, says the Federal Reserve,  unfilled jobs remain near an all-time with 1.7 openings per unemployed person.  As a result, only one person is being hired per every four job openings.  To put this dismal hire-to-opening ratio in perspective, ten years ago, there was one hire per every job opening.

Compounding the recruitment woes of Charlotte's small business owners is the very stubborn quit rate.  According to the Federal Reserve, for every ten hires made, seven current employees quit. 

So, how can local builders and contractors fill the open jobs at their companies? Most metrics indicate that advertising on Charlotte Radio may be the best way.

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

Based on per capita spending forecasts from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Charlotte area consumers are expected to spend $226.8 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."

92,427 Charlotte area companies fit the description of being a small business, according to the US Census Bureau.  A recent survey by the National Federation of Independent Business Owners found that after inflation, the most critical problem facing these businesses is the inability to recruit and retain quality employees.

Right now, says the Federal Reserve,  unfilled jobs remain near an all-time with 1.7 openings per unemployed person.  As a result, only one person is being hired per every four job openings.  To put this dismal hire-to-opening ratio in perspective, ten years ago, there was one hire per every job opening.

Compounding the recruitment woes of Charlotte's small business owners is the very stubborn quit rate.  According to the Federal Reserve, for every ten hires made, seven current employees quit. 

Although the labor crunch affects Charlotte business owners of every size, nearly half of all job vacancies are at companies with fewer than 50 employees.

So what is the best way for local small business owners to attract qualified candidates to fill open jobs?  Most metrics indicate that advertising on Charlotte radio may be the optimal choice.

The combined weekly reach of Charlotte's broadcast television stations has slipped to 72.5% of all adults, according to Nielsen. These stations include WBTV, WSOC, WNSC, WCNC, and WJZY.  

The combined Charlotte TV audience now falls behind cable programming at 74.2% and just ahead of streaming platforms at 66.6%. To put this virtual dead heat into perspective, none of the three video media is a match for Charlotte radio which reaches more than 74.7% of local adults every week.

But although the reach of broadcast TV, cable, and streaming are neck-and-neck, the share of time consumers spend with each of these media is dramatically different.

Charlotte 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 Charlotte radio is still the best way to reach local shoppers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Charlotte radio reaches 1.9 million 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 Charlotte radio stations over the air, Nielsen reports that 552,33 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.

Economic concerns among Charlotte area consumers are not expected to subdue holiday shopping in in 2022.  Based on forecasts from The National Retail Federation, local shoppers are projected to spend at least $8.0 billion this year. This would be 6% more than was spent in 2021.

“While consumers are feeling the pressure of inflation and higher prices, and while there is continued stratification with consumer spending and behavior among households at different income levels, consumers remain resilient and continue to engage in commerce,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “In the face of these challenges, many households will supplement spending with savings and credit to provide a cushion and result in a positive holiday season.”

The biggest challenge facing Charlotte business owners is keeping holiday spending local. NRF expects 10-12% of purchases to happen online from retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

To lay claim to this expanding pool of holiday spending,  and keep business local, small business owners will need advertising. By, most marketing metrics, the best way to advertise is on Charlotte radio.

According to Nielsen, 2.1 million adults in the Charlotte area have access to the internet. Eighty-three percent of these consumers conduct online research before making a retail purchase, says a report from GE Capital Bank. 

To reach Charlotte area adults in the market to buy their goods and services, businesses spent $1.6 billion in 2021 on digital adverting, according to projections based on the 2021 IAB Internal Advertising Report.  This is 35% more than was spent during the prior year.

This mammoth pool of online advertising dollars targeted at Charlotte consumers is being spent on a variety of digital resources including search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), display ads, video ads, audio ads, email, and social media. Each of these tools can precisely target consumers who are currently in the market to buy whatever it is a business is selling.

Most forms of online advertising are designed to compel Charlotte consumers to click on a digital ad that will transport them to the website of a company that sells whatever it is consumers are in the market to buy.  Is investing only in digital advertising enough to drive sales for a local business? 

Many marketing experts believe that online advertising needs to be part of a broader marketing strategy to be successful.

Last year, $1.6 billion in marketing was spent online to reach Charlotte area consumers, according to projections based on the 2021 IAB Internal Advertising Report.  This is 35% more than was spent during the prior year.

There is a correlation between the massive amount of money being spent to reach Charlotte consumers online and the extraordinary amount of time that these consumers are connecting to the internet via websites and apps.

According to Nielsen, 46.6% of Charlotte adults are spending 10-plus hours during an average week online. Furthermore, The Pew Research Center, a public opinion research company, reports that one-in-three consumers say they are online constantly. A 50% increase from 2015.  In all, 85% of consumers say they connect at least once daily.

To successfully market and advertise a Charlotte business on the internet requires a full-scale understanding of precisely what online marketing is.  Spoiler alert, having a website or having a social media site is not enough.

Charlotte small business owners have an abundance of options for advertising their goods and services. Choices include local TV, local cable, social media, streaming video, streaming audio, podcasts, and newspapers.

The best way to advertise in Charlotte, however, is local radio.

Every week, according to Neilsen, 1.8 million adults tune-in to their favorite Charlotte radio stations. This is significantly more than any other advertising medium.

In addition to the adults who listen to Charlotte radio over-the-air, an incremental 82,282 adults connect to their favorite stations online as well using their phones, computers, and tablets. In all, according to Nielsen, 23.4% of all Charlotte radio listeners listen both online and offline.

According to Nielsen research, 1.8 million people in the Charlotte area will likely participate in the upcoming election on November 8th. To sway these voters, candidates and political action committees are expected to spend a record amount on advertising.

AdImpact, a company that measures advertising expenditures by political campaigns, says more than $3.6 billion have been spent to reach voters so far in 2022. This puts spending on a course to obliterate the record level of campaign dollars set during the 2020 presidential elections.

Despite crumbling ratings, through August 1st, 58% of all political spending has been dished out to local TV stations, according to AdImpact.

Nielsen reports that since 2017, the reach of broadcast TV stations like WBTV, WSOC, WNSC, WCNC, and WJZY has decayed by 10%.

Local consumers may have a gloomy feeling about economic conditions, but their spending has not tapered. This is good news for the 92,427 small business owners in the Charlotte area.

According to the latest University of Michigan's Survey of Consumers, sentiment about current economic conditions remains near the all-time low. Concerns about volatile gas prices, rampant inflation, and a looming recession have driven the survey's index down 37% versus a year ago.

Despite these dim consumer sentiments, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's July report shows that real personal consumption expenditures are pacing well above pre-Covid levels. According to Morgan Stanley research, consumers' ability to spend is being driven, in part, by a massive amount of excess savings accumulated over the course of the pandemic.

Earlier this year, based on per capita spending data from the National Retail Federation (NRF). Charlotte consumers were forecast to spend nearly $42.9 billion at retail this year. The current level of spending suggests that shoppers are on track to hit that number.

Of course, for local business owners to successfully compete for a share of this record spending requires marketing. By most key marketing metrics, the best way to advertise is on Charlotte radio. This is especially true among business owners who must limit the number of marketing channels that can be used because of economic restraints.

Of all media, advertising on the radio provides the greatest return on investment.

Local business owners have depended on Charlotte radio to market their goods and services since WBT, the city's first radio station, went on air in 1922. Despite the advent of new media and technologies since then, advertising on local radio stations is still the best way for the area's 92,427 small business owners to create and maintain customers.

Here are five facts every business owner should know about advertising on Charlotte radio in 2022.

Local business owners have been advertising on Charlotte radio since WBT first signed-on in 1922.  But, back then, there were only two options for reaching a mass audience: newspapers and radio.

Today, though, advertisers have an over-abundance of marketing options both over-the-air and online. But every week, according to Nielsen, 1.5 million adults listen to a Charlotte radio station, giving the 101-year-old medium, by far, the biggest reach amongst local consumers.

A new report released last week by Nielsen underscores AM/FM radio's durable reach among all media.

Despite an abundance of media options, Charlotte radio reaches the most consumers every week. 

According to Nielsen, every week 1.3 million adults tune in to their favorite Charlotte stations. This is more than watch local TV stations, cable, or streaming video. It is more than browse social media. It is more than listen to streaming audio services or podcasts. It is more than read local newspapers.

Not all listening to Charlotte radio happens on car radios, table-top radios, or boom boxes. Instead, local consumers also use their smartphones, computers, and tablets as a way to connect to their favorite local stations.

Neilsen finds that 23.4% of all consumers who listen to a Charlotte radio station over the air will, at some point during the month, also connect to a local station via the internet. As a matter of fact, during a typical hour, Nielsen data suggests that 8.5% of a station's total audience is listening on a device other than a traditional receiver.

Me: Alexa, how many consumers In Charlotte have access to a smart speaker?

Alexa: According to a recent Nielsen study, 742,954 Charlotte adults own a smart speaker. This is 33.7% of the local population.*

Me: Alexa, what exactly is a smart speaker?

Alexa: According to Wikipedia, A smart speaker is a type of loudspeaker and voice command device with an integrated virtual assistant that offers interactive actions and hands-free activation with the help of one "hot word" (or several "hot words"). Some smart speakers can also act as a smart device that utilizes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other protocol standards to extend usage beyond audio playback, such as to control home automation devices. This can include, but is not limited to, features such as compatibility across a number of services and platforms, peer-to-peer connection through mesh networking, virtual assistants, and others. Each can have its own designated interface and features in-house, usually launched or controlled via application or home automation software. Some smart speakers also include a screen to show the user a visual response.

Me: Alexa, what brand of smart speakers are Charlotte consumers likely to own?

During the past seven days. according to Nielsen, only 70.9% of local consumers tuned in to Charlotte television stations like WBTV, WSOC, WNSC, WCNC, and WJZY.  TV's diminishing reach among adults 18 and older has been eclipsed by the audience size for social media, cable, and Charlotte radio. Furthermore, streaming video services such as Netflix, Hulu, Prime, and Disney+ are quickly reaching parity with over-the-air options.

The erosion of local TV station audiences is stunning when comparing prime-time ratings from the past.  In 1980, the highest-ranked TV show was Cheers with a 21.3 rating. The 30th-ranked show was The Wonder Years with a 14.2 rating.

Twenty years later, Survivor was the number one show with a 17.4 rating and Family Law was the 30th ranked show with an 8.8 rating.

Finally, in 2019, Sunday Night Football was the number one ranked show with a 10.9 rating. Survivor tied with Dancing With The Stars in 30th place with a 5.5 rating.

It is stunning to think that the number one TV show in 2019 had a 24% lower rating than the 30th-ranked show in 1980.

Every week, according to new Nielsen data, 1,767,280  adults tune in to a Charlotte radio station. This is more consumers than use social media, access local cable, watch broadcast TV, stream video channels, listen to streaming audio, read a newspaper, or download a podcast.

Based on per capita estimates from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Charlotte consumers are expected to spend between $42.2 and $43.1 billion at retail in 2022, a six to eight percent growth over the previous year. Utilizing radio's enormous advertising reach, local business owners can compel shoppers to spend this large pool of cash in their stores and on their websites.

The number of consumers reached is critical to the success of an advertising campaign.

According to a Nielsen study, after the actual content of the commercial message itself, reach is the most potent advertising element that can drive sales. Reach is more important than brand, recency, or even context. Charlotte radio provides local business owners with the most significant reach among consumers.

Father's Day this year is on Sunday, April 19. Based on projections from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Charlotte shoppers are expected to spend $170.4 million on the dads in their life. This is on par with the record-breaking $171.2 million spent in 2021.

“Despite growing concerns about inflation, consumers plan to spend approximately the same amount as last year in celebration of Father’s Day,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Spending patterns also reflect the sentimental nature of the holiday as consumers are prioritizing unique and meaningful gifts.”

The NRF projects that nearly 60%, of all Father's Day purchases in Charlotte, will be for special outings, clothing, gift cards, and electronics. Although most category spending will be down slightly from last year, the amount of money spent on special outings such as dinner is expected to increase by over 8%.

Here is how this large pool of Father's Day cash in Charlotte is expected to be distributed in all retail categories.

Every week, 2.1 million Charlotte consumers watch something on TV.

Not too many years ago, when a Charlotte consumer sat down to watch TV, the program options were limited to what was on WBTV, WSOC, WNSC, WCNC, WJZY, or, maybe, what was on a handful of cable channels.  That was then. This is now.

Today, according to Nielsen, each time a TV is turned on in a Charlotte living room, the viewer has more than 817,000 options not only from broadcast stations and cable systems, but also from streaming video platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, YouTube, Amazon, Tubi, Crackle, and FreeVee.

Of course, Charlotte consumers don't even need to sit down in front of their big-screen LCD, anymore. Most of the 817,000 available programs can also be viewed on their computers, tablets, gaming devices, and smartphones. But as far as viewers are concerned, though, it's all just television.

Each week according to Nielsen, 1.9 million consumers tune in to a Charlotte radio station. This is significantly more adults than watch local TV stations, cable, or streaming video. It is more than browse social media. It is more than listen to streaming audio services or podcasts. It is more than read local newspapers.

There are two traits Charlotte radio listeners have in common. First, they are very loyal to their favorites, tuning-in to, on average, only 2.3 different stations each week.

Second, and of particular importance to Charlotte small business owners, radio listeners are returning to 'normal' at a faster rate than the general population after more than two years of pandemic.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, Nielsen has been measuring consumer sentiment in regard to normal behaviors. In a survey conducted in March of this year, 83% of adults say they are "ready to go and feel life is becoming more normal". This is up dramatically from the same time last year.

According to Nielsen, 96.0% of Charlotte adults have access to the internet. An online connection is all that is needed to listen to a podcast. In all 27.1% of consumers, in fact, do listen to podcasts every month. They listen while at home, commuting, at the gym, at work, at the local coffee shop, pretty much anywhere there is WIFI or good cell service.

Most likely, at one time or another, each of the 593,300 podcast listeners in the Charlotte area has thought to themselves, “I could do that. I could launch my own podcast.” This is theoretically true.

A quick Google search by aspiring Charlotte content producers will reveal which recording equipment to buy, how to edit shows, and how to post episodes for the world to hear on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify Google, Stitcher, and Tune-In. The magic of being a successful podcaster, however, involves persistence, longevity, and consistently engaging content.

One element of podcasting that often adds dimension and perspective to new episodes is the use of podcast guests. Not only do guest experts supply engaging content, but usually they will participate in return for exposure without the need to shell out any cash.

But how does a Charlotte business small owner get started? It’s a very chicken-and-egg situation.

A podcaster first needs to publish episodes to demonstrate to potential guests that the podcast is worthy of their participation, especially because there are so many choices. Currently, there are over 2.4 million valid podcasts in Apple’s Podcast directory alone, according to podcast industry insights expert Daniel J. Lewis.

So, what separates podcasters who stick it out for the long haul from those who give up after just a few episodes?  One of the primary factors is the subject matter and the ability to book guests.

Eighty-four percent of all adults say they will celebrate Mother's Day in 2022. Based on per capita forecasts from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Charlotte consumers are expected to spend $270.1 million on the moms in their lives. This is a 13% increase over last year.

“Consumers are eager to find memorable ways to honor their mothers and other important women in their lives and are willing to spend a little extra on this sentimental holiday,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

The NRF spending projections indicate that Charlotte consumers will spend $59.4 million on jewelry and another $44.9 million on special outings such as dinner or brunch. This will be the highest level of Mother's Day spending ever in these categories.

Here is how this large pool of Mother's Day cash in Charlotte is expected to be distributed by all retail categories.

The NRF research indicates that men will outspend women 3-to-1 this year on Mother's Day gifts. Most of these dollars will go towards presents for their moms, stepmoms, and wives.

Of all the money spent, Charlotte consumers are expected to spend 36% online, 30% at department stores, 27% at specialty stores, and 23% at local small businesses.

To compete for a share of record-high Mother's Day spending this year, local business owners will need to advertise. By most key marketing metrics, the best way to reach holiday shoppers is by advertising on Charlotte radio.

Charlotte-area consumers are expected to spend close to $42.9 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 92,427 small business owners in the Charlotte area 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 Charlotte 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, Charlotte 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 Charlotte radio can provide the best return on investment (ROI) for local retailers.

According to Nielsen, 1.9 million adult consumers in Charlotte use social media every month, an audience that continues to expand. As a result of this growth, social media has become a crucial part of local advertising campaigns.

Social media allows Charlotte business owners to continually be in front of their target customers and to stay top-of-mind. It allows businesses to communicate daily and be the first company on call when needed. Social media has become essential for marketing local goods and services.

The best part is that social media is free to use for both Charlotte consumers and business owners.

There is no subscription service for social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram which, according to Nielsen, are used by 77.6% of Charlotte consumers each month. There are no monthly payments or premium memberships required to unlock more services.

There are 92,427 small business owners in the Charlotte area, according to the US Census Bureau. Each of these companies will need larger advertising budgets to successfully compete for a fair share of the expected explosion in consumer spending this year.

Based on new forecasts from The National Retail Federation (NRF), Charlotte-area consumers are expected to spend between $42.2 and $42.9 billion at retail in 2022, a six to eight percent growth over the previous year.

The NRF's forecasts exclude restaurants, gas stations, and automotive dealers. Included in the numbers, though, are non-store and online sales, which, in Charlotte, could reach as high as $10.2 billion this year. This level of spending would be 13% more than in 2021.

Even though the rate of growth rate for 2022 is lower than the 14% jump in 2021, the NRF points out that this year's spending will be well ahead of the 10-year,  pre-pandemic growth rate of 3.7%

To participate in the expected surge in retail spending will require Charlotte business owners to advertise. Especially if retailers want to hold their own against the continued growth of non-store and online competition.

There are about 1,700,000 registered passenger vehicles in the Charlotte area. Some are cars. Some are trucks. Some are Hondas. Some are Fords. Some are Teslas. Some have four doors. Some have two. Some go fast. Some go slow. Some guzzle gas. Some sip. Some are red. Some are blue.

The one thing that almost every car and truck in the Charlotte area have in common, though, is the AM/FM radio smack-dab in the middle of the dashboard.

The first car radio went on sale in 1930. It was an invention of the Galvin Manufacturing Company. The company named the radio 'Motorola,' and its cost was $130, around $2000 in today's dollars. By 1935, more than three million car radios had been installed.

Today, AM/FM radio is part of every car and truck on Charlotte-area roads. In addition to the radio, many of these vehicles also provide drivers with other audio options, including a CD player, Sirius/XM, Pandora, Spotify, podcasts, and easy access to personal MP3 collections.

It is fair, then, for small business owners who depend on Charlotte radio to advertise their goods and services to ask: with all the audio options on today's dashboards, is anyone listening to local AM/FM radio in the car anymore?

If you're anything like the 1.9 million Charlotte consumers who, according to Nielsen, listen to or download a podcast every month, you probably already see the value in podcasting as a relatively new audio medium that entertains, enlightens, motivates, or informs listeners.

But if you're part of the 73% of local adults who are not regular podcast listeners, you're probably wondering why on earth would anyone want to listen to a podcast, let alone create one for their Charlotte business.

Launching a podcast might seem like a daunting test for small business owners without much technical background or an understanding of how to structure a compelling conversation that will engage prospective customers.

In reality, local small business owners can easily reach new customers with podcasts and complement their traditional advertising in Charlotte with a longer-form, conversational medium that showcases the company's knowledge in an authoritative manner.

Construction companies in the Charlotte area will need to recruit 5,539 blue-collar workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2022 to meet the demands of the current building market. These statistics are based on forecasts from Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC), an association comprised primarily of U.S. firms that work in industrial and commercial construction sectors.

"The construction industry desperately needs qualified, skilled craft professionals to build America," said Michael Bellaman, ABC president and CEO. "The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November and stimulus from COVID-19 relief will pump billions in new spending into our nation's most critical infrastructure, and qualified craft professionals are essential to efficiently modernize roads, bridges, energy production, and other projects across the country. More regulations and less worker freedom make it harder to fill these jobs."

The construction industry's appetite for new hires in the Charlotte area will continue into 2023, according to ABC. It is expected that during that year,  an additional 5,028 blue-collar workers in addition to the normal pace of hiring.

Right now, at least one of the 97,696 businesses located in the Charlotte area is thinking about using the phrase 'March Madness' as part of upcoming advertising and marketing plans. Why not? It's a great use of alliteration. It's a familiar term. And, it's that time of year.

A furniture store in Indian Trail might think it would be clever to use 'March Madness' in its commercials on Charlotte radio to promote a big spring sale. A non-profit in Matthews feels it would be a good way to describe its charity fun run on social media and online advertising. A sports bar in Rock Hill believes it would be a no-brainer to use the term in streaming video and audio ads to bring in scores of basketball fans.

It is, indeed,  tempting for a Charlotte small business owner to use this term for advertising or marketing purposes. But,  to avoid a costly legal battle, the use of this trademarked phrase should be a non-starter. Here's why.

Every week, 1.4 million Charlotte area adults watch video programs delivered via the internet. This content goes by several interchangeable names, including OTT (Over-The-Top Television), CTV (Connected TV), and Streaming Video. For this article, we will refer to this type of content as Streaming TV.

Unlike traditional TV, cable, and satellite where the viewer needs to be in a fixed location, Charlotte consumers can access streaming TV anywhere using an internet-connected device. These include SmartTVs, Firesticks, Roku, smartphones, computers, laptops, tablets, and gaming consoles.

In all, according to Nielsen, 95.1% of Charlotte households have one or more devices capable of connecting to streaming TV. Although this medium is still new, streaming TV now rivals legacy media in its ability to reach local consumers.

Every week, Charlotte consumers are spending more-and-more time engaged with streaming TV.

No matter which Charlotte television station or cable channel adults tune to in 2022, they can expect to be assaulted by a deluge of political advertising. Often entire commercial breaks are stuffed with back-to-back pleas and promises to secure viewers' votes.

But is advertising on WBTV, WSOC, WNSC, WCNC, and WJZY the most effective way to reach likely voters in the Charlotte area? Or is advertising on cable channels provided by Spectrum, DISH, DirecTV, and Google Fiber the way to go?

The answer is neither. According to research from Nielsen, the best way to reach local adults who are most likely to vote is by advertising on Charlotte radio.

Every week, 1.2 million likely voters will listen to Charlotte radio stations. This is significantly more than watch local TV, cable, and streaming video. More that use social media and streaming audio. More than will read newspapers.

The current high rate of inflation is tempering how much Charlotte business owners can spend on advertising.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 92,000 small businesses in the Charlotte area. There is one thing each of the owners of the companies has in common, whether they own a hardware store in Indian Trail, a furniture store in Rock Hill, or a restaurant in Matthews, They are all experiencing the negative consequences of inflation.

In a monthly survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business Owners (NFIB), inflation now ranks second as the single most important problem companies face. A year ago, inflation was barely an issue.

Inflation has not hampered the enthusiasm to spend among Charlotte area consumers keeping retail sales hovering above pre-Covid levels. But, inflation is taking a dramatic toll on the amount of revenue business owners can keep.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, small business owners see inflation-fueled price increases in almost every cost of operation, including inventory, utilities, rent, and wages.

Because of these rising operational costs, Charlotte business owners are looking to cut expenses where they can, including advertising expenditures. But, because there is still robust consumer demand for goods and services, these companies need to make sure that the amount they do invest in advertising has the best return possible.

By almost any marketing metric, advertising on Charlotte radio provides the greatest return-on-investment (ROI) of any medium available to local business owners.

Charlotte-area business owners are expected to spend $783 million advertising online in 2022. This, according to Borrell Associates, a company that tracks advertising expenditures across the country.

Borrell's forecast indicates that almost 50% of Charlotte's online expenditures will be in the form of paid search. The most recognizable type of this advertising is the paid ads that appear adjacent to the results of almost every search query on Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Borrell's forecast also indicates that approximately 27% of online expenditures will be in the form of display advertising. This consists of traditional banner ads that appear across millions of websites and apps, including social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. According to SmallBizGenius.net, the average Charlotte area consumer is served more than 1700 of these ads per month.

Video advertising in Charlotte is forecast to account for 23% of all online ad dollars in 2022. Like search and display, millions of websites can support this type of advertising. This includes sites, apps, and platforms like YouTube, Roku Channel, Hulu, Paramount+, and most social media sites.

The remainder of online advertising dollars is expected to be spent on audio advertising, including streaming sites like Pandora and Spotify; or email marketing campaigns.

There are 92,427 small businesses in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area, according to the US Census Bureau. Based on projections from the National Federation of Independent Business Owners (NFIB), nearly half of these companies have job openings they cannot fill.

As a result of the acute labor shortage, says the NFIB, 29% of small business owners rank the quality of labor as the most important problem they face. A year ago, only 21% said finding workers was their biggest issue.

The labor crunch in the Charlotte area is being driven, in big part, by a record-high number of employees voluntarily quitting their jobs. Just last month, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.5 million employees across the country left their current place of employment.

According to the Wall Street Journal, those who are not currently working say they are in no hurry to return to the workforce. The lack of urgency stems from five primary reasons:

• 29% say they don't need to work right now because their spouse is employed
• 28% say they cannot return to work because of care responsibilities at home
• 25% say they don't need to return to work because they have a financial cushion
• 20% say they are fearful of returning to work because of COVID-19
• 5% say they do not need to return because of current unemployment benefits

There seems to be little chance that these resigned workers can be lured back into the labor force. Therefore, to fill open jobs, local business owners will need to focus their efforts towards recruiting among Charlotte's "passive" job candidates.

To ensure success, every Charlotte 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.”

There are dozens of ways for local small business owners to advertise. By most metrics, the best way to advertise is on Charlotte radio. These measures of effectiveness, however, are often obscured by the glimmer and glitz of newer technologies. 

To help reduce the glare that often blinds business owners to the potency of advertising on Charlotte radio, here are the top five things many local business owners get wrong.