sparky 274 Posted June 8, 2016 I can't remember the last time I put a classified advert in a paper, suffice to say it was when I had hair and was a stone lighter. Anyway, just been pricing up some adverts in the local rags and couldn't believe how much they cost. My local paper group has four newspapers under it's umbrella which gives it a coverage of circa 100k. For a 30 car advert I was looking at £150 pw which in this digital age seems a lot to me. A small block advert with just the website in it was £80pw and then holy smoke batman, a half page advert featuring pictures, monthly costs etc was coming out at £600pw! Now obviously it's all about the ROI, but I was quite shocked at the cost of it. I was thinking of doing a bit of hybrid advertising but not at those figures and so I'll just be using the paper to learn about how much Big June won at the bingo. I know some on here use classified adverts so I'd be interested to know what sort of money you pay, what coverage that gives you and what sort of returns in brings in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
umesh 336 Posted June 8, 2016 Welcome back to the future ! It ain't cheap and further more a lot of them won't do deals ! There are various ones around me and depending on which one I use the numbers are similar if not more ! But it works for me .. not every week - just like online but having built an audience over the years and the ' mature' buyers still read the local and are more comfortable dealing with local business. Let me know if you decide to plunge and try it ! Good Luck 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparky 274 Posted June 8, 2016 17 minutes ago, umesh said: Welcome back to the future ! It ain't cheap and further more a lot of them won't do deals ! There are various ones around me and depending on which one I use the numbers are similar if not more ! But it works for me .. not every week - just like online but having built an audience over the years and the ' mature' buyers still read the local and are more comfortable dealing with local business. Let me know if you decide to plunge and try it ! Good Luck Thanks Umesh With regards to the costs, I don't know what I was expecting but I wasn't expecting it to be almost half of you know what. With a digital mindset, I can't see me taking the plunge. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SC Derby 259 Posted June 8, 2016 Much rather stick that type of money towards Facebook! The beauty of FB is if you put a car on for say 7 days but it sells in one day, then you can just cancel it, your total outlay would be so minimal. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 164 Posted June 8, 2016 I have half a page in my local paper for £100 once a fortnight which is cheap I got a good deal. It does work though as Umesh says the older generation use it. Facebook is hard work and doesn't work as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparky 274 Posted June 9, 2016 14 hours ago, Tom said: I have half a page in my local paper for £100 once a fortnight which is cheap I got a good deal. It does work though as Umesh says the older generation use it. Facebook is hard work and doesn't work as well. I was thinking £200 for a half page, certainly not £500-£600. There is a dealer not too far away from Umesh and SC who from what I can gather, only does half page adverts, has a basic website but a large following on FB and boy do they seem to be shifting some metal. This prompted my research but as SC says, I think I'd rather put that type of money into FB. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 164 Posted June 9, 2016 Yes but how much are they spending on FB? It can work on there but it takes a lot of effort and not every customer will be on FB particularly the newspaper generation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparky 274 Posted June 9, 2016 24 minutes ago, Tom said: Yes but how much are they spending on FB? It can work on there but it takes a lot of effort and not every customer will be on FB particularly the newspaper generation. By the looks of it, they have been on there since the year dot. As ever, you just have to go with your gut I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rory RSC 596 Posted June 9, 2016 Which business is it sparky? everything is pointing towards video being the best way to get some Facebook reach but I have tried to make a few videos and despite hitting the highs of an A level in media studies I just cannot get them to look like anything I actually want displayed on my Facebook/website. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 164 Posted June 9, 2016 Yes video will give you the biggest reach for free, its all about posting general car stuff rather than just your stock but it all takes time which I dont have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparky 274 Posted June 10, 2016 15 hours ago, Rory RSC said: Which business is it sparky? everything is pointing towards video being the best way to get some Facebook reach but I have tried to make a few videos and despite hitting the highs of an A level in media studies I just cannot get them to look like anything I actually want displayed on my Facebook/website. Lakeside Car Sales, Redditch. I've yet to come across a dealer based on a Ind Estate who appears to have so little online presence (apart from a huge FB following) yet shifts so much metal at normal old fashioned prices. Very impressive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
umesh 336 Posted June 10, 2016 11 minutes ago, sparky said: Lakeside Car Sales, Redditch. I've yet to come across a dealer based on a Ind Estate who appears to have so little online presence (apart from a huge FB following) yet shifts so much metal at normal old fashioned prices. Very impressive. Impressive Number of Likes 47K ! Lots of reviews .. Do you know if the sales are actually from FB ? And Are they making the margins or simply churning metal ? ( We'll never know !) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparky 274 Posted June 10, 2016 Unlike the other dealers me and you have spoken about, these guys seem to be selling at 'normal' prices. Obviously I've no idea what they are paying for stuff. As far as I can see, sales appear to be coming from FB, local advertising and repeat business/word of mouth. Hats off to them I say. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve92 80 Posted June 10, 2016 I follow them on Facebook, they give cars away and have Timmy Mallet advertise for them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparky 274 Posted June 10, 2016 2 minutes ago, Steve92 said: I follow them on Facebook, they give cars away and have Timmy Mallet advertise for them Ha! Yes I know. I once contacted Tess Daley to see if she would do something similar for me, sadly she was in a meeting at the time. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom 164 Posted June 10, 2016 Yes they do similar messing about (competitions/giveaways) like caralot which is all good fun and obviously works but not something I would do really most of my customers are too snotty! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TDB 31 Posted June 10, 2016 Local papers!!??......A dying breed! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's me 615 Posted June 12, 2016 I stopped buying the local paper when i realised that i knew quite a few of the people mentioned in the obituaries on a weekly basis and lets be honest here anyone under 50 wont be buying these papers so what percentage of your market are you cutting off in your advertising budget? suppose it depends where you live of course. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
williamblackshaw 43 Posted June 12, 2016 We advertise in our local paper every other week. I've said the main reason is to support a local business (eg the paper, printers, support local community) and second for brand awareness, granted people don't rush in on the advert, but when they are in the market, hopefully we are thought of Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whitestone679231 113 Posted June 13, 2016 Not done any local rag for years but put a quarter page in on Friday for the reasonable price of £100, had 2 calls and sold 1 so good return, main thing it reminds people we are still here, not everyone searches the internet and the one I sold was a Honda Jazz so speaks for itself. But that ad is now chip paper ;-( 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
