Some other form of media is always more popular. It used to be TV that hogged the limelight. Now it’s social media. Meanwhile, radio continues to quietly chug along in the background just doing its job.

Three years ago, as the economy began to sour, I noticed a strange phenomenon. I was producing more radio spots than ever before. When the economy contracted even further, the radio assignments on my desk only piled up even higher.

The reason why was obvious. When their marketing budgets got cut back, some of our clients took a good hard look at the numbers. They couldn’t afford to saturate the airwaves on TV anymore. But they could afford to do it on radio.

Even though radio advertising doesn’t get a lot of press, as an advertising medium it really has a lot of advantages. Let’s review.

It’s affordable. Compared to TV and print, radio is usually a better value. A good radio media schedule will often cost less and reach more people.

Your audience is already segmented for you. The different programming formats at radio stations appeal to vastly different audiences. This makes it easier to cherry pick the people you want to receive your advertising message. You simply buy the stations that reach your target’s demographics and psychographics.

Production costs are low. Because both TV and print are visual media, you have to show the reader/viewer what you want them to picture. Because of this, setting up a print or TV shoot can be expensive. In a radio spot, however, you can paint a picture in the listener’s mind. You don’t have to show them anything. Through the magic of sound effects and music you can make it sound like someone is hopping all around the world on a pogo stick. The truth is it’s just an actor in a recording studio and some CDs with sound effects on them.

Radio gets results. Here’s one example. Recently, I did a series of radio spots for Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement. The spots were designed to increase awareness among motorists of the danger of crowding commercial vehicles on Kentucky’s highways. In other words, “Don’t get too close to the truckers.” After the campaign ran, surveys revealed that the number of people who said they had heard a message about driving more safely around trucks jumped from 15% to 45%. The surveys also revealed that 5% had changed their driving behavior because of the commercials.

The next time you need to design an affordable advertising campaign, you should really consider radio. Even in a down economy, this “dinosaur” really can help your company make a giant roar.

Bad idea.

While it might be tempting to trim an expense that doesn’t immediately add to the bottom line, fading into the background is never the path to success. Think about it: Does hunkering down increase your sales? Do you honestly think you’ll succeed in these hard times when fewer people are reminded of your goods or services?

Marketing now, while others are following the mob into the void, will allow your company to stand out and, most important, remain viable. And when the larger economy does reawaken, you’re well positioned for serious growth.

Marketing is not merely an expense, it’s an investment. The issue is how to invest shrewdly.

For example, this might be a good time to finally jump into the social media swimming pool. A well-designed, well-executed, frequently updated blog, Facebook page or Twitter account will help you accomplish two things – you can not only speak to your customers, you get to hear directly and immediately from them what they like and don’t like. In other words, you learn how to better meet their needs, so you can sell more of whatever you’re trying to sell.