Want to Boost Your Summer Sales? 7 Reasons to Try Local Newspaper Advertising

A happy couple out shopping together on a sunny day

As a small business owner, have you considered the untapped potential of local newspaper advertising? In our rapidly evolving digital world, we often forget the power of traditional marketing channels. Yet, they wield an unassailable influence that continues to captivate audiences. If your aim is to boost your summer sales, it’s time to reconsider local business advertising via print media. Here are seven compelling reasons to place your trust in newspaper advertising.

 

#1.) Local Engagement

Local newspapers have a unique charm that lies in their intimate connection with the community. Despite the global reach of digital media, local newspapers continue to thrive, with a substantial readership that prefers the rustle of the paper with their morning coffee over the cold glare of a screen. A trusted local publication like Coffee News can be the bridge that connects your business to your community. Our readership consists of your potential customers, waiting to be introduced to your offerings. By advertising with us, your message becomes more personal and impactful, tailored for the community you serve.

Remember, the loyalty of local customers can’t be underestimated. They are the backbone of your business, providing steady revenue and positive word-of-mouth. In an age where companies fight tooth and nail for a shred of customer attention, local business advertising hands you the golden ticket to unrivaled community engagement.

 

#2.) Trust and Credibility

The digital world is plagued with fraud, fake news, and cyber threats, causing trust in digital ads to wane. On the other hand, the credibility of print media stands unscathed. Local newspapers like Coffee News are seen as trustworthy pillars of the community, and this trust extends to the businesses they advertise.

Advertising your business in our print publication doesn’t just make your brand visible; it adds a badge of credibility to your name. Your association with a reputable local publication can be the difference between a potential customer choosing your product over a competitor’s. Trust breeds customer loyalty and, in the long run, repeat business and referrals – invaluable assets for any small business.

 

#3.) Highly Targeted Advertising

Print newspapers offer something that few digital advertising platforms can – highly targeted marketing. Coffee News has nurtured a devoted reader base over the years, consisting mainly of locals. We are invested in our community and have an affinity for local businesses. When you advertise with us, your business speaks directly to a receptive audience, increasing the likelihood of attracting interested customers.

Targeted local business advertising means you’re not throwing your budget into the vast, unpredictable ocean of the internet, hoping to catch a few interested fish. Instead, you’re investing in a well-stocked pond where each dollar you spend can reel in potential customers, offering you a higher return on your investment.

 

#4.) Greater Visibility

Online advertisements come and go with a click. On the contrary, print advertising has a lasting impact. An advertisement in Coffee News isn’t just a one-time interaction. It’s a tangible piece of content that readers can hold, revisit, and even share with others.

People spend more time reading a newspaper, flipping through its pages at a leisurely pace. This slow consumption increases the likelihood of your advertisement catching their eye and making a lasting impression. Additionally, print advertisements, due to their physical nature, can be referred back to, shared, or pinned up as a reminder, extending their lifespan and reach.

 

#5.) Competitive Advantage

The digital world is crowded. Small businesses often find themselves in fierce competition for digital advertising space, escalating costs, and reducing effectiveness. Meanwhile, the world of print advertising, overlooked in the digital frenzy, provides you with an untapped opportunity.

By choosing to advertise in a local newspaper, you distinguish yourself from competitors. Your advertisement isn’t just another forgotten pop-up; it’s a statement that you’re a part of the community fabric, a reliable and accessible local business ready to serve. This gives you a unique edge and can significantly enhance your brand image and recall, ultimately boosting your summer sales.

A woman carrying shopping bags filled with fresh summer produce

#6.) Cost-Effective Marketing

One of the appealing benefits of local newspaper advertising is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike many digital advertising platforms, which can incur substantial costs with less guarantee of success, print advertising provides a more controlled budgeting environment. You know exactly where and when your ad will appear, and in a publication like Coffee News, you can be confident it’ll reach a local, engaged audience.

Furthermore, the return on investment in print advertising is substantial. With a longer shelf life and greater visibility, your ad continues to engage potential customers beyond the first read. Therefore, each dollar invested in local business advertising can pay dividends in sustained brand exposure and increased customer engagement.

 

#7.) Holistic Marketing Strategy

Integrating local newspaper advertising into your marketing mix adds a holistic dimension to your strategy. As we navigate this speedy digital era, a tangible piece of your business, nestled among the local stories in a beloved community paper like Coffee News, provides a delightful break from the screen. It’s like a friendly hello from across the room. It embraces not only those who are comfortable in the digital domain but also those who find solace in the crisp rustle of a newspaper.

Mixing it up with both print and digital advertising strategies enables you to create a harmonious customer experience. Imagine your customers sipping their morning coffee, seeing your business in Coffee News, and later in the day, spotting you online. It’s a comforting echo that reassures them of your brand’s reliability and presence. By staying top of mind, you pave the way for those summer sales to roll in.

 

Contact Coffee News Today!

To wrap up, local business advertising in newspapers is more than just ink on paper. It’s your friendly neighborhood superhero, ready to boost local engagement, strengthen trust, aim your advertising right, make your brand unforgettable, and carve out your own niche in the market. It’s the secret ingredient to spice up your summer sales.

Are you ready to watch your summer sales take flight with the aid of local newspaper advertising? Let us at Coffee News help you make waves in your local community. With our well-loved print platform and your compelling ads, we’ll brew the perfect blend to kickstart your business’s growth. We’re excited to join you on this adventure, toasting to the power of local business advertising. Let’s dive in and create some ripples!

How Can Traditional Print Media and Social Media Work Together in Advertising?

A man reading print advertising in a newspaper while a woman uses social media on her phone

Social media has increasingly become a go-to method for advertisers who want to reach their target audience. However, the ever-lasting presence of social media is not an excuse for traditional print marketing to fade away. The fact is that traditional print media has the ability to capitalize on social media trends and incorporate them into the advertising process. Social media can provide an opportunity for print ads to go viral through sharing and interaction. Print advertising, on the other hand, can engage consumers with a more personal connection, allowing them to reflect on their own personal experiences and offering handy tips for new customers on how to buy better products.

 

1. Fuse Online and Offline Media

The convergence of online and offline media, which are constantly being updated in real-time, allows businesses to take advantage of both formats. Print advertising in Kansas City, MO, can still offer consumers a more personal touch and encourage brand-building. By providing users with a new layer of interaction and allowing them to produce content, print media can increase awareness while also becoming competitive on price.

 

2. Helpful Tips for New Customers

Print ads should be able to demonstrate how valuable the information they are offering is to encourage their readers to interact with their ads. The overall goal is to engage and delight customers, giving them good feelings which will lead them to remember and purchase products in the future. Print media also provides a more affordable option for businesses, as it can act as a complementary tool without irritating customers or looking cheap.

 

3. The Personal Touch of Print Advertising

Print ads can offer a more personalized take on advertising. Email newsletters, which can be sent out digitally according to specific customer profiles, can still offer a more personal touch through traditional print media. Online ads can provide consumers different options for interacting with brands and products. Print can complement this by encouraging them to write down contact information or post online reviews. Print ads can also offer product details that may be unavailable online such as ingredients or nutritional facts.

 

4. Outlets of New Information

Online ads can provide up-to-date information that can be impossible to find out through other means, giving consumers a direct and constant stream of new product information. Print ads can provide this information just as easily, allowing them to stay familiar with a customer’s needs to suggest products that would work for them. This can be combined with traditional print media, such as direct mail, targeting specific customer groups.

 

5. Boost Social Engagement With Current Print Advertising

Many brands still use social media as a self-promotion tool. However, printed ads can let the world know about new products or opportunities and can be better equipped to reach their target audience. In addition, traditional print media can offer users the option to share their thoughts on either a product or an advertisement easily.

It might be difficult for traditional print media to compete with social media for advertising power. Still, that does not mean we should ignore the merits of print advertising. Traditional print media can take advantage of the opportunities for personal communication and self-expression that social networks provide.

A man interacting with social media on his phone

 

6. Consumers Want to Pursue Unique Options

Consumers are becoming increasingly picky about the items they purchase. To find a reliable source for good quality products and services, consumers will often search for information independently and seek out companies and products that meet their needs. Social media is a way for consumers to get in touch with the advertisements they are interested in and engage with them on the web. Advertising in Kansas City, MO, that is able to provide a personal touch and show off the quality of its products is going to be more successful than advertising that merely relies on the old cliché of “you get what you pay for.”

 

7. Traditional Print Media Is Affordable and Still Necessary

Many brands have become accustomed to combining print media with online advertising to offer customers a more complete content platform. Traditional print media works as an alternative to online ads as it can provide information that is either hard or impossible to find on a digital screen. In addition, other businesses that do not currently advertise via social media can still take advantage of the benefits of traditional print media. For example, direct mail can target customers based on their current location and demographics.

 

8. Print Customers Want to Engage with Ads

Most print customers want to take advantage of traditional print media’s opportunity to research services and products on their own and then make informed purchasing decisions. Therefore, stores must offer a well-designed advertising option that can provide quality content for potential customers. Consumers are willing to pay attention when they are offered interesting content, which is often provided by print media advertising in Kansas City, MO. 

 

9. Make People the Focus

Higher-quality print media can offer brands a unique opportunity to connect with their customers on a deeper level. In order to make the most of this opportunity, businesses need to create ads that show people at their best and allow them to express themselves through enjoying what they have come across or engaging with the products being offered. This provides a way for print media advertising campaigns to tell a personal and captivating story to capture an audience.

 

10. The Long-Term Value of Print Advertising

When consumers are engaged with a brand or product they like, they will most likely share their thoughts and desires with others via social media and other online outlets. Personal recommendations can potentially have a long-term impact on the success of an advertising campaign. Print media is able to provide customers with an assurance that the content they are reading has been verified by professionals, which makes it easier for their friends and family to trust what they are sharing.

 

Print Advertising in Kansas City, MO

Social media and print media can work together in advertising in a number of ways. They can provide new outlets for information, new personal touch opportunities, and a great chance to combine the two methods. Print ads can still offer something that is lacking in social media–heartfelt interaction with brands that encourage interaction among friends and family members. Advertising in Kansas City, MO, should utilize the strengths of each form of media to build on what is already working and to develop new ways to connect with customers.

Leverage social media in your print advertising even more by choosing Coffee News. Your ad will get posted to our social media in addition to our weekly print publication. Your ad will run for at least 26 consecutive weeks and reach your desired target market. It will not be overlooked by larger ads run by bigger spenders either since all of our ads are 3” x 2.” You are also able to make edits to your ad free of charge. Contact us for more info today!

11 Print Marketing Trends You Should Know Going Into the New Year

2023 block letters sitting on top of a folded newspaper

As we move into the New Year 2023, print marketing is going to look a whole lot different than it did in 2022. People are moving more toward digital marketing and relying less on print advertising. However, if you put your mind to it, you can still get some great print marketing ideas that will make the New Year an exciting and profitable time for your business. In this blog post, we’ve created a list of 11 Print marketing trends in Kansas City advertising that you should know going into the new year.

 

1. Use of Sustainable Paper

If you want to be on top of the print marketing trends, you will definitely want to incorporate sustainable paper into your designs. As we move toward the New Year, more people are becoming aware of the effect of paper on the environment. However, if you aren’t already using it, now is the time to start. A lot can be done with both recycled and sustainable paper these days. You can even get fancy by using paper made from 100% post-consumer recycled content.

 

2. Print Marketing Goes Mobile

You may already be aware of this one, but it’s still important to know that more and more consumers are likely to be on their mobile devices than their computers in 2023. So, if you want your print marketing to reach the masses and make a difference, you will definitely want to incorporate mobile marketing into your strategy. There is a lot you can do with this today that will help you make the most of print marketing going forward.

 

3. Using Special Finishing Options

You may or may not remember back a few years ago when there were only a handful of options for finishing prints. Now, you can get pretty much any accessories and finishes you need to give your prints that extra flair. In addition, you can use various finishes and special effects to help accent your print marketing designs. The new year is a great time to get started with this one!

 

4. Using Custom Photography

There are two different ways that you can use custom photography to help your print marketing efforts in 2023.

The first way is by using your own custom photos. Take pictures of your products and services and ensure that they are high-quality, professional photos that will grab the attention of potential customers.

You can also invest in hiring a professional photographer or purchase high-quality stock photography from one of the websites out there.

 

5. Personalization

Another trend that you may or may not have heard about recently is the ability to personalize your print marketing. Use it to your advantage! Many people will be looking for customized print marketing options; this is a great way to stand out from the crowd and impress potential customers.

However, you need to make sure you’re careful with this, as many people now use custom printing to scam businesses. So, make sure that you are smart about this one and that it works for your budget.

 

6. Targeted Direct Mail

If you have never experimented with direct mail before, maybe this is the year to start. You can use this method to target your customers and send them some personalized marketing material that they will love. In addition, it is a great way to get more bang for your buck in print marketing since you won’t be paying for production costs.

A pair of glasses sitting on top of a stack of newspapers

 

7. Enhance Your Marketing Materials with 3D Printing

3D printing is a relatively new technology, so there are still a lot of unknowns about it. However, if you want to get on top of the print marketing trends, this one will be worth your time. Many people use 3D printing to create custom marketing materials for their businesses, and the results have impressed consumers.

 

8. Retargeting

Do you have a blog or website? If so, you should promote it properly and ensure that people see your valuable posts. This is a great opportunity to get even more bang for your buck with print marketing and make your customers fall in love with your company all over again! Our Kansas City advertising will be able to help you with this.

 

9. Multivariate Testing

Multivariate testing is a great option if you want to get even more bang for your buck with print marketing. You will be able to send out the right amount of promotional materials and maximize your return on investment. You can also use this to make sure that you are making the best decisions when it comes to your new product development process.

 

10. Focus on Customer Loyalty

Since you will be using print marketing to help make a difference in the world, it’s only right that you focus on customer loyalty. If your customers are going to be loyal to your business, then make sure that you give them the best possible service and product options. It is a great way of turning customers into raving fans!

 

11. Preserve Your Own Creativity

As you start to see these trends emerge in print marketing, you may find that you want to do something a little different. If this is the case, make sure that you are following your own creative instincts. Just because a trend is becoming more popular doesn’t mean that it will work for you and your business. Do what works best for your company, and always have something new up your sleeve if you are trying to stay ahead of the competition.

 

Kansas City Advertising

There are many great ways to incorporate print marketing in Kansas City advertising when the new year hits. Just be sure that you are careful about any new techniques and make sure that they are budget-friendly as well. Be sure to take the time to do all of your research before you get started, but don’t worry – it’s important to be prepared for the future!

Coffee News plans to continue its weekly print publications into 2023. If you sign up with us, your ad will run for at least 26 consecutive weeks, and it will reach your desired target market. In addition, it will not be overlooked by larger ads run by bigger spenders since all of our ads are 3″ x 2.” You are also able to make small edits to your ad free of charge. Contact us for more info today!

10 Ways to Measure Your ROI When Using Kansas City Advertising

A newspaper, coffee cup, and calculator sit on a computer desk

It’s hard to say what marketing strategy is the most effective since they’re all different. However, no one can argue that a marketing strategy shouldn’t be measured by its return on investment (ROI). This blog post will explore ten ways you can use Kansas City advertising services to measure your ROI.

 

1.) Invest in Custom Contact Information

Purchasing print advertising can be a large undertaking, but it’s worth the investment if you’re able to collect customer contact information. Even a small amount of customer data can help determine ROI. Whether it’s a name, address, email address, or phone number -having something more than “Google generated” and “unsubscribe” data is crucial to better advertising results.

 

2.) Keep Track of Referrals

Kansas City advertising is all about getting customers through referrals. By asking for referrals and rewarding customers that give you more business, you can increase your ROI by attracting more people who will use your services. But you will also want to keep track of how many people are giving new customers to your company when they refer you. You can use a referral tracking program like the ones at HubSpot and Raven Tools or simply add their name to an Excel spreadsheet.

 

3.) Consider the Cost of Customer Acquisition

Many companies are making the leap from traditional advertising to online marketing, although there’s a difference between the costs of acquiring customers through print advertising. By using tools like the ones provided by HubSpot and Lead Forensics, you can determine the cost of customer acquisition (COCA) and compare that with your Kansas City ad costs. The better the ROI of each marketing channel, the more money you’ll be able to spend on that channel.

 

4.) Increase Your Reach

Consider a joint announcement with another company in your industry to help increase your market share without increasing your advertising costs. This is a great way to increase your ROI while reaching more customers. If you’re paying for online ad placement, then you need to consider your costs and calculate an ROI based on those costs instead of on gross sales.

 

5.) Keep an Eye on Your Expenses

Some companies don’t have the budget to keep track of all the expenses that go with their marketing programs, let alone calculate their ROI. By creating a budget and tracking your costs, you’ll know how much you’re spending on print advertising and how that compares to other marketing methods. When these costs increase, consider reducing your Kansas City advertising (or increasing your other advertising) to keep ROI high.

A close up stack of newspapers

 

6.) Look at Your Competition

Competition is a good thing. In fact, you need to consider your competitors when determining if Kansas City advertising is worthwhile for your company. For example, if one of your competitors has an advertising budget that exceeds yours or has a better ROI than you are getting, then that should be considered before investing in any new ad campaigns.

 

7.) Talk to Your Customers

You already know that it’s important to listen to your customers and ask for their opinions from time to time, but you should also consider asking them how they heard about your company. By getting information from them, you can measure the effectiveness of your Kansas City advertising efforts in two ways: the number of people who found out about your company through advertising and how many of those people actually became customers.

 

8.) Net Profit Percentage Increase as a Result of Campaigns

If there’s any variable that can be measured to help determine whether you’re getting your money’s worth, it’s this one. By calculating the difference between your net profit percentage and what it was prior to running the campaign, you can see if there has been an increase in your company’s net profit percentage.

 

9.) Measure Customer Retention

If your ROI is high, then you need to ask yourself if you’ve got customers returning to your business. You can do this either by collecting their name and contact information or via a referral tracking program. Then, you can compare this data with what’s available about the number of people who find out about your company through traditional advertising. By doing this regularly, you’ll be able to track ROI from the beginning of a campaign all the way through to its conclusion.

 

10.) Impress Your Boss

Ultimately, calculating ROI is all about making a case for your ad campaigns. Whether it’s your boss or an investor, you’ll want to be able to justify your expenditures on strategic marketing by demonstrating ROI. While there’s no absolute formula to help you do this, there are tools out there that can help. Since there are other factors that affect ROI, it’s important to keep a spreadsheet that details all your business expenses and the amount each expense costs. By keeping this spreadsheet, you can track how much money you’re spending on your print ads, determine the ROI of each channel and then compare the results to see which one is working best for your company.

 

Contact Coffee News

It’s not enough to just “do it” or run a campaign. You have to know what you’re doing and why. What’s more, you’ve got to keep records of how well your print advertising efforts are working and how much money you’re wasting on the wrong campaigns. By taking the time to calculate your ROI, you’ll be able to tell when Kansas City advertising is working for you and when it isn’t.

Coffee News incorporates all of the advantages of print advertising into our weekly print publications. Your ad will run for at least 26 consecutive weeks and reach your desired target market. It will not be overlooked by larger ads run by bigger spenders either since all of our ads are 3″ x 2.” You are also able to make edits to your ad free of charge. Contact us for more info today!

 

15 Design Tips to Help Your Print Ad Stand Out

A series of color ads run through a printer

The world of advertising is vast, with countless creative and technical options to choose from when crafting your print ad. With so many variables, it’s hard to know where to start — that’s why we’ve put together this blog post. Here are 15 tips to help your printed ad stand out with Kansas City advertising:

 

1.) Use Humor

Humor has been a staple of print ads, and it’s worked for decades. A little humor can break through the clutter and catch the reader’s attention, which is especially important in today’s media-saturated world. Adding humor to your ad will help it stand out and make the reader smile so that they might also remember your brand.

 

2.) Use Proximity

Proximity is a funny word, but it can be an important part of the ad. Proximity simply means “nearness,” and where it can be used in advertising is to make a visual connection between the reader and what you have to offer. This can be done through images floating in space or even a physical representation like a product or its packaging.

 

3.) Use an Action Shot

A picture truly is worth a thousand words, and that statement holds true in print advertising. Effective action shots can show the reader what your printed ad will look like in real life. Vectors, analogs, close-ups, and portraits all make for effective action shots.

 

4.) Use Multiple Calls to Action

Each call to action (CTA) should be unique and tailored to your audience. This helps the reader understand what you want them to do and gives them confidence in the action you are asking them to take. Remember, a CTA can be verbal or visual, so there are multiple ways in which you can make a clear request to your audience.

 

5.) Use Contrast

Contrast is another word that has popped up a lot recently. We’ve put it here to wrap up many of the previous tips, but it also makes for a useful addition on its own. There are two forms of contrast that make for effective print ads — visual and psychological.

Psychological contrast is easy to explain — it’s just making a comparison (or contrast) between two different things, whether they be ideas or products. Visual contrast is more visually-oriented, with either color use or pattern matching making up the difference between your ad and other print ads in the space.

 

6.) Use a Single Color

While contrast is about using a variety of colors, using a single color can be just as effective — if not more so. A single color allows you to focus on one product or idea and shows how it stands out from everything else. Using less color can actually catch the reader’s attention more than using a lot of colors, but only if you use the right shade.

 

7.) Know Your Market

Most print ads need to be thoughtfully crafted with the audience in mind. Understanding your market is important because it helps you to understand what your target audience wants and what they are looking for in your brand’s product or service. Kansas City advertising has a wide range of different races, ages, and backgrounds, so finding a balance between them is important to get the best results from your ad.

 

8.) Know Your Product or Service

Understanding what you are selling — whether directly or indirectly — is a vital part of successful Kansas city advertising. Having an understanding of what your product is and what it can do for the reader helps to create a stronger connection between them and your brand.

 

9.) Test Everything

There’s no better way to get an idea of how effective your ad will be than to put it in front of a real audience. There are several ways to do this: focus groups, guerilla marketing, A/B testing, and more. With the help of Kansas City advertising professionals, you can find the best way to get accurate results from your market.

 

10.) Know Your Audience

What do they want? That’s the question you should ask yourself when creating your next print ad. The answer to this question will be different for every person, and so you need to market toward specific groups. For example, will your ad be focused on a demographic like young adults or older households? Knowing which groups you are advertising toward is a great way to make sure that your ad is effective for Kansas City advertising.

A stack of magazines with print ads

 

11.) Pick the Right Media Type

The media used for print ads varies widely, which means that you need to know your market and your product or service to pick the right media. If you’re selling a service, flyers and posters may be good options, but if you are selling a product that needs a visual representation, then magazines and newspapers might be better. It’s important to pick a format that takes advantage of the strengths of your product or service.

 

12.) Use Branding

Employing several logos, taglines and trademarks can all help to brand your company and make it memorable. Embracing your brand can help people associate you with quality, something that will benefit them when making a purchase decision. The best print ad features the logo of the company in some capacity, whether in the title or in conjunction with the product being advertised.

 

13.) Swap Connotations.

Maybe you’re selling a coffee machine, but your ad features an abstract coffee cup. It seems like it would work well, but what if the audience thinks that a different image would be more effective? Swap out the image and pay close attention to how they react. If they seem confused, or if they just don’t see anything appealing in the new image, it might be time to rethink your ad and try something else.

 

14.) Embrace Third-Party Advertising

Using other brands’ print ads can be a great way to further brand yourself, but it’s also a great way to expand your market. Not only is it good practice, but your product might even end up being featured in the ad. You just have to make sure that you stay true to your brand and don’t use the advertisement as a crutch or money grab.

 

15.) Leverage Hyperbole.

In Kansas city advertising. Hyperbole is an exaggeration of the truth, and using hyperboles in your print ad can help grab the reader’s attention. These statements can be positive, negative, or both — just don’t get carried away with your exaggeration!

 

Conclusion

These are just a few of the ways in which you can use print advertising to make your brand stand out. The key is to understand both the product or idea your ad is about and what your audience wants and needs. If you keep these six concepts in mind, you’ll have a better chance of making an effective ad that will get noticed.

Put these design tips to work in our weekly print publication. Your ad will run for at least 26 consecutive weeks and reach your desired target market. It will not be overlooked by larger ads run by bigger spenders either since all of our ads are 3” x 2.” You are also able to make edits to your ad free of charge. Contact us today for more information!

10 Ways That Print Advertising Can Help You Reach a Broader Audience

Rolled up print ads

There are many ways that print advertising can help you reach a broader audience when advertising your small business. You can distribute a printed document in many different settings, such as your doctor’s office, at school, on the street, and inside businesses. The audience is usually targeted depending on where the advertisement is placed. Most notably, print ads have a more personal appeal than digital campaigns because they are not easily ignored on social media. Below are just some of the many ways that print technology can increase your reach.

 

1.) Know Your Audience

The first step to maximizing the effectiveness of your print advertising is to have a clear idea of who your target audience is. The demographics of your intended audience should be determined prior to choosing a print media. Knowing who you are advertising your small business to will help you determine a proper message and design that will effectively communicate with them.

 

2.) Keep It Short

In most print ads, the information has to be able to fit within a small space. You will want to make sure that you keep it short and simple so that you do not lose your audience’s attention. When coming up with content for your print ad, you want to be sure that your title is impactful and catchy so that it draws the attention of the reader. However, it should still give a clear message about what is being advertised.

 

3.) Be Original

When you are putting together your ad, you should place yourself in the audience’s shoes. You want to be sure that your message is personal and will resonate with them so that they take action. The message needs to be clear and exciting, so it will get across quickly. It can also be encouraging if it feels genuine. You also want to make sure that you are telling a story about the product or service rather than simply telling a list of benefits or features about the item.

 

4.) Include a Call to Action

Many businesses try to sell without showing any sort of call to action button or link. This is a way to get customers’ attention, but it can be off-putting for the customer if he does not understand what to do next. However, with print advertising, you can place a call to action in the ad that directs your audience more clearly on what they should do next. You can also include a QR code or link at the end of your ad to direct people directly to your website.

 

5.) Make Print Ads to Be Interactive

Print ads have been around for a very long time, so there are many ways that print technology has continued to adapt over the years. Print ads now have the ability to include interactive features. Interactive print ads mean that your ad will not only be appealing because of its design but will also include valuable information. For example, you can add a barcode or QR code that will direct your readers directly to a web page with more detailed information. This is a great tool to use and makes an ad much more appealing.

 

6.) Use Social Media

The old adage that says “people won’t respond to a direct mail letter unless it is hand-delivered” does not apply to today’s world. With digital advertising, there are various ways in which you can create a direct connection with your audience. Social media is a great place to start. Add your print ads through social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter because people are more likely to see them there. Also, you can use Facebook’s ad platform to manage and review your ads.

Thumbs up social media icons

 

7.) Keep The Branding Consistent

When creating your print ads, you want to be sure that your branding is consistent. This will help keep your brand identity across media platforms. Consistency will give a level of professionalism to your ads and keep them from looking cheap or unprofessional. If you are aiming for a more fun, lighthearted feel, you can still use consistency in the font or colors of the ad to maintain your brand’s identity.

 

8.) Break The Pattern

You will want to make sure that your message is straight to the point. Be sure that your title, copy, and design are clear and concise, so people can easily understand what is being advertised. The phrases you use in your advertisement should also be simple and catchy. You can also include a call to action at the end of your ad to get people interested in making a purchase from you.

 

9.) Align With A Single Message

You will want to consider who your target audience is before you decide which type of ad to create. When you have a clear idea of your audience, you can determine what type of ad to use. You should stay true to the point and keep things simple so that your advertisement does not lose its momentum. You should also try to stick with a single message for your entire campaign so that it is consistent and focused. If a new design is released, then you do not want it distracting from the message you are trying to express.

 

10.) Use Augmented Reality

In recent years, augmented reality (AR) has become more common in print ads. The AR experience puts the ad into your daily environment so that you can see the product or service in your actual space. This adds a level of interactivity to the entire campaign and makes it much more fun and appealing to your audience. AR is becoming a great way to attract attention by introducing new technology that keeps people interested in what you have to offer.

 

Wrap Up

Print advertising can be a great method of advertising your small business, but it is important that you are using the most effective methods. Print ads are not as effective as they used to be due to the rise of digital media, so you have to consider how print and digital can reinforce each other in your campaigns. Your print ad should be straight to the point and engaging so that it gives both a lighthearted tone and a more professional feel.

Need help? Contact us here at Coffee News today and we would love to help you with your ad campaign! 

The Top 6 Most Effective Small Business Advertising Methods

A small business owner looking up the most effective small business advertising methods

Small businesses and startups often ask, “what is the most effective small business advertising strategy that can scale with a smaller budget?” It’s not easy to figure out the right way to spend your limited time and resources. It’s also difficult to know whether it’s better to invest at the top of the funnel or at the bottom. The best advice we can give for that is to take a full-funnel approach because this is more sustainable over the long run.

However, with that being said, there are some strategies out there that will just be out of reach for small business owners – advertising on TV is an obvious one. So here are 6 of the most viable and effective small business advertising strategies that we recommend for small businesses or startups. 

 

1.) Referral Networks

Referral networks are essential for businesses. These typically involve customer referrals, which are encouraged and promoted via rewards or discounts for each referral. Additionally, referral networks include b2b (business to business) referrals. Have you found yourself often telling customers, “we don’t offer/provide that here, but the business down the road does.” That’s an opportunity to get referrals in return!

Referral networks are even stronger in the white-collar professions. For example, a lawyer will refer someone to an accountant, then the accountant will refer that person to a broker. The only “risk” of referrals is that there is a “shared” reputation. You will be staking your professional reputation on the referrals you provide. So no matter what kind of company you have, ensure that your referral network all shares the same commitment to providing a quality experience as you do.

To wrap up on referral networks, also keep in mind that your competition doesn’t always have to be an enemy. If you happen to be too busy to take on some work, toss it their way. Oftentimes, they will return the favor. And besides, it can hurt your reputation to make a customer wait too long.

 

2.) Influencer Marketing

There is great value in being praised by a trustworthy and respected third party. There are two main benefits. The first benefit is that earned media and press articles will encourage people to place their trust in you. 

And the second benefit is that you can leverage these outlets’ existing audiences to spread your message even further. Bloggers and influencers can also help with this by sharing your company with their followers, thus giving you an important endorsement with a potentially enormous reach. You can also pull some creative (and affordable if done right) stunts to attract the attention of your target audience or the media.

 

3.) Content Marketing

Making interesting and relevant content for your target audience will help you get more leads. That’s because you’ll be able to capture their interest and build trust with them over time. You’ll also have a better conversion rate after building up your brand, handling customer queries, and giving them more reasons to choose you. 

Whether it be infographics, videos, articles, or eBooks, you should let the world know you can offer. Things you want to promote are your brand values, expertise, and what differentiates you from other brands. These will help potential customers make a decision and help those who are on the fence about your company “pull the trigger.” Excellent content will also be backlinked, featured, and shared around, thus making your domain authority even higher if you place the content on your website.

 

4.) Poster Advertisements

The majority of malls, public places, and supermarkets allow poster advertisements on their board space. This method can be hit-or-miss. The key is to give your poster enough visibility and include removable tabs that customers can collect in order to get a discount later on.

Also, set each location as a unique color. That way, you’ll know where the majority of your leads are coming from. For example, if a specific area is generating most of the leads, you can optimize your campaign to focus on that area more (cold calling, flyers, local media ads focused on those areas, etc.)

A stack of newspaper with glasses

5.) Value Additions

Value additions are strong selling points for products and services of all kinds. While they may seem remarkably similar to free appraisals or coupons, their goal is to boost customer satisfaction and create a wider gulf between the business and its competition.

Some common examples of value additions are:

  • Referral rewards
  • Guarantees
  • Point cards
  • Discounts for repeat customers

Value additions are important simply because they can be the deciding factor between your business and the other similar ones nearby. That preferred customer card or point card might be the difference between a sale or no sale, no customer, or a customer for life. It’s important to remember that you don’t need to promise the moon in order to provide value. You could also mention something that the customer doesn’t know about that adds value to your service or product. And be sure to highlight these value additions in your marketing materials.

 

6.) Print Marketing

Print marketing is an excellent way to augment all of your marketing methods, including digital marketing. Many companies today still rely greatly on print marketing, and it is still one the most effective small business advertising methods available.

The main benefits of print marketing include:

  1. Tangibility.
    Print marketing materials can be held in the hands, and qualities such as texture and paper weight play an important role psychologically in influencing purchasing decisions.

  2. Mobility.
    The messaging on your printed materials can be taken and exchanged almost anywhere, on the go.

  3. Improved targeting.
    Direct mail marketing can target at the geographical or demographical level.

  4. Print lasts.
    Unlike a web page that can be loaded and forgotten unless bookmarked and remembered, a piece of printed material can be more difficult to ignore.

  5. Print garners trust.
    Today, print is the most trusted type of ad, so if your business uses them, it will garner more credibility, which is important for a new business trying to make a name for itself. 

5 Ways That Print Advertising Can Help You Promote Your Brand

A woman drinking coffee while reading the newspaper

While marketing experts are usually good at print advertising, they may still not give it the credit it deserves since it isn’t as easy to track, and it can be more costly than other forms of Kansas City advertising.

But with that being said, advertising in magazines and newspapers can be an excellent way to tap into a local audience or a new market since you can hyper-target readers (based on geography and demographics).

And with the right preparations, you can easily measure your success too.

But first, let’s address the elephant in the room.

Why do Print Advertising?

While print marketing may not be on the rise, it is still far from “dead.”

Its popularity (or lack thereof) in modern culture doesn’t take away from the benefits that it provides.

For example, higher engagement compared to digital methods as well as a higher trust factor. These benefits are crucial for achieving the greatest impact with your Kansas City advertising.

Perhaps you’d like to test out print advertising in your organization. Read on to find out how.

1.) Reach Your Target Audience

Just like how various marketing campaigns will go after certain personas, publications have their own target audience/target readers as well.

There is lots of variation amongst readers across the different publications. So it’s your job to figure out which publication’s target audience best matches your own target audience’s personas and budgets.

Consider your customers’ location, interests, and demographics, and then you can imagine what sort of publications they might like reading.

Once you’ve found some promising publications, you can probably find a media kit on their websites or from their company reps. It’s often the case that you will be able to buy ads in a few different issues for your preferred publication at a lower rate per ad.

2.) Coupons Motivate Purchases (Printed Ones Work Best)

We can define value differently, such as teaching consumers about your service or product or offering them discounts. To be more specific, retail establishments may benefit by putting coupons in their printed ads.

According to a study from the RetailMeNot and The Omnibus Company, 96% of Americans have used coupons, and this statistic isn’t limited to certain age groups, locations, or gender.

The best thing is that coupons provide something tangible. It motivates customers to take the initiative. According to research done by Valassis, 91% of consumers like using paper coupons most.

And when we look at the 2018 Inmar Shopper Behavior Study, 83% of people who responded in the survey indicated that the presence of coupons helped influence their buying decisions, such as pushing them towards a certain brand or making them buy more than they intended, or pushing them to make a purchase sooner than they originally planned.

The bottom line is that if a customer sees your print ad and believes they will get a good deal, they will be very likely to respond positively to your ad.

A woman uses coupons at a grocery store while she shops

3.) Make Your Ad Short, Sweet, and to the Point

When you pay so much money for that spot in a print publication, you may feel compelled to fill that space with as much information as possible.

But you must resist that desire!

To use a print ad effectively, you should just include one very specific purpose for your ad, and this can be communicated with some brief text and a single image.

What purpose would be so important as to fill this crucial space? It could be creating brand awareness, engaging with a new segment of your target audience, or launching a new product or service.

No matter what purpose it may serve, the ad should be short, sweet, and memorable.

4.) Keep It Simple and Clean

In addition to sticking with one purpose for your ad, make the design of your ad as simple as possible. Utilize white space where it makes sense, choose appropriate colors (learn about color psychology), and use a clear and bold font.

Think of the old adage “show, don’t tell.” This adage is especially true for printed ads since most people will only glance at ads very quickly before moving on to the next one.

Since this is the case, it’s useful to include visual metaphors, consider the 5 senses and make your ad appeal to them, and fall back on other visual trademarks of your brand, like your logo and colors.

It’s also a good idea to include a focal point, like your product, an animal, or person (people work great), to draw people’s eyes to.

Regardless of how you prefer to do things, each element of your print ad should tie back to its core message. 

5.) Combine Print With Digital

There’s no reason not to use other marketing channels.

In fact, print advertising and digital marketing are not competing or opposing methodologies. They can work hand in hand together. For example, you might want to create a bunch of new banner ads to launch on the publication’s website in conjunction with buying a print ad.

Another option is increasing your social media spending during your print media launch as part of a larger marketing campaign. Regardless of the channels that you use, your branding must stay consistent. That means using the same color palette, same logo, etc.

Also, incorporating your digital marketing methods into your print ads is a great way to drive consumer actions. For example, your print ad should always include a link to your website. It could also include a QR code (for smartphone users) that can take them to your website or product offering.

Other options could be doing a social media hashtag campaign or requesting consumers to give their response or feedback to the ad on social media. Good social media websites for this are Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter.

Conclusion

Businesses should not ignore print advertising as a way to advertise. Ignoring it could mean missing out on lots of potential business. The bottom line is that print is still relevant in today’s world, and it can improve the overall effectiveness of your marketing endeavors.

Are you wondering how you should do Kansas City advertising? Get in touch with us today, and we’d be glad to help answer your questions.

7 Effective Ways to Boost the Advertising for Your Small Business

A small business talks about advertising strategies

If you’re looking to generate more income for your small business, then you should look no farther than marketing. Larger companies and multi-million dollar corporations like Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Target, etc. spend millions of dollars each year just on marketing. This marketing allows them to understand their demographic, understand how much their target demographic is willing to spend, and what exactly it is that they want.

So, the question stands: how can you, as a small business owner, improve advertising your small business and your brand in a way that can rival the big league players? It’s not exactly easy – or cheap – to have a whole marketing department at your disposal as a small business owner. Here are nine tips to help you get your foot in the door:

1.) Know your audience.

Big corporations get the inside scoop from their target demographic from doing things like surveys, watching trends, gauging what gets the most attention on social media, and so on. There’s no reason why you, as a small business owner, can’t do the same. Keep an eye on trends. Does your audience want more organic products instead of more manufactured products? What kind of clothing trends are popular right now?

Ask your customers. See what they like. The more you can cater to your clientele, the more business you’ll be able to generate. After all, if you’re able to keep the customers satisfied that you already have, then they’ll be more willing to bring others to your door.

2.) Interview customers.

This ties in heavily with knowing your audience, but interviewing your customers can really turn out to be one of the best ways for advertising your small business. Take surveys on what was the most eye-catching thing to your current clientele. What slogans, or advertisements, or products are they most enraptured by? What makes them want to be a repeat customer?

Finding out this information can be key to spreading your influence farther than you may have thought possible. 

3.) Have a website. 

This one seems like a no-brainer, but in this information age, having a website is more important now than ever before. If you don’t have a good website, it’ll be even harder to advertise your small business than you thought possible.

In today’s Internet-driven world, the first thing that people are likely to do once finding out about your business or product is Google it. They will want to see your hours, your product information, your customer reviews, any other products you may have – and that’s even before taking a step in your doors or ordering a product for themselves.

Having a solid, eye-catching, up-to-date website is more important now than ever before, when word of mouth advertising is more like sharing a post on Facebook than actually picking up the phone to call someone. Making sure that you have full control of your online presence is vital when trying to reach customers, and may even be able to increase your reach beyond the local.

4.) Have a social media platform.

Having a social media platform, especially in today’s climate, is one of the best promotional tools available. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok now are incredible ways to get both you and your small business out there into the public eye. 

Creating beautiful advertisements and insightful posts that your followers can share can provide a big boost in sales to you and your small business. Or, you could create something silly and memorable that falls in line with more current trends.

In fact, some of the most popular TikTok accounts are brand accounts. The Duolingo and Scrub Daddy accounts both take popular TikTok trends and bend them to work in their brand’s favor. One thing is for sure: no one who goes to their TikTok accounts will forget what they saw. It may be unconventional, but it definitely works!

A personal scrolling through social media on their phone

5.) Turn to print advertising

It might seem a little too conventional when you first think about it, but in reality, newspaper advertising is still an effective way to get your name and brand out there. When so many ads pop up on our phones, computers, and TVs, we always find a way to fast forward through, or close them out, as quickly as possible. With print media, it is more intentional, and grabs the reader’s attention. When looking at advertising your small business, check out our website for information!

6.) Have a great customer service team.

No matter how many advancements in technology you may make, or how many rewards or promotions you may offer, there’s nothing that can beat just simple, good customer service. Good customer service can make or break a brand or business. As your business continues to grow, make sure that all of your staff is trained well and is able to answer most general questions about your business.

However, even more important than knowledge is good communication skills. Sometimes, the most memorable part of visiting a local business is the incredible and knowledgeable staff that work there. Good communication builds relationships, and relationships can build returning clientele.

7.) Do your research.

If you don’t know who you’re competing against, what kinds of similar products are out there, or how much your competitors are charging, there isn’t a lot of hope to be competitive in this market. Make sure that not only are you paying attention to what your customers want, but look around at the competition, too. What are they selling? How are they marketing it? What is their customer service like? Do they have loyalty programs? Are your prices fair for the market that we’re in compared to theirs? 

You always want to make sure that you aren’t undervaluing your services or your products, but charging too much can also be detrimental. Be sure not to drive away your business due to your high prices, because you haven’t been up to date with the market. It’s also important to note that while you don’t have to do everything that your competitor does, knowing that your products or services are as easily – if not more easily – accessible can make for a better experience. 

The Top 7 Reasons It Makes Sense to Invest in Print Marketing

A young businessman reading a newspaper outdoors

How can print marketing help you break through the communication gap between you and your prospects? 

 

In today’s digital era, it’s simple for your target market to become overwhelmed with online adverts and email marketing, especially given that Facebook now has over 2 billion monthly users, Instagram 1 billion, and Twitter 300 million.

In an age where it’s simple to create a Facebook page or an Instagram account and begin marketing your business for free, it’s tempting to believe that print marketing is extinct. But the wise business owner and marketer hasn’t given up on print marketing. Print is still a potent marketing medium with an outstanding result when paired with digital and social media marketing.

Here are the top 7 reasons why print media releases should remain an essential element of any marketing strategy.

 

Print advertising has a long lifespan. 

Your company’s adverts in printed media may help you reach your target market if they are designed and placed correctly. Using demographic data, you can strategically deploy your brand in the right place at the right time, in front of the right audience. When someone leaves a magazine on their counter or office table, your advertisement will remain until the magazine is recycled—or handed on to someone else. It’s a physical product that stays in a person’s house or office for a long time, leaves countless imprints, and has an audience reach that lasts weeks, months, and even years.

 

Print ads are easier to remember than digital ads.

The Internet may be perplexing at times. On any given page, there might be hundreds of hyperlinks, adverts, and options vying for your attention. In a magazine or newspaper, there are still interruptions. However, they are usually fewer, and you physically move past advertisements while you interact with the information. While the digital text is scanned, reading on paper is slower and more deliberate. Reading improves comprehension and retention rates, which could mean that conventional print media advertisements done by Kansas City advertising companies are more likely to leave a lasting memory for businesses. 

According to neuroscientists, that might explain why people are more likely to remember your brand after seeing it in a paper ad than in a digital ad. This is because viewing them exudes deep emotions, which is necessary for memory and brand connections.

 

Print marketing helps to strengthen a company’s brand.

Print marketing by Kansas City advertising companies may help you stand out and attract attention. After all, so much of today’s online material goes unnoticed. Consider how many marketing emails you do not open and how many advertisements you do not click. We are bombarded with too much digital information, to the point that we have become numb to it. And it could be harder for businesses and brands to stand out and be recognized. But, you may avoid these digital blind spots by using print marketing. 

Print marketing can assist your brand by making people notice it in a more meaningful and intimate manner. It can cut through all internet noise into the calm area of a person’s life and capture their attention. Marketers realize the value of having a well-known brand. Printed publications and other branded items are excellent ways to achieve this. It allows you to combine the visual elements of color, image, and script that help in brand recognition.

 

Some folks are still without internet access.

Your target audience could not even be online, depending on their demography. Don’t forget about individuals who don’t have access to the Internet or are hesitant to conduct business online. Print marketing is the most effective approach to contact them. Consumers still respond to direct mail, generating sales via coupons, postcards, and special offers. 

A clever direct mail campaign delivers a greater return on investment than e-mail marketing or digital advertisements. In reality, direct mail is a terrific approach to connect with people from all walks of life, especially since it is the most reliable type of Kansas City advertising.

A newspaper with glasses and a cup of coffee

Print marketing has higher credibility than internet marketing.

When you see iconic magazines like Time and People or your favorite newspaper on the rack, it exudes an aura of credibility and prestige. It’s also convenient; you can lay aside the printed material and return to it at any time to continue reading. Print media needs “real estate,” which marketers understand. A published article left on the corner of a desk will remain there until it is picked up and checked the following day. 

Many people are concerned about the growth of cybercrime these days—phishing and virus frauds and more ambitious and sophisticated illegal online schemes. And a recent American poll found that people trust print ads more than any other sort of advertisement. Because they are more expensive, scammers are less likely to use print tactics. Picking up a leaflet or brochure does not pose an immediate risk because there are no potentially sketchy links to click or personal documents to upload. Furthermore, high-quality print indicates that the brand is a legitimate company.

 

Print is Tangible.

Physical objects include publications, brochures, posters, and other sorts of printed goods. These things might remain in workplaces or homes for months or even years after being bought or delivered. While many non-physical marketing products serve a particular goal, the advantages of print media go far beyond what most people realize. 

Print marketing appeals to people of all ages, not just Millennials. This is because print marketing, unlike email marketing, is tangible: you can touch and smell it. According to the study, this physical feature engages the brain, boosting the customer’s probability of remembering your ad’s content.

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