The Forgotten Advertising Medium
The Forgotten Advertising Medium
Too often those of us that own an online business forget that
there's another advertising medium that business owners have
been using for years, with excellent results.
That medium is Newspaper Advertising. Any online business owner
that is not using the option of advertising in newspapers is
losing potentially thousands of dollars per year.
Although print newspapers have lost some of their readership to
online news sources there are still millions of homes in America
that still buy newspapers, either by newsstands or home delivery.
Reading the newspaper is a habit for many families because there
is something for everybody--sports, comics, crosswords, the food
section, classifieds, etc. You can reach certain types of people
by placing your ad in different sections of the paper that would
appeal to your target market. People expect advertising in the
newspaper. In fact, many people buy the paper just to read the
ads from the supermarket, movies or department stores.
As you look through your newspaper, you'll notice some
businesses that advertise regularly. Observe who they are and
how they advertise their products and services. More than
likely, their advertising investment is working if they continue
to place ads.
There are many advantages to advertising in the newspaper. From
the advertiser's point-of-view, newspaper advertising can be
convenient because production changes can be made quickly, if
necessary, and you can often insert a new advertisement on short
notice. Another advantage is the large variety of ad sizes
newspaper advertising offers. Even though you may not have a lot
of money in your budget, you can still place a series of small
ads, without making a sacrifice.
Before placing an ad in your town's daily newspaper you may want
to place a few test ads in the local papers that publish less
often and are not as expensive, like the Penny Pincher or
American Classifieds (formerly Thrifty Nickel). If you get a
good response to your ad in the smaller publications, chances
are they will pull well in the larger more well-known papers. If
your response is not what you were hoping for try rewriting the
ad and placing it again. Since the rate is less expensive for
the smaller local publications you should be able to do this as
often as needed until you get the response you were expecting.
Some things to know about newspaper advertising:
1. Newspaper circulation drops on Saturdays and increases on
Sundays, which is also the day newspapers are read most
thoroughly.
2. Position is important, so specify in what section you want
your ad to appear. Sometimes there's a surcharge for exact
position ... but don't be afraid to pay for it if you need it.
3. Request an outside position for ads that have coupons. That
makes them easier to cut out.
4. If a newspaper is delivered twice daily (morning/ evening),
it often offers "combination" rates or discounts for advertising
in both papers. You usually can reach more readers, so this kind
of advertising may be something to consider.
Other important tips to remember are:
* Before you advertise, have in mind a definite plan for what it
is you want to sell.
* Create short, descriptive copy for your ad. Include prices if
applicable. Consider using a copywriter or ask your newspaper
for free copy assistance.
* Face your products toward the inside of the ad. If the product
you want to use faces right, change your copy layout to the left.
* Be sure to include your company name and logo, address,
telephone number and website url in the ad.
* Neat, uncluttered and orderly ads encourage readership. Don't
try to crowd everything you can in the layout. If the newspaper
helps you with the layout, be sure to request a proof of the
final version so you can approve it or make changes before it is
printed.
* Always make sure you are satisfied with what your advertising
says and how it looks before it goes to print.