Local paper advertising

[Pooh]

I am in a little bit of a mix as I am considering a large advert in a local 'free' newspaper and now I have the chance I can't make up my mind what to put!!!

Should I concentrate on price? My mobility (I am mobile and cover a very 'country' area or small villages)? The benefits of a 'home' treatment? Vouchers ?? Should I list all the treatments I offer or just sort of say 'Here I am, ring me?. I know this may sound crazy but I have the chance of a full page for about £350 but don't want to fall into the trap of putting SO much detail on there that people get fed-up with reading and use it as cat litter :?

Any good advice from those that have an advert .... or are thinking of it, or are an expert .

I SO don't want to waste the money

Dee, from Somerset

 

[naturalnails]

....
I SO don't want to waste the money

Dee, from Somerset

Hi dee,

I could not use your poll as I have not found any of those forms of advertising very good.

I would say "save your £350" and put it towards better placed advertising like the Yellow Pages.

I have done several newspaper ads and got either none or at most 1 person from it.

The best form of advertising is word of mouth.

Leaflet drops are virtually free - only cost of paper, shoe leather and time - but choose your area carefully - put in local shops, bridal shops, florists, jewellery shops etc.

Good luck

 

[geeg]

I am in total agreement with that advice!!

I know some have had good luck after an add in the paper, but it depends on so many things ... time of the year... day of the week..which side of the paper the add is on...it is a lottery.

 

[Tracysnails]

Hi Dee,

Sorry but I've not got anything in favour to say about paper adverts. I don't know if you've used the 'search' link or not but I posted a while back about the same thing. I've copied the link for you if you want to read it:

http://www.samuelsweet.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1206&start=0

I also posted on some other message boards and got the same kind of replies. I have really found that pushing leaflets through peoples door has worked for me and heard others say its done nothing for them, so the same could be said with local paper adverts but I found the response agaisnt too over-whelming to ignore. :shock:

Anyway, hope I've helped a little

 

[jackie1]

Hi,

Last week I put an ad in 5 local papers and haven't had one call from them

Jackie X

 

[Debs]

I have never had any response from dropping leaflets but every time I advertise in weekly paper I get 1 or 2.
It is difficult to know what to do, I have advertised in yellow pages but all I`m getting from that is every other advertiser approaching me, thats not the phone calls I was hoping for.

 

[Mrs Geek]

I am sorry but I didn't vote either!! Personally (and this is just me), I wouldn't use a free or paid for paper to find a salon, I would probably copy my girlfriend who had the 'best nails' I'd seen OR Yellow Pages! Geeg had a salon for years and 80% of the clients were definitely word of mouth!! If yuor work is fantastic - they will come!! Hope this helps!! :shock:

 

[The Geek]

Due to popular demand... I have adjusted the poll and added another option.

I agree that paper advertising stinks. Very few people get any type of return from it.

 

[Pooh]

Wow, thanks for all the comments and help. It's what this site is all about !!

The problem now is that I am really back where I started in a way. MOST seem to have a bad view of newspaper advertising, but a couple (including a few PM's I got) seem to have very satisfied. I think I am going to go midway ........ have a small advert on a a few 'Wedding' or 'Beauty' events the paper is having, but using the rest of the capital that I WOULD have spend for other things .............. maybe better business cards and things like that.

I must admit that 90% of my clients come just from word of mouth or previous salon work, it's just that I seem to have gotten to some sort of plateau I need to do something 'extra' to bring in a few more so as to expand the customer base. Bear in mind I am in a very rural area so do have have a large population base near me or around me :-(

Thanks again for all the comments ........ I have printed them all so as I can read and read and read, as and when I feel the need

Dee from Somerset xx

 

[Belle De Jour]

hi debs i agree with you i too have an ad in the yellow pages ok so its only a business card sized one but there is no other competion based locally to me so i thought i would be inundated wrong.........
day one the ad was out i had three inquiries i was like great i cant believe this im gonna get so busy but since then i seem to have had the customer service dept of british gas trying to sell me back onto their gas and electric more than anyone else!!
had a few people from the free yel.com one liner but other than that its been very quiet.
Dee~ i think word of mouth is the only way to go get sets of nails on your freinds ect to draw attention to what you do. ive done a free set of fabric# on a freind of mine as she has done alot of the kids hair cuts ect over the years and being a very popular girl she has loads of mates (which is handy seeing as im a billy no mates ) she reliably informs me all 10 of my price lists that i gave her to hand out have been snapped up and they are all madly saving to get theres done to.......i'll keep you posted as to what happens nickki jonesx
nickki jonesx

 

[FatalAttraction]

Oh no i feel really bad after reading everyones posts.

My hairdressing salon i started work for last week are advertising in 2 local newspapers this week. I really hope i do get a response otherwise its a waste of their money.

So far my dad( bless him) has been referring my business to everyone.
But he dont wear my extensions

Cazza