How and where to advertise....

[TFGtv.com]

Thinking mainly about those of us in the B2B sector....

I'm sure we all appreciate the value of our websites. And for those who like that sort of thing the importance of SEO. Networking too plays a valuable part in advertising or marketing one's services or wares...

But, putting all those things aside for a moment, where nowadays can we do a bit of good old fashioned advertising? Do we knock on doors. Phone people up. Spend empty days touring the industrial estates with the pockets of our wax jackets bulging with leaflets in a sort of historical re-enactment of 1984?

What business or trade magazines do people read? What business magazines exist? And is it worth a small business' time taking space in them?

[Moray Kitchen Fitter]

Originally Posted by TFGtv.com

Spend empty days touring the industrial estates with the pockets of our wax jackets bulging with leaflets in a sort of historical re-enactment of 1984?

Suppose I better dust off the Ford Cortina, that's is what I had planned for tomorrow (except the wax jacket!). I am still a great believer in putting yourself in front of a potential customer, it's the whole 'buying into the person not the product' thing.

Originally Posted by TFGtv.com

What business or trade magazines do people read? What business magazines exist? And is it worth a small business' time taking space in them?

This is something I started looking into a few months back but never got very far with. I will watching the replies in this thread closely!

Regards,

Gordon

[barryhynd]

Regarding magazines I've always thought there was a distinct lack of good quality business magazines. The main one in Scotland I would think would be Insider who i'm sure you have all heard of but I would think they would be expensive.

The Insider also have a publication called Business 7 (they are tied to the Daily Record in some way!) which goes out free every Friday across Central Scotland. I'm led to believe that advertising in this is much more affordable although it depends on what demographic you are trying to hit. I dont know of any other but would see other options being things like The Scotsman or Herald but again may be prohibitively expensive. I've also heard a few people advertise on Talk 107 which I would imagine would attract more of a target demographic than a traditional radio station.

Thats all I can think of for now but hopefully others will have some good ideas

[TFGtv.com]

Well a curious thing about "Business 7" us that it's only free if you need ten copies+ which they send out by courier. If you need just a single copy it's £50-odd annual subscription....

I have a big problem with that as an advertising platform. Why would anyone pay for one copy when they can have ten for free? Thus their actual circulation figures could in fact easily be 1/5th or less of what they're claiming.

As for the Insider; it's a bit too 'blue chip' for my liking; interesting; but hardly with its finger on the pulse.

So I have to agree Barry; there is indeed a shortage of business magazines...

[Kasumi]

I agree that there is not much choice when it coming to selecting a good business magazine

However, for anyone interested in Real Business magazine, they are currently offering the next 10 issues of their magazine for free
http://www.realbusiness.co.uk

[TFGtv.com]

Originally Posted by Kasumi

I agree that there is not much choice when it coming to selecting a good business magazine

However, for anyone interested in Real Business magazine, they are currently offering the next 10 issues of their magazine for free
http://www.realbusiness.co.uk

I've just filled that form in.... But with a sense of DeJa vu; Pretty sure I completed it about three months ago and heard now't.

OK... So magazines are in short supply. Trawling the industrial estates with leaflets is a possible option. What else I wonder? With the idea of an SBF calendar being floated I'm wondering is there some scope for us developing some sort of informal system of distribution? Could we perhaps be out there distributing our own flyers and brochures and at the same time those of our SBF colleagues?

Obviously this can't really be done on any great scale; and would need to be done on 'can do' basis when things are quiet...

I beginning to wonder even if there's scope for an SBF newsletter?