ideas to boost business

Make your ad look like a news story complete with headlines and columns.The newspaper will require the word advertisement at the top of your ad but if you use a catchy headline and an attention grabbing first paragraph people will quickly forget they are reading an ad.

Many small town papers have a service or business directory. This is the section people often turn to for plumbers, landscapers, and computer help.

Every state has a State Newspaper Association and offer what are called Scan Ads . A scan ad is a small classified ad that is placed once with a member paper and appears in hundreds of newspapers in that state. For example, in Montana scan ads run about $100 dollars for 100 120 state and local papers. In California scan ads are in the $400 $500 range but appear in papers with an estimated readership of several million people.

When news of your business is published be sure to send a copy to any trade organizations you belong to so they can include the news in their magazine or newsletters.

If you do get an article printed about your business be sure to send a thank you card or letter to the reporter. Let them know you would be pleased to be a source in any future articles on your subject.

If your paper prints a story regarding your business or industry that is negative, prepare a press release that shows the positive side of the story. If the topic is controversial it may spark a positive article with your company portrayed in a positive light.

Just because youre in a small town doesnt mean your local town paper is the only print option. Many people and businesses subscribe to papers from your states larger cities. In Bozeman, MT we have the Bozeman Chronicle but many people also subscribe to the Billings Gazette. If youre doing business throughout the state this may be a better advertising option. Get the subscription numbers for these papers in your area. They may be more economical and reach more customers.

Reporters have no idea what your average work day is like and how your business works.Invite them to spend the day or part of a day with you so they can write the story from actual first hand observation.

Most of us want our lives to be easier and less complicated. If your product or service saves time or makes life easier, that may be more important to some customers than saving money.For example, cheese, sliced and individually wrapped in cellophane, for more money. Imagine the first response to that idea.

Contact your local radio station if you have daily or weekly information people need. We live in ski country and three different resort areas deliver snow reports on one of the radio stations. A stock broker reports on the market numbers daily.