Newspaper Advertising - Tips for a Good Ad

Newspaper Advertising: Understanding Key Strategies:

Newspapers are a great way to reach a local audience of potential customers. Although free advertising (through being featured in articles or news stories) can be a great way to show off your small business products and services, you're not always able to garner free press or control the message within articles.

Newspaper advertising, when done properly, can put your small business in front of the eyes of thousands of readers in a single day.

Consider the following strategies and tips before committing to newspaper advertising as a small business marketing component:

Make Sure Newspaper Advertising is Appropriate for Your Business:

Newspaper advertising might seem like the first choice for getting the word out about your products or services, but it's important to know that advertising in the newspaper is a better choice for some types of small business than for others. Some businesses that have the best results from newspaper advertising have the following characteristics:

1. Local customer base.

2. Target market is educated, middle-aged or older.

3. Physical address/Point-of-sale location with regular hours.

4. Broad customer base or product range (not too "niche").

5. Retail or customer services, not business-to-business or wholesale only.

6. Advertise in other local avenues as well.

7. Are already established businesses (vs. startups).

Make Sure Newspaper Advertising Costs Will be Offset by Response Business:

If you've determined that newspaper advertising is appropriate for your business, it's important to make sure that the financial investment is likely to translate into positive profits. While it's impossible to know how many readers actually see and take notice of your ad, you can estimate the potential power of a newspaper ad.

1. Know the circulation numbers. How many people subscribe to the newspaper?

2. What are the demographics of the subscribers (average age, martial status, income, zip codes, etc.)?

3. What section will your ad appear in? Can you control where/what articles your ad will appear next to?

4. What referrals can the newspaper give you to other businesses (so you can hear from another business like yours what results a newspaper ad has gotten)?

Once you've gathered this information, chart the number of primary customers that you estimate will view your ad. Take the cost of the newspaper ad and create a target goal of customers or business you intend to gain as a result of the ad. For example, if you're spending $300 on one ad, how many customers or sales would you need to generate to justify spending that amount?

Make Sure You Have a Way to Measure Response to Your Newspaper Ad:

Keep in mind that newspaper advertising doesn't always generate a response, but is often a form of indirect or brand advertising that can't be measured. There are ways to track response to a newspaper ad, however.

The simplest way is to put an exclusive coupon or offer in the corner of your ad. That way, you know exactly how many customers are coming in as a result of seeing your ad. Match this response with the goal you set when you considered your advertising budget and target response numbers.

Make Sure Your Ad Contains the Necessary Information:

First and foremost, make sure that your ad has a goal. What type of person are you trying to reach and what are you trying to say? Make the message clear and include the following necessary information:

1. Contact information (address, phone, website, hours, etc.).

2. Offer, sale dates, or promotional discount.

3. Business message.

4. What types of products/services are offered.

5. Reason to buy!

Make Sure Your Newspaper Ad Isn't Too Wordy:

The more you pinpoint the exact goal of your ad, and the target market for your ad, the easier it will be to "cut, cut, cut." Cramming lots of text into a small newspaper ad is ineffective. Choose short phrases (5 words or less), bullet points, or just key words. 

Avoid full sentences or paragraphs. You've only got a few seconds to grab the reader's attention, don't waste your money on getting your ad passed over because it's too crammed.

Make Sure Your Newspaper Ad is Catchy:

Rather than placing a generic "business card" type ad, try making your newspaper ad more time-sensitive or relevant. The following ideas can really make your newspaper ad stand out from the many, many others.

1. Advertise an event (i.e. grand opening, sale, guest speaker, or workshop).
2. Advertise a sale (i.e. holiday promotion, coupon, or special theme).
3. Use photography. A newspaper is full of text; offer contrast! Pictures of products, store owners, or a physical location can be eye-catching.

Use Repeat or Regular Ads to be Most Effective:

Placing a one-time ad almost never works for any small business, or any large business for that matter. If your budget doesn't allow for a repeat campaign, newspaper advertising isn't likely a good choice for you. 

When customers see your repeat ad, they are more likely to respond with a purchase when they need your products or services. Newspaper advertising also often comes with discounts when you commit to regular advertising over the course of several months as well.

Negotiate a Better Advertising Rate for Your Newspaper Ads:

Most people assume that "the rates are the rates." This is far from the truth. The number one question to ask:  "Is that the best you can do?" You'll find that not only can you get a better price on advertising, but you might also learn about referral programs that will get you discount advertising for giving suggestions of other small businesses that may also advertise in a publication.

When you are advertising in newspapers, it's also important to consider which periodical you place an ad in. Many cities now have multiple, smaller papers that either cater to a niche audience or are published primarily as "coupon" or "money savers." 

If your business offers slam-dunk bargain pricing, or offers rare and unique services that are hard to find, these smaller publications might offer a better newspaper advertising campaign than the main newspaper of your town or city.

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What's Next

Next In This Guide
Part 17:
Effective Magazine Advertising for Small Businesses - A simple checklist for using magazine advertising to get high-end exposure.

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Part 15:
Training Employees: A Smart Marketing Technique - A small business marketing strategy is bound to fail if employee training isn't conducted properly. Help your staff think and feel like the customer.

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