By Diane Hindman, PhD
How To Grow Your Private Practice With Print Ads Exclusive Interview with Josh Gardner reveals what is working now for Natural Nutmeg Advertisers
clients. All ads pull more than 3 times the national average.
S I recently had a chance to sit down with Josh and
pick his brain. In this exclusive interview, he reveals the 13 things you need to get good response from readers of Natural Nutmeg Magazine.
Diane: “Before we begin, I wanted to ask you what you think of Natural Nutmeg?”
Josh: “Hmm. I’m reading between the lines here, Di. You are ask- ing what I think of Natural Nutmeg in terms of readership levels, geographic reach and response rates. Is that right?”
Diane: “Since you create ads for a living, then ‘yes.’”
Josh: “Simple. I’m a results person. My income depends on whether my clients’ sales increase or their phones are buzzing. In my world, the cash register rings or it doesn’t. Now, you know I emailed your list last week for a client.”
Diane: “Yes, what was the response?”
Josh: “In a nutshell, we had 49% click-to-conversion rate. These numbers may not mean much to your readers. So let me put them in perspective: The average click to conversion rate (as published by the Direct Marketing Association) is 1.73%. Natural Nutmeg’s e-list converted 28 times better. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s an amazingly profitable response.”
Diane: “Really?”
Josh: “You must be doing something very right. Your readers and your advertisers really trust you. They read everything you put out – word for word – and they respond when they feel something is valuable. If you are a local health practitioner, you would be crazy not to advertise in Natural Nutmeg.”
Diane: “Why do you say that?”
Josh: “Because very few publications engender this kind of respect from advertisers and consumers. When you pick up a magazine at a newsstand, do you buy into the crazy headlines or promises? When was the last time you responded to a print ad from a national advertiser? It’s very rare.
10 Natural Nutmeg April 2012
Diane: “So what you mean is that most advertisements are de- signed by people that have no idea how to sell?”
Josh: “Yes. More than 95% of all ads that you see are worthless. They are designed by technical people – graphic designers and the like. Because most business owners are ‘me too’ advertisers, they hire people just like them.”
Diane: “Is Natural Nutmeg a “me too” advertiser?
Josh: “No, of course not. Natural Nutmeg is the perfect example of a valuable resource for both consumers and private practitioners. It is timely for Connecticut residents needing help and practical in the way it communicates information so they can make the right decision. Not only can advertisers run print ads in your magazine, they can contribute their thoughts, ideas and knowledge directly to consumers who want to know more about them. In other words, it’s very unique. But I wouldn’t say the same about most advertis- ing.”
Diane: “So…can you give me an example of “me too” advertis- ing?”
Josh: “Let’s start with your advertisers. There are folks with ads that are very difficult to read and say nothing other than “this is who I am.” Like a glorified business card, “I’m a natural physician.” So what? There are a gazillion people following the same trend. That’s classic “me too” advertising. It gives me absolutely no reason why I should pick up the phone and call you for an appointment. Does that make sense?”
ince 2004, Josh Gardner’s firm has created over $11,531,323 in advertisements and gener- ated more than 532,889 appointments for his
Unlike most health magazines, Natural Nutmeg is not enter-
tainment; it is a credible source of information for Connecticut residents who want to improve their health with instant access to local specialists.”
Diane: “That’s a huge compliment coming from you, so thank you. But I have to confess. Before Natural Nutmeg runs an ad, some- times I have no idea if it will be a success. After keying returns for over 5 years, it’s hard to determine which ad will be a winner. How can I help my advertisers generate better response?”
Josh: “Well, there are a few things you need to generate a good response. What works best in print is pretty straightforward. Most private practitioners don’t understand selling. But advertising has one purpose – to sell. So if you can’t sell yourself, how would you know how to design an ad that does? Or, more telling, how do you “hire” someone who knows how to sell, to design your ads?”
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