Do you know of any NYC creative trade magazines I can advertise in for less than $200?

Question

I am a small business owner in NYC looking for inexpensive print advertising. By inexpensive I mean less than $200 for a quarter page ad. We offer bookeeping, admin assistance, advertising and other small business services.

I am looking for trade magazines or newsletters specific to the New York area in creative fields such as graphic design, interior design and architecture.

Thanks!

Answer 1

You might advertise in "Directory" advertising.  These are tiny -- one or two line -- listings in the back of trade magazines. But you would be throwing away your money.  These listings are rarely if ever consulted by people in need of bookkeeping, administrative assistance, advertising and other small business services.

Here's how people in need of such services get such services:

1. They look in the Yellow Pages.

2. They ask around

3. They ask their accountant, former employer,best friend, old school buddy, insurance man, parish priest, barber,  landlord, neighbor down the hall in the office building, trade association, banker, lawyer, friends, suppliers, wife's brother-in-law, clients ... and even competitors, if on a friendly basis!

4. They might even ask you to drop by if you call them -- but only if you're calling at the suggestion of somebody they know. In short, a referral. Which means, you have to get on the phone and ask for referrals from everyone you know or do business with or did business with or bumped into at the supermarket or worked for.

5. If small enough and desperate enough, and the timing is right, they might give you a try if you stop by their office (cold call) while you're going door to door in a large office building.

Above all: do not advertise.  You are offering advertising as one of your services, .Therefore any advertising YOU send out must be topnotch, beautifully produced, etc. In short, expensive.  That's like a custom shoemaker who wears flipflops.  Not a good ad for your own services. If you don't have enough capital for a distinctive and effective advertisement, don't consider it.

Spend your $200 on business cards and GIVE them out. They don't do any good sitting in your desk.