It is actually possible to reach 6 million Californians with a 25-word ad in 240 newspapers for one low price of $550.00. But, can it work? Will people even care that the classified ad is there?

I think people who see the ad will care - provided your words are clever and you connect the ad to website location. Ideally, I think the website location should be a Squidoo lens that uses a budURL to be found. However, that is not all. I think a group of businesses should collaborate on paying for that one classified ad. Obviously, you cannot put 12 businesses in one classified ad that limits you to 25 words. But, you can easily put 12 businesses (and more) on a Squidoo lens. In fact, you can showcase those 12 businesses on Squidoo numerous ways through a wide range of modules. Plus, you can track all those who show up on the site to see if the ad is even attracting an audience.

I could create the Squidoo lens and the ad for $1,100.00. Divide that cost by each business and here's what you get - 6 million Californians exposed to a classified ad costing only $91.67. Keep in mind you have the benefit of all the Squidoo lens can do for your business - showcase video, pictures, slide shows, surveys, etc. But, will small business believe this will work? The focus here is not simply about the huge numbers. While that's nice, it's not what's really most important. What's important is the cleverness of the promotion and the mutual collaboration that is inherent in it. Will the small business community "GET IT?"

Lamar Morgan
Network Moderator

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Private Reply to Warren Contreras

Warren,

Your situation is really a very different deal than what I am suggesting. What I am suggesting is that groups of businesses consider sharing the cost of a single classified ad. At 25 words, that ad can only make a simple statement and provide a link. However, if people do go to the link, they will see an impressive presentation of information. The big question is will folks go to the link?

I see a great many ads online that seem to follow a pattern. They are selling "greed." It's all about the accumulation of money. The problem is you have no clue as to what the product really is. When I look at that CrowBarSystem ad, I have no idea what the product is. All I know is what I read. What I read does not tell me what I need to know. Is this part and parcel of a master strategy?

Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
(707)709-8605
Need PR?...Call Lamar!

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Private Reply to Warren Contreras

Warren,

I agree with your overall assessment. I will not know unless I give the effort a try. But, understand, it's not 25 businesses I am trying to promote here. It's just is just 12. But, you don't know who those 12 are until you visit the Squidoo lens. And, what draws the audience to the Squidoo lens? A 25-word classified ad that includes a website link to a Squidoo lens.

The big question in my mind is will people go from reading an ad to visiting a web page on their computer? What could you say in just 25 words that would make someone want to do that? After all, there are full-page ads that don't get folks to run to their computer and visit a webpage. What could a classified ad say to motivate the public in that regard?

Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
(707)709-8605
Need PR?...Call Lamar!

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Private Reply to Reg Charie

Reg,

I do not disagree with your assessment. But, you cannot say that all ads are created equal. All display ads or all classified ads are going to be ignored by the public. Some do indeed attract public attention. Question: What do those ads going for them that others lack?

Is there something you can do to make a 25-word classified ad that ends up in 240 newspapers communicate to its public in such a way that the public responds? That is to say, the public actually goes and visits a web page.

Or, is classified and display ad advertising really nothing more than a waste of time and money?

Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
(707)709-8605
Need PR?...Call Lamar!

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Private Reply to Reg Charie

Reg,

When you ran all those display ads, were all of them connected to a landing page so you could in some fashion monitor public feedback?

When you ran all those ads, did you ever use "humor" to attract attention? For example, did you tell a joke and provide a landing page with the answer? Or, was the classified ad simply a straight-forward announcement of a product or service?

My take on this is that the simple announcement of a product or service does not work. It does not matter if the ad is classified or display in appearance. If it does not do something to resonate with the reader...if there is no "call to action," it's a waste of money.

If you are selling toilet paper and you say, "Toilet page $2.99 per roll," nobody cares. But, you say, "Please don't squeeze the Carmin'." Suddenly, you are telling the public Not to do something. You've drawn a line in the sand and told the public not to cross it. Nobody even cared that there was this line in the sand until you announced that no one should cross it. Suddenly, everybody wants to know, "What's the big deal with this line in the sand? What do you mean I should not squeeze the Charmin'?" With that silly little statement, you have gone and changed the behavior of the public. And,that is what a good ad does. It changes public behavior. It's not really so much the number of people who see the ad as it is the number of people who care about it. And, people do not simply care because you place something in front of their face. They have to be convinced.

Question: Can anyone be convinced of anything with just 25 words? I don't think so. But, I do believe you can be enticed. I do believe 25 words can entice a person to visit a landing page. Once that person arrives at the landing page that person can be enticed further to take action.

I am not saying that writing a 25-word classified ad and linking it to a landing page is always going to produce stellar results. In fact, I think the exact opposite is true if it is not enticing folks to visit a landing page for more information. However, I do believe it can be done. I do believe it is a cost-effective advertising option that is particularly beneficial when done with numerous businesses through a single ad that is linked to a landing page showcasing those businesses. After all, variety is the spice of life. Why not WOW your audience with its presentation?

Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
(707)709-8605
Need PR?...Call Lamar!

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Private Reply to Warren Contreras

Warren,

I am not really in disagreement here. Getting people to LOOK at classifieds period needs to be addressed, first. You may be able to address that in advance with a press release. If you cannot successfully address the classified ad problem in a press release beforehand, I recommend not do the classified ad. But, if you can, why not go for the classified ad?

You have to have a "design" for the entire operation. So,what do you do? You go from Press Release to Classified Ad to Squidoo Lens(Landing Page). The fact that you could coop this effort with the help of numerous businesses - just like a signature page in a newspaper - is actually an additional benefit. You reduce the individual cost for each business advertiser by sharing in the overall cost of a single ad. You also entice more interest in the Squidoo lens by featuring more than one business. That means more "eye candy" potential. Having just one gear (a classified ad in just one newspaper) working for you is a waste of time and money. There needs to be a campaign of sorts at work. No single gear has any power unless it is connected to another gear. But, you get a lot of gears connected and working together and you will be amazed at what happens as a result.

Ants are a great example of this. What can a single ant accomplish? Nothing of significance. But, working in community, ants in South America actually change the landscape of the forest in the Amazon Jungle. It takes them 25 years to do it. But, they do it. How could ants possibly change the landscape of the forest? Well, they have a plan and work their plan. They focus on a section of trees in the forest. They inject their poison into those trees. Very slowly the trees begin to die. At the same time the trees are dying, the ants physically start moving the seedlings on the ground from the trees to another area of the forest and physically plant those seedlings in the ground. Every 25 years in the South American Amazon Jungle one section of forest dies and another section of the forest is given life...all thanks to ants.

Even ants can demonstrate that inch-by-inch anything is cinch. You simply need to have a good design and be willing to work it.

Walt Disney knew a thing or two about having a good design and the importance of being clever. When he first thought about building a magic kingdom he did not announce it to the world. Instead, he came up with a clever design to meet his needs. Specifically, he set up 15 companies who did not even know each other to buy up parcels of swamp land in Central Florida. It was not until all that swamp land was purchased that he announced his plans to the world on TV to create a "Magic Kingdom" in Central Florida.

Does it matter if you have a good design? You bet. It's not just the medium, it's the design for how you will use it that matters most.

Lamar Morgan
Network Moderator

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Private Reply to Jeff Beeman

Repetition is key. .... See Are 27 contacts really necessary to make the sale? Click Here

Think about using an eye catching semi-display ad with a To-die-for offer and funnel replies into a rotating "inquiry collector".

All partners split the ad cost, each get their fair share of leads and process them as they choose.

Autoresponders, Fax on demand or 1-800 voice boxes can be used to deliver the meat of the message. .... I prefer voice boxes since it's easier to deliver a carefully crafted, high energy and emotion laden message.

Bestest.

Teddy Towncrier CPP Towncrier-Media.com Supercharging Your Visions.

Jeff,

I agree with you that no one source of advertising is in itself the "magic bullet." And yes, repetition does enter into the mix. But, just because you have a classified or display ad there on the page does not mean people are going to care. Repetition is not a "magic bullet," either. So, where is "the magic?"

I think "the magic" is in THE DESIGN of the CAMPAIGN. I think you will agree that for a lot of small businesses that run classified or display ads, there is no campaign. The ad simply stands alone in the publication. But, suppose a different approach was taken. That is to say, the ad did not stand alone. Instead, the ad showed itself to be cleverly connected to other media - like a Squidoo lens, press release in the same publication, etc? Suppose the ad showed itself to be in a display with other businesses and on a Squidoo lens with those same businesses?

I think cleverness matters and that people respond positively to cleverness. Can you fill in the blank to these following statements?

"Please do not squeeze the ________ (Charmin')."
"Where's the _______(beef)?"

If you knew the answers, I am not surprised. That's no mere coincidence. That is someone's clever design.

Now, I happen to believe a clever design becomes more economically feasible when it is done through a cooperative effort with small groups of busienesses than solo efforts. It is indeed in the best interest of small business entreprenuers to think in "better together" terms. That is, in fact, why this Ryze network was created. Clusters is all about small business entreprenuers brain-storming clever ideas and taking action.

Lamar Morgan
Network Moderator

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901

Private Reply to Chuck Bartok

Chuck,

I have created quite a few Squidoo lenses. However, I have never used the SquidZip option. I was not even aware of it. Would you mind explaining what it does and how folks can benefit from using it? Lamar Morgan
Network Moderator

Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
"Need PR? Contact Lamar"
www.squidoo.com/LamarMorgan

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