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Which form of advertising works best?
Q: I want to advertise my plumbing business. I have been getting "pitched" by account executives from radio stations, newspapers, and even the cable company! Each one is telling me that they have the best deal, how do I choose which one to use?
A: First consider which media connects you with the most potential customers. You will get more response from advertising that is a good fit with your customers, even it if costs a bit more.
I'm guessing your business focuses on homeowners. The daily newspaper is a classic way to reach homeowners. Radio and cable TV are some of your best bets for low–cost advertising. Radio has the ability to focus your ad dollars on specific age groups and, to some extent, specific lifestyles. Cable TV, almost always much less expensive than broadcast TV, can concentrate your ads in certain areas of the city.
If your budget allows, test with ads in several kinds of media. You can track where results are coming from by having one ad invite people to ask for a special offer while another ad promotes a different offer.
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