Retailers in the Delaware Valley rang-up $103,468,991,000 in retail sales last year, according to Nielsen. But wait. It's about to get better.

The National Retail Federation forecasts that in 2020, sales will increase by as much as 4.1%. This will create another $4.2 billion for local small business owners.  

“The economy is growing at a more modest pace, but the underlying economic fundamentals remain in place and are positive,” stated NRF chief economist Jack Kleinhenz. “Consumers remain upbeat and have the confidence to spend, and the steady wage growth that has come with the strong job market is fueling their spending. The state of the consumer is very healthy.

To claim a fair share of this enlarged pool of spending will require Philadelphia area small business owners to advertise.

“Think you have a great product?” asks the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Unfortunately, no one’s going to know about it unless you advertise.”  

How quickly the millennials have grown up.

According to Nielsen, half of all Delaware Valley parents with children under the age of 18 are millennials.  

From the time their kids are born until they reach they are 17, these young parents will  spend, on average, $233,000 per child. This does not include the cost of college.

Currently, there are 1,162,996 children under the age of 18 living in the Philadelphia area. That makes the local parenting economy worth upwards of $270 billion. These dollars are being spent, among other things, on diapers, daycare, transportation, toys, education, electronics, clothing, and health care.

For Delaware Valley small business owners interested in competing for a substantial portion of this multi-billion dollar pool of parental cash, they must advertise to millennial moms and dads. By almost any measurement, advertising on Philadelphia radio is the best way to reach this audience.

Delaware Valley small business owners have been advertising on Philadelphia radio since the first local stations, went on air in 1922.  By almost every metric, the medium remains the best way to successfully market goods and services to local consumers.

Before local businesses execute their marketing plans for this year, here are five facts they should know about radio advertising.

As Valentine's Day sales begin to dwindle, that's when Delaware Valley small business owners start thinking about Mom.

Mother's Day, which happens on the second Sunday of May, is second only to Christmas in terms of holiday spending. Last year, Philadelphia area consumers spent more than $416-million celebrating the women in their lives. That number is expected to grow again in 2020.

To claim a significant share of this Mother's Day cash, local retailers and restaurants will need to advertise.  By almost every key metric, advertising on Philadelphia radio is the best choice.

Low unemployment, a boom in housing starts, and confident consumers are propelling robust sales for Delaware Valley furniture stores.

In 2019, local consumers in the Philadelphia area spent $2.2 billion on furniture and home furnishing. This number is expected to grow.

Based on estimates developed by Furniture Today’s Strategic Insights team and Easy Analytic Software Inc. (EASI), the total furniture and bedding market is projected to expand by more than 22% by 2024.

If a Delaware Valley small business owner who sells furniture, furnishings, or home decor would like to grab a larger share of this expanding market, then advertising is necessary.  By almost every key metric, advertising on local radio is a sound marketing investment.

For Delaware Valley small business owners who depend on Valentine's Day to spike first-quarter sales, this year could prove to be a battle as the decline in celebrants is expected to continue.

Based on estimates from the National Retail Federation, 2,5 million Philadelphia area consumers will be participating in the holiday this year. This is 20% fewer than ten years ago.

There is good news, however, for local business owners. Although there are will be fewer customers, local Valentine's Day spending is expected to grow to $413-million. This is 28% higher than a decade ago.

So, how does a Delaware Valley retailer or restaurant win the battle for the hearts and wallets of romantic consumers?  Advertising is a necessary weapon to win this war.

No weapon is as potent as advertising on Philadelphia radio.

"Don't believe anyone who tells you that advertising on radio doesn't work," says Jamie Riley. "We have been doing it since 2007 when I joined the company, and we continue to see our key business measurements grow."

Ms. Riley is the Director of Marketing and Promotions of Ron Jaworski Golf.

"Before I started working for Ron Jaworski, the Yellow Pages and newspapers were the only advertising the company was doing," she says. "When I suggested we do a remote radio broadcast at one of our golf clubs to bring in new people, everyone thought I was crazy."

"I guess it was a success because I wasn't fired, and we've continued to advertise on the radio, ever since."

There's a reason many Delaware small business owners target their advertising towards consumers who have completed a four-year college degree. It's because, typically, university graduates earn $29,106 more per year than those with only a high school diploma, according to The Federal Reserve.

There are, according to Nielsen, 1.5 million college graduates living in the Philadelphia  area. In total, this population generates $112.7 billion in annual take-home pay.

To tap into a similar pool of spending power, a marketer would need to reach 2.5 million consumers who did not go beyond high school. The problem is, there is 100,000 fewer than that living in the Delaware Valley.

The number of people reached by a campaign is, generally, what determines the cost of advertising. So, for a local small business owner operating on a tight marketing budget, spending can be kept in check by targeting those consumers with the most money to spend. In this case, college graduates.

Small business owners in the Philadelphia area must advertise to claim a fair share of the $100.9 billion retail economy.

“Think you have a great product?” asks the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Unfortunately, no one’s going to know about it unless you advertise.”  The SBA goes on to say, “Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your sales, and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your business."

During 2019, many Delaware small business owners sought advertising guidance on the advice pages of www.AdvertiseInPhiladelphia.com. Below are the top ten most-read articles from the past 12 months.

Attention Delaware Valley small business owners. The five busiest shopping days of the year are imminent.

Based on data from the National Retail Federation, more than 3.2 million Philadelphia area consumers are likely to shop beginning on Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday.

“The tradition of Thanksgiving weekend holiday shopping has become a five-day event with consumers spending money in stores, supporting local small businesses, and online with their mobile devices and computers,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Even as people are starting to purchase gifts earlier in the season, consumers still enjoy finding good Thanksgiving deals and passing time shopping with family and friends over the long holiday weekend.”

Based on the NRF findings, here are the number of shoppers local business owners can expect on each of these five days: