Volume I - Edition I
Selecting the Right Print Advertising
I'm often asked, “What print ad's should I use to promote my business?” That’s
like asking what kind of car should I drive. We all have opinions but the right
answer is ‘what meets your needs.’
The first ad that you must have is in your local Yellow Pages. It's critical
because it lends credibility to your business, assuring the public that your
business is real and not a fly-by-night. However, it doesn't take a large
display ad to establish that fact—a simple listing can work.
My personal heartburn with the Yellow Pages is that it leads potential customers
to your competitors while they're looking for your number, and many of them will
be big businesses with much larger ads than yours—a disadvantage for the cash
limited small businesses. I advise my clients to purchase a listing or a small
display ad in the directory, but never to refer to it in other forms of
advertising. Don’t say find us in the Yellow Pages in other advertisements.
The newspaper can be a great choice for you if the ad is well designed and
readable. However, newspaper ads must be for products or services that address a
large segment of the readership. If your selling high-end copy equipment or
software design services the newspaper may not be your best choice for print
advertising.
Generally, newspapers are read by those over 50, younger people specifically
those under 30 tend to get their news from TV and a radio. So, when creating a
newspaper ad, use larger print and make it easer for your readers, they will
thank you for it.
Direct mail has several options, including cooperative mailings such as Val-Pak. These can offer great value, however you are just one in the
crowd. This can work well if your product or service is one of a kind, but if
there are competitive pieces in this mailing you split potential business with
your competitor.
Coupon books also offer some attractive low cost methods for reaching new
customers, but there are two major concerns with this type of advertising.
First, if you offer a discount coupon, that maybe the only time you’ll see this
client—when they redeem the coupon. If it’s a monthly repeat they’ll wait for
the coupon to make that second, third purchase. While this might help the
register some, it actually does little for the bottom line. My second concern
with many of these “coupon books” is that ad space is sold on contract for some
defined period of time. If the ad works great, if not, you are stuck with
ongoing cost that have done little for your business.
A single direct mail (DM) piece that stands alone (sales letter, postcard,
filer), may cost more to produce and mail but it stands on it’s own merits. If
done well, DM it can bring new long-term customers and clients. You can
control the mailings, target list, discounts, and track referrals, thus
controlling your cost factors over a longer period of time. You can send out as
many each month as your budget will allow.
The options in print advertising are huge; to keep you’re cost down target your
customers, with the type of ad that captures their attention.
This month's tip:
Why are you familiar with Yahoo, Monster, or Amazon?
I’ll venture to say it’s in part because of their massive investment in print, radio
and TV—all conventional forms of advertising. These same giants are now enjoying
a strong user base and benefits of past investments. Having a website is a great
business benefit, it can act as your pre-store sales team and educate your
potential customer any time of day or night.
Many business sites go un-visited because clients do not know the site is there.
The site is not listed in the phone book, not on there business cards, not on
the letterhead, not
mentioned in print advertising yet these same business people are expecting a
large visitor base for their site. Promote your site just as you do your
business and watch your daily activity on the site sore.
Quote of the Month:
I've found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.---Brian Tracy