National newspapers and magazines or trade publications can
offer you millions of potential customers, but may people don’t realize that
they offer free advertising too. An
exchange ad ‘old school’ is where they exchange a free ad for advertising by
you in your book or product, on your vehicle, house, et. cetera.
While an advertisement
placed in only one newspapers or magazines may bring astronomical results, it
is important to use different pitches to various magazines and newspaper
editors. With so many hundreds and
thousands trade publications from which to choose, the logical question is,
where will an ad get the best results? There is no 100% accurate answer? It is
a matter of testing various markets and to see which trade publications will go
along with your request.
It is obvious that you
will have a hard time getting your foot in the door with major trade
publications such as Hearst, or New York Times, but many smaller or regional
publications may have room for you.
Purchase a few of the magazines and or newspapers that you would like to
see your ads in to see how much filler copy they use.
Filler copy is ads used
to make the trade publication fuller.
Ads touting the trade publication are filler ads, so are multiple ads of
the same business or organization. If a
trade publication has no ads, then it has no advertisers.
Developing Your Plan of
Action
1. Create the advertising pitch you want to use over
the telephone and by email. Any pitch
you make should include sales figures (if possible), or potential sales
figures, target market data so that they can insure that you are a good fit,
and where you want your advertising to reach.
2. In your pitch, include the following statement:
‘I will exchange advertising for my new (book, product) with an ad placed
inside my (book, product) on the front cover, inside pages, cover box, etc.
your choice. I will also drive around
with an ad on my vehicle if you wish to sweeten the deal.’
3. Write letters and send emails to the editors of
the trade publications you want your advertising in. If you bombard them, you may get seen.
4. Never, never take NO for an answer, keep fighting
till you get a yes!
5. Once you get in the door, stay inside and do not
do things that will cause them to drop you.
6. Enhance the deal by offer a percentage of your
sales to the editor or charitable organization.
7. Go online and find trade publication contacts in your area today.
