Print advertising campaign can help attract new customers without breaking your advertising budget. Maybe your company is small enough that you can't afford to have your own advertising department, or even hire an agency every time you want to launch a campaign.

The cost of print advertising intimidates many small businesses, but there are several programs designed to teach non-media trained professionals how buy print ads. These seminars, workshops and classes are held both in-person and online, and cover everything from basic media info to more advanced subjects. Print ad buying and placement education and training resources include:

1. A major or minor in advertising
2. Seminars or courses in print advertising buying
3. Hiring a consultant to train your staff in print advertising placement
   

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Learn print ad placement through a degree in advertising

A college degree in advertising usually includes training in media buying and placement. Even if you plan to major in business, you can combine that with a minor in advertising, so that you can handle both the management and marketing / advertising aspects of the company.

I recommend: Most universities offer both majors and minors in advertising. As examples, check out the programs at the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University and at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma.

Take a course or seminar in print ad buying and placement

There are several media buying and placement courses designed specifically for professionals without advertising or media training. These courses cover everything from the cost of print ads to creating an advertising plan.

I recommend: The Media Buying Academy offers its "Media Buying BootCamp," a four-and-a-half-day, five-part hands-on media buying course. It's designed for both newbies and veterans, and participants can sign up for the entire course or only certain sections. Paragon Media offers a seminar in media planning and buying that consists of four half-day modules covering: media terms and concepts, media profiles, media plan development / selection, and media buying. You can sign up for one or more of the modules, which are offered as both public seminars and private sessions held at your company.

Hire a consultant to create a customized print media buying training program

If academic programs or courses don't offer the information you need, or if you're looking for an efficient way to train your entire team, consider customized training programs. A media coach or consultant can create a training program with only the information you need, and can teach everyone on your staff at once. Most of these programs are offered both on-site and at the consultant's offices.

I recommend: The Laredo Group provides media buying training for salespeople, marketing professionals and executives. Laredo offers both courses and customized training, held at your location; at a hotel, conference center or other meeting facility you choose; or at Laredo's facility in Florida. Cypress Media Group offers its "Inside the Mind of a Media Buyer" seminar, which offers professionals with no media buying experience a look at how a media buyer does his or her job.

Print advertising campaigns are an ideal way to promote the goods or services your company offers. Ad placement in magazines allows your business to target specific demographics.

According to one source, it's estimated that there are around 160,000 magazines published around the world. That's an astounding number of publications in which your company can buy print ads.

When you are ready to look into print ad buying and placement, there are a few factors to keep in mind:

1. You must define the demographic you wish to reach with your print advertising campaign.

2. You can find companies to help with your print ad buying needs.

3. Create a budget, and verify that the print ad prices fit within that budget.

4. Make sure the magazines you are advertising in will be published at the right time for your marketing campaign.

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Identify which magazine will work best for your print advertising placement

Magazines yield excellent market segmentation, not only geographically, but by special interest, since many products appeal to some groups and not others. Each magazine has a unique circulation and target audience. It's vital to understand which magazines will be most useful for your print ad placement.

I recommend: The Columbia Journalism Review website maintains a list of magazines in the United States. The magazines are listed by type: Entertainment, Women's, News, etc. Each magazine listed includes a link to that magazines' website. Browse MediaFinder, which also maintains a list of magazines. This site allows you to search for magazines based on Editorial Descriptions, Circulation, Ad Rates and more.

Understand the cost of print advertising

Advertising rates will vary depending on each magazine's popularity. A magazine with a huge circulation charges more than a start-up publication. You can download Rate Cards from many magazines' websites. The Rate Card lists information on the cost of print advertising, circulation and more. Most magazines charge by the inch--however you would need to know the exact column sizes for each magazine to get the sizing correct. This can be overwhelming, and you may decide to work with a company that specializes in print advertising placement.

I recommend: Print advertising agencies such as Working Media Group or MediaBids.com will help you understand the cost of print ads, and assist in your print ad buying and placement. These companies will design your ads, define the print advertising costs and place your advertisements in the best magazines for your business.

Call the reader to action with your print advertising campaign

The reason to buy print ads is to increase awareness of your company, and therefore increase business. You must catch the attention of the reader, and build in a call to action. Include a coupon in your ad, or a special offer which is only available for a limited time. This helps achieve the desired result--new business and revenue.

I recommend: The amount of revenue you generate must always be higher than the cost of print ads you place. This is your Return On Investment (ROI), and it's a measurement of how well your advertisement and Call To Action has worked. Companies such as The Hudson River Group track results of your print advertising campaign to ensure your print advertisement prices are less than the revenue the ads generate. Ipsos ASI provides a variety of advertising solutions to monitor and improve your print advertising campaign.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most print advertising buying is available online. Magazines and print advertising agencies accept ad requests via email, and will submit proofs before running your ad.
• •  Be aware of deadlines for any magazine you intend to place advertisements in. An ad agency will keep track of these deadlines, or you can find this information on the rate cards for individual publications.

An effective print advertising campaign can be both a significant investment and an effective tool in bringing in new business and solidifying your brand in the marketplace. For a small business, print advertising may seem like a daunting task. Careful planning is required for a higher likelihood of success in meeting your key goals.

Before you run to the local newspaper office or regional magazine ad rep, gain knowledge about the lingo of print advertising. Consider these key terms.

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Exposure

Every time your ad has the opportunity to be seen is counted as one exposure. In theory, high exposure yields higher results but also usually higher ad rates.

I recommend: Check out this BusinessDictionary.com definition.

Cost per thousand

Cost per thousand refers to the calculation used in evaluating the cost efficiency of the ads. In general, you divide the cost of advertising by circulation numbers.

I recommend: SRDS Media Solutions gives different equations on how to figure cost per thousand with circulation numbers or prospects.

Market share

When considering which print advertising venue to use, you'll want to consider its market share. This refers to the newspaper or magazine's sales divided by the total number of sales generated as an industry. The larger the market share, the higher the number of people with the potential to see your ads.

I recommend: QuickMBA.com explains market share in a business sense, but the same concept applies to advertising as well.

Market segmentation

It's important to pinpoint your target audience, and market segmentation is a key related objective. Market segmentation refers to narrowing your advertising and marketing focus to hit a niche group of consumers that are likely to be interested in your products or services. Market segmentation can help you match your print ad buys to your best audience.

I recommend: Business Resource Software further explains market segmentation by breaking down the different market groups.

Readership

Readership refers to the estimated number of people who actually read the newspaper or magazine. This number is usually higher than a circulation number because of pass-along readership such as when more than one person in a family reads the newspaper or when an office shares a subscription.

I recommend: Read about the difference between readership and circulation in this McInnis & Associates article.

Return on investment

Many businesses think of spending money on advertising as a business investment. Therefore, many want to see a return on that investment or ROI. By tracking ad response, including the number of inquiries and the extra sales generated, you can come up with a percentage.

I recommend: Use this Canpages calculator to gain a real example of how return on investment works.

When you're considering print ad buying and placement, pricing and costs will likely play a large part in your final decision. Print ad buying can be costly, but should be a preplanned part of your business budget. The cost of print ads varies depending on the media and amount of advertising space you buy.

In planning your print ad buying and placement, pricing and costs shouldn't be your only consideration. Think about how much business an ad will bring in. Often the advertising costs are easily offset by the number of new customers the ad attractsb to your business.

Without print ads, most companies could not stay in business. Here are some things to consider to make the most of your advertising dollars:

1. Identify your target market.

2. Check print advertisement prices to find the ones that best suit your budget and audience.

3. Try flyers and inserts for your print ad buying.

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Consider where your print ad placement will be most effective

Once you've identified your target market, search out the publications that your customers will see the most. Decide whether you'll buy print ads in newspapers or magazines. If you choose magazines, keep in mind that ad placement in magazines is much more expensive than newspapers. People keep magazines longer and often reread them, so magazine ads may end up being more cost effective. If your target audience is small and local, ads in your local newspaper may be an inexpensive, but beneficial, way to advertise.

I recommend: Gaebler Ventures discusses the prices of advertising in national newspapers. According to them, full-page, black-and-white ads run $100,000-150,000 in some of the well-known papers. And a full-page magazine advertisement can cost $500,000 or more. Divide the price you pay by the new business the ad brings in to judge its cost-effectiveness. Studio 1 Productions explains how to calculate these figures.

Compare print advertising costs for the best deal

Print ad prices vary greatly depending on how large or small your ad is, how often you advertise and whether your ad is in color or black and white. Many magazines offer package deals for advertisers who place their ads in more than one issue. Consider half-page, third-page or smaller ads if your budget is limited, but be sure the ad is large enough and placed where it will catch the customer's eye. The best page placement usually costs more.

I recommend: Look at Sheltie Pacesetter and Second Style for examples of print advertising structure. Sheltie Pacesetter provides an example of how pricing changes if you place more than one ad. Second Style sets higher prices for premium ad placement.

Purchase flyers or inserts to reduce print ad costs

If you have a small budget for your print advertising campaign, look into printing flyers or inserts that can be inserted in daily newspapers to lower your cost of print advertising. These full-color ads are much less expensive than magazine advertisements, but can be effective, especially if you include a coupon. Customers often clip and save the coupons, which helps them remember your business name.

I recommend: Wholesale Inserts has a range of price options for inserts. They offer discounts for larger quantities, so costs can vary from about $.02 to $.15 per flyer. Printusa.com provides quotes on printing inserts or other print advertising materials.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider print advertising agencies to help you identify your target market and prepare your print advertising campaign. Although you'll pay for their expertise, you may save money by taking advantage of their print advertising buying capabilities. Their professional knowledge can also save you many mistakes in print ad buying and placement.