Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Promoting Your Business with Different Types of Print Media - Part 2

Magazines

Magazines have a more specific target audience. A ladies’ fashion magazine is probably published to gain readership of women aged 21 to 35 years old who have purchasing power and are fashion forward. Keeping this in mind, getting to know your target market is essential before advertising in a magazine. The readers of the publication you intend to advertise with must be your target market.

A magazine is also a viable opportunity to distribute other, smaller forms of promotional media---perhaps flyers, coupons, or invites to your next event or product launch. Such opportunities for collateral distribution could help generate traffic to your store.


Newsletters and Direct Mail Marketing

Similar to magazines, newsletters are targeted towards a specific but smaller demographic, and often produced by organisations or companies with specific objectives or a set of products and services to promote. They could be in tabloid-like or magalogue form, or could even be simply printed on white paper and distributed to its target readers. They also serve as good material for direct consumer marketing mailers. While newsletters are usually distributed in certain establishments or offices, direct mailers are sent directly to specific recipients in their homes or offices.




Brochures, Pamphlets, Flyers, Leaflets, Posters, Banners, and Billboards

These types of print media are used to herald and promote a specific product or service. Brochures and pamphlets normally provide detailed information on a company’s offerings, while flyers and leaflets contain fewer details and may promote just one or a few items. Posters, banners and billboards are usually displayed outdoors and essentially much bigger. They should be eye-catching enough to catch a passer-by’s attention, conveying a brief but complete message that leaves a lasting impression.


Sunday, April 7, 2013

Promoting Your Business with Different Types of Print Media - Part 1


Despite the boom of new media and online marketing, there are various types of print media that can still do wonders for your business.  Shifting entirely to digital may not be suitable for some businesses, especially for those who have stores in physical locations.

Imagine yourself at a cake and pastry shop, trying out different delicacies for your upcoming wedding. You’ve probably seen photos online and checked the pricing, but you’d still probably look for a signage, brochures, or a price list of the store’s offerings once you’re there. After you’ve tasted everything and made your choices, you’d probably want a price list or flyer---any form of promotional media --- where you can take note of your selection.

Print is still very effective for advertising and promotions, which you can extensively use to gain exposure for your business. Below are a few print advertising channels that have successfully been used by a number of booming businesses:

Newspapers


Newspapers are common and circulated almost everywhere. Everyone you know has probably read a newspaper and your prospective customers have probably opened a newspaper at least once in his lifetime, whether in the form of a daily broadsheet or a tabloid. Newspapers are commonly distributed to households, offices, and commercial establishments such as restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, and even doctors’ clinics and hospitals. Newspapers are probably the most widely distributed, out of the different types of print media. Placing an ad in your local paper is advisable most especially if you own a small local business. 



Saturday, April 6, 2013

Easy Copywriting Tips To Remember Today

Keep your paragraphs short but sweet.

The Internet is a fast-paced environment. People come and go. So it’s best NOT to have big blocks of paragraphs on your web pages. One of the simplest yet most vital copywriting tips I have for you today is to create short but meaningful paragraphs.

It’s a common phenomenon. Blocks of paragraphs with 10 to 15 lines seem very tiring to read, even intimidating to some people. They might not bother to read the paragraphs at all. Remember, you are not writing a novel. Break down your paragraphs into smaller, shorter ones, with 3 to 5 lines max, but be sure that each paragraph serves its purpose.

Do not plagiarize.

Every writer knows this. You’re not supposed to copy someone else’s work and label it as your own. It’s common for online writers to research and get bits and pieces of ideas from the web, but one must never ever copy paste someone else’s thoughts, unless of course you will quoting that person and will be giving him due credit as your reference.


 When at a loss for words, paraphrase.

The good news is that you can always garner ideas from something you’ve read and package them in your own words. You can paraphrase what you’ve read and not sound like a total rip-off.

Proofread.

As with any body of written work, proofread your work before daring to submit. Check for grammar, spelling and syntax mistakes. And check if you were able to use the online marketing advice provided above.

Quick Copywriting Tips For Internet Marketers

I’ve prepared a few copywriting tips that you should follow when writing content for your website. You’ll find these very helpful, especially since creating online content is different from writing for other forms of media. Some of these guidelines are also applicable to non-Internet related projects. Read on.

1. Know your target market.

This is actually a rule that applies whether you’re writing for online marketing purposes or otherwise. You need to know who you’re writing for and what type of content they would appreciate. What tone of voice should you use? Which expressions are appropriate? Are they sensitive or particularly sensitive to certain topics?

2. Know your purpose.

What are you producing content for? What is the company’s end goal? More sign-ups? More hits on YouTube? Knowing the company’s objectives will keep you aligned with the kind and level of work that you need to perform.

3. Speak in a language your market understands.

If you’re giving financial advice to stay at home mothers, try not to use financial jargon that is too technical for their level of understanding. Speak in a language your readers understand. This is online marketing advice you should consider whether you’re writing or creating a viral video for your site.

Use easily familiar words. If you need to use a specific term, provide an explanation that’s easy to understand, without even more complicated jargon.


4. Keep it simple.

Let me stress one of my points in #2. Don’t complicate things. Keep your statements simple. Try not to use too much flowery language.

If you feel that some sentences only confuse your readers, take them out.