by Elaine Parrish

Created on: September 18, 2009   Last Updated: September 28, 2009

Small businesses always feel the pressure of market share, but never more so than in tough economic times. A steady advertising program with the local newspaper can bolster sales and increase market share even in tight economies.

A major advantage of newspaper advertising is that newspapers have a subscribed customer base. Households pay to have the paper delivered, which means that they are reading the contents. If they are subscribing to the newspaper, they have extra income to spend beyond the basic necessities month to month. Especially in tough economic times, this is an opportunity small business should not miss.

Small businesses can have a small advertisement of a few inches by a few inches to a full page. The options of sizes in between offer a never-ending combination for a steady, ongoing advertising campaign to fit even the most challenged budgets.

Generally there is only one newspaper in smaller areas, and only a few in large metropolitan areas. This customer base is generic and all-encompassing. In buying radio ads, the small business must choose a genre. Do you want to reach just the pop fans or just the oldies fans or just the country fans, etc? Not likely. The small business wants to reach them all. All of these people read the same local newspaper.

The same problem exists with television advertising. With a viewing area of a hundred miles or so encompassing several towns, cities, and counties, the small business can find itself spending tightly-stretched advertising dollars reaching people who are not viable customers at all. However, within this large viewing vicinity each area has its own newspaper. Small businesses that spend their advertising dollars on their target market and on viable new customers get optimum results.

The options for the content of newspaper ads are widely varied. Only newspaper can give the option of coupons which are enticing to consumers, especially in tough economic times. Weekly Specials or a current sale can be highlighted with only one advertisement. With print ads your name, location, and phone number are easily referenced.

Today's newspaper offers the additional benefit of digital media. The Internet display of the newspaper offers all the advantages received from the paper copy. In addition to reaching the locals, it allows the small business to reach potential customers that are transient. Each day myriad people are traveling through your area. Sales people comprise one of the largest groups. Travelers targeting your local area as well as those stopping for fuel, food, or repairs generate local revenue daily. With laptop computers being common traveling companions these days, finding local information takes a matter of seconds.

The digital (online) version of your local newspaper incorporates Search Engine Marketing (SEM) where ties to the popular search engines (such as Google, Yahoo!, Monster, etc.) and opportunities like Behavioral Targeting and targeted print publications are available to you. Simply stated, this optimizes your opportunity to have your advertisement read by people who are looking for you.

A steady newspaper advertising program is the best health insurance that you can obtain for your small business. You will be investing in today and in tomorrow. Call your local newspaper today for all of the details and options.

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