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How to: News Paper ad

by goindeep
18 replies
Hi

Im feeling a little out of my comfort zone and thought I'd ask here for a bit of direction from people I know that are good at this

Im about to advertise a new Greyhound classifieds website in a news paper called the National Greyhound Form. I plan on putting the ad in their very own classifieds section which I have received approval for today but im a but stumped for how to format the ad and the copy.

It will be a small test ad for 1 or 3 weeks and will be either 5x7cm or 10x12cm

The idea is to get the readers to see the add and then take action and go to the website.

I can do any number of things like offer them free ads, coupons etc.

What would you do?
#news #paper
  • Profile picture of the author TakenAction
    [DELETED]
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  • Profile picture of the author goindeep
    Im thinking of something like this:


    ADVERTISE YOUR GREYHOUNDS
    FOR FREE
    Australia's Soon To Be BIGGEST
    Online Classifieds Website for Greyhounds!
    Use Coupon Code    : X7N123 Valued @ $30
    www.OzGreyhoundSales.com.au


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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
      Originally Posted by goindeep View Post

      Im thinking of something like this:


      ADVERTISE YOUR GREYHOUNDS
      FOR FREE
      Australia's Soon To Be BIGGEST
      Online Classifieds Website for Greyhounds!
      Use Coupon Code      : X7N123 Valued @ $30
      www.OzGreyhoundSales.com.au


      "Soon To Be" is not good. In my brain, it touched the "not worth advertising in" anchor.

      I'd add scarcity instead. "Free For A Limited Time" or something similar.

      Alex
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
    Free is good - but it has to have a value. Or people may feel it's not worth anything.

    It might be surprising but you won't have a dogs chance (sorry) in getting a great response unless you sell "fee" with the same potency as a "paid for" service or product.

    So, try and build up the value and credibility of your online classifieds.

    How many people will see the ads?

    Why is online better than print?

    What results have been achieved?

    Can you use a testimonial from a happy delighted advertiser?

    Also the cynical percentage of your audience - roughly about 99.79% - will be thinking "What's the catch?"

    Tell them there isn't one.

    And give a strong reason why you are offering a fee ad (You want to prove how effective it is etc.).


    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      Free is good - but it has to have a value. Or people may feel it's not worth anything.

      It might be surprising but you won't have a dogs chance (sorry) in getting a great response unless you sell "fee" with the same potency as a "paid for" service or product.

      So, try and build up the value and credibility of your online classifieds.

      How many people will see the ads?

      Why is online better than print?

      What results have been achieved?

      Can you use a testimonial from a happy delighted advertiser?

      Also the cynical percentage of your audience - roughly about 99.79% - will be thinking "What's the catch?"

      Tell them there isn't one.

      And give a strong reason why you are offering a fee ad (You want to prove how effective it is etc.).


      Steve
      How would I do that in a limited amount of text though. That is what Im struggling with at the moment.

      The site is only brand new but I will be advertising it and having paid traffic solutions bring in about 100K visitors the first month. Or would it be better to send the paid traffic first and then report on "We had 37,323 visitors to our website yesterday.."?
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
        Originally Posted by goindeep View Post

        How would I do that in a limited amount of text though. That is what Im struggling with at the moment.

        The site is only brand new but I will be advertising it and having paid traffic solutions bring in about 100K visitors the first month. Or would it be better to send the paid traffic first and then report on "We had 37,323 visitors to our website yesterday.."?

        Couple of thoughts - why not write a bigger Ad?

        If that's not realistic then certainly use the traffic or visitor numbers.


        Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author deezn
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      Free is good - but it has to have a value. Or people may feel it's not worth anything.

      It might be surprising but you won't have a dogs chance (sorry) in getting a great response unless you sell "fee" with the same potency as a "paid for" service or product.

      So, try and build up the value and credibility of your online classifieds.

      How many people will see the ads?

      Why is online better than print?

      What results have been achieved?

      Can you use a testimonial from a happy delighted advertiser?

      Also the cynical percentage of your audience - roughly about 99.79% - will be thinking "What's the catch?"

      Tell them there isn't one.

      And give a strong reason why you are offering a fee ad (You want to prove how effective it is etc.).


      Steve
      Thanks for this post. I've read this advice a few times in some books, but as with all things, when you hear it at the right time is when it sinks in. I'm also writing a newspaper ad (to go into a Vietnamese language newspaper here in the US) and am offering a free report. I've got the outline but need to add one more.

      Reason why. Why am I doing it, and why is it free.
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  • Profile picture of the author goindeep
    Originally Posted by Ken_Caudill View Post

    Put your greyhound ad in front of 100,000 potential buyers for less than you think.
    Haha sounds good and not so cheesy.

    Something like this:



    or is that too much? One arrow instead?

    One thing I just though of too is that I have to be careful what I write so that they let me publish the ad. It may be a conflict of interest for them directly as the ad is going in their very own greyhound classifieds section. Originally the contact I have there said it was fine, im just hoping it stays that way.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
    Maybe this video will help
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    "Human thoughts have the tendency to transform themselves into their physical equivalent." Earl Nightingale

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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      Originally Posted by jasondinner View Post

      hAHA Ill take a look, I thought he was a scam artist
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      • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
        Originally Posted by goindeep View Post

        hAHA Ill take a look, I thought he was a scam artist
        He was portrayed as one, but if you think about what he was talking about in that infomercial from back in the day, it's pretty much the same thing people do online.

        Think PPC campaigns and banner buys. They are "tiny little classifieds" and if you put enough up "you too can make a lot of money."
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        "Human thoughts have the tendency to transform themselves into their physical equivalent." Earl Nightingale

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