We've all heard that the magazine and newspaper industry is on the downturn. Major publishers have filed for bankruptcy and many large businesses aren't spending the billions they used to on print advertising. So the logical choice would be for the average little guy to not spend any money either, since your budget is tighter than ever, right? Traditional magazine and newspaper advertising DOES NOT WORK. THAT'S RIGHT, WE SAID IT. Traditional print media wants you to spend thousands of dollars on ads. They have fancy reports that tell you their magazine, newspaper or "yellow pages" have this many readers and their average income is this. They tell you all about their business, the 80 years they have been doing the SAME THING the SAME WAY. They get you to sign a contract for the whole year and POOF, you never hear from them again unless it's time to collect money. THEY KNOW THE SECRET to making print media work for your business. But, they don't share it with you because IT TAKES MORE WORK AND TIME FOR THEM to get it RIGHT. It takes extra work and time from their day to get to know your business and help create an ad that WORKS FOR YOUR BUSINESS. Many people have asked us the same questions: "What kind of advertising will really work for my business? How do I know the money I spend will make a difference in my business?" DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING. Don't get discouraged. Just because it SOUNDS complicated, doesn't mean that it is! We have put together a SIMPLE STEP BY STEP PLAN to get what you pay for in magazines, newspapers and all other print media. Here they are:1. Create an offer. What can you sell or give away to your future customers that will make them want to go to your website right now? If you were a leather goods company, you could create an offer similar to this example "FREE riding gloves, a $49.99 value, with the purchase of our new SMITH DOT Certified Helmets (129.00 - 299.00) if you sign up for our newsletter before July 31st, 2009, only 25 pairs available. Enter code: FRG250". This offer you created gives them a reason to go to your website and gets them to sign up for your newsletters, which will give you a chance to contact them again.2. Enough information for the customer to make decide to do it now. This is much more simple than it sounds. You have already created a great offer, now you need to give them a reason to do it now. The offer above already does this, it's a $49.99 pair of riding gloves.3. An explicit "call to action". Again, marketing fancy talk for "GO TO MY WEBSITE TO RECEIVE THIS, WE ONLY HAVE 25 LEFT!"4. Targeted means of response. Already done. You are requiring they go to your website.5. This method is inherently accountable since results can be tracked and measured. You know your ad worked because your new customers are using the code you gave them.6. Giving away a free product or service is a great incentive to get people to subscribe to your newsletter and create a large email list. Why do you want an email list? So you can sell them again later! It's always easier to fish in a barrel!7. This method gives you the opportunity to increase your credibility in your industry by educating the customer about the product or service. Ok, so what did all that mean? People will buy from you if they believe you know what you are talking about. Better yet, they will buy from you if they think you know more than the other guy!7.5 When a customer buys from you once, he or she is much more likely to buy from you again. Afterall, you are the expert. If you want to let Direct Response Advertising start to help you today, we recommend you reserve your space in our special 2009 Biketoberfest&Lonestar; Rally edition of The Biker Guide Magazine. We are down to just 9 spaces left! If you have any questions, please send us an email atadvertising@thebikerguide.comor call us at 386-868-5064. We are looking forward to helping you be successful! To your success, Heather Wright and Tanya StifflerPublishers, The Biker Guide Magazine www.thebikerguide.com -----------The Biker Guide Magazine, 1500 Beville Road Suite 606-111, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
...read more