How much to pay for advertising?

[Robtheblob]

I need some advice on advertising costs please!

I run an online hosiery business and have been approached by a leading fashion/ladies magazine to advertise one of my products in their "hotlist" in a couple of issues' time. Basically I'd get a picture and some copy (total size 50mm by 33mm) on a page of 20 items. Its an "advertorial" apparently!

They are asking £170 for it. I can do the sums as to how many sales I would need to cover this but don't have a feel for offline advertising. I can come up with a pretty unique and distintive product and am considering asking the manufacturer I have in mind for a contribution or an extra discount ont he stock I'd need to cover it.

So:

How does that price fit with what others charge/pay?
How effective is this type of advertising?

Thanks,

 

[kate1]

Depending on what magazine, regional or national, ALWAYS negotiate, you can possibly say what you are prepared to pay. Depends on their print run, how big is it?

 

[PerfectP]

Word of warning - we did a national magazine a year or two ago, spent £400 on advertising and never got a single sale from it.

We've been approached several times this last fortnight by several magazines and they've been desperate to sign us up - the prices have dropped dramatically the longer you hold out, but i'm afraid with us its a once bitten twice shy scenario.

It may work for you, but do your homework - whats the magazine demographic? Does it fit your marketing? Would you be advertising to someone who can't/wouldn't afford your product.

Your £££'s might be better spent elsewhere!

 

[kate1]

I would totally agree with that.

 

[british steve]

That is a very small add for that sort of money.

Over the years we have spent may thousands on advertising, the only 3 things I have ever found that work are telesales, leaflets in the magazines and direct mail with postcards so your target gets to see what you are selling with out having to open anything!

 

[Vacman2000]

I would agree with Steve
But what I would do is ask for a voucher copy of their magazine, and call up a few of their advertisers, pick company that you will be able to talk with the person that would know all out the response from the magazine advertising

 

[Robtheblob]

Thanks for all the answers so far. The magazine is Marie Clare and thus it is suited to our demographic. My fear is that the cost of the item I would be advertising is in the region of £10 so I would need around 40 units of sales to break even. I guess there are some intangibles - putting up "as featured in..." articles on my site, social networks and blog. I think it will give the business some credibility but am concerned about paying over the odds for the ad. It sounds as though it might be a bit steep!

 

[PerfectP]

so I would need around 40 units of sales to break even.

Don't you mean xx units of extra sales to break even?

 

[Investors-Wanted]

Hi OP

For £170 you are 1 of 20 on a page with an advert at the size shown below.

How much of a message can you get across with this size of a box. Not a lot I think.

Though it is a magazine that specialise in your market, being one of 20 does not give you much of a impact.

If you want to try something different, why not have a look at my signature as I can give you 1/4 page advert which is going to 60,000 businesses in the South West and you would earn 50% profit.

Hope this helps

 

[gemd89]

Wouldnt you be better online advertising? Kiddicare are all over the place a the minute advertising, on orange.co.uk they have those boxes at the side with 3 products and price underneath to click to go through their site?

Not sure how you would set that up though?

Gemma

 

[Chris Ashdown]

You could try sending a sample to the sunday glosseys or the Daily mails womens section where they may well give you free advertising and get far more exposure for the cost of a sample

 

[Robtheblob]

Don't you mean xx units of extra sales to break even?

I meant sales derived directly from the advertising. So yes, extra to not doing it!

 

[allington-marketing]

Hi
I use www.advertiserbay.co.uk for loads of my advertising (no I don't work for them!). They have online and offline advertising with various websites / publications at cheap rates. I like them because when I buy an online advert, the minimum commitment is a month (rather than six months if you buy direct). Most of the ads I've bought online for me and my clients are around £30. They have some offline stuff too.
Hope that helps
Terri

 

[zebraremovals]

That is a very small ad for any sort of money. You're not going to get much copy into that, placement on the page would be crucial; outside right possibly, inside left forget it. I can't see attention, interest,desire and action being fulfilled from an ad that size!

I don't know what your product would be but advertorials tend to work better for products or services that are difficult to represent with images for example the local paper will write some editorial copy about how to make your lawn look great and local lawncare companies get asked if they want an ad, the editorial copy adds some impact and authority to the adverts.

Great way for the publication to get maximum revenue from one page as well, 20 x £170= £3400.

If you sell on-line why not put the money into more on-line marketing or at least ask your existing customers, at point of sale, which publications they read, you may notice a trend.

 

[marieluy143]

$100 per day...thats my advertising cost..

 

[DevidHoll]

Hi
I think there is no limit to pay for an advertisement because there are many ways of advertising system like newspaper, through television, radio, online. Nowadays online marketing is a good way for advertising because it is most popular and chief as well. So if you want to advertising, then online is a better way for you.


Thanks

 

[tomderrig]

Hi,

from Marie claire you can expect to achieve c. 60 responses - and i would expect you to convert about 9 to sales. dependent on creative and other such variables.

If you need anymore insight please take a look at my blog tomderrig

hope that helps,
Tom Derrig

 

[DayTrader]

£170 is not that much money and you could give it a go and see the results.

it will be difficult to see what impact the ad will have as some people will just remember the name and when they need it, say in 2 months, they might come to your website.