How to advertise your business in the press
To get the best from advertising in the press you need to reach
as many of your target audience as possible at the best price. Your
options include local papers, national papers, trade journals and
trade directories. The good news is you should be able to get
audited readership profiles for all of these products, so match
your advertising requirements to these profiles. This guide
outlines the benefits of each form of print advertising, what
frequency, position and size of ad to go for and offers tips on
producing a compelling advertisement.
Your options
Phone directories such as Yellow Pages and Thompson Local are
relatively cheap and have a long shelf life, but because there's a
lot of competition they're not so good for branding ads.
Trade press is generally well read by its target audience, and
is a good option if you sell to other businesses or if you have a
specialist product or service. Local press is
usually relatively cheap and has a large, localised
circulation. If you need a much larger
circulation, look at national press - although it's much
more expensive. It be worht considering if you've got a
UK-wide service. Finally, consumer magazines allow you to do
sophisticated colour ads, plus they have a relatively long
shelf life, but again they can be expensive.
- Different publications are suited to different businesses
- Trade, local and directories are more focused and cheaper
than national
- National and consumer allow more sophisticated ads to reach a
wider audience
What kind of ad to go for
Classified ads are usually the cheapest options - they contain
only words. Display advertisements are bigger and more
sophisticated. They generally appear on editorial pages and
make use of colour and photos, and are specially designed for these
slots. There's also the advertorial option - where the ad is
laid out like an editorial page but features you and your business.
You could also go for an insert that's stuffed inside the
paper or magazine. Publishers charge more for different
positions and sizes. You pay more if you want an ad on a right hand
page, or near the front of the product, or in the top right of a
page. These are the areas that are seen by the most readers and
typically command a 20 per cent premium.
- Classified ads are cheaper than display or advertorial
- Inserts are more expensive
- Right-hand page or top right and to the front of a
publication are the most seen and expensive positions
Things to consider
As print ads are repeated their impact can lessen, so advertise
in bursts. Make sure you're in the right place - an ad for
tyres should sit in the motoring section, for example.
Experts suggest the most effective place for a news paper ad is
either page one or three. When you're arranging a price for
placing your ad, negotiate. Most publishers will come down from
rate card prices. Also, first time advertisers are usually
eligible for a discount. If you don't mind flying close to
the wind, you can get better deals close to the date of
publication, when publishers are trying to fill space.
- Advertise in bursts and make sure you've got the right
position
- Negotiate on price
- First time advertisers and placing an ad close to publication
date get the best deals
Ads that work
Your advertisement should sell the benefit of your product to your
customer. For example, the low-fat spread Flora isn't sold on its
great taste - instead they lead on its cholesterol-reducing health
benefits. Go for a bold headline that sells the benefits -
pick a plain, large and bold typeface. Use illustrations or
photos sparingly and only when relevant. If your
advertisement has a coupon for readers to cut out and send in, make
sure you position it at the edge of the page.
- Lead on the greatest benefit to your target customer
- Use bold, plain, large headline
- Use pictures sparingly and only when relevant
- Coupons need to be at the edge of the page
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