Low Cost Advertising Promotions
By Gary Christensen
Posted Saturday, September 4, 2004
You've probably seen lotsof them, like the "Inventory Reduction Sale",.. the "Going out of Business Sale",.. the January White Sale; the 1c sale, the "Pre-Christmas Sale",... the "After Christmas Sale", etc.
These and many others like them are known as "promo's", and are used to get the customer to stop and shop! Once they're inside, they're bound to see something they need or what to buy!
Online advertising must also get the customer interested enough, so they respond to our ads, so that we can send them our offers! After all, getting responses to your ads is what advertising is all about!!
So, why not offer the customer a Special Discount! Offer them a Reduced Rate; Or send them $1.00 off Certificates; Or sell them TWO Products for the Price of ONE, etc.
Here's some Promo's that have worked for us:
(1) Advertising Specials. If you publish or promote an online advertising medium, you may wish to consider giving a special price to first time advertisers, to encourage them to advertise with you; like giving them a special "3 ads for the price of 2" rate,.. or "FREE TYPESETTING" with any ad order; or "1 FREE CLASSIFIED" ad with purchase of any larger display ad!
(2) A Free Sample. This can be used with many different types of products, for example; "Free list of 50 New Customer Names", (giving the 1st 50 names FREE, to encourage people to try your selection of names), betting they will be satisfied and come back to buy more names or products, from you! Or "A FREE Report,..." and when people ask for the free report, you send THAT one to them along with a list of other, similar reports you offer!!
(3) Service Discounts. If you offer Mailing Service, maybe you could give a discount on 1st time Mailing orders, to introduce people to your services; Example: Offer to mail 100 circulars FREE, to introduce new customers toyour service!
(4) A Trial Rate! This is perfect to get New Subscribers! Offer prospective subscribers to your Magazine or Newsletter, a 3 Month Trial Subscription, for just the mailing costs! Isn't it worth it to obtain steady subscribers?? Or a Free Trial Ad? Or a Free Trial Mailing??
(5) Combination Offers! If you have 2 or 3 New Products or Services, allow New Customers to "Get (This),.. PLUS (this),.. and if you order right away,.. we'll send you (This), too!!" Make it HARD for the customer to say NO to you!! This can work great with Advertising Offers, for example: "Your 60 word ad to 5,000 for just $25.00,.. which includes FREE Typesetting of your ad,.. PLUS, you'll get a 3 Month Trial Subscription, too!"
Stll the Number One, BEST WORD to use in your ad is "FREE",.. use it any way you can, to get people to notice your ad,.. then make your offer SO SPECIAL that your customers would be foolish to pass it up!! You may even lose a few bucks on the offer,.. but, if it means you'll get MORE orders, from MORE NEW CUSTOMERS, isn't it worth it??
About the Author
(This Article was written by Gary Chistensen. Gary has been Writing & Selling his Self-Published Books & Reports by Mail since 1973; His latest is: "The Benefits of Co-Operative Partnering" Say where you saw this & a copy is yours for 32c postage and handling! Gary is a Monthly Columnist of Money-Making, Home-Based, Business Articles; An Author of 8 Books & over 100 one-page Reports, like this one. Join his "Author's Co-operative" - send your article or release with $28. & it will go to 90 Publishers! Contact Gary at: PO Box 2411, Corvallis, OR 97339, Or e-mail him at: Garch6@aol.com )
