Radio Ink: Tell us about your business.
Michael and Frankie Street: We drove to Little Rock to meet Frankie’s sister at the Vape Shop she went to. We spent a couple hours in there talking and trying out different flavours and devices. Fast forward about six months. We switched to calling and ordering stuff from the shop rather than making the five-hour round trip. As I was placing the order one day I made a comment to the guy taking the order that he should open a shop down here because I was tired of having to call and order. He said, “You should open up one for me.” I was like, “Why don’t you give me 20 grand and I will.”
We spoke for a while and, come to find out, he was the owner of the shop as well as the owner of a company that manufactures e-liquid. We kept in touch for several months after that. After discussing it amongst ourselves and talking with the owner some more, we decided to give it a try. We took $1500 from our savings account and purchased some products. We went to Lowe’s and bought a small tool box to store it all in. I carried that tool box with me everywhere I went. We’d sit in the Walmart parking lot on the weekends and catch people getting out of their cars that were smoking and asked them if they were ready to quit. We’d get them to try vaping. We sold the stuff out of our car, our house, and I even sold it on my route that I run daily. One evening, Frankie came home from her job about 8 o’clock, and I had about six people in the house trying to buy stuff. We looked at each other and said we can’t do this out of our house any more. So we did some research trying to find somewhere to set up shop. We bought a couple of used jewelry cases and we talked to the mall manager and he let us set up in the mall, and as they say the rest is history!
Radio Ink: What has been your marketing philosophy since you opened?
Michael and Frankie Street: As for our marketing philosophy, we really didn’t have one when we started. We relied solely on word-of-mouth. And that sufficed for several months. We eventually talked to Tommy Tatum at Delta Radio Network who put together a great advertising package for us to try. The results were simply amazing! He opened our eyes to the potential that our business had if we could get our name out there.
Radio Ink: How did you get introduced to radio?
Michael and Frankie Street: We got introduced to radio like most people, a salesperson comes by and gives you “the pitch.” We started radio advertising with a local station and were seeing OK results, but when we switched to Delta Radio Networks and Tommy Tatum took over our account, the results were phenomenal!
Radio Ink: How are you using radio?
Michael and Frankie Street: We are using radio in every way we can. We go in the station and go on air with DK in the mornings, we do remotes, we sponsor the live stream of the station on the Internet, and of course, you have to have catchy commercials. We try anything we can to keep our name out there.
Radio Ink: How do you know you are getting results using radio?
Michael and Frankie Street: We know we are getting results when we are out in public and people we don’t know recognize our voices from our commercials and our on-air conversations with DK. We also know it works when our customers tell us they love our new commercials.
Radio Ink: Why do you like the relationship you have with the Delta Radio team?
Michael and Frankie Street: We LOVE our relationship with Delta Radio because they really go out of their way to help us make our business grow. From helping with our Facebook advertising to showing us the different ways we can improve our business. They always go above and beyond what is expected of them.
Radio Ink: What advice do you have for other advertisers considering using radio?
Michael and Frankie Street: Be patient, it doesn’t happen overnight. It may take a few months to see results. But when it’s done right, you will definitely see them. Also, find a network that believes in you and your products as much as you do. Someone that’s genuinely excited and happy for you when you do well.
Radio Ink: What would you like to see the radio industry do better?
Michael and Frankie Street: That’s a tough one. What I think would help is like I said earlier, find and hire salespeople that are excited about helping people succeed in their business, not just people that are there to just meet their quota and collect a check.
