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Here are my tips for getting advertisers for your website.

*Just start with anyone at any price-------.
Yes that’s right. Nobody wants to advertise on a blog that nobody is advertising on. When I first sell ads on websites most of the time its either trade outs or for very very low money (usually 1/10th of what it should be). You can always raise your rates later and let the market decide if its too high but nobody likes being the first advertiser.

*Create a Zone page with demographics and statistics.--------
You can see my advertising page here. It makes it very easy for people to see what placements are available and where they are located on the page. Take a full screenshot if possible. The Pearl Crescent Page Saver extension works well to take a screenshot of the full page instead of just what you can see.
Also on that page I give out general statistics on traffic the website receives.

*Tell the advertiser why they should advertise with you--------.
Again as you can see on my advertising page I show all the awards and mainstream press mentions the website gets. I also highlight the sites that point out how my site has driven them tons of sales and what a value it was to advertise. Testimonials can also be good.
Well those are the basic tips for how to get advertisers… but as far as getting contest sponsors I will add one more.

*Let the company know exactly what they are getting-----
After spending money with you or sponsoring a contest on your site if the traffic you told them you expected is not there then not only are they not going to spend any more money with you but you can bet they will let other companies know that your website is not a very good return on investment. Usually before I advertise I will ask other or previous advertisers there experience with a website. Its amazing what a small group the advertising space is.

*Approach companies directly ----------

to ask if you can advertise for them.
If your site is already getting lots of traffic, try looking for sites that offer complementary products and target the same niche market as you do. For instance, if you own a bridal shop, you could approach a local florist to see if they'd like to advertise their wedding bouquets on your site. An ad on your site would also be seen as an implicit recommendation of their product, and it could send a ton of brides to their site. And the more successful your ads are, the more you can charge for them.

Be sure to contact potential internet advertising partners in a professional manner. Call them on the phone instead of just e-mailing them so your communication is more personal and professional. Be ready to supply them with information about your business and your site traffic. The more information you can give them, the more likely they'll be to consider your offer. And above all, make sure they have a solid reputation. If you partner with a questionable company, their activities could reflect poorly on your business.


HERE'S A VIDEO--
http://garyvaynerchuk.com/2008/11/10/want-to-get-advertisers-on-your-blogvlog-go-and-get-it/

http://www.free-press-release.com/members/members_pic/200805/img/1209996687.jpg


One last tip - Hit up people that you already have a business relationship with first. Especially those affiliate companies you are making money for.

The best way is to warm call, and try to find people who you know at companies, may it be friends and family members to be your first customers. Once you get them as advertising customers, you have future references. First you need to gain traction on your site. The current Alexa ranking for http://www.malcolminthemiddle.co.uk is 358,220, which is good, yet some advertisers like to see more traffic prior to advertising. The next best thing is to cold call companies that are related to your market, and that will serve your audience. Once you can do this, you can generate a few leads for potential advertisers.

Write a business case and prospectus. Have details of interest to advertisers, which will include significant research on your part. Who is your target audience? Who is your actual audience? How many unique visitors do you have daily/monthly? How many returning visitors, how often, and how many pages do they view? Project your site's growth, and what you are using to make those assertions. Develop a brand message, and then look for advertisers who would have overlapping interests and/or similar demographics.

Write out how you would share revenue or structure advertising arrangements. Plan out the methods you will accept for advertising display, and those you will not (text is okay, flash is not, pop-ups are not but mouse-over expanding regions are, etc).

Now that you have all of this information, probably at the very lease a 1 inch binder of data, charts, narratives, etc, you can begin calling people to identify people who might like to advertise. You might consider beginning with some "free" advertisement placement, advertise for local or national charities (with their permission, they are still clients, even if it is free). This gives you a chance to develop the system you need to get advertising clients, without having to worry about money at first. There are always kinks to work out.

Try your local chamber of commerce and business alliances. Try trade groups in related fields. Try sites like linkedin.com to network with people in these industries as well.

Get into affiliate marketing. The rewards are often greater than low paying contextual services like adsense. I've seen your site. Create an amazon affiliates account and sell Malcolm in the Middle merch and box-sets. The other thing about affiliate advertising is the ability to create a personal relationship with a brand or service you enjoy and then negotiate a cut of sales with the seller. Try Commission Junction as well.

I know AdSense/ABrite type programs aren't a long term solution for you. But have you looked at the ads they placed on your site? Some of the advertisers through these networks will be broad and not too great of a fit for your particular site, but some of them might be great small businesses who might be willing to work with you directly. See if you see patterns in the types/kinds of advertisers you're attracting through the ad networks and approach similar advertisers for direct buys on your site.

You can use your site to attract advertisers to place an ad there. A good catchline is a must. Create a pager for advertisers and prominently display it.
You can use AdWords to advertise to advertisers to advertise on your site. Target sites visited by admen.