posted
I'd say it was about 20 years back when I last placed ads in a simular publication. I used to have a running ad in Hemmings Motor News and did very well with it at the time. Heck! I even got the pinstripe a 1932 dual cowl Hispano Suiza that sold at the Imperial Palace " The Auction " in Las Vegas, which sold for a million bucks.
Ads like that are good for some folks and bad for others, but if you don't gamble, you stay where you are.
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
posted
$60? That sounds cheap. But I wouldn't do it. I have done a small amount of advertising in newspapers before and gotten zero results. Granted, this is not a newspaper. Still, here is what I know - a genaral information ad is worthless unless you get real lucky and happen to find that right one or two potential buyers. The only way I would advertise in periodicals is with a specific event (like a Sale) to happen on a specific day and time. Even then, I wouldn't expect much.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Sorry I don't mean to throw old news at everybody but if any body has or still does place ads in weekly heavy truck and trader mags I would appreciate your input and results.
I'm targeting small trucking and construction companies that often times purchase used vehicals and equiptment that will most likely be lettered by someone. These small companies make great clients and plenty of repeat business.
Thanks!!!!
-------------------- Great White Signs Logan, Ohio
"All signs now come with new and improved vinyl." jimw@1067wwtl.com
posted
If you're talking about the Auto Trader type maga zines, at $60 it might be worth a try for a month or so. I never ran an ad in one but have sold a few cars from them. One thing I can tell you is you get a lot of milage out of an ad. These things tend to sit around forever. On the two occasions I ran ads I was still getting phone calls a year and a half later
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
But if you look under everyones posting (Visitors or Members) there is a full address with an E-Mail attachment.
Ok now on with your question. I have tried Auto Trades as well as Bargain Trade Rag Mags. More of a waste of money on my end. Tire Kickers out of one mag and nothing out of the other...
Both were 12 week Ads. The money could have been used in better areas.
But that is only were I live and may work better for you.
-------------------- Stephen Deveau RavenGraphics Insinx Digital Displays
Letting Your Imagination Run Wild!
Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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Most generally the reason ads don't work is because of either wrong publication ( to general) or it's an ad that I call "name, rank, and serial number." And it gets lost in the crowd.
A good responsive ad will have 5 very important parts. Eliminate any one of them and your response suffers.
1. A compelling headline that will grab a potential prospects attention. (all to often I see the companies name as the headline. That's a costly mistake)
2. There is nothing that creates interest in your service or product.
3. A responsive ad will also create desire in the prospect.
4. The ad should always have a specific offer.
5. And there should be a deadline or cut off date to create action.
This is how I approach ads anyway. Works for me.
The trader mags. is something I have been thinking about for some time. I would like to be more mobile and letter on site. This particular market is where I seem to be most profitable. So I'm working on a marketing stradegy that will get me these types of clients. Direct mail is by far the most direct but I was just considering another avenue to ad to my approach.
Also, I have found that offering a free gift just for responding to the ad or letter works very well. whether they use my services or not. the free gift is often times a free report. ie... "How to get more clients in a month than you now get all year!" Or something along those lines. Of course in the free report the prospects learn some great marketing stuff that they can immediately apply to their business. But it also serves as an imformative sales letter as well. Answering questions like what advantage does a well lettered vehical have over the competion. Or how to turn your vehicals and equiptment into a 24 hour selling machine.
These are just a few ideas and examples. I hope this has got your creative juices flowing. It has mine.
Thanks!
-------------------- Great White Signs Logan, Ohio
"All signs now come with new and improved vinyl." jimw@1067wwtl.com
posted
It might be worth a try, but don't sign on for any length of time, try it out first. I know there's a couple of those publications here. You need to ask yourself this: Are the majority of people looking at this mag too busy to drive all over looking at trucks, or are they so cheap they'll go through the mags for months before finding the cheapest truck they can? If it's the latter, you may be advertising your services to people who want to spend $50 on getting their truck lettered and balk at any price higher than that. If this is the case, you just wasted your $. One more thing to consider, do you have several variations of these? I think here we have auto, truck and heavy truck versions. If so, I'd say go for the heavy truck one. Let us know if this works out for you, if you choose to try this.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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A good responsive ad will have 5 very important parts. Eliminate any one of them and your response suffers.
1. A compelling headline that will grab a potential prospects attention. (all to often I see the companies name as the headline. That's a costly mistake)
2. There is nothing that creates interest in your service or product.
3. A responsive ad will also create desire in the prospect.
4. The ad should always have a specific offer.
5. And there should be a deadline or cut off date to create action.
This is how I approach ads anyway. Works for me.
1: I myself use image more then just text because of the importances of my work. The last thing a customer will look at in my line of this industry is text only..
Airbrushing is use in text work but I aim for the potentical Graphics more than anything.
2: I always list all my potential works. I.E.Airbrushing,Vehicle,Fleet,Motorcycle, Handlettering,Vinyls,Logo, Designs,Protraits, Textiles and Leathers,Etc.
3: Reponsive ads will generate business if the customer is interested. Many times over the cost of this style work will stop them in their tracks. I am not in the market to give discounts but to offer the public a service that many around here cannot.
4: Specific offer. Same as the above. There is no 10% discounts on my end as it only means they like 20%-30% or more on the repeat work. Cost myself just as much the second time to produce as it did the first.
5: Cut off dates. To me it like the shark of a Car salesman. "Well the sales is over in 2 weeks!" You better run to the bank to get it together. I never corner the customer as it makes them feel like a Rabbit being eating by the Wolf! All I will say is when your ready with your idea we will sit down and talk about Final design,Materials,Cost, and Time frame.
I like the Saturn theory (GMC). Never pressure the person that has the money! They will buy if you show them the Quality of Yourself and your Product.
Good topic. Thanks.
-------------------- Stephen Deveau RavenGraphics Insinx Digital Displays
Letting Your Imagination Run Wild!
Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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