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Booking Your Advert
Booking your advert usually involves calling the relevant publication and placing the order over the phone. You need to know the size of your advert, and whether it uses colours (which costs more in newspapers and some magazines).
The size of your advert will need to be given in the sizes that the publication uses:
Newspapers measure in columns (across) and centimetres (down), the size of a column will vary from newspaper to newspaper.
Magazines usually measure in specific sizes such as full page, half page and quarter page; each will be able to give you the exact size for their magazine.
Discounts
When booking your adverts, you should always ask about discounts and offers; some publications will offer discounts for new advertisers.
Most publications offer good discounts for repeated adverts, usually starting from 4 adverts and up (I.e.: Advertising four or more weeks/months running).
Payment
Most publications will charge in one of two ways:
Account Invoice – When you place an advert, the cost is added to your account which you are invoiced for either 15-30 days after the advert appears, or on a monthly basis. To do this, your business is likely to need to go through a credit check.
Pre-payment – You pay for the advert at the time of booking by credit card, cheque or balance transfer.
Frequency
As most people need to see an advert several times before they remember it, if your business is national or based in a number of locations; you are usually better off advertising a number of times in one location than once in lots of places.
For Example: If your budget is for 6 adverts.
If you advertise once in six places, you are not likely to get much response in each place.
By advertising in 3 places twice or in 2 places three times your adverts are likely to be noticed more.
Tips
Ask to have your advert placed on the right hand side; this is where readers of newspapers and magazines look first when turning a page. If they can do it for free, then you have increased the chance of your advert being seen for nothing. If they charge then you need to decide if the extra cost is worth it.
If your advert is placed by an advertising agency then you are likely to pay between 10 and 20% extra for your adverts; however, you may find that the agency is able to locate the most effective publications, making it worth the extra cost. They may also be able to negotiate discounts because they are buying for other advertisers as well. Article Index
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