Most people go online to research major purchases before spending. We know from a variety of consumer research studies that whether the customer is purchasing a clothing-dryer or a car, they tend to look online for product reviews, price comparisons and peer recommendations.

Why would our marketing products be any different to a local buyer? Why wouldn’t local business owners and operators go online to learn more about YOU before making a decision to do business with your company?

Often, our team hits the streets with account executives from local radio stations to visit their major clients and digital prospects. It’s an invaluable opportunity to work hands-on with account executives to get a real sense of the local market’s buying preferences and prejudices. This year, I’ve been impressed by how much buyers (especially digitally savvy buyers) know about us, despite our best efforts to limit their accessibility to information about our stations. I say that because most managers tell me that they want only a sparing amount of information available to local buyers so that they are forced to call the radio station or deal with a local account executive. (After all, the competition might get their hands on our media kit… like they don’t already have it.)

I agree with the idea that more (and bigger) sales are closed and marketing campaigns are generally more effective when a trained-and-savvy marketing executive is involved. However, could we be entering an era where our buyers expect us to make information about our marketing products’ features/benefits available online?

Particularly in small and medium markets, is it possible that NOT posting this information makes us out of touch with local buyers’ desire to “research prior to buying?”

Delmarva Broadcasting’s WXCY/Maryland believes that “more is better” when it comes to educating local buyers on their product. General Manager Bob Bloom and Account Executive Jaime Solis collaborated to create http://wxcymedia.com, a website with information on WXCY’s marketing capabilities and its benefits for local buyers. Solis designed the website with the intention of reaching the local business community. He says, “I’ve had prospects admit to me that our site has helped satisfy their curiosities about advertising on our station without making them feel like they were being sold. I like that; we’re certainly in the business of selling, but we’re also in the business of providing great content and improving peoples lives so that kind of feedback feels good.”

When I asked Solis if other broadcasters or newspapers in the market are providing information online similar to WXCY, he told me, “The short answer is no. Most traditional media properties in our area have an online presence, but only a few go beyond posting the phone number of the Sales Manager, or a one sheet with very general advertising information. It’s funny; some of the inspiration to build WXCYMedia.com came from my frustration with not being able to find any radio stations’ coverage map on their own web site.”

That said, he is smart enough to know that the station’s competition is not limited to broadcasters and print media. He comments, “You could consider a platform like Facebook to be ‘in our market,’ and Facebook is constantly working to improve the experience users have advertising with them. If a direct client of mine from just down the street also maintains a Facebook page for business, I know they also receive updates from Facebook attempting to help them advertise more effectively. As a Local Media Group we should be doing the same thing for our clients.”

Go to WXCYMedia.com, and you’ll see accounts of success using WXCY as a local marketing tool. You’ll find general information about local advertising too. “Our belief is that by offering content to the business community, we further position ourselves in our market as trusted resources for all things advertising and marketing related, and provide a value to our clients that goes beyond spots and dots,” said Solis.

WXCY’s attitude is pretty progressive, considering that few major market brethren offer anything even close—even those who depend significantly on local direct business.