"Had I realized that advertising on Philadelphia radio was so effective, I would have started sooner. It would have helped to build our business faster," says Frank Lobascio. He is the Managing Partner of Armor Metals and Recycling in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey.

The company recycles scrap metals, including copper, aluminum, brass, and steel. The company also recycles electronic equipment, wire, and computers.

Mr. Lobascio and his brother Joe founded the company in 2011 following the sale of the moving and storage company they operated for 32 years. Friends and relatives familiar with recycling thought it would be a good business for the brothers to try next.

"In the beginning, we could not afford anything like radio advertising. So, our only form of marketing was me. I literally went door-to-door, handing out my cards to businesses asking if I could buy their scrap metal and old computers."

By April 15th next year, 2.1 million residents in the Delaware Valley will file a tax return.  More than 53% of these returns will be completed by the taxpayer themselves, either by hand or with the help of an online provider like Turbotax.

Every season, Philadelphia area small business owners who specialize in tax preparation services lose customers to the do-it-yourself options.  This year, 975,000 local consumers will spend $188,000,000 with tax professionals. But, based on the average cost of services, more than $215,000,000 will stay in the wallets of the DIY crowd.

To clawback this enormous amount of money from the DIY market, local tax services will need to advertise the valuable benefits of using a professional.

The best advertising option for tax professionals is on Philadelphia radio stations. Here's why.

It's a fact. Unless a consumer remembers your business when it comes time to buy, then it is likely they will purchase from someone else. Staying top of mind, therefore, is critical for every Delaware Valley small business owner who wants to grab a share of the area's $101-billion retail market.

Advertising on Philadelphia radio provides local business owners with the most affordable way to move to the top of customers' minds. But, before discussing how to get remembered, we must understand why consumers forget.

Every second, local consumers are exposed to 11,000,000 pieces of data. A consumer's brain, however, is only capable of dealing with about 50 pieces of this data at a time. So, if my calculus is correct, a consumer forgets approximately 10,999,950 things every second.

Delaware Valley shoppers are expected to spend $12 billion this holiday season.  This will be approximately 4% higher than last year. These estimates are based on forecasts by the National Retail Federation and Deloitte.

To claim a fair share of the Christmas cash, local small business owners will need to battle some giant competitors. Advertising on Philadelphia radio stations may be the perfect weapon to ensure success.

According to information published in the retail trade magazine Chain Store Age, as of right now, here is where consumers are planning to shop...

Delaware Valley small businesses that sell products or services to pet owners should sit up and take notice.  Local consumers will spend $1.2 billion this year on behalf of Fido and Fluffy. This amount has increased 323% since 1994, with no sign of letting up.

According to the American Pet Products Association, here's how local spending on furry companions breaks down:

• Food: $477,474,000
• Supplies/OTC Medicine: $256,205,000
• Vet Care: $291,143,000
• Live Pet Purchases: $22,062,000
• Other Services: $34,937,000

The biggest month for sales of pet-related products and services in the Delaware Valley is, by far, December. That is when 10.5% of all annual spending happens in this category.

The first radio stations in the Delaware Valley went on-the-air in 1922.  Eighty-two years later, Facebook inaugurated the social media era.  Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and hundreds of other sites quickly followed.

As social media matured from a novelty to part of consumers' daily rituals, some Philadelphia area small business owners began to experiment with advertising.

By every key advertising metric, though, Philadelphia radio remains the best choice for a small business to market their goods and services. Here's why.

Delaware Valley small business owners have depended on radio advertising to market their goods and services since 1922.  That's the year three local retailers each put a Philadelphia radio station on the air.  These included John Wanamaker's WOO, Strawbridge & Clothier's WFI, and Gimbel Brothers' WIP.

Today, there are 59 radio stations that serve Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. Each provides a unique blend of music, information, and entertainment.  Some stations focus on politics or sports. Some play country music. Some play the hits. Some play classic rock. Some are on the AM dial. Some are on FM.

When WOO, WFI, and WIP began broadcasting, there were no TV stations in Philadelphia. Those would come 19 years later. Also, there was no social media, YouTube, Sirius/XM, Pandora, Spotify, or smartphones. Each of those would be products of a new Millenium.

With an overabundance of advertising options now available to small business owners, does advertising on Philadelphia radio still make sense?  Here are five facts that serve to answer that question.

"Our main goal has always been to grow every year just like we were a brand new business," says Daniel Pilquist, Vice President of Operations for Pilquist Enterprises, Inc. "Aggressive advertising helps us make that happen."

Pilquist Enterprises owns and operates 12 NaturaLawn franchises throughout the Delaware Valley. The business was founded by Daniel's father, Dean, in 1991. "My Dad started with one truck and one service rep out of a small location in Doylestown," he says. "We are now the largest franchisee in America.

NaturaLawn provides Philadelphia area homeowners with weed-free green lawns using an environmentally friendly approach. "We offer a proprietary, organic-based fertilizer that focuses on secondary and micronutrients as well as bio-stimulants to transform the home's soil ability to produce green grass," says Daniel.

The business, which started with franchises in Bucks and Montgomery County, quickly grew to eight fueled by telemarketing, direct mail, and customer referrals.

By 2008, the Pilquist's NaturaLawn franchises were serving 3500 customers per year. To achieve greater growth, the company began investing in advertising on Philadelphia radio stations.

Delaware Valley consumers are expected to spend $103.4 billion at retail this year, according to Nielsen. This means that every household, on average, will be paying out $50,228

To capture a larger share of these dollars, local small business owners need to know the answer to two questions.

The first question is, where is this enormous amount of cash being spent?  The list below details the answer.

Delaware Valley consumers are expected to spend $12 billion on this year's holiday shopping, based on predictions by the National Retail Federation.  This would be a 4% increase over last year.

Deloitte, one of the world's top four accounting firms, forecasts similar growth.

"The projected holiday season growth is, in part, due to the current health of the labor market,” said Daniel Bachman, Deloitte's U.S. economic forecaster. “Near record-low unemployment rates, coupled with continued monthly job creation, may encourage people to spend more during the holiday season. The economy is still growing, albeit at a slower rate. Additionally, we continue to see consumer confidence elevated, which also helps boost holiday spending."

For most Delaware Valley retailers, holiday spending brings in about 20% of annual sales But, long gone are the days when the bulk of this shopping occurred between Black Friday and Christmas.