[Comin'OutSwingin]

I don't read the classifieds unless I'm looking for something used to buy. I got a good deal on a computer last year (100 with 17" monitor)! But if I'm not looking for something specific, I never look at it. Haven't once yet this year and it's June.

I also consider myself an avid reader. I'll read almost anything! I read the local paper almost daily, but not the classifieds!

A waste of money is sending out 225 mailers and getting one buyer. How much did that cost anyway, $.45 a mailer= $101.25 to get one buyer.

I think he said it was for another business. Depending on what was being sold, he could have very easily made his money back from that mailing, and also get future sales, that originated with that mailing.

I for one would definitely not be motivated to go to a website to buy a shirt because there was an ad for it in the local newspaper, and I can't imagine that exposing thousands of people to a black and white text ad for shirts in a newspaper would get much of a response.

With a mailing you control everything. Colors, layout, all the info you want to put on it. And not everybody's target market is everybody. Most people have a niche, a specific group that buys their type of product. With a mailing, those specific people can be targeted.

 

[Comin'OutSwingin]

I see what you're saying. But think about how many people had to see the ad in the different papers that he took ads out in, and he got 15 orders since the ads starting running. And there's no way to know if those orders were a result of the ads, especially since he was obviously already getting plenty of sales from some other means of marketing.

You are right about one thing, all those people will see your ad, but how likely are they to go to your website, because they saw your ad. And even if they go, how likely are they to buy. Those are the questions.

You would be marketing your shirts across many demographics, and many of which have absolutely no interest in your ad. Direct mailings are just that: DIRECT. You get to pick your demographic, people you know are interested in your type of products and send them much more than what they could ever see in a newspaper ad.

Also, looking at the nationwide advertising link you reference earlier, for the money, direct mail would get a better response than advertising in those publications.

If you want something more than a simple text ad, the rates start to get high very quickly! And simple text ads about your site with the url, just isn't going to get much response in a free circular.

 

[Comin'OutSwingin]

I completely agree with the last part. But is spending hundreds of dollars on some black and white text ads in newspapers the best way to get people to buy your shirts? Or even thousands on full color ads. Is that the best way.

I'm only saying that compared to a direct mail compaign, where you can target who sees it, and control layout, color, ect., dollar for dollar, you will get a better response.

Maybe I should have clarified the last part of my previous post. A simple text ad in a free circular won't get much response of people going to a site to buy t-shirts.

But what are they advertising? Services or products? If products, what kind? T-shirts? Is the only way to get their product online, or is their website just another outlet for their company?

The type of company that's advertising in a newspaper makes a huge difference. We are talking specifically about t-shirts.

Are you talking about newspapers that are free, such as the ones you referenced, or the ones customers must pay for? That is completely different also.