17 Methods For Getting Free Advertising
- Place copies of your circular on bulletin boards throughout your community, such as in coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, barber shops, etc. Concentrate on Fridays and Saturdays when shopping increases.
- Check with local newspapers. Before going to press, many smaller newspapers have space left that needs filling. Your ad may be just the right size to occupy this unfilled space and they will run it free.
- Place your circulars on windshields of parked autos. Youngsters will be happy to do this for you for a dollar or two. Check first with city ordinances to see if this is permitted in your locality.
- Leave sales literature on doorsteps of homes & businesses in your area. Do this on weekends in residential areas; weekdays for businesses.
- For free advertising listings, send a long self-addressed stamped envelope to Fun Mates Press, FM/03, Box 6466, San Francisco, CA 9401. Ask for a copy of their Free Advertising Survey form.
- Have your best pulling 1" or 2" ad made into a rubber stamp. Stamp this on envelopes of all of your outgoing mail. Check rubber stamp dealer's ads in current mail order publications for price information.
- When you have envelopes printed with your return address, have them also print your best ad directly beneath your address. It costs noting additional to have this printed on the front of your envelopes.
- If you publish a mail order magazine, newspaper, adsheet, etc., contact other publishers. If your circulation is equal to theirs, many will be happy to exchange an equal amount of ad space with you.
- Many publishers will give you free adspace for mailing a few copies of their publication. Simply write to them and ask if they will give you a free 1" ad in exchange for mailing 50 to 100 copies of their publication.
- Write informative articles for mail order trade publication. Most publishers will give you free ad space for the use of your article.
- Take advantage of advertising "specials". Many publishers offer ads on a 3-for-the- price- of -2- basis, or 4-for-the- price-of-3, etc. This saving is the same as getting one ad free of charge.
- Some publishers offer a free classified ad with your first display ad. Watch for such specials. Use the free ad and pocket the savings.
- When starting a new publication, many publishers will offer reduced ad rates to help fill space. Watch for ads regarding such offers.
- In your ads, request a SASE. Then insert some of your other offers in regular outgoing mail. This is the same as getting free advertising.
- Become a mailer. Get your printer's lowest price for printing circulars on both sides of the sheet. Contact other dealers and state you will print and mail their circulars for this price "with no conflicting ads on the back". Then print your circulars on the reverse and distribute them with your outgoing mail. There is no extra cost for postage and envelopes, and your side of the circular is paid for by your customers.
- Offer a free commission circulars. Print one of your regular offers on one side; a commission offer on the reverse, leaving space where the mailer can rubber stamp his name & address, Your offer gets a free ride.
- If you use a postage meter machine, use the ad space directly left of stamp imprint for a free message.