Classified Ad Networks - High ROI?

Hello,

This is my first post to this forum. I first started looking at Sowpub about 2 weeks ago and read about 200-300 posts this weekend.

Thank you all for contributing your experiences and opinions. Special thanks to Dien and Gordon, Jim Straw and Don Alm to name a few. I definitely have expanded my horizons as a result of your shared points of view.

I have a question:

Does anyone have personal experience placing lead generation classified ads through advertising networks?

I am referring to agents that place one's ad in as an example 104 Thrifty Nickel newspapers.

Another example is for Southern California insertion. $300 buys a 25 word ad to a circulation of 1.3 million in 75 newspapers.

Has anyone achieved profitable results using this avenue?

How many insertions were tested?

What alternatives can be tested economically while achieving a broad or fairly broad circulation.

What do Jim Straw, Gordon, Don Alm, Dien and others know or have to say about classified ad use and testing as it applies to lead generation through ad networks or in individually selected newspapers (in bulk)?

This area is a mystery to me as I have done mostly B to B marketing with postcards, broadcast fax and telemarketing.

Any hard data, direct experience or contacts that can be made to get familiar with results would be greatly appreciated.

I am happy to share my experience regarding the mediums I mentioned above.

I look forward to hearing from the Sowpub community.

Best regards,

Steve Conn