Remember that the addition of color should never substitute for extra advertising. I’d rather see you invest in two headings with smaller ads without color than placing all your eggs in one basket. If there are several possible headings, try something in each and monitor the results so the following year, you can shift your dollars to where they’ll

You might have heard the expression, “sell the sizzle, not the steak.” It means that, by playing on the emotional connection, you stand a better chance at making a sale than simply pushing the products. It’s a benefit story waiting to be told. You have to figure out what your service or product will do

person in a crisis or special need. They can’t rely on national brand advertising because it doesn’t exist for local services. Expect for some types of businesses attached to franchises like Midas Mufflers or Roto-Rooter Plumbing, they’re mostly on their own. That means lots of large YP ads clamoring for the consumer with a problem.

One might be seasonality. Air conditioning companies or a rental business that leases ski equipment, are stuck with their YP ads for a year. But, because of the timing, they may have to supplement their program with other forms of advertising during their peak season. Therefore, they might be forced to spend a smaller percentage of their budget on

A service business has an entirely different challenge. They either offer an emergency service like plumbing or auto repair that may or may not, ever be needed. Or consider specialty services like wedding planning or florists that are occasionally required. But when the opportunity arises, these businesses have to be available to be seen. If the

making the call. A smaller ad toward the back of a well-developed heading is a poor investment. Once the size is determined, the placement is easy to figure. You can gauge

deciding among the middle-sized ads, the third and sixth-pages are the best bargains. In a typical three-column

obvious and shoot for the memorable. The best sellers in non-fiction books, year after year, are the “HowTo” books. Most commonly, dieting, aging, better sex, or moneymaking and this happens every single year. Do the same people buy these, hoping for the miracle cure or solution? Perhaps, but does it really matter? Human nature dictates that they

negative benefits of in-column advertising. If I were consulting with Dr. Smiley, I might advise him to do both. Get a sixth-page ad for the new patients and use the in-column for former or referral patients. You see, you can have it both ways.