Things to Keep in mind before publishing a Lost and Found ad.

Print media has always been an effective medium for people to make announcements about things they have lost or any other valuable they have found. There are two main reasons for this:

1) With the hope that if it is found, the finder will inform the rightful owner and also, 2) its will act as a formal notice which will be acceptable as a genuine cause in official circles that will help restore the original (e.g. through an official copy) to the owner.

For the first case, it is important for the owner to mention important details as to where and when was the item lost/found. It is also important for the founder or the owner to advertise in local newspaper. Obviously, it makes no sense if you advertise in a Mumbai newspaper if you lost/found the article or item in Delhi. This is the reason why you should advertise in local newspaper. Other main factor is the reach of the newspaper- Choose a newspaper that is prominently known in your city and has bigger circulation.

Talking about the second case, many of the officials require a formal notice as an evidence of the loss of item/article. Although it may sound to be just a trivial matter but it is a crucial formality. A newspaper ad can be the cheapest method to do so. Most importantly make sure you include maximum of details to cater to the identification of the lost or found article.