Newspaper Advertising

Please share your experiences with any and all types of newspaper advertising. I want to here the good the bad and the ugly.

Thanks

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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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Thanks,
Who would I contact about getting my car lettered? What type of company does that?

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Hey Ben,
This is Chris with WiseCrack Windshields, LLC. in Portland, OR. I just bought a new van for the company and took it in to be analyzed for a price in regaurds to Vinyl Lettering. "WOW" it is very inexpensive!!! FastSigns, is a nationwide company that does this sort of thing to vehicles. My van is costing me only 250.00 for two color lettering on both sides of the vehicle and in addition to the rear of the van.
*Did you know that your car is exposed to roughly 16,000,000 people per year. Talk about effective! I have found this to be the most effective form of advertisement there is.
Hope this helps.

Chris~
WiseCrack Windshields, LLC.
WiseCrackWR@hotmail.com
503-574-2662<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/tongue.gif ALT=":b">

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I also got my lettering from fast signs and installed it myself.
It's very easy to do.

www.ohnonotagain.com</p>

Fast Signs also did my lettering ! I had magnetic signs on my truck, and after a trip to the city, I discovered that two of them were missing (did they blow off? did a prankster take them? did a mean-spirited competitor help them disappear? ... I dont know <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/frown.gif ALT=":("> ). When I compared the replacement cost of the magnetic signs to having the truck lettered by fast signs, I found that the price difference was not enough to be an issue. I gave them my design and the did them really fast... ready the next day. Both doors and the tailgate for less than $130. Of course, how much lettering and the size of the letters makes a difference in the price.

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