Both newspaper and magazine advertising have several advantages for you and for your customers. Newspaper Advertising: Is timely and can be implemented quickly and on relatively short notice Offers a wide choice of ad sizes to accommodate different products and budgets Works well with coupons and other tear-outs Can be changed quickly to take advantage of specific conditions or events, such as promotions and open houses Can provide specific and detailed information Allows positioning to reach the desired target audience Is easy to track and monitor effectiveness Magazine Advertising: Highly targeted to enthusiasts Often supported by editorial Allows a creative focus that can say a lot about a product Can be torn out for future reference Looks great in color and on glossy paper   Buying Print Ads Work with your newspaper or magazine sales representative to develop an effective ad schedule. Explain your ideas and needs and ask for suggestions. Most newspapers have column widths of Standard Advertising Units (2-1/16”). Newspaper space is sold by column inches, which is the number of columns wide (most newspapers are six columns) by the vertical height in inches. For example, a 10-inch ad may be either 1 column by 10 inches or 2 columns by 5 inches. Magazines offer all sorts of sizes from small “business cards” to full pages. Buying print in high frequency saves money – the more ads you buy, the more you save. Where you place your ad is also important. You may request a position when you place the ad, but there is no guarantee you’ll get it (a preferred spot usually has a premium price.) The classified section is good for reaching immediate buyers. According to research, the sports section of your local newspaper is the best section to reach men, while the general news section attracts prospects of both sexes. Make sure you get all available discounts and combination rates that are offered.   Creating a Successful Print Ad It is easy to use this Ad Planner to develop attention-getting, professional print ads that get your message across to customers. The Ad Planner includes a series of complete ads for a variety of Suzuki products, ready to be printed in your local newspaper or magazine. Or, if you are creating your own print ads, here are some ideas to make them more effective. A good headline will: Attract attention in a positive way Offer a benefit State the selling idea Present information of interest to the customer Be short / brief Lead readers into the body copy Note: For an effective headline, use a bold attention-getting typeface. The body copy presents the benefits and selling points of your product and complements the headline. It can be a summary of the main point, a call-to-action, or both. Good body copy will: Be succinct Follow the theme of the headline Avoid clichés and overused words and phrases Be enthusiastic Spur the reader to action and give them reasons to shop at your dealership Use a clean and easy-to-read typeface Photography: The artwork with your ad lets the reader see the point you are trying to get across. There is a complete selection of photographic art for all Suzuki motorcycles and ATVs on the Ad Planner CD. When you use this art, it should: Get the reader’s attention Identify the subject of your ad Emphasize your product’s features and benefits Allow room for copy and white space so your ad does not look cluttered Finishing Touches: Always include your dealership name, address, phone number and hours in your ad. Always include the appropriate safety message and the Suzuki logo and follow the Suzuki Logo Guidelines booklet to ensure you get co-op reimbursement. Please read the Legal Guidelines section of this Ad Planner to determine your responsibility regarding the use of disclaimers.   Free Advertising Few things in life are free, but you can get free advertising in the form of news stories. Newspaper editors need to fill pages and they are on the lookout for stories and ideas. Help them and yourself by letting them know of new or special products or services your dealership offers. Good publicity is the same thing as free advertising. Consider letting your newspaper know about: New products or services Contests Special events or promotions Achievements by you and/or your employees Racing sponsorships New personnel Organized rides Learn-to-ride classes or safety workshops Community activities