FREE Cost of Conflict Calculator How much is conflict costing your company?
FYI! Include your selling promise in your headline The best headlines promise readers a benefit, such as fewer cavities, cheaper gas, whiter clothes. Your selling promise is simply the greatest benefit that you are advertising about your product, so include it in your headline.
Advertising in the paper works for many people in
business. The astute merchant understands the
newspaper’s weaknesses and works to avoid them
whenever possible.
Here are 13 facts you should know.
1 Despite declining circulation figures and
increasing ad rates, newspapers still reach large
audiences, daily.
2 Newspapers are considered the PRIMARY
advertising medium by 99.4% of all retailers.
Newspapers have been there in every step of the
typical store owner’s life from the very
beginning. Newspapers covered his birth, his high
school graduation, his engagement, his marriage,
the death of his parents and everything else.
3 Many, if not most, retailers, lay out their own
ads. It is said that over the years, merchants
have come to believe the only way to get it right
is to do it themselves. This thinking has given
rise to the new breed of newspaper salesperson. No
training, just a list of customers and the daily
question “Gotchyur ad ready yet?”
4 There is no proof full page or double-truck ads
are more effective than half page ads. The savings
can be spent on a concurrent radio campaign or
billboards.
5 The same with color. It looks great, but the
increased cost many times does not justify the
small increase in readership. Forget the color and
go with more frequency.
FYI! Take the response you got from an ad and divide the cost by the response to see if it was worthwhile. An ad that doesn’t elicit a response is too expensive no matter how little you spent on the advertising.
6 The paper is delivered daily, but there is no
need for an ad every day as the paper reaches the
same readers. 3 times a week works just fine.
Spend the difference in the shopper or on a
supporting radio campaign.
7 Newspaper coupons will have a better rate of
redemption with a radio chaser. Especially if the
coupons are NOT in a Sunday paper competing with
85% of all coupons weekly. Think about a coupons
on Tuesday with supporting radio to drive them
to it.
8 Less than half of newspaper readers read the
entire paper. Most are skimmers. How many times
through the paper does it take for you to find
your own ad?
FYI! Advertising can be a powerful ally, but only if done in a fashion to ensure you get the most out of every dollar you spend.
9 Over half of every newspaper is advertising.
Almost as bad as TV where commercial breaks now
last more than three and a half minutes. More
than two-thirds of the huge and heavy Sunday
brick is advertising and stuffers and lap cards
(those pesky little cards that fall out when you
pick it up).
10 Newspaper rates are climbing faster than any
other advertising media. The smallest of ads in
the smallest papers can cost over $100. One time,
one shot and POW!, its at the bottom of the bird
cage or spread out for an indoor dog’s emergency.
11 Newsstand and subscriptions prices are rising,
too. 75 cents an issue is rapidly losing to 4
quarters.
12 Most papers offer no competitive protection.
Your ad can be placed side-by-side with your
competition. Get the salesperson to guarantee
you separation.
13 Daily newspaper numbers are dwindling. There
are less than 1000 daily papers left in the US.
Smaller communities must rely on weeklies or
papers from another area with a “local” section.
In some markets one publisher controls several
small town papers, printing them at a central
location, changing only the front page for each
community.
Newspapers are still a formidable advertising
force. Find ways to continue to use the paper to
increase store traffic, but do it with other
advertising too, so the media mix is efficient.
Don’t let anyone tell you NOT to advertise in the
paper. Just do it better.
FYI! The best advertisement is your company’s story. It lets people know you’ve been around and plan to be around in the future. We’ll provide you with free online advertising in exchange for publishing your company’s story. Click on the link “Your Business Story” in the Our Website area of the nav bar for the details.
For more about advertising, get my article
“Do Your Radio Ads Work?”
MailTo:RadioAds@BigIdeasGroup.com
�2005 BIG Mike McDaniel All Rights Reserved
Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com
BIG Mike is a Professional Speaker and Small
Business Consultant with over 30 years experience,
http://BIGIdeasGroup.com
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This entry was posted
on Friday, June 1st, 2007 at 8:33 am
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