More on placing ads in newspapers

[Yorkman]

Below, Mark posted about his experience with ads.  Actually, I did everything that Mark suggested.

I did list only my e-mail address.  I did specify English only.  I did state I was coming in May.  I did specify a minimum height and slender.  I did specify they must live in Kyiv.

None of it did a whit of good.  I got responses from every city in Ukraine (except Kyiv), from women who were short and fat, who wrote in Russian, etc., etc.  I have not gotten ONE SINGLE relevant response.

And, I did not place my ad through any agency or firm doing this type of business.

These ads were placed by a highly competent lady teacher of English.  She placed the ads in 6 different newspapers circulated in Kyiv, plus on some web sites such as Aviso.

This lady is just as shocked as I am at the responses, and actually embarrased about it.  And it has nothing to do with the picture, quality of picture, etc.  The same picture was used as for the below where I have had good success.

If it weren't for Absolute Agency, MatchDoctor, LuckyLovers, etc., I would be up the creek for sure.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to More on placing ads in newspapers, posted by Yorkman on Apr 8, 2004

Wow, York...

Reading your response to Bobby... you have over 40 women already lined up, and you're still placing personal ads?

Hmmmm...

I dunno, maybe its just me, but it kinda seems like all of your posts trumpet: "Don't use an agency! Don't place personal ads! Absolute Agency, et al are the only way to go!"

Which is fine, I guess... but it doesn't see to me like you are really looking for a dialog...

But, good luck to ya...

Hope one of the 40 work out for you...

[Yorkman]

... in response to How many yachts can you water ski behind..., posted by MarkInTx on Apr 12, 2004

Can you show me where I said I had 40 women already lined up and then 'placed personal ads?'

And also show me where did I say, Absolute Agency, et al are the 'only way to go?'

Seems like you have some reason for misreading my posts.  What are these reasons?

I am not trumpeting and I am not looking for a dialog.

As I said, I am posting the progress of my search for the benefit of others who may be interested.

I can see where the story of my progress would be of no interest to you since your search is over.  But I believe the results of the various methods I am using are of some interest to those who are not yet at your stage.

I am trying to be helpful.  I can't see that your comments to me are helpful to me or anyone.  So why are you making these comments?

[Yorkman]

... in response to More on placing ads in newspapers, posted by Yorkman on Apr 8, 2004

I am not interested in getting into a peeing contest here concerning the 'best' way to do this.

What I am doing is just posting the progress that I am making in this venture using the various methods.  Just hoping to help those who are wondering which way to go.  I have no axe to grind and nothing to sell.  

Sure, others have had different experiences that I am encountering.  Everyone has to weigh what they are reading and see how it might mesh with their particular situation.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to More on placing ads in newspapers, posted by Yorkman on Apr 8, 2004

It sounds to me like you have already invested enough time and effort on advertising and letter writing getting you nowhere.  I suggest you pick the agency that has the greatest number of girls in your target range, call / write the agency to make sure a legitimate number of girls really exists that is interested in you - and just GO over there already.  It seems to me that for alot of guys all the preparation and letter writing campaigns does is add years to their lonely lives and increases the number of gray hairs and decreases the overall number of hairs in these guys heads.  Take some vacation time, fork over the dough and just do it already.  Jack is the first one you should seriously talk with.  Line up the best girls you can and go on either his upcoming trips to Ukraine or Russia.

[Yorkman]

... in response to Sounds like you are ready for plan B, posted by Bobby Orr on Apr 9, 2004

I have clearly stated several times on this board that my letter writing campaign with Absolute Agency, MatchDoctor, LuckyLovers, FreeRussianPersonals,etc., is going fine.  I am actively corresponding with over 40 ladies, which will be whittled down to 20 or so in the next couple of weeks.  Not a scammer to be found in these ladies in 30s and 40s.

In the above post, I am just pointing out that the ad campaign was a waste of time and money.  I would NEVER EVER NEVER NEVER deal with ANY agency, except maybe for apartment rental.  Secondly, I would NEVER EVER NEVER go on a tour.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Bobby what are you reading or should I s..., posted by Yorkman on Apr 9, 2004

My mistake.  I forgot that your correspondence was going well and it was only your advertisements that were not for sheist.

[Jack]

... in response to More on placing ads in newspapers, posted by Yorkman on Apr 8, 2004

York, I have posted before my opinion as to only including an e-mail address for these ladies to contact you. Your ad is being run in a newspaper, NOT on the i-net! Many of these ladies do not know how to use computer, do not know how to use i-net or might be intimadated in trying to use such. Make it easy on these ladies. Include your e-mail with your own address, a local Ukraine address and a local phone number.

I think it is un-wise to only offer an e-mail address, not the thing to do and I felt such advice was so harmful I had to post a lengthy rebuttal to such. The same for saying she must speak English. My wife told me that if I had of wrote that she must speak English she would not have replied to my personal ad. And why? Because many Russian ladies feel they do not have such good command of the English languge and by writing such in an ad she felt that she should know English well.

In my opinion Natalia spoke good enough English for me. She didn't think so and many Russian ladies (because they are such perfectionist) outside of interpreters, feel their English may not be the best.

I will say it again, if a Russian woman can speak at least a little English it is usually enough.

Like you I also placed my personal ads myself, not thru any agency or service. I had met a nice Russian girl from one of my previous trips and like your lady teacher of English, my friend also help to place my ad. Personal ads worked well for me and in fact was an important part of my last three trips while still searching and is how I found my future bride.

[Yorkman]

... in response to Re: More on placing ads in newspapers, posted by Jack on Apr 8, 2004

Jack, I appreciate your knowledge and experience in this area.  However, as you have stated many times with respect to the WOVO vs other methods . . . each guy has got to go with what is best for him.

For me, that dictates English and e-mail skills, along with the WMVM approach.  Yes, I am missing out on a ton of ladies.  So be it.  We must all weigh the pains and pleasures derived from differing ways of doing things.  For me it is no contest, no other alternative is even close.

[Frank O]

... in response to Re: Re: More on placing ads in newspaper..., posted by Yorkman on Apr 9, 2004

I am Yorkman. I placed an ad through Jack's agency & do NOT regret it one bit. Heck if I'd do it again I would NOT hesitate to pay twice as much for it. I have to agree with Jack about the internet thing & personal address. You ARE slitting your own throat with that one. However like you said you have to do what YOU feel confortable with. I took Jack's advice on MANY things but to certain things stuck to what I thought was best for me. Having said that I married the FIRST lady (not the only one) that wrote me through REGULAR mail. She did NOT have e mail access & still does not. Also I received a great word of advice from a Ukrainian man who was my guide in Lugansk on my first trip. He told me to stay AWAY from the BIG cities such as Kiev, Lugansk etc & look to the SMALL cities & villages for a "real" Ukrainian lady as he said. I took that to heart as I noticed many Kievian women were almost as bad & in some cases WORST than AMerican women!! My wife is from a small town with a population of about 15,000 about 60 miles west of Kiev. We hit if off VERY well. She wrote me in March by June when I got off the tour I was on (I'm a musician) I went to visit her & got engaged. We were married in November. waiting for her now.
IN any case I think NOT using regular mail & shutting those out you are SEVERELY crippling your own efforts. You should be a bit more flexible. I mean if you look at it 1 response is very dismal & a total failure (at least form my point of view). I used one approach my first trip & then realized I had sold myself short (WOVO) I should have listened to Jack. However when things went awry with my Marina on my first trip I literally had field day selecting who to go out with. WOmen were practically calling ME at my flat to go out with me. I felt my oats & thought I would do fine in Ukraine. Second time around I used Jacks advice to a point. When I made my June trip it was still to VISIT ONE however this time I hit the proverbial jackpot. In shor I used regular mail, agencies which I wrote girls to, e mail personal connections. In other words I used EVERYTHING I could. Now I just have to watch out for Diana's friends as many were giving me goo goo eyes when I met them. Some of us are just blessed I guess even when we are NOT handsome. Good luck but I would STRONGLY advise you to be more flexible or you'll be searching for a lONG time.

[Charles]

... in response to Re: More on placing ads in newspapers, posted by Jack on Apr 8, 2004

Jack, while your points on this gentlemen's approach are well taken, it seems to me from reading all of the posts he has made regarding his search results that there is a lot more men seeking FSU women than was the case when I did this 4 years ago.  Am I off base on this?   If not, what advice would you recommend to Yorkman and others to set them apart from the competition.  My wife and I just returned from a trip to Scotland and met several prospective suitors at one of the pubs.  One of them had made a trip to the FSU and noted that several women commented that they would prefer European men to American men because of the distance involved and the increased likelihood that they would never come.

[Jack]

... in response to Re: Re: More on placing ads in newspaper..., posted by Charles on Apr 8, 2004

Charles, my opinions only here. There is NO question, NO doubt, that running of personal ads in 1998, 1999, 2000, produced more replies and were more effective then that what we see today.

The results of running personal ads in 2001 were better than the results of 2002 and so on. 2002 results were better than 2003 and so on.

Do personal ads still work? Yes, they do. I have seen some absolute beauties who have written guys in the past few weeks as we have been doing some massive personal ads campaigns. Ladies not with any agencies, not on the i-net.

Guys have to be patient. You can't expect to find your bride on your first and only personal ad campaign. I ran three such campaigns over a year and a half myself. But I saw the potential so I stayed with it. Today guys have to be prepared to run personal ads for some time. It should be part of every guys trip in my opinion and concentrating heavily in areas he is planning to go.

To help set yourself apart from everyone else advertise in smaller cities close to the larger cities you plan to visit. Try different newspapers in the same cities and regions. The single most important thing a guy can do to help increase his chances is to use a good photo. Put together a well worded ad. Indicate you will be coming to this city or region very soon. And in addition to your e-mail and address, allow these ladies a local address and phone number to write you and to call and ask questions about you.

It is still the same today as yesterday. Most ladies who reply back to your personal ad you will not be interested in. I think if a guy has interest in 2 out of every 10 he is doing good. But it only takes one. One thing to help reduce the number of replies you are not interested in is to be very specific as to the type woman you are seeking and make this clear in the ad. Yes, it will reduce the overall number of ladies who reply but you should have a higher percentage of ladies who are the type lady you are seeking who do reply.

There are more guys involved with the pursuit for a Russian bride today then 1 and 2 years ago.  There will be more guys doing this next year and the even more the year after and even more the year after that. I see no slow down in the pursuit for a Russian bride.

Their are many Russian women who would prefer, and seek, foreign husbands from Europe. Men from England, France, Italy, Germany, etc, are very attractive to ladies who do not want to be so far from family, friends and country.

I think that at one time was maybe 10-12% of the ladies who only preferred guys from Europe. The percentages today could be closer to 20%.  America is still the favorite for many of these Russian ladies but it is not such an overwhelming percentage as was the case in the mid to late 90's.

[Patrick]

... in response to Re: Re: More on placing ads in newspaper..., posted by Charles on Apr 8, 2004

I had ads placed for me back around 1995 in three Mexican cities and got literally hundreds or replies.  At one point I was receiving 30-40 letters per day.  My wife experimented with placing ads for men in 2001 with dismal results in the very same cities.  These guys weren't slouches either.  One was a doctor.  Things have definitely changed in Latin America, perhaps in the FSU as well.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Newspaper results then and now, posted by Patrick on Apr 8, 2004

...the girls are realizing their chances are less than one in a hundred.

[TwoBitBandit]

... in response to More on placing ads in newspapers, posted by Yorkman on Apr 8, 2004

It's good to hear various guys' experiences with personal ads.  There are sure a lot of mixed stories...guys who got hundreds of responses that were all chaff and some got a small number that were all chaff and some found their wife...