Many entrepreneurs feel that they need a sophisticated website right from
outset of new ventures. Yet, most of them lack time, money and skill to create a credible advertisement on web alone.Thankfully, there is an alternative: a fast, simple and flexible means of advertising that offers good ‘returns’ for relatively small, safe and manageable investments.
Small ads in newspapers have supported entrepreneurs cost-effectively for hundreds of years. Whatever commodity and target population, aims of small ads have remained same: to attract customers and interest them sufficiently to make them want to find out more.
Traditionally, ‘finding out more’ meant making telephone calls, posting forms or calling into stores. These days, it increasingly means visiting specific web pages, at least as an interim step. Savvy webmasters set up special ‘landing pages’, tailored to complement every small ad placed, to track and improve performance.
The task of 'rich media’, like websites, has remained constant too: to stimulate strong desires in customers and provide them with ways to take matters further. For example, to complete purchase of goods and services, and develop long-term relationships with proven suppliers.
Small ads are available on Internet too.
The good news is that electronic small ads are just as quick and simple to write as their print-based predecessors. Entrepreneurs create their own ‘copy’, thereby protecting their commercially-sensitive knowledge and gaining a sense of ownership.
More good news: electronic small ads cost pennies to place, offer worthwhile ways to increase customer awareness over vast geographic areas, and entrepreneurs can re-create their marketing messages rapidly, according to need.
All these benefits are available wherever and whenever entrepreneurs have access to Internet which, as a small ad delivery medium, offers significant advantages over newspapers.
One advantage is ability to cater for sellers and buyers with special needs. There is an increasing awareness that websites offer flexible options regarding text size, foreground/background colour combinations and audio readers for example, that newspapers will never enjoy. What is more, 'accessible' websites download fast to mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants and computers with slow Internet access.
Another advantage is ability for sellers and buyers to find commodities in ways other than trawling classified lists, with headings like 'Property'.
Most small ad websites offer manual search features, at basic and advanced levels. Some offer ability to search linearly (e.g., More like this ad) and laterally (e.g., ads Also clipped with this ad, by other buyers). A few sites also offer standard, automated searches complemented by rapid e-mail, messenger or SMS notification. Advert short-listing, comparison and forwarding are other useful ‘find’ features.
