If you haven't done it yet, prepare an announcement for all your local newspapers in your area. With regards to actually placing your classified ads avoid your larger metropolitan newspapers. Classified advertising in large newspapers is fruitless for a small business owner unless you happen to rent or sell real estate.

The smaller weekly, bi-weekly or monthly papers are usually easier to work with and cheaper to advertise in. If your business specializes in a particular niche look for specialty newspapers. For instance, some cities have newspapers that targets senior citizens. Another example might be one that specifically appeals to women.

Prepare a list of all the newspapers that you feel will be a good resource for your business. The first thing ought to be to call or visit all of them and request a “media kit.” What you receive can vary from a single page “rate sheet” to an elaborate portfolio.

Expect the receptionist to try to turn you over to a sales rep. Try and avoid speaking to the sales person, but the “gatekeepers” are usually very well trained and will make every attempt to have you consult with a sales representative. Whatever happens, do not place any advertising at this point. You are well on a fact finding mission only.

Review the material in the media kit. At the minimum you should receive a copy of the publication, a rate sheet and a summary of upcoming seasonal specials. You may very well receive two separate rate sheets. One will be for “classified ads” and the other will be for “display” ads.

After you have reviewed all of the material you’ve gathered, create a new list of those publications that meet your criteria. One thing to note is the difference in rates between classified and display advertising. Display advertising rates are substantially higher.

Once you have your list ready, call and ask to speak with the sales rep that covers your area. The sales rep wants your advertising and will do whatever is necessary to get it. Their job is to sell ads but a good rep will take some time to help you put together an ad campaign that will meet your budget and expectations.

Negotiate with the sales rep to have your press release run concurrent with a paid display ad. It needn't be a huge ad, just make sure that they are both on the same page and it's large enough to be noticed.

Make a deal for a 12 or 16 week run of a smaller display ad. That will give you "leverage" with the sales rep and they'll see you as a potentially serious advertiser, generating substantial ad revenue later on.

You probably won't be able to get your ad "above the fold" but try. If you are given a choice of below the fold outside or above the fold inside, take below the fold. If they know what they're doing, they won't put ads above the fold anyway.

Pick up any print media and you will see that text is generally above the fold. Ads run from left to right and right to left depending on the page. If you begin at the outside edge of the page to the center (whether it's the left page or the right), the ads will generally be tiered like a pyramid from outside to center sloping downward.

We read from left to right. So if you are on the left side of the paper, you want your ad to appear first, BEFORE the eyes read the text to follow.

If you are well on the right side of the paper, you want to be the last thing they see at the end of a line. So outside is always best. Outside ad placement is reserved for larger sales and are almost always read.

Always ask about “seasonal” specials. Most publications have one or several special inserts or, in some cases, entire problems that are published during specific seasons.

Keep these tips in mind and you ought to be on your way to successful newspaper advertising!

Over the years, the Internet has become the primary means of trying to sell products, services, or information for many marketers and businesses. However, as popular as the Internet is, it still may not be the most profitable way to advertise or sell.

In our modern day of high-speed technology, many seem to forget that the tried and true method of direct sales marketing through print advertising can still prove to be the most profitable way to go.

Why is this you say? It's because basic human nature has not changed, nor have human buying triggers. Having something tangible in hand that can be touched is still trusted more than words or images thrown up on a computer screen. In spite of the Internet's capability of reaching out to multi-millions of email addresses or viewers in a matter of minutes... a printed circular or flyer in hand still holds more credibility.

Think about it. When you get a printed circular or flyer that you can hold in your hand... you tend to look at it as something real that is produced by a real person whom you can identify with. You don't generally look at it as some unknown face or entity hiding behind a computer screen trying to scam you.

It seems illogical that so many marketers and businesses are unaware of, or have forgotten this old proven method of advertising and selling. Printed forms of advertising and direct sale pieces have stood the test of time, and have proven itself over and over again against everything that has come and gone.

Here's something else to think about. Most people go online looking for information, not sales offers. So the chance of them running across your online offer is slim to none. However, when a printed direct sales offer is physically placed in the hands of people, they will put forth the effort to seek out the source of the offer. It doesn't matter if it's right up the street from them or online... the printed direct sales piece established a certain form of credibility.

With direct sales, you don't have to worry about getting traffic to a web site, search engine optimization, black hat, white hat, or any of the other online techniques you see touted. People coming online to your web site after reading your printed direct sales piece are generally looking to buy the product or service offered.

The World Wide Web, or Internet should wisely be used in combination with direct sales as an extension of your advertising and sales efforts... not as your primary medium. More people who are ready to buy will find you through direct sales than they would just surfing the internet to see what's available amid the billions of web pages.

A printed advertising or direct sales piece is really much easier to produce than a web site... wouldn't you agree? All it has to do is make people aware of what is available, the cost, and where to get it. If the offer is located in a physical building, then give the address and times of operation. If it is located online, the give the web site addresses. It's just that simple.

Most internet exclusive advertisers will likely see their sales efforts pay off in a much greater way by combining print advertising and direct sales with their online methods. Once a printed direct sales piece establishes credibility, a web site would only need to highlight benefits and give access to the offer.

Now that you realize the benefits and advantages... do yourself and your business a favor, and make print advertising direct sales an important part of your financial well being.