How to Advertise Toner Cartridges

Toner cartridges are a business staple.

To advertise toner cartridges you can choose from classical types of advertising such as print ads, radio advertising, magazine ads and direct mail, or you can focus on web-based advertising, which includes websites and social media marketing. To advertise toner cartridges successfully, you will need a basic understanding of manufacturers' names, parts numbers and availability. You need to be able to correctly label items as original equipment manufacturer (OEM), remanufactured or refurbished items. Have an advertising budget in mind before you begin sourcing advertising, and get prices and reach statistics from media before you start advertising your toner.

Instructions

1. 

   Plan your toner sales website.

   Set up a website so you can advertise toner cartridges online. You can assume that just about anyone needing to purchase toner cartridges will have access to the Internet and your website. The web site must allow you to display the name, part number, price, description and a photo of each toner cartridge. Include the machines each cartridge is compatible with in the cartridge's description. E-commerce websites (those that will take a credit card securely and help you manage orders) were once very expensive but are now affordable from web-hosting companies like Go Daddy and Yahoo!. If you're not very web-savvy, an introductory business package from a major vendor can help you get a feel for advertising toner online without spending a lot of money to start. Spend some time planning your site before you make a major investment. There is a lot of competition in the consumable printing supply industry, so you need a domain name that is easily marketed and memorable. Keep in mind that websites, like brick-and-mortar stores, need advertising. Don't expect toner orders to start pouring in until you've marketed the site, so set aside a large portion of your budget for marketing.

2. Internet advertising is appropriate for both toner sales websites and brick-and-mortar office supply stores. Options for Internet advertising include banner ads, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and marketing through social media sites such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Myspace. These sites give you a way to advertise your store as a place to purchase toner cartridges, or you can advertise your prices on popular toner cartridges.

3. Traditional advertising methods are also good ways to advertise a toner cartridge website or an office supply store. According to Web Fin Development, traditional advertising includes newspaper and radio ads, billboards, magazine ads and direct mail. Location-based media (billboards, sandwich boards and store signage) work well if you're in a location with heavy foot traffic and plenty of offices nearby. Location-based media should be brief and without excess information (known as "noise" in marketing). A good example is a sandwich board that reads "All Toner Half Price!"

References

• Web Fin Development: Traditional Advertising
• Business Values 2.0: Online Advertising: Intro To Pay-Per-Click Ads
• Mainstreethost: Mainstreethost Now Offering Google Places Optimization!
• Mainstreethost: Services and Products Offered
• Essentials of Marketing Management: Geoffrey Lancaster, Lester Massingham

Resources

• Go Daddy
• Yahoo