I just got off the phone with a camp director in Maine. She wanted to know my thoughts about newspaper advertising. I’m against it for my own camp. But I know some other camp directors who use it effectively.
Like anything else, newspaper advertising has its pros and cons. On the plus side, it’s highly targeted; you can usually choose the section where you want your ad to appear. If you’re marketing to moms, you might pick the Home and Garden or Parenting sections. You probably wouldn’t pick the Sports page.
Other benefits of advertising newspapers? People generally equate newspapers as reliable sources of information. Also, some folks read the newspaper for the ads alone.
On the downside, there’s no “shelf life” with newspaper advertising. People generally throw away (or hopefully recycle) the newspaper the very day they read it. That means your ad is there one minute, then gone the next.
Also, newsprint generally doesn’t lend itself to high quality artwork or design.
If you’ve advertised in the newspaper and had success doing it, please post a comment. I’m sure other camp directors would love to hear your experience!
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