It used to be you had to pay to hit tens of thousands of unqualified prospects to meet your advertising goals because there was no alternative. Like the cannon used to kill a mosquito, a lot of firepower (your advertising budget) was wasted.
They usually quote their ad rates by CPM or “Cost per Thousand” people, to make the cost easier to digest. What they’re not telling you however is the cost to reach 1000 customer prospects for your business is actually much higher because only a percentage of their audience (often a small percentage) are qualified prospects. These outlets rely on vague demographics in hopes of reaching a specific group of people, but the targeting is often quite limited. Show us a group of 1000 “18 to 34 year-old males” in your city and we’ll show you 1000 different consumers!
Would you advertise retirement packages to teens?
Or veterinary services to consumers without pets?