Free Advertising Assistance for Your Home Business

A Home Business Article Contributed by Sharon Hill

Something for Nothing - Helping Your Home Business

Newspapers, unlike online-only publications, offer a unique advertising option that allows a home business owner, as well as others, to take a risk-free look at what the newspaper's graphic arts department and sales representative can offer. This option is called a "spec ad" - short for speculation. If, for instance, a home business owner wanted to advertise her or his products but wasn't sure which publication she should use, or had some vague idea of what he wanted to say and show but had no ad design expertise, he or she might turn to the home town newspaper for help.

Home Business Spec Ads - Here's How it Works

Let's say, for instance, that you are Kathy, owner of the new home carpet cleaning business, Kathy's Carpet Cleaners. You need more customers and you want to put together a creative, attention-getting advertisement, but don't know how. You aren't even sure which publication or publications or sites are the best places to put your home business advertising dollars.

Head for your local newspaper office and ask to talk with an experienced classified advertising representative that can help you with your display advertisement. You will sit down with a sales representative, and possibly even a graphic artist. You will tell them the message you are trying to convey. Maybe you already have a logo, or a vague design idea.

That sales representative/graphic artist team will ask what ad size you have in mind, what you're budgeted to spend, and what, if any, word or design ideas you have. They will write and design an ad for your home business on speculation. Make sure you ask for a spec ad.) In approximately five working days the sales rep will e-mail or fax your spec ad to you. Typically, you will get the ad in two sizes, one considerably larger than the size and budget you requested. This is an upsell technique.

They will count on your liking the effect of the larger ad size and purchasing it. Don't be pushed into a purchase you can't afford however. If the smaller ad is more in line with your budget choose it - or even ask them to resize smaller. If they do, you'll get to see that finished product as well.

Spec Ads are Good for Your Home Business - Why?

Now here's the great part. You have this professionally designed spec ad for your home business. It is yours. But you are under no obligation to place the ad. In fact, if you wish you can take that spec ad to another publication and run it there. It's yours. What the spec ad has done for you is help you determine if the paper is the right advertising vehicle for your home business - if the ad rep is knowledgeable and efficient, if the graphic arts team is capable. Now you also have a feel for their pricing and deadlines.

While I am not suggesting that you deliberately walk in to a newspaper office and order a spec ad you have no intention of running in their paper (that's just not nice and your reputation is an important ingredient in your business success) what I am saying is it's okay to give the paper's advertising resources a test run.

Spec ads - a free, no-obligation resource your home business should use.