Advertise In Small Publications

With hard times, comes hard decisions. Spending money is at an all time low which means companies have some serious number crunching to do when it comes to when and where to spend their advertising and marketing dollars. Do they continue advertising to reach new customers, or should they advertise to their current customer base? Should they stick with the major publications and advertise less often, or should they seek out smaller publications and advertise more frequently?

There's no easy answer. But one thing is certain, repetition is key to advertising. Consumers need to see your product on a regular basis if you have any hope of them remembering your product on shopping day. Another thing is just as certain, small publications have a loyal base of subscribers—and those subscribers make great customers.

You do know what loyalty means, don’t you? It means trust. And trust means feelings of allegiance. And allegiance means support. Which ultimately means that your ad, in a small publication, is going to carry more weight than an ad in a large publication, even though it is seen by less eyes.

So where do you find small publications related to your target audience?

• Start by looking at the publications you already read: print, email, blogs.

• Ask colleagues, in the same line of business, where they advertise.

• Search online for publications.

What should you ask when considering advertising in small publications?

• Does the publication target my audience or compliment my product and/or service?

• Would an ad, from my company, be a benefit to the publication’s readers?

• How many ads can I afford to place at once and will the publication give me a discount for doing so?

Keeping in mind that it takes consumers up to 7 times to recognize your ad so consider advertising with the same publication for at least 6 months—and don't forget to use some type of tracking. (i.e. A web page designed or discount code specifically for that publication.)

If, after 6 months, you don't see any rewards, try one of the following options:

1. Reword your ad and try again. There’s a good chance that the ad you wrote didn’t capture the attention of the newsletter readers or offer them any reason to click and buy or click and visit.

1. Move onto another publication because the publication you picked may not have been as good of a fit as you had thought.