In 2013, the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) released their findings from a landmark study conducted by Nielsen that compared the ability of various media channels, including social media, television, and radio to connect with audiences. The study looked at how effective each media channel was at engaging consumers and compared each medium’s ability to specifically engage consumers with brand messaging.
The study’s findings shocked some advertisers, however not those who have been effectively using newspaper ads for years as a way to get their offer in front of their target demographic. Caroline Little, NAA president and CEO, had this to say about the study, “This first-of-its-kind national study by Nielsen clearly demonstrates that newspaper print ads get noticed more than all other media and drive the highest purchase intent. And, newspaper media also demonstrated the highest level of engagement.”
The moral of this study is, newspaper advertising has a place in everyone’s marketing mix. Having said this, unless you work with a good media buyer, you may not always get the best price or the biggest bang for your buck when placing your ads.
The Myth about Hiring a Media Buyer
What we hear most often from our new clients is, “Gee, I thought it would cost us more to use someone like you.” This thought of saving money is what keeps most business owners from using a media buyer and decide to go it alone. But going it alone can cost you greatly in the long run.
Not only can businesses save money by placing ads through a professional buyer, but they are then also able to focus solely on running their company. The myth is media buyers costs a lot of money to hire, but the truth is, working with a media buyer will save businesses of all sizes a significant amount of time and money (and let’s face it, time is money).
The bottom line is, a media plan developed by a seasoned media pro can increase your exposure and brand awareness for a price you can easily afford.
With this in mind, here are 5 ways a media buyer can help you save money on newspaper ads:
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They start By Looking at Frequency
If you don’t know how to make effective buys, it can be incredibly hard to determine what your ad budget should be in the first place. A good media buyer knows to start by looking at frequency. Think about it, people buy products and services all year long so you’ve got to determine what your week-to-week expenditures will be.
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They Act as Your Company’s Advocate
Would you try to defend yourself in court to save a few bucks? No, there’s too much on the line. You would definitely pay to have a competent advocate on your side.
The same applies to buying newspaper ads. Do it yourself and risk spending your entire budget on a channel that never performs. But, let a professional media buyer be your advocate and they will ensure a flawless execution of your campaign.
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They Know Strategy
Often when business owners place newspaper ads by themselves, they think about little else than “how much is that ad space” and “will my target buyer see it?” While those are two legitimate questions to ask, two questions does not an advertising strategy make.
Professional buyers are like chess players, they have the ability to look at all the moves. They know to ask about overall business objectives and ensure their choices spring from this starting point. They know exactly what kind of research they will need to conduct and they know exactly what your competitors are doing and if it’s working for them. In other words, they know how to come up with a tight strategy that would make General MacArthur proud.
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Efficient Spending Through Relationships
Go it alone and chances are you are going to spend much for little in return. A media buyer not only has expertise but also substantial relationships already in place and buying power with a wide range of vendors, so you can be sure your advertising dollars will be spent as efficiently as possible.
Media buyers are always going to have far more buying power and you can leverage this and have access to a broad range of advertising options at the lowest possible rates. Not to mention that because media buyers provide vendors with a high volume of clients, these vendors in turn give far more flexible and favorable contract agreements.
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They Have the Tools and Insights to Analyze Your Campaigns
Beyond the actual buy and getting you the best contract, media buyers have the tools and insights to follow-up and do post-analysis on your campaigns to ensure their original plan was executed properly. Do you really have the time or wherewithal to do that?
Can media buyers be an essential addition to your newspaper advertising campaigns? Undoubtedly. If you are looking for the most cost-efficient way to broaden your reach while maximizing your ad spend, you’ll definitely want to consider working with a professional media buyer in the coming year.
Related Posts:
5 Treats for Effective Newspaper Ads
How to Place Newspaper Ads like a Pro
5 Tricks for Effective Newspaper Ads
