Classified Ads -do they work?

As an owner of a classified ad site, I can say they do work but anything is hit or miss.
Try Craigslist or even go local. It's worth a shot but be tactful and not "hey check this out" like.
The time it took you to make this post you could have posted on a classified ad site.
Go for it.

thanks
Steve

"Good idea" will be determined solely by your results.

There are people that tell you PPC is a waste of time.
There are people that swear by PPC ads.

There are people that tell you Article Marketing is pointless.
There are people that tell you Article Marketing is "da bomb".

And there are people that will tell you classified advertising doesn't work.
I happen to believe it does. But that is because I make money when I run my classified ads.

What I recommend is the three rules of effective advertising:

1) Test
2) Test again
3) Test some more.

My approach to trying any new advertising is:

1) Start small (buy one of the smallest available packages).
2) Test the results.
3) Tweak the copy/offer/etc... to see if I can improve the results.
4) If I see good results and I can make the ROI (Return On Investment) numbers work out, I buy more and larger ad packages.

If I can't get the results I need and can't justify spending more money on that particular resource, I drop it and move on to other resources.

I realize this isn't a "yes" or "no" answer. But it is the most accurate response I can give you. You will only know what truly works for you when you have tried it and proven it to yourself one way or the other.

If your products not selling maybe its the product and not you?
You will want to find where you target audience congregates at. if your click bank product is about Fishing you will want to hit up forum with a sig file about fishing etc. You need to target your marketplace and find where buyers will be interested in what you have to sell. Classifies honestly are a real crap shot they can work but many of times do not.

Very true and great advice guys.
Maybe I should try article marketing another niche, because this SUCKS.

I think I should try a link cloaker as my articles have received about 20 clicks and still not one sale.

20 clicks may not be enough to really know what is working.

Clearly, people are clicking your link. That's good news.

Take a hard look at the copy on your site.

If the goal of your site is to try and sell them on their first visit, you're going to have a harder time (IMO).

Personally, I focus my efforts on building my subscriber lists. When someone clicks through from an ad or enters my URL in to their browser, I give them an opportunity to request my free report.

When they do that, they are entered in to my AutoResponder and THAT is when the real selling begins. I send them free information that is relevant to the offer on my site.

This helps me build rapport and increases my sales results because I can follow up with them again and again.

There are folks that focus on trying to get that sale on the first visit. And any of those who are successful at it may chime in here and give you their thoughts soon enough.

In my own experience, I'm much more effective when I get those visitors to request information. This builds my lists and DRAMATICALLY improves my sales conversion.

I, personally, am on the side of article marketing is "da bomb".
However, it is just one of many promotional techniques.
I found I get faster results posting in niche forums and blogs.
I've also had decent results using Craigslist.
You might also try Adwords CPM. Targeting your ads to relevant sites.

And, rather than using a re-direct on your .com, use it to pre-sell your product using long tail keywords for SEO.
Publish your articles on pages on your site before you submit them to the directories.

Well... I'd love to tell you I have some secret formula but I really don't. It seems to come down to a combination of art and science.

There are, of course, the basic fundamentals of:

1) Make sure you're advertising where your market is.

If you are advertising for some sorts of arts and crafts related product, you don't necessarily want to be in a sports publication.

2) Start small and build upon success.

I've seen guys spend a lot of money on a big ad package without really testing anything first. They just "knew" it would do well. When the ad failed, they were out of money and couldn't afford to test anything.

3) Test .... Test ... and Test some more.

By starting small and testing results, you can narrow your ad down to the most productive version you can get. THEN you start ramping up your ad spend.

The basic thing I keep in my mind when writing my ads, sales copy, follow up messages, etc... is the #1 question on the prospect's mind:

"What's In It For Me?"

People that are looking at classified ads turned to that page for a reason. They are looking for something. If you can answer the question, "What's In It For Me?" you will be off to a GREAT start!

Whenever possible, address a fear or a want in your ad copy. Show them "How To" solve a problem ... lose weight ... make money ... become more popular ... be the life of the party ... grow hair ... meet girls ... whatever. Find and use the emotional tie with whatever your product or service is.

Nobody wants to build a list. But all of us marketers want to boost our sales, right? So an ad for my AutoResponder service would focus on showing readers how they can boost online sales like the pro's (or something to that effect).

A while back, I ran a classified ad in USA Today. I got a great deal on the ad and I got about 100 people to the web site.

At first glance ... 100 visitors from a USA Today ad looks horrible. But I sold to over 30 of those people that clicked through. I was in profit. So I was happy.

I too have a low conversion rate with ads (Craigslist, USFreeAds). I have much better success when I create original content for my blog or create articles that are submitted to article sites.

I also seem to get good traffic results from forums and marketing to my auto responder list.

But in my opinion, great copy for your affiliate product is the key.

Good luck!