# Opening new business & considering classified advertising in Irish Times & Examiner.



## Firefly (28 Oct 2011)

Hi all,

Mrs Firefly is opeing her own business next week and we're considering classified advertising in the Irish Times and The Examiner. Just wondering if anyone could recommend which days were best or whether it was worth it at all! 

We're thinking of a month in each paper on the inside classified sections and a back page advert on the Irish Times for a week or two.

Thanks,
Firefly.


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## kennyb3 (28 Oct 2011)

Hard to know what to say without knowing what type of business it is.


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## T McGibney (28 Oct 2011)

Good luck with your plans.

In general I suspect that national newspaper advertising is potentially more useful to an existing business than to a startup.  In general, you might also be better off concentrating your efforts online. I agree though that its impossible to say much without knowing what sort of business it is.


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## RonanC (28 Oct 2011)

As others have said, it really does depend on the type of business and your target audience. 

Facebook can be very effective for example depending on the product.


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## Firefly (28 Oct 2011)

Thanks for your help and kind wishes...after over 3 1/2 years at home  with the babas it's a big move to "go out on your own" and I'm immensely  proud of her. 

Regarding the business type, it's a medical/clinical practice. Previously the governing institute had strict advertising guidlines in place ...you could "announce" that you have opened or if there are major changes to the practice rather than advertise you wares so to speak. They have relaxed on this a little bit, so from this perspective small classifieds look like an option. A website is also allowed and I have this under control but facebook and the like would not be suitable.


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## T McGibney (28 Oct 2011)

I'm not sure if national newspaper adverts would be in any way effective for what is essentially a local business. Perhaps local newspapers/freesheets or suitably tasteful local guerilla or viral marketing might yield more results at less or zero financial cost respectively?


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## Firefly (1 Nov 2011)

T McGibney said:


> I'm not sure if national newspaper adverts would be in any way effective for what is essentially a local business. Perhaps local newspapers/freesheets or suitably tasteful local guerilla or viral marketing might yield more results at less or zero financial cost respectively?



Thanks for that...after looking into this a bit more we have decided to place adverts in local newspapers for now.

Thanks again,
Firefly.


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## kennyb3 (1 Nov 2011)

Makes much more sense. Best of luck to her with the venture.


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## Purple (1 Nov 2011)

Best of luck to her with the new business.
I agree that local newspapers are the best bet. Fliers in the door in the local area could also work. 
When/if she adds additional services she should “announce” those services the same way.


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## PaddyBloggit (1 Nov 2011)

Re. The Examiner.

Stay away from the start of the week. Thurs through to Saturday seem to be the days people advetise mostly with Saturday being the favourite.

Even though we buy the paper every day Monday to Wednesday I'd consider to be a waste of money.

Friday is the day for jobs, Saturday the day that seems to get most attention.

Re. online .. would you consider an Adwords campaign down the road?


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## Firefly (1 Nov 2011)

Thanks for all the kind wishes. It's a big step for us!



PaddyBloggit said:


> Re. online .. would you consider an Adwords campaign down the road?



We have a guy from the Golden Pages calling soon and they have some online offering now that incorporates Google searches and the like so we'll see what comes of it. We require a 1 page "brochure" website (very static informtation) and I'm working on this at the moment. I have the .ie and .com's already reserved so getting there...


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## onq (1 Nov 2011)

Firefly said:


> A website is also allowed and I have this under control but facebook and the like would not be suitable.



I think you may be unwise not to take advantage of the social networks.

You don't have to be direct and run a Facebook page about the business.

You could have people not directly connected with the business making posts about it 

Best of luck with it regardless.


ONQ.


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## Kerrigan (1 Nov 2011)

I agree with ONQ.

We spent a small fortune on advertising with the national newspapers.  We didn't as much as get one telephone call.  

My preferences would be Facebook or local newspapers.


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## onq (1 Nov 2011)

(nods)

+1 What Kerrigan has posted.

We also spent a fortune advertising with the Golden Pages.

We did get one telephone call.

That led to nothing.


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## PaddyBloggit (1 Nov 2011)

I never use the Golden Pages ... I always google it.

If it's not on google I move on to someone/a business that is.


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## oldnick (1 Nov 2011)

A new medical practic/clinice has just opened in the Sandyford ("a revolution in GP care"). They distributed leaflets with all the benefits. I don't know how widespread the distribution was but i'm two miles away so probably at least 10.000 leaflets.
Have you seen An Post leaflet service  plus the private companies ?

Local newspapers and leaflets are the best ways to go for a smaller catchment area.


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## Firefly (2 Nov 2011)

oldnick said:


> A new medical practic/clinice has just opened in the Sandyford ("a revolution in GP care"). They distributed leaflets with all the benefits. I don't know how widespread the distribution was but i'm two miles away so probably at least 10.000 leaflets.
> Have you seen An Post leaflet service  plus the private companies ?
> 
> Local newspapers and leaflets are the best ways to go for a smaller catchment area.



Thanks for that - it's a different type of business but I'll look into it.


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## onq (2 Nov 2011)

+1 on what Oldnick said about An Post - I've used them and they are a good if expensive way to get coverage.
They are also faultlessly reliable, although there can be limits on what days "drops" can go out.

You could also ask for help and advice from your local elected representative.
Not for a dodgy planning application, but the names of their leaflet droppers.

Most T.D.'s election machines have armies of people who drop leaflets for a small amount and who know the areas well.
However you may have to have to follow up to make sure the were delivered.

You could do a spot check on house on each road and take the time to introduce the service in person at the door.
It would help if the checker had benefited from a service being provided there and so could give a personal recommendation.

After all, nothing sells like a personal recommendation by word of mouth.


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## onq (2 Nov 2011)

Remember the 4 P's - Product, Price, Place, Promotion - apply to the Health Sector as much as any market sector.
Here is a link which suggests it deals with social marketing in this sector, although I see little enough of the mechanics of how to do it.

In particular there is no reference to Ssearhc Engine Optimization for the website or the part content plays in improving the rating of a website.
Integration of social media to mutually reinforce coverage is also not covered.

The role of LinkedIn registration for professionals and companies is omitted.
All should be looked at with a view to directly or indirectly improving "sale".


ONQ.


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## Mpsox (2 Nov 2011)

I know a number of small companies who used Golden Pages online and stopped as it was a waste of money for the number of calls and leads they got out of it

In terms of the Examiner (and I presume this new venture is in the "real capital", is a better approach to try and do some PR and get a story in the paper rather then an ad.? The Examiner has a health section on Friday for example and they might be willing to do a puff piece if the service provided was slightly different or in an area which has been lacking in such businesses in the past. Likewise if you know anyone with a bit of fame attached to them (a hurler or footballer or a TD looking for their name in the paper for example) could you get them to open the business and invite the local press along

Also don't forget parish newsletters, usually they'll accept notices/ads either free of charge or for a small donation


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## onq (2 Nov 2011)

This might be a useful way of tying in the T.D.'s pamphlet dropping team to promoting your business.

Just remember, there will be a party political link there forever and a day and the donations hat will be sent around at election time and for Party Fundraisers.

Still, patronage of a prominent person could assist your business growth in the early years and product or business endorsement is a valid means of promotion.


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## T McGibney (2 Nov 2011)

Is there a worse way to promote a new local-based business than to allow its brand to be aligned to a band of local political hacks and their detested junk mail? I don't think so.


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## nai (2 Nov 2011)

Don't underestimate the power of social media like Facebook and Twitter. have another look at the variuos uses and re-evaluate your suitability.


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## onq (2 Nov 2011)

Politics can work for and against people.

Like most things in life, its up to you what you make of it.


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## Firefly (3 Nov 2011)

Well, glad to report that 3 clients are booked in already. 2 through people we know and the 3rd just by being open, so a decent start!


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