I am in a small town in a rural area. The local newspaper comes out bi-monthly. The classified page is well-read by the subscribers and has been a good source of business for me. I have also done display ads in the same newspaper, but for what they cost, they dont draw nearly as well for me as the classified. My location and the lack of other advertising media make a big difference in the responses I receive. Except for a few local bulletin boards and the business directory I publish on a yearly basis, there are very few advertising opportunities in this area. People look to the local newspaper as a first resource for local products and services. Even so, it typically only reaches about a third of the residents here. Because it comes out only twice a month, it is usually kept around for the full two weeks between editions.
If you are in an area where there are daily papers, the shelf life of your ad is going to be greatly diminished...to the point that you will probably want to find other more effective use for your advertising dollars. One of the best would be direct mail programs. These have proven to be extremely successful. I did a 3-step letter program that yielded 17% response. Typically, if you get even 5% it is considered successful.
Crisp bold lettering on your vehicle also gets business for you.

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