Print ads...Rates, recommendations and resources?

2 replies
I have a 3 question post, so if you can't answer all questions but can answer any one or two, please feel free to reply, your help is awesomely appreciated.

I have read a few times on this forum that a way some of you get work is to find newspaper ads clip them and send them back to the advertiser with some pointers.

Obviously, sometimes, you're probably getting some work from these advertisers.

Question #1 I was just wondering, how much do you guys generally charge just for rewriting a print ad? How much would you charge to write a print ad from scratch?

Question #2 What is most important in a print ad? In a sales letter you have as much space as needed, but print ads vary in size from very small up to 1 or 2 pages max. Therefore, what are THE MOST important elements that a print ad have to get a good response to the call to action?

Question #3 Do you guys have any suggestions for books, resources, or training courses that are dedicated solely to print advertising?

Thank you so much in advance, I really appreciate how helpful people in this section of the forum are.
#adsrates #print #recommendations #resources
  • Profile picture of the author ThomasOMalley
    I highly recommend you read John Caples' Tested Advertising Methods (4th ed.), How to Make Your Advertising Make Money, and Bob Bly's out of print book, Ads That Sell.

    If you can get Gary Halbert's Motherlode Collection of Sales Letters and Ads, you will find some powerful full-page newspaper ads.
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  • Hi Jason,

    It's a good way to get new clients. You know they advertise and 99.97% of the time their Ads can be greatly improved.


    Question #1 I was just wondering, how much do you guys generally charge just for rewriting a print ad? How much would you charge to write a print ad from scratch?

    It's likely to be 1/2 a page or under (any bigger and it's probably and Ad Agency that did it) So a price guide would be $250 - $600.00. What you're expecting is to boost the response so the client says "Do more stuff for us!" - ads, website copy, emails, sales letters, postcards and flyers. Get the results and you'll often become their one and only writer with stacks of work.


    Question #2 What is most important in a print ad? In a sales letter you have as much space as needed, but print ads vary in size from very small up to 1 or 2 pages max. Therefore, what are THE MOST important elements that a print ad have to get a good response to the call to action?

    The headline, benefits, an irresistible offer, scarcity (or compelling reason to act now) and the call to action

    One big secret to success is make the Ad itself valuable. Giving useful information, something free which is worth having. This is usually done in the subhead, main headline or prehead - which "forces" people to want to read on.


    Question #3 Do you guys have any suggestions for books, resources, or training courses that are dedicated solely to print advertising?

    As Thomas said - get Mr Caples renowned book and Mr Halberts collection of Ads.



    Steve
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