Here are some tips on selling books through newspaper and radio ads, as well as other traditional media.

• Newspaper: Newspaper ads are great for promoting your presence at book signings, readings, and craft sales.
  It is also much more cost-effective to keep it local.
  Run an ad in the same place each day for several days prior to your event.
  Negotiate hard with the account representative; newspaper ads are declining, and you can probably negotiate not only a lower ad price, but a larger ad size as well.
  Consider online versions of newspapers too.
  The cost is usually lower, which can help balance out the price of the print ad.
  
• Radio: Ads on the radio need to run at the same time each day or several times per day for several days.
  Ask your account representative to give you reach numbers for various times each day.
  Usually the "drive time" to and from work offers the best reach, so it's also the most expensive.
  If you will be marketing in an area for several months, it may make the most sense to float spots - run for two weeks, off for one week, run for two weeks.
  Listeners won't miss the off week and will have the impression of consistency without you having to pay for it.
  
• Television: Network TV is too expensive for most authors, but consider media buyers, who purchase chunks of time on cable networks at low prices and pass the savings on to advertisers.
  Infomercials are another option; though some people make fun of them, they are very effective and cost-efficient.
  With this type of advertising, you'll have an opportunity to talk in detail about your book, either on your own or with a professional interviewer at your side.
  Negotiate ownership of your video (or better yet, the actual editing) so you can use it for a series of two- to three-minute spots that you upload to YouTube, your website, and your blog.
  

Buying and running one ad on any of these media options is a waste of advertising dollars.
The same can be said of digital media, but the relative expense of traditional media tempts authors to think otherwise.
Repetition is a critical part of every advertising campaign.
Instead of looking at each piece of media as a one-off, think about the comprehensive marketing campaign you want to create for your book.
First, outline the free opportunities you have for marketing, such as book signings, and then determine the best way to promote them.
This way, you ensure repetition for a targeted audience that is genuinely interested in your work.
In addition to marketing your appearances, offer the absolute best price possible on your book; without a compelling offer, your audience might notice you, but fail to take action.
Second, always think about how you can repurpose content.
Perhaps you can use one of your blogs to guest-write for the local print newspaper or repurpose videos as mentioned above.
And third, no matter which advertising mix you choose, be sure to measure your results so you can use what you learn to market your next book!