“We have the business experience, we have the expertise, and we have really happy clients.”
– Shelley Snodgrass
On Dec. 7, Acadia Broadcasting launched RoundTable, offering a full range of creative digital marketing and advertising services.
The brand is new, but the team and talent behind it are not. Acadia has been offering its advertisers digital consulting and services for years, ever since it began selling online ads on its station websites about seven years ago. Since then, it has expanded its offerings alongside the growing demand from its customers for digital marketing support.
“We have the business experience, we have the expertise, and we have really happy clients,” says shelley snodgrass, Acadia’s Vice President of Sales. “Now we’re just ready to shout from the rooftops to let everyone know what we have to offer.”
“You need to make it customizable to what they need and what they can afford. How do we get the audience they want in the most efficient way possible?”
– Jenn Jackson Martin
RoundTable’s two slogans –“pull up a chair” and “ideas are all around”– highlight its emphasis on a team approach.
“We spend so much time sitting around the table collaborating, so that idea of a roundtable is really intentional,” says shelley. “It’s our approach to our customers: We build a relationship.”
DIGITAL IS GROWING
Shelley says over half of the marketing spend in Canada is digital—and rising.
As it keeps growing, many small- and medium-sized businesses struggle to keep up with the technology, tools and ever-increasing number of platforms. And they often lack the budget to hire an ad agency.
“They’re just completely overwhelmed at the speed of change and trying to keep up,” says Jenn Jackson Martin, Acadia’s Marketing Manager.
RoundTable fills that gap for small- to medium- sized organizations.
“That’s our specialty,” Jenn says.
ENTER ROUNDTABLE
From overall marketing and advertising strategies to e-commerce tools, full website builds, digital adver- tising, social media campaigns, and search engine optimization, RoundTable offers a well-rounded mix of consulting and done-for-you services.
“And if it’s not something we offer, we’ll find it for you,” Jenn says.
The goal is to create an integrated, consistent brand strategy across all the platforms. Traditional radio ads may be part of the mix, but not always. It’s all about creating a right-fit plan for every client.
“You need to make it customizable to what they need and what they can afford,” she says. “How do we get the audience they want in the most efficient way possible?”
ROUNDTABLE’S DIFFERENT
While most radio companies offer some form of digital marketing, RoundTable’s full suite of services and consulting are a differentiator, as evidenced by Acadia’s growth, which defies the industry trend.
The market isn’t the only source of positive feedback. Shelley says that internally, the reaction to RoundTable from the Acadia team has been resoundingly strong,
as well.
“We are future-proofing the company,” shelley says. “For the employees, it’s a proud moment because as much as they want to protect the radio brand, they want to protect the company. Seeing the company looking forward tells them, ‘we’re looking out for you.’”
RECENT ROUNDTABLE WINS:
- Decreasing vacancies for an apartment rental company in Thunder Bay, Ont., from 40 to 10 per cent in six months.
- Using GPS to ensure an Indigenous organization’s digital ads reached its local audience in rural Ontario
- Doubling bookings for a struggling hotel in Nova Scotia that was hit hard by COVID-19
- Helping a Nova Scotia tourism operator target potential clients in Germany
- Driving record online sales for a Kenora boat vendor at a quarter of the cost of a boat show
“Original story by Kate Wallace, featured in The Current newsletter”
