Thanks for asking, Ron!
I've found you two MS-Standby competitors. Both appear legit, and
offer competitive discounts.
MediaBuy | America's Media Buying Club
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"MediaBuys is America's fastest growing media buying discount club. We
offer substantial discounts on advertising space for our buying
members based on collective, volume purchasing.
Membership is FREE to media buyers."
MediaBuys.com
http://www.mediabuys.com
I located the service through a press release, issued March, 2004
MediaBuys.us becomes MediaBuys.com
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/3/prweb111462.php
STG Media | Remnant and Stand-by Rates
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"STG Media offers daily Remnant and Standby rates to qualified
advertisers. These special rates are up to 90% off of rate card rates,
in over 2,000 leading regional and national Magazines, Tabloids,
Newspapers, Mailers and Free Standing Inserts."
You'll need to contact the company to find out if your businesses will
qualify for services. It appears they have a minimum 1/4 page, or
certain annual budget.
STG Media
http://www.stgmediacorp.com/remnant_and_standby_rates.html
Newspaper Display Advertising
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Display advertising in general is somewhat like real estate, location,
location, location. And it nearly always involves some trial and error
for the do-it-yourselfer.
Discount media buy services are an excellent tool to use to experiment
with an advertising campaign. It allows the advertiser (you) to gauge
the response to various copy/graphics without spending full price.
You'd note different responses for different days of the week, various
publications, and size of ad. You can afford a larger ad at the prices
you'd pay via this method. You'll need to track the campaign very
closely, note where on the page your advertising appears, what days,
and include some type of contact "tag" that'll tell you which
advertisement a customer is responding to. You'll need to change
wording slightly with each permutation. A direct advertising
copywriter/consultant can be an excellent investment.
Once you've found an ad venue and format that work well, it's time to
consider whether you wish to pay a higher price for sure placement.
You've refined your copy, know what days of the week are the most
advantageous, what position in the paper works best. You may find that
one or two precisely placed ads bring a much greater response rate
than many more ads scattered in different placements on various days.
If you've kept careful notes, you'll be able to make the cost
effective choices. If your advertising offer has date relevancy, you'd
want a guarantee of run dates. Specials obviously need to be
advertised while they're valid. :)
If you find that a particular newspaper's advertising works well for
you, inquire directly to their Advertising Department about remnant
and stand-by advertising. Discount rates may be available directly.
Also, most display advertising prices are negotiable. Sales reps will
often discount in the beginning to win a client.
Beyond the direct discount media buyers, another path to discounted
advertising is via an advertising agency. Agencies often receive
discount rates, based on volume, and can pass that savings along to
clients. You might find that a moderate agency fee for specified
placement is less than full rate, direct from the newspaper.
Further Resources
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One service turns the tables, allows media to bid on your advertising.
Might be something useful down the road.
MediaBids | Helps Find the Best Price on Advertising
http://www.mediabids.com/
Answer Strategy
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My advice is based on several years experience with display and
classified advertising at a major Southern California newspaper. I
hesitate to give "pinpoint" advice, because every media market is
different. The discount approach should afford you the best
opportunity to test your own markets, and build an effective
advertising program.
To locate MS-Standby competitors, I used Google Search Terms:
standby remnant advertising newspapers
discount "media buy" OR "media buying" newspapers
If you have any questions about the information or links provided,
please, feel free to ask. I'll be happy to clarify.
---larre |
