13 Facts About Newspaper Advertising

Advertising in the paper works for many people in business. The astute merchant understands the newspaper's weaknesses and works to avoid them whenever possible.

Here are 13 facts you should know.

1 Despite declining circulation figures and increasing ad rates, newspapers still reach large audiences, daily.

2 Newspapers are considered the PRIMARY advertising medium by 99.4% of all retailers. Newspapers have been there in every step of the typical store owner's life from the very beginning. Newspapers covered his birth, his high school graduation, his engagement, his marriage, the death of his parents and everything else.

3 Many, if not most, retailers, lay out their own ads. It is said that over the years, merchants have come to believe the only way to get it right is to do it themselves. This thinking has given rise to the new breed of newspaper salesperson. No training, just a list of customers and the daily question "Gotchyur ad ready yet?"

4 There is no proof full page or double-truck ads are more effective than half page ads. The savings can be spent on a concurrent radio campaign or billboards.

5 The same with color. It looks great, but the increased cost many times does not justify the small increase in readership. Forget the color and go with more frequency.

6 The paper is delivered daily, but there is no need for an ad every day as the paper reaches the same readers. 3 times a week works just fine. Spend the difference in the shopper or on a supporting radio campaign.

7 Newspaper coupons will have a better rate of redemption with a radio chaser. Especially if the coupons are NOT in a Sunday paper competing with 85% of all coupons weekly. Think about a coupons on Tuesday with supporting radio to drive them to it.

8 Less than half of newspaper readers read the entire paper. Most are skimmers. How many times through the paper does it take for you to find your own ad?

9 Over half of every newspaper is advertising. Almost as bad as TV where commercial breaks now last more than three and a half minutes. More than two-thirds of the huge and heavy Sunday brick is advertising and stuffers and lap cards (those pesky little cards that fall out when you pick it up).

10 Newspaper rates are climbing faster than any other advertising media. The smallest of ads in the smallest papers can cost over $100. One time, one shot and POW!, its at the bottom of the bird cage or spread out for an indoor dog's emergency.

11 Newsstand and subscriptions prices are rising, too. 75 cents an issue is rapidly losing to 4 quarters.

12 Most papers offer no competitive protection. Your ad can be placed side-by-side with your competition. Get the salesperson to guarantee you separation.

13 Daily newspaper numbers are dwindling. There are less than 1000 daily papers left in the US. Smaller communities must rely on weeklies or papers from another area with a "local" section. In some markets one publisher controls several small town papers, printing them at a central location, changing only the front page for each community.

Newspapers are still a formidable advertising force. Find ways to continue to use the paper to increase store traffic, but do it with other advertising too, so the media mix is efficient. Don't let anyone tell you NOT to advertise in the paper. Just do it better.

For more about advertising, get my article "Do Your Radio Ads Work?" MailTo:RadioAds@BigIdeasGroup.com

©2005 BIG Mike McDaniel All Rights Reserved Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com BIG Mike is a Professional Speaker and Small Business Consultant with over 30 years experience, http://BIGIdeasGroup.com

Subscribe to "BIG Mike's BIG Ideas" Newsletter MailTo:subscribe-956603364@ezinedirector.net

In The News:


CBC.ca

GM says Super Bowl ads too expensive and bows out
Philadelphia Inquirer
The Detroit automaker said Friday that it won't be advertising on the Feb. 3 spectacle because of a steep price hike demanded by CBS, the network broadcasting the game. "We understand the reach the Super Bowl provides, but with the significant increase ...
GM Drops Another Advertising Bombshell -- On the Super BowlForbes
GM Says It Won't Advertise During Next Super Bowl GameBusinessWeek
Recommended: GM won't advertise on next Super Bowl, report saysmsnbc.com

all 302 news articles »

Christian Science Monitor

Advertisers and Facebook face an uphill battle. But it could be worth it.
Christian Science Monitor
General Motors' decision to invest significantly less advertising dollars in Facebook inspired some to suggest that the world's most popular social network needs to grow up. By Megan Riesz / May 18, 2012 Facebook increased the size of its initial ...
Is Advertising on Facebook Worth the Expense?TIME
Companies ask: Does advertising on Facebook pay?Seattle Post Intelligencer

all 13,913 news articles »

Oakfield marketing students dive into advertising
Fond du Lac Reporter
Marketing students at Oakfield High School delved into the world of "Mad Men" recently by creating an advertising campaign for a local business. Fondy Sports Park teamed up with the high school's marketing department to give students a realistic ...


CIO Today

Does Advertising on Facebook Pay?
CIO Today
By Peter Svensson And Tom Krisher GM's advertising spending is a tiny fraction of Facebook's total 2011 advertising revenue of $3.15 billion. But the automaker's decision to cease advertising on the social network could be symptomatic of Facebook's ...
Facebook Advertising Shows 'A Lot Of Potential But It's Not A Slam-Dunk'Huffington Post
Advertisers weigh in on the value of Facebook adsExaminer.com
Why I Lost My Faith In Facebook AdvertisingForbes
New York Times -AdAge.com -San Francisco Chronicle
all 204 news articles »

USA TODAY

GM Says Facebook Ads Don't Pay Off
Wall Street Journal
By SHARON TERLEP, SUZANNE VRANICA and SHAYNDI RAICE General Motors plans to stop advertising on Facebook after the company's marketing executives determined their paid ads had little impact on consumers. Sharon Terlep has details on The News Hub.
Facebook's biggest problem is that it's a media companyWashington Post
Facebook sparks divide: GM, Ford advertising strategies divergeDetroit Free Press
Do Facebook ads work? IPO, GM spotlight issueUSA TODAY
Chicago Tribune -Forbes -WebProNews
all 939 news articles »

Dragas Mortgage Company Selects JASE Group LLC as Advertising Agency of Record
PR.com (press release)
JASE Group LLC (jasegroup.com) will serve as the Inbound Marketing & Creative Advertising agency of record for Dragas Mortgage Company (dragasmortgage.com) of Virginia Beach, VA. Virginia Beach, VA, May 20, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Dragas Mortgage Company ...


AIADMK spent crores of public wealth on their advertising: Karunanidhi
Daily News & Analysis
Place: Chennai | Agency: PTI DMK President M Karunanidhi on Sunday flayed the Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu for its advertising campaign listing its "achievements" on completing one year in office, saying it had spent a "huge amount" of ...

and more »

Presidential TV advertising onslaught begins, but is Pennsylvania really a ...
The Republic
The advertising onslaught of the fall presidential election has begun in Pennsylvania and a handful of other states that may be up for grabs between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney. Republicans and Democrats both ...

and more »

Successful Merger Creates New Integrated Advertising Agency for Automotive Dealers
PR.com (press release)
New Jersey based automotive wholesaler, Vincent Grace, gained a substantial partner this week, RDI Inc, an automotive advertising & marketing firm. Teterboro, NJ, May 20, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Dealers nationwide will be presented a direct mail marketing ...


Speedway green flags advertising
Post-Tribune
With Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka and Shell Oil Co. signs hung on the walls of turns three and four, Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus is predicting double-digit percentage increases in Indianapolis 500 advertising and sponsorship revenue.

and more »
Google News

Brochures - The Ultimate Sales Tool

"How brochures can help you stand out from the competition,... Read More

3 Things Every Yellow Pages Advertiser Needs to Know

Too many business owners and marketers know that Yellow Pages... Read More

How To Write Super-Effective Ads and Sales Letters!

"The more things change, the more they stay the same".... Read More

Direct Mail Catalogs & Brochures: Write Captions That Sell

Many prospects skim through catalogs and brochures, glancing at the... Read More

How To Write Eye-Grabbing Headlines That Catapult Your Prospects Into Your Ads

If you're interested in improving the selling results of your... Read More

What Do Your Ads Say?

Make a list of everything you think should be included... Read More

Boost Headline Believability With Specifics

Don't use vague generalities in your headlines. Be as specific... Read More

7 Essential Elements for Profit-Pulling Ads

Advertising will make or break your business. It is crucial... Read More

Secrets to Get Free Advertising

The opportunities to get free advertising for your product or... Read More

The SKINNY on Newspaper Advertising

The SKINNY on NewspapersUsing the paper is considered gospel by... Read More

Why Most Advertisements Stink!

Question: What do you think the most important part of... Read More

Online Classifieds

Choosing a Classified Website and creating your advertisements.The internet has... Read More

Marketing Messages with Add Zest & Appeal

Boring is one thing you can't afford to be when... Read More

Testimonials Convert Prospects Into Buyers

Big businesses get instant credibility with their well-known company name... Read More

Effective Promotions Through Local Classified Sites

Today's online marketplace is extremely competitive. People want to market... Read More

How Well Do Postcards Work?

The humble little postcard has been getting a... Read More

Ten Ways To Sell Advertising Space Fast

1. Give your customers a discount when they spend over... Read More

10 Tips to Use Giveaways Effectively

Walk around any trade or consumer show and you will... Read More

Secrets And Top-Tips Of Mail Order Advertising

Good Advertising creates more production, thus greater consumption, faster turnover... Read More

Media, the Internet, Yellow Pages, and Your Business

If you are reading this article, chances are you could... Read More

Finding Your Target Market

Achieving sales is probably the biggest challenge a web business... Read More

Double Your Sales Potential With Double-sided Business Cards

Swapping business cards is one of the most basic and... Read More

3 Simple Steps to Getting Thousands in Free Advertising

Many entrepreneurs believe that they understand what public relations is,... Read More

Grab Your Share of Untold Amounts of Advertising Dollars

If you advertise in any way, the following information could... Read More

Placemat Ad Advertising

Starting a placemat ad business can create more business for... Read More