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.

Last week, according to Nielsen, 1,053,393 single, adult women tuned-in to a Philadelphia radio station.  This is 91.1% of every consumer who fits this description.

Why should Delaware Valley small business owners take note of this demographic? A study by investment bank Morgan Stanley finds 41% of working-age women are single. That number is expected to increase to 45% over the next ten years.

The study, called 'Growth of the SHEconomy', indicates that single women outspend the average household in many retail categories. Remarkably, says, Erica Sweeney of MarketingDive, "Women purchase more than half of products traditionally considered 'male' including autos, home improvement products, and consumer electronics."

During the past 12 months, according to Nielsen research, 292,000 Delaware Valley households sought the help of an attorney. These consumers needed professional advice on matters including personal injury, bankruptcy, social security, workers'  compensation, real estate, divorce, estate planning, criminal defense, and business matters.

All in, legal services in the Philadelphia region cost consumers more than $1.2 billion in fees.

According to the US Labor Department, there are 18,280 lawyers in the Delaware Valley competing for that immense pool of revenue. So, how can a local attorney hope to lay claim to a share of that immense pool of cash?

Is advertising on the radio just a day job for Delaware Valley small business owners?  

Thousands of local companies depend on radio advertising to market their goods and services. But, many of these business owners choose to buy commercials only between 6:00 am and 7:00 pm.  Is this a good idea? Maybe not.  Here are the facts.

Last week, for instance, 3,830,493 adult consumers tuned-in to their favorite Philadelphia radio stations. This is significantly higher than the number that tuned-in to a local TV station, read a local newspaper, logged-on to social media sites like Facebook, or streamed audio from Pandora and Spotify.

But radio listeners do not roll-up their ears just because the sunsets. According to Nielsen, 61% of Delaware Valley consumers who listen to the radio during daylight hours, also tune in at night.

There have been more recessions in America than presidents, 47 vs. 45.  Many economists believe number 48 is looming.  

The textbook definition of a recession is a period of declining economic performance across an entire economy, frequently measured as two consecutive quarters. In other words: it's a time when most Delaware Valley small business owners sell fewer of their goods and services.

There is one thing a recession is not.  It is not a time for Philadelphia area small business owners to stop advertising.

One of the greatest marketers of all time, Henry Ford, once said, "The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time."

What you had for breakfast this morning may prove Mr. Ford's observation.

Based on information from the National Retail Foundation, Delaware Valley consumers will be spending $138 million on Halloween this year. 

Typically, 80% of all Halloween shopping, according to the NRF, will occur between now and October 16.  The remaining dollars will be spent in the last 14 days leading up to the holiday.

Nearly 53% of consumers in the Philadelphia area are expected to participate in Halloween this year, each spending, on average, about $86.  This money will go towards the purchase of candy, decorations, costumes, pumpkins, and greeting cards.

Almost every type of local small business enjoys a taste of this spending. This includes hardware stores, convenience stores, craft stores, fabric stores, thrift stores, florists, card stores, consignment shops, haunted houses, home decor store, bakeries, and, of course, candy stores.

To claim a significant share of this Halloween cash will require local small business owners to advertise.  The key to successful advertising is reaching as many Halloween shoppers as possible over the next four weeks.

Advertising is critical to the success of every Delaware Valley small business owner.  One of the most powerful elements of any advertising campaign is how many people it reaches.

Nielsen, the world's largest consumer insights company, found that advertising reach has a more significant effect on sales than branding, recency, and context.

There are many ways a local business owner can advertise. This includes traditional media like Philadelphia radio, local TV, and newspaper. It also includes online advertising options such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pandora.

They type of customer an individual business needs to reach depends on the goods and services the company sells. For instance, a daycare operator might want to reach households with young children. On the other hand, a real estate agent could be looking for consumers in the market to purchase a new home.