Having originated in the back pages of newspapers and magazines, the world of classified advertising has greatly expanded with the introduction of the internet. A huge advantage of placing classifieds on the web is the potential audience it can reach. In fact, with the rise in specialised websites and search engines, it’s possible to attract an unprecedented amount of interest in your cause, whether it be to sell or search for something.

Not only that, but advertising on the internet also offers the benefit of space. Therefore, people now have the opportunity to effectively advertise without having to spend a huge amount of cash. And as opposed to simply having text in your advert, you can now add photos and a longer description of your product or service for a fraction of the cost of the same space in a printed publication.

But, with the plethora of adverts out there, how can you make yours stand out? Take classified adverts that are aiming to sell a car; there are many out there, all hoping to do the same thing. That’s why it’s essential you take the time to understand your audience and design your advert accordingly. In doing so, you stand a much better chance of attracting potential sales and of differentiating your advert from the masses.

First things first, the headline is of vital importance. It must grab the reader’s attention, as well as lure them into reading the rest of the advert. Consequently, it should be short, snappy and relevant – ideally, it should also be in bold or a larger typeface than the rest of the text.

For the main body of the advert, it’s wise to be as concise as possible; too much information will put people off, but not including the right details will be detrimental. Therefore, for a car the most important details will be the make and model, as well as its colour, engine size and mileage. It’s essential to always include the price as well, since this is one of the most important pieces of information for a buyer.

Adding photographs is another great way to differentiate your advert and is ideal for letting people see what they’re getting for their money. Including a few different ones, which show your product off to its best advantage is advisable; however, don’t go overboard and bombard the viewer.

Finally, the effective placement of classifieds is imperative. The internet can prove advantageous because it has a number of specialised websites and companies that are specifically tailored to the sale of cars, for example. And as such will give you access to the most targeted audience possible. Of course, there is much to consider when creating your advert, but from doing so in the right way it can make all the difference when it comes to selling your goods or service.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

The trick here is to look at your shop with fresh eyes. What leaps out at you and demands to be noticed? If nothing in particular grabs you, then nothing will grab the attention of your customer either. And it’s not just a case of making sure everything is neat and tidy and has a price tag on it; you need to draw attention to your stock in other ways too.

A good place to start is to notice what customers do when they enter your shop. Which direction do they walk in? Is there a certain area of the shop that they seem to habitually avoid? Conversely, there could be an area that virtually everyone goes to – regardless of the type of merchandise you have on sale there.

Many shops make do with having shelving of some kind around the walls. This is understandable – after all, it’s an obvious solution and it allows you to stock all kinds of items on display for all to see; however, there are other options as well.

Glass cabinets are a wonderful way to display some of your key items – they automatically draw the eye towards them, and the fact that they are glass can help too. The light will reflect off it and catch the attention of everyone walking past – sometimes even if they aren’t intending to go into the shop at all.

The good thing about this type of cabinet is that it doesn’t take up very much floor space; they can also help to modernise your shop and give it a fresh and exciting feel. If your stock is particularly valuable – you might have limited edition collectables in them, for example – then you can easily purchase lockable cabinets to help ensure the safety of your stock. The additional benefit of being able to have a light inside the cabinet makes it even more of a focal point for everyone who sees it.

Therefore, it is possible for display cabinets to enhance your shop layout and help your items to appear more attractive to the customer. What’s more, display cabinets are a quick and easy way to upgrade your shop fittings; and that has to be good news if you want to invest in your business for the future.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

But why not consider something a bit different? Of course, purchasing a gift in the form of clothing was perhaps once considered a bit of a grey area; this perhaps being down to the stereotypical expectations of receiving novelty socks and granddad slippers. However, in these fashion-conscious times, you may just be able to benefit someone from a little help in the wardrobe department.

In recent times, men now spend considerably more time grooming themselves. As such, it is no longer considered out of the ordinary to own more beauty products than your female companion.

But when choosing clothing for men, it may be beneficial to do a little research into the season’s most popular items of clothing. As it goes, the unpredictability of the British weather means that anything you buy before Christmas may well help carry you through the cold weather, well into spring. And in recent times, the highlights for autumn and winter apparel include waistcoats, checks and tartans; all of which can be layered to bulk up in the cold weather, or alternatively be worn individually when mild.

In addition, scarves, ties, shirts and even man bags in tartan or check are a must-have for winter, and if you are considering purchasing any accessories, a versatile tartan gift can never go wrong.

Good quality jumpers and cardigans in plain or striped patterns are also normally well received; in addition to chunky knits, which have been the height of men’s fashion in recent seasons. As such, they can be worn instead of a thick coat or blazer and can look great when dressed with denim jeans or smart trousers. But when choosing men’s jumpers, be sure to do your research carefully and find out the specific size of the person you are purchasing for; this should ensure you avoid any red faced moments.

Furthermore, waistcoats are still a very popular garment for men, proving very versatile. Indeed, they can turn a plain jeans and t-shirt combo into a smart casual affair, which can look great for the many Christmas parties that take place during the festive season.

So, whether it be gadgets and gizmos or new clothes for the wardrobe you opt for as a gift for men, you really can’t go wrong.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

People are always searching for things that they need or want, from small items like key fobs to a life-changing experience such as a new job. Prior to the invention of the World Wide Web, the main ways of finding such things was either to trawl through the classifieds in the local newspaper, read all the postcards displayed in the newsagent’s window or by enlisting word of mouth.

Now you are just as likely to find out about a new job in the format of an email, by subscribing to alerts from one of the many job websites operating on the internet. Similarly, auction sites offer just about everything that anyone would want to buy. But, despite of that and contrary to expectations, classified ads are still alive and well; whether in print or on the web, there are many different sections of classifieds available.

Looking for love, searching for a new car, needing a new settee; all of those needs can be satisfied by a using the classifieds, either online or through traditional methods. When the concept of classified advertising was introduced it was primarily text-based. But now modern setting and printing techniques, along with the ease with which images can be added to the web means that now many classifieds contain pictures. For most people, that image can be the major selling point and is certainly what can draw a prospective buyer’s eyes towards a particular advert.

The major benefit that online classifieds offer over printed versions is the ability to search for particular items within a grouping or category, quickly and efficiently. When searching for a car for example with advanced search criteria, a buyer can instantly check whether any cars of a particular make, model, colour, year, mileage and price range are available. However, that flexibility in searching for items translates to any category; whether searching for cupid or in the market for a much-needed item.

Also, it is generally a lot easier to get a classified ad published online. Therefore, from registering with an online classifieds website, adverts can then be placed by using a simple lay-out grid. Additionally, it is possible for the online advert to be listed in the printed version of the classifieds, making sure that advertisers get two bites at the cherry.

But whether online or in traditional print, classified ads are helping people do a booming trade and sell on unwanted items, finding a new car or even true love!

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

As we lose the individuality of our historic market towns and village high streets, due to the ever present and expanding force of big brand stores and supermarkets offering the same products, do we run the risk of losing our own sense of identity and individuality? Or is the demise of the independent retailer an accepted casualty in the battle for the consumers’ wallets?

As you walk into any popular big brand store, it is easy to spot where individuality ends and standardisation begins. Suppliers such as Argos and Currys are just two such examples of standardisation where both chains will stock very similar, if not exactly the same products. Although it may seem that the volume of products available offers you a choice, the fact that the choice may be the same from each store around the country or even between supposedly competitive brands removes the opportunity to create any personality to general consumer homes.

Of course, standardisation and similar products in volume can be beneficial for the consumer. As big brand companies provide similar sorts of products and services, this will increase the competition between the companies, which will in turn lead to a drop in prices as they attempt to stake their claim as market leaders and entice customers in-store to view their products on equally as standardised shop fittings.

It is not just these suppliers that offer similar ranges of products, as home owners looking to add a unique touch to their dwellings may be embarrassed to find that their next door neighbour is behind them in the shopping queue at Ikea purchasing the same bland flat pack furniture set as them.

The independent stores cannot compete with the buying power of the larger companies so can’t demand the same prices without cutting their margins dramatically. So, in this extent with commoditised goods, where price is king, are we that bothered that we may lose these independents from the high street? But for the independent stores stocking rare or unique items that help shoppers create their sense of identity, both for themselves and their homes, their departure is potentially greater and something we may not want to see.

To counter this loss in choice – certainly for furniture, at least – consumers are turning to the internet in search of individuality. Once the place of small consumer goods such as CDs and DVDs, shoppers are happy to buy white and brown goods as well as furniture online.

For small businesses, they can create a shop front online at a much lower cost than the physical alternative. And when it comes to drawing customers to their store, advertising online, such as the search engine Google as well as employing other promotional tactics, come with much lower costs than the traditional options.

For consumers though, the task of trying to find the right product can be time consuming and not every website is the same, which can make it hard to find what you are looking for. To help shoppers, sites such as MyDeco are springing up, and offer a service of pulling together large and small suppliers of products in one easy to navigate website.

For independent retailers, their sphere of influence may have been limited to a small radius around their physical location. But, with the internet not only can they offer their products on a national basis but also an international one, opening their doors to millions of prospective customers around the world.

These are just some examples where the internet is offering a level playing field for the independent retailer, where the need for a high street store is no longer necessary. And for the astute, PC-competent consumer, choice is returning and the desire for individuality can be met.

As seen in Darwin’s theory of natural selection, we can see that the independents aren’t disappearing all together; they have just evolved to survive in a world where competition and the battle for survival are necessary.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

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