With so much focus on Internet marketing and tactics, many companies forego print options completely. The truth is, though, that trade articles can pay off in a big way for a variety of reasons. If you are toying with the idea of running a trade magazine ad, here are some very good examples of why this is a good idea.
1. You can’t get a more targeted audience. Where else can you reach out to the exact people that want, are interested in, and need your product or service?
2. The reach could be huge. Depending on the magazine that you choose, the reach could be massive – you might spend $6K on an ad, but you could be reaching hundreds of thousands of readers.
There are two types of trade magazine ads to run, and typically the article type is more effective than a straight ad.
Ads vs. Articles
Editorial articles tend to get a lot of attention. For some reason, readers put more stock in an article, and this should be the case if you think about it. Consider the content that you are putting on your website – it has to be good, relevant, and useful, right? Well, it’s the same thing when you purchase an article space in a trade magazine. Here’s what to do when you take out an entire article space.
1. Make sure that article is well written.
2. Talk about your expertise, but don’t sell your product.
3. Touch on a relative topic – something current and hot.
4. Connect that printed article with your website by mentioning your site in the article (at the bottom or casually throughout – a tricky art).
5. If you have news to report (real news – not something that sounds like news), be aware that some reporters read trade magazines to find story scoops.
The most important thing to think about when writing a magazine article is to focus on a really important topic, and follow that up with excellent writing. If you aren’t sure what to write about, hire a content expert or professional writer to help you get it all done the right way – otherwise, you may be wasting your money. Magazine articles can help with your site traffic and SEO too – the more people read your article, the more that they will head to your website to check out what you offer, so it really works both ways.
Connecting the Article to an Upcoming Show
If you do plan on attending a trade show in the near future, time this presence with your magazine article. Why? Because you can add a small bit about the show that you intend to attend at the bottom of the article. People that read your article will then look for your company at the show you are about to attend, and connect that memory with your trade show display – see how that works? Trade magazine articles and your actual presence at a trade show are highly connected, and an article in a trade magazine should be part of your entire marketing plan.
Blazer Exhibits can incorporate your magazine article into your display too. Or, we can set up a booth for you that ties into a theme you will be writing about to complete an entire marketing plan. We customize any kind of trade show display or exhibit for all businesses large or small, and we can also help you set up and take down any trade show display that you want to bring with you to an upcoming show.
Make sure to call us today for booth display rates and examples, and never underestimate the power that one simple magazine article can have when it comes to your business! If you have questions about a booth display, or you want to know more about anything you see on this blog, follow us on Facebook for further details.