Advantages and Disadvantages to a Few Advertising Mediums

In our bustling consumer society, we are absolutely surrounded by advertising--some effective and helpful, others superfluous and obstructive. But what business owners want to know is what types of advertising can really tap into their market base without crossing into the realm of propaganda or worse, obnoxiousness?

As we all know, there are countless ways to reach an audience. Let's go over some advantages and disadvantages of a few of them.

First, we have the inevitable advertising method that arose with the advent of cars and highways: the billboard. Depending on the location, renting a billboard for advertisements may either be very cost effective or extremely expensive. In the heart of Los Angeles, it may cost you up to ten thousand dollars a month, while in a rural location or a small town, it may be as little as three-hundred dollars a month.

The main reason why advertisers choose to use billboards is because they are huge and eye-catching. It is very hard for passersby to miss a huge, brightly colored sign. They are particularly advantageous on long stretches of open highway, where there is little else to look at!

Furthermore, there are now electronic billboards which are able to shift between advertisements. This has been a great technological advancement for advertising on billboards, making them more brightly lit and striking.

However, a billboard can say little, as any important information must be written in large enough print to be read from afar. This means that meaning is often conveyed through pictures, which also help to keep the advertisement interesting. But the more "artwork," that is included, the more costly the billboard becomes.

Another very large ad comes in the form of pre-movie showing commercials which are featured before the upcoming movie trailers. Like billboards, they have the advantage of being difficult to miss, as they are directly in front of potential consumers.

But one major disadvantage is that as movie-goers shuffle into the theatre, get settled, or get up again because they realize they really do want popcorn, it is unlikely that many people will absorb and remember anything advertised. Before a movie begins, many people are also unlikely to fix their attention to the screen.

On a smaller scale, a common method used for local advertising is the distribution of printed fliers. They are cheap and require no maintenance after they leave your hands. But the issue with this is that they so often get discarded.
One way to rectify this problem is to place a flier in hallways or public restrooms, with tear-off contact information for any interested parties. This wastes significantly less paper, which saves you money in the long run.

Another popular route is that of the advertising refrigerator magnet. Even in mass production, they end up being fairly reasonably priced, but do be mindful that if they are discarded, it would cost you more than a simple sheet of paper. Also, they take longer to produce, so if you are in dire need of an immediate advertisement, this may not be the solution for you.

But the great advantage is that many people do end up saving magnets due to their sheer usefulness. Even if they do not act upon the advertisement right away, they will have plenty of time to see it on their refrigerator day after day, and constant exposure is a great tactic in advertising.

About the Author

If you are interested in ordering a customized advertising magnet for your business, be sure to check out American Printing & Promotions (http://postcardmagnet.com/), the leaders in professional but cost-effective magnet making. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

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Preparing For A Book Signing

An author signs a copy of his book as a part of the book promotion termed as 'book signing'. Book signing has become a major event as it gives the buyer an opportunity to meet the author. All the best selling authors understand the importance of this event and make the best of book signing.

If the book signing is such an important event in book promotion, it definitely pays to attach more creativity, thought and planning to make it a more impressive, innovative, and effective presentation. Let us see how this can be achieved.

The Perfect Setting

Typically, book signing sessions are held at bookstores. However, think about the venue that will be most suitable for the subject of the book. The very atmosphere and venue could make the audience more appreciative, and receptive to the book, making them more inclined to buy the book. The book signing of a book on nature, or gardening, if organized in an open air garden setting, is likely to receive a more fruitful response than in a formal hall or store setting.

Think about a book that is an autobiography or biography of an author or poet. How about planning the book signing session in a bookstore itself, with posters and banners of the book displayed in an attractive manner? It will definitely create more interest in the illustration of the subject itself, thus resulting in a great response in the form of more copies sold at book signing. You can think of such innovative ideas to plan the book signing session in a more appropriate setting.

The right focus

Remember, the author is the star of a book signing session. It will be the author, who will be in the public eye, who will persuade them into buying the book. Make the right impression; engage the audience in the theme with interaction and exchanges on the subject of the book, convincing them to buy a copy of the book. The author's performance should be effective enough to generate an interest, prompting the customer to buy a copy of the book immediately, to grab the opportunity of the brief encounter with the author that a book signing event provides.

Remember, it is a part of the book promotion process

Book signing is a part of the long process of book promotion. It provides the author an opportunity to interact with potential buyers. An author must realize the importance of promoting the services of a bookstore, in order to create an affinity between the buyers and the bookstore. Like the book, if the bookstore is highlighted, more people will visit it and the bookstore staff will ensure the best service to sell the book.

The bookstore sales people interact with the customer on a daily basis, thus creating a kind of bond, and acting as a guide while selecting a book. Therefore, using a book signing session to make a bond with the bookstore people helps ensure still greater residual sales over a period of time. All these things need to be considered while participating in a book signing session.

Book signing is an event that brings together the author and the book loving and buying public. It is important, therefore, to make the most of it by taking care of all the different factors involved for the effective marketing of the book.

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about books. When shopping for books, we recommend you shop only at the best bookstores for used books, autographed books, and vedic books.

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