I have coaches asking me continually how they can make advertising work for their client’s small businesses. Large business use branding to get their message to the masses, and they do so successfully. But that requires a MASSIVE marketing budget, and small business owners simply can’t afford to market that way.

That’s why all business owners eventually face a serious dilemma—how to advertise their business… which advertising medium will get them the most exposure… and which advertising venue will provide the biggest bang for the buck.

How’s a small business owner to know? Do newspaper ads out-pull radio spots—or is the power of television the only way to go? Unfortunately, the answer is different for each business, each situation, each location and each product. So over my next few articles, let’s explore the pros and cons of each medium. Knowing these can help you decide which medium is right for advertising your client’s product or service.

Let’s begin with newspapers. First, what’s good about newspaper ads? Well, it’s fast for one. An ad in a magazine can take up to three months to break… but a newspaper ad can come out the very next day. If you need business fast, this is the medium to consider.

Newspapers have a wide array of editorial topics to match what you’re advertising. For example, if you’re selling car parts, you can place your ad in the paper’s automotive section… or perhaps have it placed next to news stories about cars. Newspapers also have international news and local news, all of which help you focus your advertising effort.

You also can get a lot of ad space if you need it. Remember, long copy always sells better than short copy. The broad area of a newspaper page is ideal for long copy. Newspapers can insert your catalog, flyer, inserts or whatever preprinted materials you might have. You can use them to conveniently distribute reader response items such as coupons, contest entry forms, surveys and so on.

Radio advertising is sometimes called “invisible ink.” That’s because it’s gone as soon as it’s broadcasted. With a newspaper, you can give the customer something to clip or something they may see twice if they read the newspaper a second time. Newspaper can reach large numbers of people depending on its circulation. Large urban dailies for example may easily reach 1 or 2 million potential buyers overnight.

They’re available nationally, regionally or locally. Newspapers allow you to reach possible nonreaders who might be part of your secondary target audience. They tend to be cheaper than other media depending on a number of variables.

Newspaper ads are easier to produce, and thus far less costly than radio or TV. A TV ad for example may require special effects, actors, video footage and so on. Newspapers are good for repeat exposure, and today… that’s a vital element when it comes to effective advertising. Readers need to see something an average of six to eight times minimum before they actually “see” an ad or respond to it.

Newspapers can reach people who otherwise have little access to other media. Many people buy newspapers not for the news, but to find out what’s on sale or what’s happening today. Movie ads are a prime example. They have better local market penetration than magazines. You have more options in terms of space and unusual ad configurations.

But now the bad when it comes to newspaper advertising. Newspapers tend to charge relatively high-cost premiums for less than full-run purchases. They’re flat, figuratively and literally. In other words, they don’t beep, squeak, blast, make noise or display colorful moving images as do both radio and TV.

They don’t have the extensive reach other media forms do… such as national magazines. They aren’t conducive to last minute changes because of deadlines and scheduling. Newspapers don’t produce as high a frequency level as other media forms. Large space ads are very expensive and their longevity is fleeting.

Ads in newspaper tend to compete heavily with other ads on the same or facing page. Clutter is never good for any ad, but in a newspaper, it’s next to impossible to avoid. The use of color is amateurish and doesn’t equal that of the color quality found in most magazines. Newspapers deliver mainly an adult audience, so if you have products targeted at tweens, teens or even college students, a newspaper probably won’t reach them. And finally, newspapers are typically viewed by a single person at a time.

The key to cost effective newspaper advertising as a small business owner is to remember two words… “remnant space.” This is also often referred to as “standby advertising.” In short, remnant space is the leftover blocks of space that remain unsold right before the newspaper goes to press.  Remnant space is typically deeply discounted where negotiated remnant rates can be 70% to 80% off retail pricing.

The big negative here is it’s not guaranteed to be available on any specific day or week. Your client will need to be extremely flexible when it comes to scheduling their ads if they elect this option. Often this space opens up at the very last minute, so you must have your ad already developed and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

If your client advertises nationally, you might first consider testing on a smaller geographic scale where you call your local newspaper space sales rep and let them know you’re interested in remnant space. Naturally you’ll have to sit through their short pitch on the value of buying space at their normal retail price, nut once they finish, just politely ask the rep to call you back when remnant space is available. Let them know you already have an ad “ready to go” for immediate placement, and I guarantee you that they’ll call you back when space is available. Newspapers HATE unsold space, and last minute cancellations do happen often.

Remnant advertising is a cost effective way small businesses can reach specific, yet expansive target market at a relatively low cost.

Next time, let’s look at ways we can help our client’s tap into the massive potential of radio advertising.

So until next time