Cable Ads 5 Bucks!

Cable has grown from 13 houses connected together in 1948 to coverage of nearly 70% of all households in the U.S. With dozens, even hundreds of channels, Cable is now a major player for local advertising dollars, some for less than 5 bucks.

On the Mary Tyler Moore Show in the 1960's, most of the people shortened her name from "Mary" to "Mare". We, as a group, have a tendency to find the short cut, giving nick name to names that could stand on their own. Mary didn't need to be any shorter, but it was cute to cut it down. Many Margarets are called Peggy, figure that one out. And many if not most John's are called Jack.

It is little surprise that Cable became the shortened name for Community Antenna Television, CATV. In the days of CATV, local commercial inserts were not available.

Community Antenna Television, CATV originated as a service to those who lived in an area where TV was impossible to see. I visited the home of a friend's mother in the mountains of North Carolina several decades ago. With a tall antenna and booster amplifiers, the best she could do was a fuzzy picture on ONE channel. Legends abound about who had the first community antenna. Most research says the first official CATV company began charging a fee to hook up in 1948. In those days CATV was no more than one big antenna tower on a high hill (or mountain) with a Cable running down the side and two or more homes connected.

In 1972, Charles Dolan and Gerald Levin of Sterling Manhattan Cable launched the nation's first pay­TV network, Home Box Office (HBO). Cable became more than an antenna for local stations. Cable became a major player.

Today, most Cable companies have the ability to INSERT your commercial into many of the Cable networks. The networks don't stop the show with a black screen for local commercials, instead they fill the space with ads that sell something (exercise machines, fancy knives, or something from Ron Popeil). "..order now and we'll make the 4th payment for you!"

Local Cable commercial insertions are available 15 (or more) major networks and the list grows every month. Local advertisers can no longer afford to ignore the marketing potential, and lost cost, available through the use of Cable advertising.

Most offer a package that will put your commercial into a mix of Cable network programs at all hours of the day for as little as $5 per commercial. Yup, $5 for a commercial on ESPN, CNN Headline News or the Discovery Channel. The premium channels (those that cost extra above the standard cable package, HBO, Showtime etc.) do not allow commercials to be inserted

The Cable people sell very large packages with hundreds of commercials, splattered over all the networks allowing insertions. You have no control over where, when, or what channel your ad will appear. As a result, you get hundreds for a low price.

You can see why this is so by working the math. Ask the Cable TV salesman how many channels he has on his system, and how many homes are connected. Then ask how many channels will have your commercials.

If there are 10,000 homes connected and the system has 25 channels and your ads will be inserted into 5 channels you will need a lot of ads to reach even a small percentage of the people. Ads are inserted into news and sports channels and entertainment and super station channels. Computers do it automatically, so the Cable company doesn't have to have people on the job 24 hours a day to run your commercial. Cable companies can insert one or one thousand commercials with a few keystrokes and with thousands of slots every day, they have no problem selling you a bunch for little money.

The major drawback of advertising on Cable is the amateurish way most Cable commercials are produced. Because of the low price for the ads, Cable companies often produce commercials with a tech school graduate and a mini cam.

Don't expect award winning commercials for five bucks. Some charge extra to produce your commercial, some offer it as a part of the package. Take a look at what they have done for others. Ask to see a demo reel. If you don't like what you see, consider hiring your own crew to do it your way.

One way or another you will have to pay some extra to get a good commercial. Make one that will last for some time. After all it will take a long time for it to show up in all the prime slots on all the insert networks.

Professionally produced commercials can cost over $5,000 for 30 seconds and may take as long as a week for initial taping, longer for final editing.

This cost can be reduced if you perform the creative function and write your own commercials as well as furnishing talent for the ads. Some frugal advertisers have been able to hold production costs to as little as $200 per ad.

As with all commercials, make sure your name and what you do is at the beginning, at least in the middle and at the end. Phone number is not as important as name. You don't watch TV with a pad and pencil to write down phone numbers and neither does anyone else. Get them to remember your company. Cook up a slogan.

Avoid the trap of being talked into standing in front of store and doing the ad yourself. Most Cable sales reps will trot this out first thing. Ego sells! Your friends may mention it, but it will not sell as well as a commercial featuring what you can do for those viewing at home. Remember, advertising is not about YOU, it's about THEM. Value and benefits, value and benefits, not, "look at me and my kids".

Cable can be an effective part of your local advertising mix at a very reasonable price.

For more about advertising get my article "What the Newspaper Won't Tell You" MailTo:NewspaperAds@BigIdeasGroup.com

©2005 BIG Mike McDaniel All Rights Reserved Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com BIG Mike is a Professional Speaker and Small Business Consultant with over 30 years experience, http://BIGIdeasGroup.com

Subscribe to "BIG Mike's BIG Ideas" Newsletter MailTo:subscribe-956603364@ezinedirector.net

---

Radio Interview 101

Different Types of Station ContactReaching radio hosts (for the purpose... Read More

The Motivational Triggers That Make People Buy

In order to sell more products and service, you need... Read More

LED Score Boards

LED scoreboards can be utilized in most of the sporting... Read More

The Online Equivalent of an Effective Newspaper Advertisement is FREE

Ask anybody who has been in business for a long... Read More

Moving Message Display

Moving message display are designed to be installed into environments... Read More

Improve Your Promotional Flyers And Improve Sales

Admittedly, I have not seen your advertising flyer. Then again,... Read More

3 Simple Steps to Getting Thousands in Free Advertising

Many entrepreneurs believe that they understand what public relations is,... Read More

Understanding Internet Banner Advertising

Banner advertising is an effective way of getting your advertising... Read More

Moving Message Board

Moving message boards are used in the areas where continuous... Read More

Cable Ads 5 Bucks!

Cable has grown from 13 houses connected together in 1948... Read More

If You Want To Get More Customers, Heres 10 Powerful Stories To Improve Your Ads

Remember, as a child lying in bed and listening to... Read More

How To Use Pictures To Immediately Start Increasing The Response Rates Of Your Marketing

There should only be one, over-riding reason why you're doing... Read More

Using The Popularity of Celebrities and Currrent Events to Promote Your Business

In this article, we want to explore the idea of... Read More

Diamonds Are For Evil

The task of executing successful advertising campaigns for products made... Read More

How to Save Money by Making Your Own Sign

In the sign industry we commonly refer to the material... Read More

Boost Headline Believability With Specifics

Don't use vague generalities in your headlines. Be as specific... Read More

Is there anything new under the sun? Heres how to find out if your bright idea is unique.

"There's nothing new under the sun" is probably the... Read More

10 Ways To Improve Your Print Ads

1) Include a coupon in your large ads. This can... Read More

Printing - How Do I Buy It?

Why should I care where I get my printed material... Read More

Fax Broadcast Services Get Your Message to Millions

If your company is one of those innovative businesses that... Read More

Why Your Ad Failed

So you spent good money on an ad, put it... Read More

How To Make A Fortune With FREE Advertising!

How To Gain FREE Advertising That Will Make You Rich!Okay-Just... Read More

Testimonials Convert Prospects Into Buyers

Big businesses get instant credibility with their well-known company name... Read More

Creativity and Getting Outside of the Box

Sitting in front of a blank piece of paper? Wondering... Read More

How To Get Big Sponsorship Money for Your Band, Tour, Event or Production

Touring is a bands greatest opportunity for success. But, touring... Read More

Promote yourself on radio for free

Unless you have become extremely popular in your personal or... Read More

Advertising Costs Getting Too High?

Everyone knows that advertising is essential to growing a business.... Read More

Get Free Radio Advertisement

Here's a neat trick to get lots of radio advertisement... Read More

Finding Your Target Market

Achieving sales is probably the biggest challenge a web business... Read More

Direct Response Advertising; Radio vs TV

Radio advertising vs. television advertisingMany new advertisers assume that they... Read More

2005 Super Bowl Ads... Winners and Losers

Well, Super Bowl XXXIX is history. Too bad for the... Read More

Organizing Business Cards for Effective Contact Management

Now that you've had colorful new business cards printed, and... Read More

Top 9 Reasons To Advertise

Advertising is not for every company. But some require it... Read More