Advertising Your Real Estate Business in Print
Think about your city’s population, and then take away 30% of it. What’s left is how many people read the newspaper on a daily basis. Although newspaper advertising is incredibly expensive, one or two ads each year won’t completely break your bank. The average response for a newspaper ad is larger than that of any e-mail or direct mail campaign you could ever hope to run.
But if you can’t afford to advertise in the newspaper, there are other options to consider as alternatives that will still get you in print:
�· Trade Publications
�· Neighborhood Newsletters
�· Church bulletins
�· Coffee house publications
�· Industry newspapers (music, arts, opera, etc.)
�· Theater Programs
�· Yellow Pages
All of these options are available to you; all you have to do is look for them.
When you print an advertisement, it should be eye-catching and professional because you aren’t soliciting, as with other types of campaigns, but rather putting a message out into your community.
Some newspapers and publications charge by the word, while others charge by the space or by the line. Still others might give you a price per inch. My advice is to ask for quotes from several publications in order to get the best price possible.
Most advertising departments will ask for a face-to-face meeting rather than giving you a quote over the phone or by e-mail. This is a marketing tactic of their own – they want to get you in their offices for an extravagant presentation. Before you go in for a meeting, as that they e-mail you a representation of their demographics.
Demographics will tell you about the circulation of the newspaper. This can include how many people subscribe or receive it, the areas of town in which they reside, the medium age group and income, the average cost of housing and lots of other useful information to help you make your decision.
When you meet with the advertising department, insist that they give you typical rates for advertising. They will try to dance around that issue, or even avoid it entirely, and it is up to you to get the information directly from the “horse’s mouth”.
Most publications will allow you to design your own print advertisement. When you do, keep the following things in mind:
1. SPACE
When designing your print ad, make sure you keep the allocated space in check. If you exceed the maximum space allowed, you’ll either have to pay for more space or redesign your ad. If you’re worried about this, hire an agency who can help you design the perfect ad. It’s worth the extra fee if it helps you to accrue clients.
2. WORD CHOICE
There are certain “keywords” that make print advertisements effective, and although you don’t want to overuse them, you show through in a few to spice up the copy (text). A few popular keywords include:
�· Low Prices!
�· Immediate Response!
�· Get Results Now!
�· Free!
�· Now!
�· Time is Running Out!
3. GRAPHICS
Include one or two graphics in your print advertisement, and no more. If you have one, your logo should be one of the two graphics. For a real estate advertisement, you might want to show a picture of a house, a yard sign or even of you. This will help build a personal rapport.
Advertisements in print look even more professional if you have a photo editing tool on your computer that allows you to blur the edges of the picture. If not, include a border around the graphic or place it somewhere that differentiates it from text.
4. CONTACT INFORMATION
Include a small text box in your advertisement that gives all of your contact information, including your physical address. The only instance in which you should not include your physical address is if you work out of your home, and that is for security reasons.
Placing a print advertisement in your local newspaper or in any other venue will gain exposure for your business and will put you “on the map”. Weigh the pros and cons and determine the best course of action.
