Local Magazine Advert

[Tigris]

Hi there,

I am currently advertising in a few local magazines for my repair business and want to make sure i'm maximising my return.

Do you have any advice when creating the advert? I obviously need my contact details and some other information but I don't want to make the advert look too busy and list every single service I offer.

Thanks in advance

 

[Paul Carmen]

A compelling advert, with a reason to contact you, and why you, is the key to get cut through.

However, how will you know if it works, specifically if you get any calls from it and which of the publications they came from?

This is the big problem with paper based advertising, most people who spend money on it; whether flyers, newspapers or magazines, have no clue if it works or not.

There are things that you can do to help; e.g. have unique offer codes for each, if it leads people to a web page then have unique landing pages, use local tracking VOIP numbers, so that each magazine has its own phone number.

You'll then know whether people have seen any of the ads it and if its generated any work, or whether you'd be better off carrying out something like local SEO/digital marketing.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Make sure trhe magazine is relevant to your target audience

Put the ad in the right place (there is some science behind this)

Keep it simple

Give a clear & compelling reason/way to contact you

 

[The Byre]

1. Repeat the ad for about a year. A one-off single ad never works.

2. Pay no more than half the list price. If they quote £X, offer the half and say that's all you've got.

3. Get a demographic breakdown of readership FIRST. Make sure that the people you target are actually reading the damn thing! If the mag doesn't give you one, avoid them. They'll have one - they just don't want to show you how unsuitable their demographics are!

4. Put the customer first! Your lawn, your plumbing, your chimney, your dogs. Not "I do this and we do that!" They don't care about you - they care about themselves!

 

[MBE2017]

As above, with a clear call to action, ie 20% for the next month etc. Your customers need a reason to contact you there and then, even CALL NOW works compared to just listing a telephone number.

 

[Deleted member 335660]

Hi Tigris,

You asked about content of adverts.

We are a gift shop so I have shown pictures of products as we live in Spain and the local area is full of people from around the world, and of course the Spanish population.

I always make sure we have shop address, website and Facebook link.

I concur with the others on picking the right magazine according to geographical and demographic coverage.

I accept that if you really want to know an advert is working then you need some offer or code system. However, in moderation, I think you just need to have a presence, especially for those that do not do computers etc.

Difficult to say more without knowing what sort of business you are.

 

[intheTRADE]

I wouldn't even bother with a magazine advert at all if this is for your computer repairs business - you could spend that money far more efficiently

You offer a reactive service. If someone's computer is broken, they're straight online searching for a local company. They don't leave it until they come across an advert in a magazine they're reading a few days later

Spend your time and money heavily optimising your website to be found in Google. That's where people are when they need a service now

Checkatrade now even have a computer repair category so maybe looking into getting listed with them.

 

[SEODEV#338055]

Short discount codes are a good way to get leads and track them

Service one could be FEB20 for a 20% discount

Service two could be FEB25 for a 25% discount

Service three could be FEB30 for a 30% discount

Include your website address in your advert as a central CTA

On your website homepage clearly list your main services in clickable blocks

On each of your service landing pages include a contact form top, middle and bottom

On each of the forms include a field where a customer can input the discount code

Alternatively your code can include your website's domain yourwebsiteaddres.co.uk/FEB20

Special landing pages for each of these codes can be tailored to suit

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

If someone's computer is broken, they're straight online searching for a local company.

They can't get online - their computer is broken

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Hi there,

I am currently advertising in a few local magazines for my repair business and want to make sure i'm maximising my return.

Do you have any advice when creating the advert? I obviously need my contact details and some other information but I don't want to make the advert look too busy and list every single service I offer.

Thanks in advance

1. A picture is worth a thousand words.
2. Show your product at work, i.e., a Lawnmower show somebody pushing it, or in your case a pair of hands working at a keyboard with the side of the PC off.
3. Create a punchy headline. 'Humpty Dumpty sits on a Wall - we Repair Computers!' 'it's late, that's the best I can do....'
4. Sell them your service, tell them what you do, how quick you are, what your prices are like, No Hidden Costs, Guarantees etc.,
5. Make it easy for customers to contact you by giving multiple options, phone, mobile, email, Facebook.

 

[Fagin2021]

Home Computer Broken?

Don’t sit and stare at a blank screen – your local computer repair specialists can help.

All popular makes and models (including gaming computers) fixed.

On-site repairs and ‘collect and return’ service available.

Most repairs completed in less than 3 working days. All repairs guaranteed.

Complete confidentiality assured.

Contact us today:

 

[IanSuth]

A I D A - in that order

Attention - something that catches their eye (or search engine if online)

Interest - Early words they read need to make them recognise it is related to their predicament/need

Desire - More words to explain why your service/product is the option to go for

Action - Good signposting on what to do next to get your product/service

 

[The Byre]

Home Computer Broken?

Don’t sit and stare at a blank screen – your local computer repair specialists can help.

All popular makes and models (including gaming computers) fixed.

On-site repairs and ‘collect and return’ service available.

Most repairs completed in less than 3 working days. All repairs guaranteed.

Complete confidentiality assured.

Contact us today:

I love this! I'd add data recovery to that lot as it is easy to do and the software is relatively cheap and people who have lost data on a memory stick or drive get desperate!

 

[Tomas Tovey]

Hi there,

I am currently advertising in a few local magazines for my repair business and want to make sure i'm maximising my return.

Do you have any advice when creating the advert? I obviously need my contact details and some other information but I don't want to make the advert look too busy and list every single service I offer.

Thanks in advance

Hey Tigris
I’ve split tested magazine and paper marketing with almost all other methods and unfortunately I’ve never need it come out on top!

With the cost of reaching soo many more people online, for a fraction of the cost and to display a more emotional message (video). My ROI had always been better using online advertising methods such as SEO etc

Using magazines as part of a larger campaign however makes a little more sense…
Publish the magazine in a particular area and have Facebook and Google ads running in that same area!
Creating an Omni-Presence is always powerful but still pay close attention to your costs and returns!

I’ve dropped you a message to help out a little more also ?