Advertising

Today is really a personal blog about advertising for my business. When I first opened Don’t Hold Your Breath Computer Service in Huron County, Michigan, I called the Huron Daily Tribune and they later wrote a new business story about my business.The reporter wrote a very good article and in return I received great responses from the readers of the newspaper. Because of that I continued to advertise with the newspaper. The staff even helped create ads and let me decide on the final product. My wife, actually, is the editor of another weekly newspaper in the Thumb area. I know better than most what advertising means to these small newspapers. I relocated my business to Clio after my wife received a promotion in order to further her career. I decided that I would call the local newspapers in the area and ask them about new business stories. I received a positive response from several papers. The reporters asked me questions and checked out my Web site. However, the person I spoke with at one of the local newspapers only took down my basic information and did not return my call for follow up information. A few days later, I received a phone call from the same newspaper and the person said they were returning my call about my request for advertising. I told her that I was not interested in advertising at this time, but I was interested in a new business story. I had intended to advertise with the paper in the future, but I was not quite ready at that point. She then made a remark about how people are always looking for the free stuff and said she would have to talk to her editor. Now I’m not against advertising in there paper, I just don’t want to do it quite yet. Just like all of you, I don’t want to lose money. I believe it would be wiser to have a new business story done and then as I receive calls for computer work I would ask the customers where they heard about me. If I get at least five customers because of the article in the paper then I’m obviously going to want to continue advertising with them. The way I look at it is simple. I’ll stick my toe in first to test the water before I jump in. I don’t know yet what type of newspaper readership they have. It may be the paper that everyone in town reads, or it may be the type of newspaper that sits on a porch step for the entire week only to be thrown away with Friday’s trash. Obviously, if I don’t get a good response from the article then I’m not going to want to advertise with them right away. As I get my business going, I want to push the advertising in the places that are the most successful. As I become established, I’ll come back and advertise a bit harder in the areas that were not as productive the first time around. I feel that is the best business practice. What do you think?