Advertising in Region Newsletters

[Guest boblove]

Our Region (Tallahassee) has decided to start advertising in our monthly newsletter to help defray costs of publishing and, being the newsletter and web editor, it's fallen upon me to make it happen. We normally publish an 8 to 10 page color edition each month and the rising costs of printing forces me to either cut back the size of the publication or go back to b&w (which was protested vehemently by the club members in attendence at our last meeting). Members that are planning to advertise their business have given me several opinions as to what we should charge (but they might have a vested interest!). I have no experience in this and would like some help from those that do. I plan on offering advertisements in business card, qtr page, half page and full page sizes. Does anyone have suggestions or ideas I could use?

Bob Love

Tallahassee Region

[Guest Moepar]

Bob-

I do the newsletter for our region (Great Smoky Mountains Region). I'm pretty lucky that a couple of the other guys get the advertising (plus I live an hour & a half away from main advertisers, so that's an issue for me). I believe we get around $80-85 yearly for a business card size ad, & price goes up quite a bit for the two large ones we have. Plus, they usually hit 'em up for AACA membership while their at it.

I suggest that you get the club officers together & come up with a prices & what sizes you want to have. Maybe stick to business & 1/4 page (or banner style like two in my newsletter).

One other thing I've done in the past is if someone didn't want a whole year was for that business to 'sponsor' the trivia column for one issue. I divided up the number of issues per year (in our case 6) & added $10 for a single issue run (tried to encourage a year's advertising but sometimes the business doesn't have enough funds).

See what other rates others here charge, & get more ideas.

Go to our website at http://local.aaca.org/gsmr/ & click on the newsletter to see what I've done there.

Good luck!

Dawn

[Guest BruceW]

Hi Bob,

In the not too distant past, there was a thread with some very good discussion pertaining to both the pros and cons of advertising in region newsletters and the personal thoughts on the topic by many experienced editors. You may want to search the past posts on the Editors Forum for that thread in addition to the replies you receive here.

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Hi, Bob...

(This is tough. Did a "Search" on Advertising and the first hit that appeared was made by John Packard, a dear friend to the AACA (deceased) made the post on 8/30/05. One great human being.)

Bob,

Click on "Search" in the header.

Left column, click on "AACA Editor (Web & Print)

Right column,

--Key word: Advertising

--Click on: "in subject and body"

--Newer than: 5 years

--Older than: 1 month

--Submit

Terry Bond and Moepar made posts with good guidelines.

Regards,

Peter J...

[R W Burgess]

Bob, be sure your ads do not take up more than 25% of your newsletter. That's one of the rules if you particapate in the annual newsletter contest. As far as ad prices, I've seen them start at $10.00 for a business card all the way to $500.00 for a full page ad. It all depends on where you're located and the going rate in your area. Exchanging newsletters with other rewgions near you will give you a good idea of what others are charging. Good luck!

Wayne

[24T42]

Bob,

I don't think I am going to be much help with this one. The Brass-Nickel Touring Region has an "unofficial" no ad policy. I say "unofficial" because it my policy. I realize the need to sell ads but often, in my opinion, all the ads detract from the newsletter. I especially do not like the non car related ads. I get the feeling with some newsletters that I getting a mini yellow pages not a Region/Chapter newsletter.

Don't get me wrong I would love to have the revenue esp. since we are a small touring region with no outside revenue except the $10 dues. If you go with ads please just proceed with caution so that your newsletter does not turn into a yellow pages.

[Terry Bond]

Do your math and analyze the cost of advertisements. If you need to add several pages to the newsletter just to get them in, figure the extra cost of printing, mailing, etc. You want to make money on the ads, not loose on them because it costs an extra buck or two for the bigger newsletter. I like Wayne's advice too - many newsletters are heavy on advertisments and it does detract. Watch the kinds of ads you get also. I've seen ads that might not be really appropriate for your newsletter. One of my least favorites from years ago when I was VP of publications was an ad for a funeral home that specialized in transporting the deceased to the cemetary in a vintage Packard hearse.

Ads are a great way to help pay the bills and many will insert them just to show their support to the club. Maybe a special reduced rate for members would be appropriate? Our Region also includes some trophies at our annual car show to be given out in the name of the advertiser, so it helps to sell the ad as a package deal.

Terry

[novaman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> ad for a funeral home that specialized in transporting the deceased to the cemetary in a vintage Packard hearse. </div></div>

Terry, I don't have a problem with that ad, at least it was automotive related. What better way to go, and a Packard outranks a Caddy any day. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Terry Bond]

We all have our preferences (I can see this thread taking on a life (or death) of its own now)-mine is to have my ashes sprinkled under the roller coaster at Hershey-thats the old "blue field" where my original spaces were. On second thought, mix me with a little gas and run me through a brass "T."

Terry

Terry