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| GUYS GIVE EASY CLASSIFIED BOOSTER |
Published in PANPA Bulletin
(Pacific Area Newspaper
Publishers' Association)
Australia |
To boost
classified readership and revenue, The News-Times in Connecticut, USA, uses
syndicated classified columnists.
How often are your readers
turning to the classified section? You might be surprised to learn that
according to the Newspaper Association of America, nearly half of all adults
read classified ads during the typical week with recruitment, general
merchandise and automotive ads topping the list.
To a newspaper,
classified advertising can generate as much as 50 per cent or more of a
newspaper's total revenue. It is one of the most important sections in the
newspaper when it comes to attracting infrequent readers and single-copy
buyers. A slip in readership and revenue can be lost quickly and painfully. And
with the dot-com and help-wanted ads in decline, newspapers are scrambling for
ways to turn the tide.
With this in mind, newspapers need to not only
protect their current classified readership, but also increase it. Driving
readership will obviously generate more advertising and with it, greater
revenue. But how do you go about increasing your reader base and create a new
and re-occurring revenue stream?
Classified advertising experts Duane
and Todd Holze are leading the way, showing newspapers around the United States
how to do just that. Also known as "Cash and Carry" this "Click and Clack" type
duo gave up their corporate careers to become successful authors, columnists
and public speakers. After writing, 50% Off! How to Find Great Deals, a book
dedicated to classified shopping, these brothers turned their efforts to the
newspaper industry developing and writing the syndicated column, The Classified
Guys.
What makes The Classified Guys column unique is that it is
specifically designed for the classified section of any newspaper. It is the
only column of its kind in publication in the US today.
When the column
started running in The News-Times, it was for the purpose of driving classified
readership. But the column quickly led to much more. The paper has now
generated an anchor ad position within the classified section.
The
column was locked onto page two of the classified section and hung from the top
of the page. A 9-column by five-cm advertising space was sectioned below and
was offered as an up sell to new and current advertisers at a premium. The
local Ford/Subaru/Mitsubishi dealer took the spot specifically under the column
to promote their used car inventory. The column generates more than US$13,000
per year and simultaneously drives classified readership.
Due to the
high visibility and notoriety The Classified Guys have brought to the
newspaper, this advertiser loved the idea of having their ad next to one of our
most popular columns.
The Classified Guys book can generate revenue for
the newspaper as well. By simply running a ROP advertisement designed by "The
Guys" with our newspaper's signature in it, book sales were generated. The
Classified Guys column comes as a complete promotional package. For example,
each week, the reader who submits the funniest story could win $50 and a
personally autographed copy of their book. They even gave away large
promotional prizes during submission contests. By working with national and
local retailers, they could help give smaller newspapers the opportunity to
give away prizes they normally could not afford.
"Cash and Carry"
offered cross promotional opportunities such as performing local radio
interviews to promote our newspaper and designed their website to be featured
within ours making it easy to offer the column online.
Working with The
Classified Guys, their column and their book has been one of the easiest ways
to accomplish two things at once: drive new readers to the classified section
and make money while doing it? If your newspaper is looking for new readers and
revenue, this package is a great classified booster. |
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PANPA Bulletin
"GUYS GIVE EASY CLASSIFIED
BOOSTER" |
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