Trying to find the best newsletters or magazines to placeclassified ads can be a daunting task. By far the bestplace to run classified ads is in those places yourpotential customers are looking for the kind of classifiedad you are running.
In most cases, this will be in small, narrow market,subject specific newsletters. These are the kind ofnewsletters that people subscribe to for in-depthinformation on a single topic. And generally, they are readcover-to-cover.
Research has shown that people who subscribe to these typeof publications put a high value on the information theyreceive in them, read them thoroughly, and read and act onthe classified ads found in them.
Finding these small narrow market newsletters is like goingon a treasure hunt. Because most reach only a small market,they can sometimes be difficult to find.
However, there are three easy ways to find thesepublications. You can go down to your local library andbrowse through the classified ads of most major magazinesand see ads for these smaller newsletters.
While at the library, you can also ask to see the Directoryof Publications, or Directory of Newsletters. Both of these have over 40,000 listings of newsletters and magazinesthat you might consider running classified ads in.
You can also utilize the power of the Internet by usingsearch engines to locate newsletters specific to yourmarket. In most cases, it will be well worth your effort tofind one or more of these small newsletters to runclassified ads in.
But before you choose the publication, it is very wise totest your ads. The most important element in mail orderadvertising is to test. Not only do you need to find out ifyour product will sell, but you have to find out what thebest price is.
You have to test different ads, offers, and differentpublications. It is kind of like finding the combination toa three combination lock. Get all the numbers right, andyou open the treasure chest.
When testing, you’ll discover certain ads, offers, andmagazines don’t draw as many responses as another. Or afterthree months, a working ad may not seem to pull at all.
When this happens, try to find out what is not working, andmake changes. It is a good idea to try several ads, offersand publications at the same time, so you can quickly findout what is working.
Don’t be too hasty in dropping a publication. Sometimes ittakes the repeat insertions of three or four months to getthe proper percentage of responses. People become moresecure with a repeat ad, and may pass it by until theyfinally get around to writing for information.
Other things you will be testing are the type of inquiryand the response package that contain a sales letter andbrochure. You’ll also need to test the frequency and numberof times to continue mailings after you have a goodcustomer list. Testing is the name of the game and this iswhere you need perseverance. Don’t get discouraged. With anad that does not work as well as you’d like, try to findout why, and use that knowledge to make your next adbetter. After a while, your testing will show you whatworks, where and when. And that knowledge is invaluable.
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