Newspaper Advertising - I need an Education

I'm looking to start running some adverts in my local newspaper. Can some give me the run-down on what to ask and what's important to know?

I know that most publications accept PDFs of ads and that they have the file requirements on their sites.

What about dimensions? How big is a column?

The specs say 1 Column by 1.833 Inches does that mean? Does that mean 1 inch (height) by 1.83 (wide)?

What does Full Run and Part Run mean?

I know that my question could be a 5 day seminar in itself, I'm just looking for the basics.

Thanks for any advice in advance!!
MikeC

Personally, I don't have the answers to your questions, but I can tell you this:

A "stand-alone" insert ad (like a flyer in the paper) has been shown to out-pull display ad response by over 4-1.

I've heard this several times and know of two business people who do it with good success.

To use this stratege can be expensive in a larger circulation paper, but much more affordable in a local, neighborhood paper.

Where I live, there's a very well-done homeowner association newlsletter sent to over 3000 homes every other month. They allow five full-size insert flyers per issue for around $300 per mailing.

A good option to explore!

Lawrence

Why don't you just try classiefieds first and see if they bring in money first. If they don't what makes you think big ads will do it. My paper charges $3000 for those damn flyers. If it were $300 maybe I would do.

I once told an employer who is not no longer my employer that if he paid the $3000 and got one client he would break even and it would not cost him anything. He charge $3700 for his service. He had a school where I taught and he charged $3700 per student. But he could not understand that. I sell $19.99 books so I would need a over 20 sales per insert to break even. May not work for me.

Hi Mike,

All types of Display Advertising in Newspaper & Magazine publications can Cost and Lose you a Fortune if you Don't know what you're Doing.

Google around for Display Advertising and other related Keyword phrases and you'll get my message...

Most Newspapers are Poorly Niche Focused...

And that's why PPC... Google Adwords, MSN and Yahoo... Are a Much better investment, Again if you know what you're Doing...

Here's a Good Starting point...

10 Tips for Unleashing the Power of Classified Ads

Great article if you're New to the World of Marketing & Classified Advertising...

Don't let their brevity fool you: Classified ads can bring in the business if you do them right!

How to Write a Winning Ad
http://www.entrepreneur.com/advertis...cle172774.html

Have a Peek through the Table of Contents etc...

Direct Response Advertising Made Easy
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1599...52#reader-link

Phil

Phil,

Thanks for mentioning Classified ads.

Don't let their brevity fool you: Classified ads can bring in the business if you do them right!

Two of my businesses are only marketed with Classifieds. I obviously won't disclose income. But let's just say they Both make more than a wage. Just from those small ads. In fact, one got so busy I had to stop advertising.

WARNING: Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is an ad works first time. Because then you will keep running it over and over even if it stops working. In the delusion it will Come Good.

Also know... sometimes ads do not pull and then suddenly they do. As if no-one saw the ad and then everyone wanted what you advertised. Responses in Surges. Like Ocean Waves.

With Classifieds always run them for a least a month to get a good test. If they do nothing from that test, drop them and do something else.

Michael Ross

Thanks for all the replies. Ankesh, thanks for the good information!

Ankesh, I hate to disagree with you on columms but 1 inch by 1.833 inches is 1 inch high. Column widths arte the variable.
They depend on how many columns for the specific paper and whether it is a full size or tabloid size.
Larry

[Ankesh]

Thanks Larry.

(Please don't ever hate to disagree.)

MikeC wrote:

>The specs say 1 Column by 1.833 Inches

He didn't write: 1 inch by 1.833 inches

I'm pretty sure that column = width.

(But I do realize that 1.83 inch in height is a bit out-of-the-place... so maybe I read something wrong...)

Here's some of the answers to your actual questions and more.
http://retail.about.com/od/marketing...ate_card_6.htm

Phil

[Ankesh]

>The specs say 1 Column by 1.833 Inches does that mean? Does that mean 1 inch (height) by 1.83 (wide)?

Column = width. 1 column by 1.833 inches mean 1 width and 1.83 height.

Full run and part run has to do with distribution. Newspapers have zones or regions of distribution. Full run means your ad will go in all the regions. Part run means just some regions.

(Many newspapers also do this: have one same newspaper for all the regions. And special supplements for different regions. If that is the case, then it'll be full run rates in the main newspaper and part run in the supplements.)

If you call up your newspaper where you want to advertise - their ad sales person will help you in all this. They will give you all the details and answer all your questions about what means what. And they will also give you their reader's demographic profile. And many of them will also help you in creating the ad. Usually for free.