Print Ad Placement Put your print ads in places that get results.

There are two principal publication categories to consider forprint advertising. The first, newspapers, has a positive and anegative side. On the plus side, you can get your ad in veryquickly. That enables you to run an ad, for example, capitalizingon some market turn of events that saves your prospects money ifthey act fast and buy from you. This could be very exciting newsfor them, and that's perfect because they're in a"newsy" frame of mind when they read the newspaper.

On the downside, newspapers usually have a shelf life of just 24hours. Therefore, if you run your ad on Monday, you can'tdepend on anyone discovering that ad on Tuesday. As the sayinggoes, "Nobody wants to read yesterday's news."

If your budget allows for multiple insertions-that is, runningyour ad more than once-do so. Regular exposure of the ad buildsrecognition and credibility. If some of your prospects see butdon't respond to your first insertion, they may well respond toyour second or third. If you have confidence in your ad'smessage, don't panic if the initial response is less than youwanted. More insertions may bring a better response.

The second type of publication is magazines, for which there arespecialty categories of every kind. This allows you to target anyof hundreds of special-interest groups. Another advantage ofmagazines, especially monthlies, is that they have a longer shelflife; they're often browsed through for months afterpublication. So your ad might have an audience for up to six monthsafter its initial insertion. Moreover, readers spend more time persitting with a magazine than a newspaper, so there's morechance they'll run across your ad.

One researcher found the following about magazine ads:

  • A two-page spread attracts about one-quarter more readers thana one-page ad.
  • A full-page ad attracts one-third more readers than a half-pagead.
  • Positioning in the front or back of the magazine doesn'tmatter in terms of noticeability.
  • People respond better to illustrations or photos showing theproduct in use than to those that show it just sittingthere.
  • Ads with people in them attract more attention than thosewithout.

When advertising in any print medium, contact the publicationfirst and ask for a media kit. This contains rate information forvarious sizes of ads, as well as demographic information about thepublication's readership-age, income and other details-to helpyou decide if this is where your buyers are. The media kit alsoindicates specifications for the format in which you will have todeliver your ad to the publication.

Excerpted from Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-UpBook You'll Ever Need, by Rieva Lesonsky and the Staff ofEntrepreneur Magazine, © 1998 Entrepreneur Press

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Starting a Business

How to Build a Side Hustle That Stands on Its Own — Without Burning Out

Ready to take your side hustle to the next level? This article shows you how to turn it into its own unique brand that gets noticed and grows on its own.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Science & Technology

101 Small Business Ideas to Match Your Personality, Investment, Skills & Goals

Still stuck on what biz to start? Use AI to uncover 101 custom ideas aligned with your skills, values & lifestyle—plus a 90-day roadmap to launch with clarity.

Business Solutions

Access 25 Hours of AI Training for Less Than $20

This e-degree gives you hands-on AI training that's perfect for entrepreneurs wearing many hats.

Productivity

Squeeze a Whole Business Book into Your Lunch Break

Power through 1,800+ titles without falling behind on your calendar.

Branding

How to Remove or Bury Negative Articles on Google

Here's how to remove negative articles from Google search results, protect your brand reputation and suppress harmful content.