Do classified ads really work Should you include an email address or fax number in them How about a call to action
Questions like these are often brought to the attention of , an Ohio-based company specializing in helping businesses worldwide with their marketing, public relations and freelance writing services. Here are some top tips they offer based on their own client projects.
TOP TIPS FROM
I. CLASSIFIED AD PLACEMENT
Study the ads in publications where you would like to place yours to see what works. And STUDY them like youll have an exam over them. If you didnt see the ad before, skip it. Only focus on those who repeatedly placed the same ads - -these people are selling off of them: bottom line.
While youre at it, call some of those companies who are not your direct competitors and ask how their ads pull (and log their replies for reference). Exchange contact information and follow up so that you can possibly team up with them later in a joint venture and send clients back and forth.
Results show that small ads placed in inexpensive publications generally bring in phone calls and clicks to websites, but no email replies. And on the average, these callers reported having limited or no Internet access along with limited or no computer / email capabilities in their homes. If they had access at work, it was limited and did not offer personal / private email. Toll-free numbers brought in more responses than local numbers with area codes. And fax numbers brought in nothing at all.
II. CLASSIFIED AD GIFTS
Sales increased with the inclusion of Gift and Reward items in a call-to-action ad. Popular items were:
A. A No-Cost Information Kit that included a variety of tip sheets,electronic books and software sent via downloadable links in printed sales letters and included on disks or CDs. All items were mailed Flat Rate via Priority Mail.
B. A Book / workbook set sent the same way or mailed Media Rate in a manila envelope. Sets were for a trial period before purchasing. And No-Cost Information Kits above were included in the package.
C. A special Freebie item of their choice from our bookstore was mailed or emailed with mention of the ad.
III. CLASSIFIED AD COPYWRITING
To increase customer contact, communication and overall sales, include specific pricing in the ad; for example, say, rates from $39. Also list an email address with a domain name and specific person to contact. In other words, instead of emailing , email using a first name for familiarity. (Note that some classifieds charge a 3-word count for URLs but only a 1-word count for email addresses.) And use an action verb in your call-to-action, Mention Ad for
So sharpen your pencil or grab your keyboard and tune up your classified campaigns. Testing and improving your ads can definitely increase sales.
To learn more top tips and receive them on a regular basis at no charge in your email, sign up at today or email . Preview your own MAP: Move Ahead Plan book and spiral-bond workbook set today and receive your No-Cost Information Kit along with it by visiting
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About The Author
Diana Barnum, president of and CEO of . For more help with marketing, public relations and writing, email or call: (614) 529-9459.
The Internet Gold Rush is under way Bill Gates, chairmanMicrosoft Corporation.
Early settlers understood if you are going to build acommunity, build it near a permanent, abundant source offresh water. And thats why in all countries around theworld, communities were built around streams, rivers andlakes. Thats good common sense.
Now lets apply that same wisdom to developing a business.
If you are going to develop a work from home business,develop it near a permanent (or long term), abundant sourceof cash flow. Youd agree with that wouldnt you Againthats good common sense.
More succinctly, you identify where huge amounts ofmoney are being spent in a growing industry with good longterm prospects.
The Internet complies with these criteria better than anyother industry in history. Gold, silver, coal, oil, LPGhave all been massive industries but you either had toleave home to stake your claim, invest more than theaverage person could ever afford before even seeing yourfirst dollar, the resource dried up and the opportunityended or the industry became obsolete.
If current Internet and e-commerce trends continue, which atthe moment there appears to be no reason why they wouldnt,indeed a new age in consumerism has arrived. The statisticsspeak for themselves.
[U.S. online retail sales are expected to reach $65 billionin 2004, and will continue to grow by a compound annualgrowth rate of 17 percent through 2008 to top $117 billion,according to a report issued from Jupiter Research.
Market Forecast: U.S. Retail 2004-2008, the growth inonline retail will be due in part to new online buyers, notjust veterans, who have come to embrace the medium. Jupiterexpects that the online buying population will grow by 14percent in 2004, representing 30 percent of the U.S.population. By 2008, one-half of the population will makepurchases online.
Online retail growth will be fueled by another factor:increased average spending per buyer. In 2004, onlinebuyers are expected to spend an average of $585 person, upfrom $540 per buyer in 2003. That trend in higher spendingis expected to increase over the next five years: Through2008, average spending per buyer will be close to $780 perbuyer.] Taken from an article by Laura Rush, Clickz.com
They are extremely promising statistics and the implicationsfor those of us who are creating an Internet presence noware profound. If you are able to develop an effectiveInternet marketing business now, your income could grow ata compound rate for the next several years.
There are additional reasons why now is the perfect timingfor starting an Internet marketing home business:
The industry has already been successfully pioneered andmany of those that trail blazed before you have madeavailable, information about every imaginable facet ofInternet marketing. See Internet marketing courses athttp://www.007workfromhome.com/internet-marketing-courses.php
Building and developing web sites no longer requires you tolearn HTML code. There are several software products thatmake building web sites easy and enjoyable.
Making your site available on the Internet for other peopleto visit is very cheap. For example, buying a name can costless than $6/year (if you know where to go, see cheapdomain names) and having it available on the Internet cancost as little as $7 to $8 per month or even cheaper ifyoure prepared to settle for lower quality standards.
There are hundreds of pre-packaged, ready to go work fromhome business opportunities that dont require you to buildanything. They provide training, resources, web sites andsupport. Unfortunately, a lot of them are not worth yourtime. See The Best Work From Home Business Opportunitiesfor the programs that I personally endorse at:http://www.007workfromhome.com/work-from-home-business-opportunity-recommendations.php
You have immediate access to a world-wide market; over 729.2million (March 2004).
If you sell a digital product distributions costs arepractically zero (amazing isnt it!)
Profit margins are very, very high; levels unheard of in thetraditional business world.
Your number 1 salesman (your web site) will never take aholiday, working day after day 24/7 for a little at $8/month!
There is no better time than now to begin your business andchange the course of the rest of your life. Every journeybegins with the first step but no one can take it for you.
Take action now.
Written by Murray Hughes
007WorkFromHome.com
Learn how to easily build your own Internet marketingbusiness from the ground up from a long-time marketergiving away his experience for nothing. A Warehouse ofInternet Marketing Knowledge at no cost, EVER! Go here now: