Half page newspaper ad = $95

Easy ROI especially with you doing the copy.

Even a $5 fiverr copywriter could get a good ROI when a half page only costs $95.

Oh yeah, that's a great secret. I e been buying the reminant space from our local papers for years. I e got it setup where they just bill my AMEX and run my ad automatically.

I was able to set it up that way because I've been doing this so long that I already know my "winners" so we just run with 'em.

Our good friend Ewen also put this excellent post in the copywriting forum. Understandably I know very few of of you venture in there, in can get a bit heated...(it's always good to relax in here).

So, here's my thoughts on "remnant space"


You don't have to wait for remnants (or as we say in the UK "late space") to "become" available.

Use the Halbert/Kennedy and Steve The Copywriters technique.

Send the Ad to your chosen papers/magazines diplomatically telling them the amount you'll pay (yes, we know you might not accept but...client has a tight budget, times are tough, we love your publication more than the others because... we know you like to help new advertisers....)

It can greatly help if you enclose the cheque - I've never had one sent back.

Lo and beyond, as if by magic the remnant space becomes available.

Even more so with the inter web ravaging their readership and hijacking huge portions of the Ad revenues.

But believe me, the right Ad in print makes the good people respond.

It can be very profitable.


Steve


P.S. I hate to say the blindingly obvious - but why bother with an advertising medium when you can create your very own. Postcards and Flyers can blitz everything else. In the history of the known universe they have never been binned without being looked at - just make sure its worth the good peoples time to read all the captivating copy... getting them to say "Yes - we want it!"

And you can have them bunged into the newspapers or magazines using them as a distribution machine.

Use the same process as remnant space to get the price slashed - and it's always available (make sure you get bunged in "solo." Insist there mustn't be any other "inserts". You don't want a clutter of stuff falling out when the pages are opened).

It has to be just your astonishing Ad with your audience saying "Wow, I wanna read it, how on earth did you know we wanted this...it's exactly what we need...and f*** me that is an irresistible offer! - I'm picking up the phone right now to buy, book, order...or I'm legging it to you, I can see it's a limited deal and I don't want to miss out."

Steve good to hear of someone besides Tim Ferris who has used that method.

Claude made a great point about computers formatting the papers layout.

Several times I've had Ads miraculously transformed.

1/4 pages into 1/2 pages even 1/2 pages into full pages.

Also when you've negotiated the right deal and your stunning Ad has produced a magnificent response - be a little bit cagey what you say to the newspaper or magazine.

If you tell them you've had a tremendous word beating result - they'll say "Oh good so you won't mind paying the full rate you tight fisted so and so"

You can say the response was excellent and what a brilliant media it is, and you would love to keep using it - but your on going, overheads, staff, supplies, production, delivery "costs" are extremely high and the ad budget is severely limited but you will be happy to continue advertising at the special rates.

Wrap this up by saying several other publications have been in touch offering unbelievably "discounted" prices (this invariably happens when they see your Ad) and it would be such a shame to move your ad revenues over to them.


Steve


P.S. If you do Postcards or Flyers never, ever make them a "standard" size. Always go larger.

They get a lot more attention, you can write extra copy, they don't cost much more to produce and best of all they always get a higher response significantly increasing the sales and profits.