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Let Everybody Else
I can’t reach
I Am Thinking & I Think
Passion or Performance
Just Because You Can…
Tools For Thought
A Critical Need Ignored
Extensive, Exhaustive Investigation Finds No Silver Bullet
Make The Tag
I Don’t Like Pennies, But Nick Does
Grey Matters in Important Matters
When You Are In, Get Out!
I Know A Guy
Thankful For What I Cannot Touch
Fried Chicken and Vacuum Cleaners
Tactics
Don’t Get Me Started!
Who The Heck Are They?
So, You’re Not Doing…
Block Me or I’ll Tackle You
It Is Not About The People
Sure Do Miss Phone Booths
Likesillitus Causes Major Grammatical Disruption
Practice What I Preach?
And Then, It Got Weird
My Finger Might Be Broken
It is just more work for the teacher and the student
The Pizza Delivery Guy Disagrees
The Blue Reality
Your Brand
Living Tomorrow, Today
Don’t try to sound smart
Don’t forget to do this…
The cure for what ails you may be closer than you think
Right Thing Right Way Right Now: You Better Not Touch That, It’s Hot!
You Better Not Touch That, It’s Hot!
Find Answers and Feel Good at our Leadership Summit
You Can’t Lift Up by Putting Down
Hope This Doesn’t Hurt
Think Big Act Small – Just Like Babies
Workplace — it could be a lot worse, and you control how it goes!
Zig Lives On Even If Cold-Calls Haven’t
IOT — It’s not short for “IDIOT”, at least not yet.
Political ad spending — looking forward to 2016?
Don’t let a little rain wash away success
Meet a “new school” expert.
Local ad tracking comes through training, too
Don’t make people guess who you are.
Crazy and fun still sells.
New beginnings
One Naughty List To Really Avoid
Driving change — a holiday story.
Tell yourself all the things you need to hear, and do it out loud!
I assume you’ve heard this lesson before…
Follow up on trust
Trust me…please!
It’s time to make a hot splash!
Don’t get distracted from the coming opportunity!
Dog days are coming
“I’m a people person,” she said with a smile…
Celebrating the roots of freedom
“But my territory really is different!”
The puck stops here
Reading this post? Thank a soldier.
Numbers are changing but it’s still a numbers game
Irritating
You Are Going to Have to Separate Yourself
The Stickiness of Consistency
Please Dispose of Properly and Promptly
Make It Take It Break It
Thanks for Your Help, “No Problem”
Simply Complicated
Disruption Intrusive Trespasser
The Plaque, “What’s up with that doc?”
The Fight We Won
Community Strong
Unlimited Limitations
On Something or Toward Something
Timing
Who Is Fooling Who
The New Year is Not New
Learn to Read, Read to Learn
Drive A Stake In The Ground
It goes: Bang, beweekered and clampestuz.
The Veteran I Knew Best
We Should Ask
Insight
Say Again
The High Road
“Just tell me what you want me to do.”
In the 1986 film, Heartbreak Ridge, Clint Eastwood played Marine Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway. Highway is a battle hardened veteran who is assigned to mold a group of rookie Marines into an elite fighting unit. Each morning Eastwood leads his men on a run and instructs them that they are all to wear the same tee-shirt as he wears. The challenge for his men is that he never tells them what shirt he will be wearing. In the film, this is played for comic relief and his men have to work together to try to find out what the “Gunny” will be wearing.
While amusing in the film, this practice is all too common in the business world. I know a manager of a digital sales team who is very personable and quite intelligent. She is technically proficient, but a poor communicator. She does not clearly describe her expectations to her team or properly explain what she wants them to accomplish. This has resulted in poor sales, low team morale and a very high employee turnover rate. She gives her employees vague instructions and is impatient with them when they ask questions for clarification. Her people try to do their best, try to do what they believe she wanted done and usually are rewarded for their initiative with a chewing out from their boss. In very short order, this manager’s reps learn that the best way to avoid her wrath is to do as little as possible while looking for another job. Her company lost a number of promising employees and untold revenue from her lack of clarity.
Unless they intend to hire a team of psychics and mind readers fully equipped with Ouija boards and crystal balls, leaders need to learn how to communicate their wishes to their teams and how to give clear instructions. One of the most important rules of management I have ever learned is, “Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood!” Here is an example of this, former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover had a dictatorial management style. His staff feared him so much that they seldom dared to ask him any questions. On one occasion, while reviewing a document, Hoover made the following notation on it, “Good report, but watch the borders.” His assistant instantly dispatched hundreds of FBI agents to the Canadian and Mexican borders, where they remained until it was discovered that J. Edgar was referring to the typed margins on the document which he felt were too wide. Explaining yourself clearly, confirming that your subordinates fully understand what you want, may take a few minutes, but in the long run this practice greatly enhances the effectiveness of any organization.
This commitment to clear communication should begin before an employee even joins the team. When interviewing candidates for employment, a manager should avoid the temptation to “sell the job.” Sometimes an applicant seems like such a perfect fit for an open position, that the hiring manager will do whatever is necessary to get them to accept the job. They sometimes paint an inaccurate picture of the challenges and responsibilities of the position. This is seldom a good practice. It generally gets the relationship with a new employee off on a poor footing. I find it is better to be bluntly honest about both the opportunities and challenges of the position you are trying to fill. Whenever possible, I like to have the candidate meet my sales team and do a ride along to get a clear picture of what the job entails.
When I did make a new hire or when I took over a new sales team, I made a point of clearly explaining my expectations to those reporting to me. I did this in the form of a written set of “Expectations.” This was a numbered list of what I expected from anyone on my team. This was separate from their revenue goals. The items on the list described behaviors that I expected from my people. This included items like punctuality, number of weekly calls, reports required etc. I also included things like, “I expect my reps to let me know if any account is in jeopardy as soon as they become aware of the situation so that we can work together to remedy it.” This kept me in the loop and made reps feel more comfortable coming to me with problems. I also set an expectation that my reps would not demonstrate a negative attitude in the office. I was careful not to mandate that “reps maintain a positive attitude,” which was unenforceable, I simply asked that they share these thoughts with me rather than bringing down the team. I had my reps each sign a copy of the “Expectations,” and I posted these prominently in the sales room. I updated this document whenever the situation dictated and reviewed it with my team at least once a quarter.
Since I believe leadership is a two-way street, along with the “Expectations” I gave my team a copy of my “Commitments” to them. This was a numbered list of what they could expect (at a minimum) from me. This list included a dozen points starting with, “I will treat every member of this team with respect as professional business people and as human beings.” I went on to items like, “I will help you resolve any customer service problem…so you will never need to face problems alone,” and “I will listen to your concerns, remedy them when I can, and if appropriate, communicate them to upper management.” My list concluded, “I will make this job fun,” which I strongly believe is a prerequisite for long-term success. I had these “Commitments” blown up to poster size and posted a copy above my desk and in the sales room. I instructed my team to point to this signed document, whenever I failed to live up to the items on the list. These two documents clearly define my responsibilities as well as those of my team. I believe they fostered a positive work environment where everyone understood where they stood and what they were to do.
In our business, if an instruction is misunderstood, we may lose a sale or, worst case scenario, an account. In the military, lives or a battle, may be lost if an order is not followed precisely. This is why over the centuries the military has developed a simple yet effective protocol for delivering commands. Though the stakes in the publishing world are not as high as they are on the battlefield, this mode of communication provides a good model to follow.
An officer giving a command will describe exactly what they want the person to do and give them a timeline for accomplishing the assigned task. “I need you to take a position on this particular hill and be dug in with your men by 08 hundred hours. You are then to observe the valley below and report back on any enemy activity you see until relieved.” They will then ask their subordinate if they have any questions. If they do, the officer will answer their queries until both the commander and the subordinate are clear on what needs to be done. The officer will then ask, “Understood?” The subordinate will then say, “Yes Sir, I am to take my men to the top of the hill, dig in and observe the valley below looking for enemy activity there until relieved. If any activity is observed, we will report it to you immediately.” If the command is fully understood, they will salute and part. In just a few minutes the officer communicated what he wanted done, when he wanted it done SM Link & Learn is brought to you every month as part of PaperChain’s® mission to provide educational material to the free paper publishers. If you have an issue you would like to see covered please email janderson@wisad.com, put “Link & Learn” in subject line. Be sure to check out http://www.paperchain.org for past issues, electronic ready promotional ads and much more to help you remain competitive. and why he wanted it done. He also made sure his subordinate had no unanswered questions and had him repeat the order to confirm that he fully understood his instructions.
Following this practice, command, asking for questions, and having the person repeat back the order not only makes sure there is no misunderstandings, but also drives a stake into the heart of the, “I didn’t understand what you wanted” excuse for not doing something. Because the person giving the order fully accepts responsibility for communicating what they want accomplished, responsibility for getting the job done is placed fully on the shoulders of the subordinate. They may fail to accomplish what they’ve been assigned to do, but they cannot honestly say, “They didn’t understand that they were supposed to do it.”
A good definition of a team, or of a business is, “working together toward a common goal.” To do this some people are appointed to leadership roles, ideally because they have the talent and the experience to know how to best achieve the group’s objectives. Their effectiveness is increased by allowing them to use this expertise to direct their team to accomplish more than they ever could on their own. If they are unable to communicate their expertise to those reporting to them, then their effectiveness is negated by their inability to share it with their team. This is why the ability to clearly communicate what you expect of people is the most critical skill in a manager’s toolbox. Your people may have great people skills, they may know your products inside and out, they may be great sales people, but it is unlikely that they are much good at mind reading. When you are “the boss,” your job is not only to tell people what to do…it’s also your job to be sure they understand what you want them to do!
This article was written by Jim Busch.
Free paper industry stronger than ever
How Did Your Publication Celebrate Free Community Paper Month?
PaperChain is Sharing $500 in Prizes for Publisher Feedback!
We are seeking publisher feedback regarding the recently completed Free Paper Month celebration during July 2015. Members of the internal marketing committee of PaperChain spent a considerable amount of time in an attempt to make the month-long celebration of Free Community Papers a valuable marketing opportunity.
In order to determine our effectiveness, and in an attempt to constantly improve the celebration, we have developed a short (7 question) survey that we would ask you to take. Your input, whether you participated in Free Paper Month OR NOT, will help us to strengthen Free Paper Month in the future.
The survey will take you LESS than 5 minutes, and we will be conducting a random drawing from all of the responses to give away $500 in cash prizes. There will be (1) $200 winner, (2) $100 winners and (2) $50 winners. If you would like to be in the drawing simply provide your contact information found at the end of the survey. If you prefer to remain anonymous that is fine, just leave the contact information blank and we will leave you out of the drawing.
You opinions are most important to us, thank you in advance for helping us to improve our annual Free Paper Month celebration.
To take the survey click on this link:
July is Free Community Paper Month
Here is the agenda for the 2015 celebration roll out:
1. Shown below is the Free Community Paper Month Logo. Please use this logo often on your masthead, folios, promotional ads, articles and as fillers throughout your paper leading up to and during the month of July. For original artwork and PDF’s visit http://paperchain.org/freepapermonth.html
4. We are all so very busy these days but we also encourage you to brainstorm with your staff and find ways to use the month of July to highlight your organization’s accomplishments and the many ways your publications help drive and support the local economy.
5. The 2015 celebration is a national event but you can provide the local flavor. Ask your town fathers, city council and county government to consider taking action on a local proclamation formally recognizing Free Community Paper Month. Suggested proclamations can also be found athttp://paperchain.org/freepapermonth.html.
Your paper has made a great investment in your community and this industry. Only you and your staff can help us bring that story to your readers in this consolidated industry-wide effort. Please consider active participation in the July 2015 Free Community Paper Month. Visit us on Facebook and let us know your plans for Free Community Paper Month. Thank you in advance for all you do to enhance the industry with every issue you publish and your support with this project.
PaperChain 2014 Media Buyer Survey Brings Smiles to Free Paper Publishers
PaperChain – the association-driven marke ing effort for the free paper industry – has recently released results of a survey aimed at measuring free paper appeal to major media buyers. The results are very promising.
Accompanying this article is a summary report of the survey along with some commentary from Tim Bingaman of Circulation Verification Council. Tim and CVC have long worked hard to sell major ad buyers on the strengths and advantages of utilizing free papers; his comments on the survey and the comparisons provided to the 2008 poll are especially insightful and based on years of working closely with publishers and advertisers.
From Tim:
“With 90% now saying they have experience placing ads in free papers it looks like your FPI (ed.- free paper industry) may have turned the corner on general acceptance. It’s pretty rare that we hear the, “my client prefers to buy paid publications” statement anymore. When reviewing some old data I think it’s interesting to note that between 2002 (the first study) and 2008 (the second study) the score remained flat at 65%. It appears that attitudes have been changed recently as the score has increased 25 percentage points in that time. It correlates well with what we have heard from the media panels at the association meetings and with the increased media searches we see on the free papers.”
“It appears that there were a few more major buyers in this survey as evidenced by an 8% jump in those that reported they made national buys in radio, TV and outdoor. There was a 20% jump in those that reported they purchase print nationally. Regional print buyers remained un- changed for media other than print. There was an increase of 13% more reporting they make regional print buys. There were big increases (about 19% weighted) in those that reported they purchase state & local media.”
“The 2014 study had far more active “media buyers” than previous surveys. Media directors remained pretty much unchanged at 26% vs. 21%, but active media buyers increased from 18% to 41%. Media coordinators remained unchanged at 8% while media planners saw a big jump at 12% to 30%. The 2014 study had more media buyers with longer tenure in the industry. Both 5-10 years and 10+ years increased while those reporting less than 5 years fell from 24% to 12%.”
“I do think there are some tremendous opportunities for free papers that share the same city (not necessarily market) to work together. A couple of well-trained reps working the majors for 5-10 publications in a market could have some impact.”
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY: Shop Small on November 29!
Participating in Small Business Saturday of course! Heading into its fifth year, Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is a day dedicated to local, independently-owned small businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods across the country.
There are many organizations, national and local, that have done a great job organizing and getting the word out about the outsized contributions that small businesses make to our communities. One of those is the Small Business SaturdayCoalition which PaperChain and several of our industry’s associations have joined to help spread the word about Small Business Saturday. Visit http://smallbusinesssaturday.com for more information.
Almost universally, Americans say they support and value small businesses in their communities. How could you not? They provide products and services you can’t get elsewhere, customer service is generally more personal, and they contribute enormously to the fabric of our neighborhoods and cities.
As hometown publishers, we know the the value and unrivaled service of our merchants on Main Street. We’re dedicated to promoting their success all year long! Last year, millions of Americans, shopped at independently-owned small businesses on Small Business Saturday. This year, we invite you to help make the day even bigger for small business. Here are ways your publication and your local businesses can get involved and help support Small Business Saturday: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/rally?linknav=us-open-shopsmall-subnav-rally
Shop Small on November 29, 2014:
By shopping small, you are showing your support for small businesses and creating goodwill within the communities where you work and live. Make a day of it by shopping with friends and dining out at your favorite small restaurants.
Community papers and independent business owners should make the day your own:
Small businesses are known for having outstanding customer service and offering unique products. Think about having special pages and promotions and lead neighboring small businesses to join forces to create a block party or holiday event. Don’t forget to leverage Small Business Saturday marketing tools found here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/marketing-materials-signup?linknav=us-amex-loy-open-shopsmall-sbo-login-sbostart
And check the interactive map here http://shopsmallnow.americanexpress.com/?linknav=us-loy-open-shopsmall-subnavmap to find your local businesses that are planning to participate.
Spread the word:
Sign up for email updates at www.shopsmall.com and make sure to ‘Like’ the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/shopsmall). Tell your family, friends and loyal customers about Small Business Saturday on your social networks. And of course, publish special sections for the big day.
PaperChain and our industry is excited to be part of the Small Business Saturday Coalition. We encourage all of you to shop small on November 29, 2014 and help spread the word. Let’s make Small Business Saturday, the biggest shopping day of them all – we’ll see you on Main Street!
Visit http://smallbusinesssaturday.com for more information.
SEO is important for your website……
Here is why, and how that relates to your SRDS Listing
You know that improved Search Engine Optimization will help your website rank higher on the search engines when someone is looking for something you offer. Everyone correctly wants to be on the first page of Google listings as an example. Being on later pages most of the time means people will never find you. Doing things to improve SEO creates “lift” in your position on search engines.
Well, that same concept works as well inside the SRDS database. When an agency is researching a market for an ad buy, they will often not go much deeper than the first few listings. You will be happy to know that as a member of PaperChain you get “lifted” in the listing to the top of those that did not purchase that position. That is a big advantage for your paper.
Both CVC and PaperChain invest in SRDS database promotions including this “Lift” for MFCP members. This is a significant investment for CVC and PaperChain that would cost individual publishers $400 to $800 each month if purchased alone.
We occasionally hear of ad buys as a result of positioning in the SRDS database. Here are a couple of recent examples:
Fillmore County Journal, in Preston, MN received a big grand opening ad program from the nation’s largest beauty supply retailer because of their SRDS listing. The Fillmore County Journal is listed fourth in the Rochester, MN DMA because of their elevated listing. Without the PaperChain upgraded listing the buy probably would have gone to a daily newspaper listed above them. The Fillmore County Journal would have been the tenth paper listed without the PaperChain upgrade.
Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc. in Des Moines, IA publishes 26 publications and received a significant double truck retail display ad series from a national retailer. Their publications are listed third in the Des Moines DMA because of their elevated listing. They would have been listed significantly lower in the list of 66 publications the media buyer had to choose from.
Please be aware and reminded that keeping your listing in SRDS up to date can make a big difference in terms of your receiving insertion orders from ad agencies searching for media in your area. You can see your SRDS information and make updates by emailing June Levy at june.levy@kantarmedia.com.
SEO is important for your website……
Here is why, and how that relates to your SRDS Listing
You know that improved Search Engine Optimization will help your website rank higher on the search engines when someone is looking for something you offer. Everyone correctly wants to be on the first page of Google listings as an example. Being on later pages most of the time means people will never find you. Doing things to improve SEO creates “lift” in your position on search engines.
Well, that same concept works as well inside the SRDS database. When an agency is researching a market for an ad buy, they will often not go much deeper than the first few listings. You will be happy to know that as a member of PaperChain you get “lifted” in the listing to the top of those that did not purchase that position. That is a big advantage for your paper.
Both CVC and PaperChain invest in SRDS database promotions including this “Lift” for MFCP members. This is a significant investment for CVC and PaperChain that would cost individual publishers $400 to $800 each month if purchased alone.
We occasionally hear of ad buys as a result of positioning in the SRDS database. Here are a couple of recent examples:
Fillmore County Journal, in Preston, MN received a big grand opening ad program from the nation’s largest beauty supply retailer because of their SRDS listing. The Fillmore County Journal is listed fourth in the Rochester, MN DMA because of their elevated listing. Without the PaperChain upgraded listing the buy probably would have gone to a daily newspaper listed above them. The Fillmore County Journal would have been the tenth paper listed without the PaperChain upgrade.
Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc. in Des Moines, IA publishes 26 publications and received a significant double truck retail display ad series from a national retailer. Their publications are listed third in the Des Moines DMA because of their elevated listing. They would have been listed significantly lower in the list of 66 publications the media buyer had to choose from.
Please be aware and reminded that keeping your listing in SRDS up to date can make a big difference in terms of your receiving insertion orders from ad agencies searching for media in your area. You can see your SRDS information and make updates by emailing June Levy at june.levy@kantarmedia.com.
July – Free Community Paper Month
The last month has been full of activity as we prepare for the July celebration.
Remember, your paper has made a great investment in your community and this industry. Only you and your staff can help us bring that story alive to your readers in this consolidated industry-wide effort. Please consider active participation in the July 2014 Free Community Paper Month. We hope our efforts to secure a national partner/sponsor are buoyed by strong support from participating papers in 2014. If we can’t demonstrate our unity with a program like this it becomes difficult to prove it to an outside concern that our industry is worth an investment.
Visit us on Facebook and let us know your plans for Free Community Paper Month. Thank you in advance for all you do to enhance the industry with everyPaperChain – Promoting Community Papers
President, PaperChain
Publisher, Pipestone Publishing Co.
The Power of Partnership; A Philanthropic Partnership
PaperChain to support national military charity Fisher House Foundation
Free Community Papers are alive and well
http://www.kevinslimp.com
865.850.0378
I had to laugh a few days ago, when I received a copy of an industry publication featuring my pic on the top fold of the front page with the headline, “Slimp’s invention has served newspaper industry for 20 years.”
I have to tell you. I don’t know where those years went. Back in those days, it seemed like everybody introduced me as the “young whiz kid” of the newspaper industry when I stepped on stage at a convention. It seems, in those early days, everyone wanted me to speak about where I came up with the idea for using PDFs to print newspapers and transmit ads. My most popular line was, “I don’t know. It seemed like it ought to work.”
 |
| Kevin meets with publishers for four hours to discuss the future of the industry at a publisher’s summit in November. |
You know, most great discoveries in life and business seem to boil down to common sense. As I write this column, I’m in Nashville, Tennessee, where I’ll be leading a publishers’ summit this week. A large group of publishers – I’m really quite surprised at just how large it is – from metro dailies to the smallest community papers are coming together to discuss how to be even more successful in the future.
When I lead something like this, I become a statistic junkie for days before, as I study every stat I can get my hands on. Two statistics struck me as very interesting as I prepared for this summit.
The first was a study released by Pew Research Center, indicating just how little most social media sites, other than Facebook, are actually used by anyone. My best friend, Ken, who is a marketing guru in Dallas, had me convinced that it was time to throw away Facebook, paper and all my other resources because the world, as he had described it, had turned to Instagram and Twitter. Well I certainly know now, thanks to this study, that compared to print and Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are used by just a small portion of the population. I was especially surprised at how few teens used Instagram, after Ken almost had me drinking the Kool-Aid.
More surprising to me, however, were the most recent statistics from the Alliance for Audited Media, formerly known as ABC, showing the circulation of the 25 largest metro papers in the country. You may be wondering why I’m writing a column for a free paper industry pub about metro circulation. Just follow along for a little while longer.
How’s this for a surprising number? The Atlanta Journal Constitution had a 33 percent increase in circulation. That’s not a misprint. They grew from 174,000 subscribers to 231,000 in one year. And the Orange County Register, the same paper I predicted would have huge growth, grew 27 percent, from 280,000 subscribers to 356,000.
I know what you’re thinking, “It’s those digital subscribers.” But guess what? Atlanta’s total digital circulation sits at 6,000, while Orange County’s sits at 15,000. Yes, less than 5 percent of total circulation for both.
So why do I even bother you with this stuff? Because, my friends, print is alive and well. We keep hearing that community papers, as a whole, are doing well this year. But we also keep hearing that the big papers are dying, which – in turn – means that we’re all going with them.
That whole mess in New Orleans and other Newhouse cities has caused the whole nation to believe the sky is falling. But guess what. It’s not. More newspapers than the naysayers would like us to believe are doing very well. Sure, some aren’t. But many are. I believe that’s always been the case.
What am I going to say to this group of distinguished publishers tomorrow? I’m going to remind them that their future is bright, if they’ll resist the lure of the “print is dead” philosophy and keep producing quality publications.
You know, there are groups that don’t invite me to speak anymore because I refuse to say that we should all abandon print. But I remember when I was working on the PDF project 20 years ago. It seemed that everybody, including Adobe, said it would never work. Only a few close colleagues believed that we would ever transmit and print files in a method we take for granted today.
But common sense told me they were wrong. And common sense tells me that statistics don’t lie. We have a bright future. Hold on for the ride.
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY: Shop Small on November 30!
What will you be doing on November 30, 2013, the Saturday after Thanksgiving?
Participating in Small Business Saturday of course! Heading into its fourth year, Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is a day dedicated to local, independently-owned small businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods across the country.
There are many organizations, national and local, that have done a great job organizing and getting the word out about the outsized contributions that small businesses make to our communities. One of those is the Small Business SaturdayCoalition which PaperChain and several of our industry’s associations have joined to help spread the word about Small Business Saturday. Visit http://smallbusinesssaturday.com for more information.
Almost universally, Americans say they support and value small businesses in their communities. How could you not? They provide products and services you can’t get elsewhere, customer service is generally more personal, and they contribute enormously to the fabric of our neighborhoods and cities.
As hometown publishers, we know the the value and unrivaled service of our merchants on Main Street. We’re dedicated to promoting their success all year long! Last year, millions of Americans, shopped at independently-owned small businesses on Small Business Saturday. This year, we invite you to help make the day even bigger for small business. Here are ways your publication and your local businesses can get involved and help support Small Business Saturday:
Shop Small on November 30, 2013:
By shopping small, you are showing your support for small businesses and creating goodwill within the communities where you work and live. Make a day of it by shopping with friends and dining out at your favorite small restaurants.
Community papers and independent business owners should make the day your own:
Small businesses are known for having outstanding customer service and offering unique products. Think about having special pages and promotions and lead neighboring small businesses to join forces to create a block party or holiday event. Don’t forget to leverage Small Business Saturday marketing tools found here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/resources?linknav=us-open-shopsmall-homepage-getresources
And check the interactive map here https://shopsmallneighborhoods.americanexpress.com/ to find your local businesses that are planning to participate.
Spread the word:
Sign up for email updates at www.shopsmall.com and make sure to ‘Like’ the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/shopsmall). Tell your family, friends and loyal customers about Small Business Saturday on your social networks. And of course, publish special sections for the big day.
PaperChain and our industry is excited to be part of the Small Business Saturday Coalition. We encourage all of you to shop small on November 30, 2013 and help spread the word. Let’s make Small Business Saturday, the biggest shopping day of them all – we’ll see you on Main Street!
Visit http://smallbusinesssaturday.com for more information.
Free Community Paper Month a great success
The committee held a contest during the month of July for readers and member papers. Throughout the nation our community papers and readers were able to learn about the vibrancy of our industry and had a chance to win a $500 gift certificate to a local merchant from their immediate area.
In addition to the contest for readers, the member papers were asked to publish a Free Community Paper Month advertisement during the month of July and submit a tearsheet to the committee for their chance to win up to $2,000 in advertising reimbursement. This encouraged our members to roll the dice and really make a splash with the Free Community Paper Month promotion. Many publishers really thought outside the box and were very creative with their promotional activity.
As a result, the 2013 contest brought in 1,702 reader entries to the web site, and 64 PaperChain members submitted tearsheets for entry into the contest. Clearly every Free Community Paper who participated was a winner.
By chance — and this was a computer generated random pick — both winners were from the great state of Wisconsin. Laura Shepard avid reader of the Advertiser Community News in Seymour, Wisconsin who reads about everything happening in our small town community was the winner of $500 from PaperChain.
Also a winner of $500 was Laura’s favorite Free Community Paper the Advertiser Community News, in Seymour.
Our member winner who won the full $2,000 reimbursement for running ads valued at more than this amount was, The Great Dane Shopping News from Verona, Wisconsin. Woodward Community Media Group Publisher Steve Fisher states, “We are very happy to receive this prize! The marketing and promotional support provided by PaperChain is key to helping each individual member keep the value of our products top of mind to our readers, advertisers and employees. Kudos to PaperChain.”
Committee members would like to thank everyone who participated and ask that you look for an even bigger and better Free Community Paper Month in July 2014. We encourage you to lend your support and ideas to our committee. We hear a lot these days about how great other mediums are and we also hear about the mediums that are not doing so well. If we don’t tell our story with enthusiasm, no one will. So spread the word, lift your voices and let’s make sure to pave the way for future successes.
Washington DC need to know!
By the time that you read this we will be just a few short weeks from the Monumental Conference in Washington D.C. We have listed here a few things that will help you with your travels.
The Hotel and Registration
The Hotel is the Pentagon City Ritz Carlton, 1250 South Hayes Street, Arlington, Virginia 22202. It is connected to and has a private entrance to the Pentagon City Fashion Mall featuring over 120 stores and dozens of restaurants and eateries. The direct number for the hotel is 703-451-5000
Registration will be open at noon on Thursday and at 7:30 AM on Friday and Saturday. It is located on the second floor next to the Grand Ballroom. All room elevators have a second floor stop so there is no reason to leave the building.
Getting There By Air
Reagan airport is the closest and is a $7 cab fare to the hotel. Washington/Baltimore is about 35 miles away and Dulles about 15. For the best means of transportation from these hotels, please contact the hotel Concierge Services direct at 703-415-5000
By Automobile
The hotel is located right off US route I-395 at the Pentagon City exit. The hotel has a Concierge Service at 703-415-5000 that will be happy to give you personalized directions from any location.
By Amtrack
Amtrack trains discharge at Union Station in center city D.C. I would highly recommend the Metro to the hotel as it is only $3 and takes you right to the front door of the hotel. I used it last week and found it to be clean, fast and safe.
RECOMMENDED ATTIRE
The average temperature for Washington in September is 80 degree high and 63 degree low.
All sessions Thursday Friday and Saturday are Business Casual. We want you to be comfortable; however it is a business meeting in a very business district, so please use your own discretion.
Thursday evening is Vendors welcome night, be comfortable. It is a great chance to wind down from your trip, meet old friends, and make some new ones.
Don’t miss the Friday night outing at the National Press Club and the nighttime tour of our Nations Capital. Dinner will be at the press club near the Whitehouse where correspondents and reporters have been writing stories for decades. You will have a chance to walk the halls where Newspaper Legends have made history and the signed pictures on the walls will attest to that. As this is a working business property, please dress accordingly, no shorts or dungarees. Sport coats would be accepted, but not required,
Saturday night will be on your own and your packet will include area restaurant guides for everything from Taco Bell to Ruth Chris, all within 5 minutes of the hotel.
WHAT TO BRING
- Please bring a bundle of your papers to exchange and plenty of business cards
- Please bring your open mind and 3-minute ideas and plan to learn from the great speakers and your peers
- Please bring your appetite, we always have plenty of great food
- It’s Washington DC! If you have any ideas to change it, Congress is in session, go tell them
- Bring your wallet and credit card to buy a drink for one of the hard working people who made all of this possible.
Happy Free Community Paper Month!
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Notice to All Publishers:
Celebrate Free Community Paper Month in July!
Industry insiders know and recognize the valuable service our free community papers provide to readers and advertisers, but all too often in the hustle and bustle of today’s fast pace world those simple facts get overlooked.
For the benefit of publishers of this valuable service, and for future generations of free paper publishers who will follow, it’s important to remind those we serve of our important role in their community and to toot our horn just a little bit. SincePaperChain is the common link between all the national, regional and state freepaper organizations it makes sense that it leads the charge to organize a recognition and celebration of our industry.
Your PaperChain leadership believes the noble mission of Free Community Papers fits perfectly with the national celebration of freedom the United States so proudly enjoys. The concepts of freedom and liberty and the rights we hold so dear provide the nation’s free papers with the perfect backdrop to remind the country of the valuable services we bring to over 56 million homes each week. In the spirit of independence and freedom celebrated nationwide every July we need your help to spread the word and demonstrate the reach of our industry. We will do this through a grand celebration of the Free Community Paper Industry during the entire month of July.
Here is the agenda for the 2013 celebration roll out.
- Shown here is the Free Community Paper Month Logo.
Please use this logo often on your mast head, folios, promotional ads, articles and as fillers throughout your paper leading up to and during the month of July. For original artwork and PDF’s visit http://paperchain.org/freepapermonth.html.
- Also shown below is a Free Community Paper Month ad describing how your paper and your readers can participate. By participating both you and your readers will learn more about the industry and have the opportunity to sign up to win a $500 gift certificate to a local merchant of your choice (compliments of PaperChain) when they visit http://paperchain.com/contest/.
- As a Free Community Paper Publisher, your publication has two ways to win. If one of your readers is selected to win the $500 prize, you also get to pocket $500. You can also win up to $2,000 reimbursement for the promotional ad space you donate to the promotion of Free Community Paper Month. To register for this reimbursement a publication only needs to provide one tear-sheet electronically to contest@paperchain.com. If your tear-sheet is randomly selected you’ll be asked to document and supply proof of all the ads and logo space you’ve committed to the program and based on your advertising rates you will be reimbursed up to $2,000 for your promotional efforts.
- Publishers are asked not to alter the logo, but to use it often. We encourage you to localize the ad and draw your reader’s attention to the important role your paper and staff play in this industry and how this industry stimulates the local and national economy.
- We are all so very busy these days but we also encourage you to brainstorm with your staff and find ways to use the month of July to highlight your publication’s accomplishments and the many ways your publications help drive and support the local economy.
- The 2013 celebration is only the beginning. In August the newly formed committee will begin work on the 2014 celebration. Their first order of business will be to begin work on national and state political proclamations formally recognizing Free Community Paper Month. They also anticipate some more elaborate contests for both readers and publications to stimulate even greater participation.
Your paper has made a great investment in your community and this industry. Only you and your staff can help us bring that story alive to your readers in this consolidated industry-wide effort. Please consider active participation in the July 2013 Free Community Paper Month. Visit us on Facebook and let us know your plans for Free Community Paper Month and thanks in advance for all you do to enhance the industry with every issue you publish.
Questions: Contact Scarlette Merfeld ads@denpubs.com or 518-585-9173 x 117.
ANNOUNCING FREE PAPER MONTH
Dan Alexander, Sr. and co-chair of the internal marketing committee for PaperChain said, “Given the state of some daily pubs pulling back, I think the political mood is such that we could be welcomed as providing our communities with a very valuable service, supporting and providing an economic stimulant and identity to the areas we serve. Mom, Apple Pie and your Free Community Paper. It doesn’t get any more patriot than that!!!”
Scarlette Merfeld from Denton Publications has agreed to chair the Free Paper Month committee and if you would like to be involved, please drop me an email. Please watch for details and help us to promote our industry and plan to get involved in National Free Paper Month – July!
Officials for Rotary International have been invited to attend the AFCP conference in Denver April 25-27 to meet with publishers to encourage participation in PaperChain organized Rotary promotional materials. Please help us to help Rotary meet their marketing needs and help prove the effectiveness of free papers!
Lastly I want to encourage you to share the Link and Learn and Link and Earn with your staff members. This unique monthly feature is courtesy of PaperChain!
Please feel free to reach out to me with any PaperChain related questions or to volunteer to help.
Greg Birkett
gbirkett@dbqadvertiser.com
Make Digital Reporting a New Year’s Resolution!
In keeping with our committee’s mission to help our publishers harness the full potential of emerging technologies, the first “Digital Bytes” feature of the New Year asks, “What’s in Your CVC Audit Report?” Here’s a hint: If it’s not the full range of Digital Data now measured under newly expanded “Paragraph Six,” you are missing tremendous opportunities.
Adding to the established anchor analytics on general website activity and companion digital editions of publications, our audit reports now offer verified reporting for mobile-text marketing, social media, and email databases. The industry should welcome and embrace the new reporting opportunities, says tech entrepreneur, Joe Nicastro: “Websites, digital editions and social media statistics have become so vital to our industry. In the past we simply relied on our publication audits. Although those audits are a very important part of our industry, online statistics are becoming just as important if not more important.”
“The reason being,” Nicastro asserts, “is that advertisers hear more and more about online marketing, they know about companies like Facebook and Twitter as well as Google. They hear all the time they need to have an online presence to increase their business. Your online numbers become very important and can play a large role in increasing your print revenue. If your traffic to your website, digital editions and other types of online media are growing it can show your advertisers as well as potential advertisers that your publications understand the need for traditional print but also understand online advertising and how it can help their businesses.”
For publishers who have long embraced the existing digital reporting, the new opportunities offered under CVC‘s Paragraph Six are most welcome. However, not everyone is onboard with the “legacy metrics” according to CVC VP and digital lead, Jim Kennedy. “Currently 59% are reporting general website activity (6A),” he says, noting however that the industry still has room to grow from the “14% who present data for both web activity and digital editions.” He is hopeful, as is the AFCP Digital Committee, the current industry reporting baseline will serve as a “springboard, as publications not only offer the banner ads, but begin to incorporate the other, expanded Paragraph 6 platforms into their programs for advertising opportunities.”
Our industry has plenty of examples of success leveraging website analytics and digital metrics, and Delta Publications has done so for years. As an early adopter, Joe Mathes is excited about the expanded reporting and the opportunities it offers to enhance the conversations with prospective advertisers. “Today it’s imperative to include digital information along with your CVC audit. Advertisers are hungry for digital data,” he notes from experience, adding that, “in some cases more so than your circulation numbers. It doesn’t matter if your numbers aren’t great. To some advertisers, 1,000 unique visitors are more desirable than 10,000 copies in print.”
“Reporting your text message advertising statistics is key to lending credibility to your product and will help lay the ground work for the future success of your text ad sales,” adds Ken Ubert, President and Publisher of Hometown Publications – Express News. “We recently landed a large grocery store chain for Text It Advertising, our newspaper’s retail mobile division, in large part due to being able to back-up our personal stats with third-party audit reporting. It is great that CVC will now be offering this to publishers, which is something the ‘big guys’ want to see.”
The message from the trenches is simple, befitting a New Year’s Resolution: “Include all your digital numbers, and you make your company as attractive as possible!” These sentiments are echoed by another tech entrepreneur and friend of the industry, Justin Gerena, who proclaims: “We’re living in a media buyer’s fantasy right now — never before have they been able to make decision based on cold hard facts about exposure, reach, and results.” His conclusion, that we should all want to do our easy homework here, notes that “CVC can’t make it any easier to report digital circulation data. It’s a no-brainer to report on digital reach, especially when you have vendors who can do it for you. No excuses when data is so readily available.”
PaperChain and Rotary Work Together for Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort
Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone along the east coast who has been affected by the devastation delivered by Hurricane Sandy!
Here is a tremendous opportunity for our member publications to run a small ad on a space available basis to help raise relief funds for our fellow Americans who have suffered devastating losses. As the weather continues to make their situation even more difficult, these folks who have lost everything will be in even greater need of our help.
The ad available at the link below will allow readers to make a donation through a special PayPal account set up with Rotary Club of Wall Street and PaperChain to track funds generated from your generous donation of space to this worthy endeavor. Just follow the link and run the ad with the easy to use QR code that will direct the user to the donation site with the PayPal form.
Download the PaperChain Hurricane Sandy Relief Ad
Please run the ad as many times in November as you have space available and help us send a message of support this Thanksgiving for those people in serious need of our help. Thanks in advance for your generosity at this time of need.
Carol Toomey
AFCP President
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY: Shop Small on November 24!
Participating in Small Business Saturday of course! Heading into its third year, Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is a day dedicated to local, independently-owned small businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods across the country.
There are many organizations, national and local, that have done a great job organizing and getting the word out about the outsized contributions that small businesses make to our communities. One of those is the Small Business Saturday Coalition which PaperChain and several of our industry’s associations have joined to help spread the word about Small Business Saturday. Visit http://smallbusinesssaturday.com for more information.
Almost universally, Americans say they support and value small businesses in their communities. How could you not? They provide products and services you can’t get elsewhere, customer service is generally more personal, and they contribute enormously to the fabric of our neighborhoods and cities.
As hometown publishers, we know the the value and unrivaled service of our merchants on Main Street. We’re dedicated to promoting their success all year long! Last year, millions of Americans, shopped at independently-owned small businesses on Small Business Saturday. This year, we invite you to help make the day even bigger for small business. Here are ways your publication and your local businesses can get involved and help support Small Business Saturday:
· Shop Small on November 24, 2012:
By shopping small, you are showing your support for small businesses and creating goodwill within the communities where you work and live. Make a day of it by shopping with friends and dining out at your favorite small restaurants.
· Community papers and independent business owners should make the day your own:
Small businesses are known for having outstanding customer service and offering unique products. Think about having special pages and promotions and lead neighboring small businesses to join forces to create a block party or holiday event. Don’t forget to leverage Small Business Saturday marketing tools found here: www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/rally-your-town And check the interactive map here http://smallbusinesssaturday.com to find your local businesses that are planning to participate.
· Spread the word:
Sign up for email updates at www.shopsmall.com and make sure to ‘Like’ the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/shopsmall). Tell your family, friends and loyal customers about Small Business Saturday on your social networks. And of course, publish special sections for the big day.
PaperChain and our industry is excited to be part of the Small Business Saturday Coalition. We encourage all of you to shop small on November 24, 2012 and help spread the word. Let’s make Small Business Saturday, the biggest shopping day of them all – we’ll see you on Main Street!
Visit http://smallbusinesssaturday.com for more information.
I AM GUILTY
At the IFPA meeting in New Orleans they hosted a media buyers panel made up of David Crawford, former media buyer and now with SRDS, 2 other media buyers and Tim Bingaman from CVC as host and moderator. The information that they gave to the audience was very valuable. They gave some great insight into the media buying process and what is important to media buyers.
I found it interesting to hear them speak of a “Dead Room” full of printed media kits that no one looks at anymore. Media buyers want their information electronically. They referred to these rooms as the room of broken dreams. I also found it interesting that they do want relationships with the media and find it most useful when representatives go out of their way to state their case on particular accounts or advertisers.
One thing that they stressed is the importance of audited circulation. When they have the choice, they said audited wins every time. This is where my guilt comes in. I am behind on my quarterly audit reports. I put it on the back burner, feeling I have so many more important things to get done. I had the best intentions of getting them caught up and then having my circulation manager complete the task going forward on a weekly basis. That just makes sense, doesn’t it?
I know there are many of you that have been behind on your audit reports – misery likes company, they say. After hearing the media buyer’s discussion, I know that I need to move the project to the front burner and get them up to date as soon as I can, and keep them that way. To help the free paper industry, please keep your audits up to date. It is important, as an industry that we continue to plead our case that our papers continue to thrive and that our circulations are not plummeting like the dailies – this could be our chance to finally convince media buyers of the strength of our local circulation.
Your PaperChain committee has been working hard to make a small budget work to promote the free paper industry. One of our key allies in the promotion is our inclusion and prominent positioning on the SRDS platform, where media buyers look to find information about advertising opportunities in markets around the country. Douglas Fry from SAPA put together a great “sizzle reel” about the power of our papers that is on the SRDS site for media buyers to view. They played it at the IFPA conference for all to see, and you can view it, too, by going to the PaperChain site at: http://www.paperchainnetwork.net
Watch for more information about how PaperChain and the Free Paper Industry are using SRDS to help us spread the good news that in the free paper world, print is not dead!
MFCP ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Board of Directors of Midwest Free Community Papers is pleased to announce the hiring of Dick Colvinto the position of Executive Director, replacing Brian Gay who retired at the end of June.
A team has been appointed to work with Dick to plan for a smooth transition into the position. Start dates and specifics will be worked out very soon.
Dick brings with him a wealth of sales and free paper experience having worked with the Texas Community Newspaper Association, the Southwest Association of Community Publications, and the PennySaver, a division of Harte Hanks in California. He also served in various roles for Magic Ads, Sacramento and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Dick Colvin said, “I have very large shoes to fill in replacing Brian Gay and I look forward to working closely with the MFCP board to strengthen the association and provide great service to their member papers.”
MFCP President, Joel Klaassen said “There was a strong field of candidates that applied for this position and it was a hard decision but we are excited to start this new chapter in MFCP’s rich history and I am very pleased to be able to have Dick at the helm leading our association.”
Make Your Message Sticky
We live in a crazy busy world. Everyone is constantly inundated with information and sales pitches. This creates a challenge for sales people because we have to break through the clutter and make our presentations memorable and impactful. We need to make our presentations “sticky” to engage the prospect so that they retain the information we share with them. I like to use”visual analogies” to sell advertising.
For example: I was doing a presentation to a customer who advertised in a competitive product to convince him to include us in his marketing mix. I did some research and found that about one third of the market read their product exclusively and almost an equal number read only my paper. The remaining third read both publications. I could have printed out the research and shared the numbers, but in most cases this overwhelms the customer. Instead I bought three cheap clear plastic vases and two bags of Hershey’s Kisses, one milk and one dark chocolate. I put milk chocolate candy in one vase and the dark chocolate kisses in another. The third vase was left empty. During the presentation I pulled out the three vases and told the customer that they represented the readership of the two local papers. The vase on the left with the silver wrapped candy was my paper, and the purple wrapped candy on the right was my competitor. I then poured some of each into the empty vase in the middle telling him that this was a more accurate description of the market because a third of local residents read both. I then took the vase of milk chocolate candy away and put it behind my back. I told the customer”You current program misses one third of your potential customers” and pointing the the mixed vase “you are cutting your exposure to these people in half.” This image helped the customer to understand what he was doing much more clearly than any chart or PowerPoint could do, The sight of having his “candy” taken away invoked the natural human tendency to avoid loss. Making my point visually burned this into the customer’s brain and helped position the value of my paper. They expanded their budget and now advertise in both papers.
One final point: I first considered using dried beans to make my point but decided to go with the chocolate. After my demo, the client ate some of my “props” and I left the rest for his staff. This small gift made the presentation more memorable and literally left a “good taste in the customer’s mouth.” Whenever possible use visual analogies to prove the value of your products. Doing so will make what your presentations much “stickier!”
Announcing the 2012 Keep America Beautiful Recycle-Bowl K-12:
Compete against other schools in your state and nationwide to see who recycles the most. There are great prizes for top performers!
The 2012 Keep America Beautiful Recycle-Bowl K-12 school competition registration database is now open. The competition will be held October 15 to November 9, 2012, with registration closing on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. The first 1000 schools to register will receive a Recycle-Bowl coordinator toolkit. The toolkit will include Recycle-Bowl competition posters, lesson plans, a paper making DVD, plastic bottle flake “test tubes”, a library book, etc.
For complete details on criteria, prizes and more, register to participate in a September 18 webinar on the topic from 4:30 – 5:30 PM EDT at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/311899209
More information about the competition can be found at: http://recycle-bowl.org
Just a reminder, this competition is separate from the previously posted AF&PA Recycling Awards, which will launch in December and focus on paper recovery from schools, businesses and communities. For details of previous AF&PA Recycling Award winners and their programs, visit paperrecycles.org.
Report: Going Paperless May Not Be Better for the Environment
Two Sideshas just launched a nationwide initiative to assist major U.S. companies in developing and implementing best practices related to environmental marketing claims for print and paper. According to Two Sides research on 94 leading companies, 50 percent of them are using unsubstantiated environmental claims to encourage consumers to switch to lower-cost electronic billing and services.
“The objective of our new program is to offer our expertise at no cost to U.S. corporations who currently make environmental claims about print and paper relative to online billing and communication. Our research has shown that many companies are using negative claims that are not verifiable or factual related to the environmental impacts of print and paper, and as a result do not meet best practice guidelines for environmental marketing,” says Two Sides President and COO Phil Riebel. “Two Sides and our 60 member companies are committed to sharing our collective expertise on the life-cycle and environmental impacts of print and paper. Our discussions to date have been very productive and the end result has been more accurate claims that are not damaging to the paper, printing and mailing sectors that provide over 8 million U.S. jobs.”
Two Sides, which represents companies across the graphic communications supply chain, will assist companies to develop and follow best practices for environmental marketing, including the use of science-based and verifiable information. The non-profit conducted a similar campaign in the United Kingdom with great success. More than 80 percent of the U.K. companies approached — including well-known names like British Telecom, Barclaycard, Vodafone and EON Energy — agreed to change their messaging to eliminate misleading or factually incorrect environmental claims about the use of print and paper.
“The fact is, print and paper products made in the U.S. have a great environmental story to tell,” Riebel says. “Paper comes from a renewable resource — trees grown in responsibly managed forests — and it’s recycled more than any other commodity, including plastics, metals and glass. The continuing demand for sustainably sourced paper gives U.S. landowners and families a financial incentive to continue managing their lands responsibly and keep them forested rather than selling them for development or other non-forest uses. Thanks in great part to the sustainable forestry practices advanced by the paper and forest products industry, the volume of growing trees in U.S. forests has increased nearly 50 percent over the last half century.”
“Many major U.S. companies have implemented credible sustainability initiatives that focus on true performance measurement and factual environmental claims,” Riebel says. “However, in some cases marketing seems to take the upper hand on science. Two Sides is committed to help change this, and our experience to date shows that we’ve been successful in finding mutually acceptable solutions.”
About Two Sides:
Two Sides is an initiative by companies from the Graphic Communication Value Chain including forestry, pulp, paper, inks and chemicals, pre-press, press, finishing, publishing and printing. Membership spans Europe, the United States and Australia. Our common goal is to promote the responsible production and use of print and paper, and dispel common environmental misconceptions by providing users with verifiable information on why print and paper is an attractive, practical and sustainable communications medium. For more information about Two Sides, please contact Phil Riebel at 1-855-896-7433 or pnr@twosides.info, or visit the Two Sides U.S. website at www.twosides.us.
PaperChain and Rotary International Link to Strengthen Communities.
About Rotary International:
Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and around the globe. The 1.2 million Rotarians who make up more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in nearly every country in the world share a dedication to the ideal of Service Above Self. Rotary clubs are open to people of all cultures and ethnicities and are not affiliated with any political or religious organizations.
Publishers, Here’s How You Can Lend a Hand:
You can help by running ads on a space available basis to help promote Rotary’s program. A variety of ads are available for review and immediate download for use in your publication. You can retrieve them from www.paperchainnetwork.net. There are two tabs on the site dedicated to these high quality, high recognition ads. We also encourage you to get involved with your local Rotary Club. Reach out to them and inform them about the free paper industry.
By Jack Guza
When I find myself inundated with negative ads from a political candidate toward their opponent, or a particular product that claims to be better than the competing brand, I often take a second look at the person or product that is the recipient of the trash talk. Almost always, the reason for the negative talk is because the person or product getting attacked is well received by the majority of the people. It’s easier to claim ineffectiveness rather than providing positive information about one’s self that people will want to support, or a product that people will want to buy. I believe that people know what they want and are intelligent enough to make their own decisions without someone telling them they should like someone or something, simply because they say you should do so. I don’t want anyone to tell me why I shouldn’t like a person or a product as I am capable of making my own decisions when I am given the opportunity to receive pertinent information. I will look at what each person or product has to offer and then decide which I choose to support with my vote at the polls or with my dollars at the cash register.Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see a political candidate explaining to you in your local community newspaper, what he or she actually will do if elected, rather than the constant barrage of negative attack ads directed at their opponent on TV? You could actually get to know the candidate by reading their own words and learning in detail what they stand for and how they plan to address tough issues. This would certainly help you choose the person you feel would address your concerns.
There are also those who will claim a tried and true product or medium is no longer preferred because it is in their best interest to do so. A perfect example of this is when some say newspapers are no longer effective and that most people prefer receiving their news and information electronically…Really??? While today’s newspapers offer multi-media options and will continue to do so, publishers know their readers and advertisers want and need their print publication for many reasons, primarily because they are highly read and extremely effective news and advertising mediums.
According to the 2011 results of an annual survey conducted by the National Newspaper Association (NNA), and the research arm of the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism, print is the preferred medium in multiple categories.The study shows that 74 percent of people in communities served by a newspaper with circulations under 15,000 read a localnewspaper each week. They prefer the printed copy to the online version, with 48 percent saying they never read the local news online. They prefer to receive advertising through the newspaper (51 percent) instead of on the Internet (11 percent); and only about a quarter of respondents said they had found local news through a mobile device in the past 30 days. Slightly more (38 percent) said they had received local shopping information by mobile device. The local community newspaper is the primary source of information about the local community for 51.8% of respondents compared to seeking information from friends and relatives (16%) and TV (13.2 %.) Readers are seven times more likely to get their news from their community newspaper than from the internet (7.4%). Less than 6% say their primary local news source is radio.
Print is engaging and oh so convenient. Like the 1977 hit by Lionel Richie and the Commodores, reading your local newspaper is “Easy Like Sunday Morning.” There’s nothing like settling in and reading your local paper wherever and whenever it fits your busy lifestyle. The staff at your community newspaper work long hours to bring local news and advertising offers from area businesses together for you in a handy and easy to read format each and every week.
Fortunately, the electronic age is here to stay. The internet, smart phones, iPads and notebooks are wonderful tools that have a place in our lives – just as newspapers do. You don’t have to choose one over the other. Use whatever you would like and soak up the information. The internet offers a (world) of information at your fingertips. However, when I want to put my thumb on the pulse of the community that I choose to live in, I find the most comprehensive source of news, local information and advertising offerings that affect myself, my family, friends and co-workers in my local community newspaper. That’s why I choose print!
Jack Guza is the Executive Director of Community Papers of Michigan / jackguza@cpapersmi.com / 800-783-0267
Committed to Recycling? There’s an Award for That!
Publishers are invited to enter this contest with their own programs — and encouraged to spread the word to local scholastic and nonprofit recycling leaders. You each have a chance to win a $2,000 cash prize, original framed artwork, and recognition in local and national media. Winners and finalists will also be featured as best practices on the paperrecycles.orgwebsite.
Thanks to the efforts of millions of Americans who recycle paper every day, in 2010 a record-high of 63.5 percent of the paper consumed in this country was recovered for recycling. While this is great news, the paper industry has set a new goal of exceeding 70 percent recovery by the year 2020.
The new recovery goal is part of an extensive, quantifiable set of sustainability goals set by the industry in an initiative called Better Practices, Better Planet 2020. This effort represents the next phase in the forest products industry’s on-going legacy as a leader in sustainability, from raw materials and product manufacturing, to the health and safety of the workforce, to the economic contributions the industry makes in local communities. For additional details on the suite of goals included in the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 initiative, please click here.
AF&PA is pleased to recognize successful and innovative school, business, and community paper recycling programs as part of this effort. Award-winning programs and finalists in each area provide valuable case studies and best practices that can be replicated across the country, further improving our collective paper recovery results.
The deadline for entries is February 10, 2012, you can click here to enter the contest today: http://www.paperrecyclingawards.com/ For detailed criteria, case studies of previous AF&PA Recycling Award winners and more information, please visit paperrecycles.org.
Connecting Readers With the Workings of Washington, DC
At the same time, original, local sourcing of national affairs has contracted at inverse proportions. Today, fewer than half of the states have a dedicated reporter sending news back home from the banks of the Potomac.
What if there was a way to fill the gaping void? A way to share the straightforward facts about current legislation, capture local opinion and advance the debate? A tool to drive additional traffic and a resource to glean community generated content? And all at no cost to your papers?
If this sounds interesting, here’s some good news. There’s a free online platform called PopVox.com that does all of the above. Our free community paper industry has been using them for several months now in grassroots advocacy efforts. We’ve been part of the rigorous beta testing process, and our hands-on has been a two thumbs up.
While PopVox.com is an excellent tool for driving communication to Congress, it also provides a wealth of unbiased information of local interest. You can cut through partisan spin with matter of fact legislative summaries by bill number, and links to the actual language. Or you can track whats new, what’s trending in popularity and what’s scheduled for consideration. With easy to use widgets you can essentially host your own online forum on any pending legislation as well as track, map, display and capture comments within the communities you serve.
www.PopVox.com has a lot of untapped potential for publishers. And for the price — access, data, widgets and dynamic content are FREE! — it’s well worth a look to see how you might benefit from connecting your readers with the real-time workings of Washington, D.C.
FREE AT LAST
Inside the Legals Victory in Ohio
by Jim Haigh
Years of persistence — what some have called blind optimism and others, insanity — paid off when Ohio Governor John Kasich signed the biennial Budget into law on June 30, 2011. Contained in the 3,264 page document were 420 pages of provisions that bring the legal advertising process into the 21st Century. It is a model of comprehensive compromise in both policy and politics, so much so that the key stakeholders locked in perennial antagonism all declared victory at the end of the day.
Local Government cheered the very real cost savings on otherwise unfunded mandates. The pay-to-read press heralded the preservation of legal advertising in print, which was not entirely a given this time around — and their enthusiasm spilled into an historical whitewash of relentless opposition great and small.
And for the free community paper industry: We’re finally legal in Ohio.
Become a Fan of Legal Advertising Reform!
http://www.facebook.com/LegalAdReform
Helping the Postal Service Help Itself
The CPF President’s Message: It was a terrific conference!
Memo to the Community Papers of Florida (CPF) staff:
“I just want to say thank you for all you did last week to make our conference a great experience for all of our members!
“As always, you came through in a big way. Thanks so much for your time and dedication! You guys Rock!”It was a terrific conference. The gang at the Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) was great to work with. Together the two associations put on an extraordinary show and those who attended went home armed with new knowledge as well as memories of a great time.
There is an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this issue of the CPF newsletter you will find numerous conference photos worth a million words.
Congratulations to the recipient of the annual CPF Terry Hisken Telemarketing Excellence Award. Jennifer Ingram was surprised to receive an award that she help initiate. It was well deserved and we do appreciate all the work she has done for this association.
We also congratulate Stephen Clark. The son of CPF staff member Tiffany Clark was the recipient of the annual CPF Scholarship. He will receive $1,000 a year for up to five years to help him with his college expenses.
The Florida association members are used to the great Kentucky Derby wrap-up of our annual conferences. For many of the first-time attendees from AFCP, it was a conclusion to a conference that they will long remember. What an event and what a race!
We were overwhelmed by the ladies’ participation in the Kentucky Derby hat contest. The contestants showed up in large numbers and the designs rivaled those that were shown at the Kentucky Derby on television. Congratulations are in order for Pam Slaven of Tower Publications in Gainesville. The judges voted her hat the “Loveliest” and she took the top prize of $300.
The weather was perfect for Friday night’s Beach Party. The band, “Changes in Latitude” was outstanding. We also helped Mexico celebrate Cinco de Mayo on Thursday night, and the participation of those who attended was gratifying.
Dan Clark and Diana Ciotta fired us up during their keynote sessions. And once again, The Leadership Institute (TLI) provided the learning sessions that have become a tradition in the free paper industry.
Kevin Slimp provided over a half dozen outstanding graphic sessions for both publishers and graphic artists. The Saturation Mailers Coalition’s Donna Hanbery updated publishers on postal news, while Tim Brennan and Nancy Chodak offered instruction in Co-op issues. Peter Lamb’s “Red Finger / Green Finger” session was a hit, as were the Digital and Niche Panel sessions.
For those members that attended, thank you. For those that missed this year’s conference, we hope to see you next year.
The costs of this conference were borne by both associations’ classified networks. CPF dug into its rainy day fund to pay the tab.
With classified network funds declining, you can help by selling network ads. Updated information is available in the CPF office and in the members-only section of the CPF Web site. It’s equally important that you run the ads each week. Results for the advertisers are the key to the future of this association.
Preserving the Power of Advertising
Advertising is an essential investment for businesses of all shapes and sizes — from the family-owned merchant on Main Street to the maker of an internationally distributed product. Our Tax Code has long understood the need for advertising in business, enshrining it as a deductible expense. From time to time, however, as government looks for untapped piggybanks, scrutiny lands on advertising. Periodically at the federal level, and increasingly in cash-strapped states, schemes are hatched attempting to directly tax advertising.
On the flip side of that coin are plots to remove the tax deduction of this necessary business expense. And we are now in such a time, as the perfect storm of commingled debates on federal debt limits, recurring deficits, tax code reform and the next budget approach the horizon. Words used to frame the debate include “loopholes” and “corporate giveaways” — casting a wide and indiscriminate net. Increasingly, the term “tax expenditure” is the device employed to shove all deductions into the same toxic box.
The debate is just getting started, and the powerful statistics that follow clearly show that removing advertising as a business expense deduction will kill jobs and crush our economy. The data come from a new study which underscores the power of advertising to stimulate job creation and economic growth. The bottom line: Advertising Powers 15% of Nation’s Jobs and 20% of Total Economic Output.
Key findings show that advertising plays a major role in bolstering the nation’s employment figures and economy, including:
• Ad expenditures account for $5.8 trillion of the $29.6 trillion in U.S. economic output (20%);
• Ad expenditures support 19.8 million of the nation’s 133.4 million jobs (15%);
• Annually, U.S. businesses spend $279 billion in advertising;
• Every dollar of this ad investment generates nearly $20 of economic output; and
• Each million dollars of ad spending results in the creation of 69 American jobs.
The comprehensive study is called The Economic Impact of Advertising Expenditures in the United States. It assesses advertising’s economic impact across 52 industries, plus government, in every state and Washington, D.C., as well as in each of the 435 U.S. congressional districts. It was commissioned by our peers at The Advertising Coalition, a group of leading trade associations, media and marketing companies, including ANA and the 4 A’s.
And The National Ad Design Contest Winners Are…
This special competition was put together to develop ads promoting the free paper industry and was open to all PaperChain affiliated free community papers. The winning ads are now a resource for our publications to use — as house ads, or sales flyers or however you choose to promote the VALUE OF FREE PAPERS. We encourage you to download and begin using these award-winning resources today: http://paperchainnetwork.net/addesigncontest.html
Because of the abundance of highly creative ad designs — nearly 200 in all — the judges had a difficult time narrowing this category down to the final five. The winning designers in alphabetical order are:
Catrina Cacace
PennySaver
Yorktown Heights, NY
Headline – “Everyone”
LINK: http://paperchainnetwork.net/images/CCPS4.pdf
The Judges Say: “Eye catching graphic plays well with the font selection and the message. Simple presentation creates impact.”
Colleen Kennedy
Warsaw Penny Saver
Warsaw, NY
Headline – “In Print We Trust”
LINK: http://paperchainnetwork.net/images/CKWPS2.pdf
The Judges Say: “Patriotic look plays well with the message. Font selections create a bond with graphic to build emotion in the reader.”
Tracy Sake
Csi Media, LLC
Delavan, WI
Headline – “Free Papers – In Your Home Every Week”
LINK: http://paperchainnetwork.net/images/TSCSI1.pdf
The Judges Say: “Straight forward and right to the point makes this an impactful ad design. Very clean lines and attractive photo.”
Sara Hart Sanders
Oyster Pointer
Newport News, VA
Headline – “If You’re Looking At This Space, So Are your Clients”
LINK: http://paperchainnetwork.net/images/SHSOP.pdf
The Judges Say: “Entertaining graphic is effective in grabbing your attention but the copy delivers a knockout punch for the overall message.”
Cindy Seaver
Community Shopper’s Guide
Otsego, MI
Headline – “Because Sometimes The World Is…Right Where You Live”
LINK: http://paperchainnetwork.net/images/CSCSG.pdf
The Judges Say: “Map graphic is attention getting but also relates well with the local content message.”
Potential Partners in Community Engagement
When I entered the contentious policy debate surrounding “Saving News” and the “Future of Media,” I came across some very interesting examples of this in community media. Local partnerships where publishers are getting story leads and new advertiser requests, while expanding audience and fostering community dialogue. This potentially promising area of community engagement is happening through partnerships with our peers in local, nonprofit community media including Low Power FM Radio and Public Access Television.
In Philadelphia, University City Review has teamed up with LPFM Community Radio Station 88.1 WPEB FM to produce the UC Review Community News Hour. The program is hosted by Editor and Publisher, Bob Christian and Staff Reporter, Nicole Contosta. Each week they provide neighborhood news, a calendar of events, as well as newsmaker interviews with many of the interesting people in their West Philadelphia community. In our Nation’s Capitol, Washington Informer Publisher, Denise Rolark Barnes hosts area leaders and newsmakers for in-depth discussions of the most pressing issues in her community on her program, Washington Informer News. Each week, viewpoint and perspective on politics, social issues, public and community affairs can be seen on DCTV, Comcast Channels 95 and 96, RCN 10 and 11, and on Verizon.
Now is the perfect time to explore whether there might be a good fit for your paper. Community media centers, which create and transmit PEG programming, have dwindling resources and will welcome new opportunities to team up. At the same time, LPFM stations are set to explode across the landscape, with many as 2,000 new noncommercial stations expected nationally by 2013. While some currently dot the rural landscape, with a modest transmission range of 10 to 15 miles, new licenses will be granted in cities and suburbs with a range of a few neighborhoods. A result of the Local Community Radio Act, which reduces the amount of bandwidth allowed between existing FM stations, these volunteer broadcasters will be in the community interest business and not the advertising business.
No formal census has been taken within our industry on for-profit/nonprofit media partnerships like these case studies with LPFM and PEG, but their success should be explored and any similar stories shared. More so, considering current economics and the recent passage of the Local Community Radio Act. For now you can find a low power, non-profit station in your area here: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/fmq.html by searching for LPFM under “Service type” and interactive maps are coming in the near future.
Testimonials 2.0 – A Case Study in Success with Free Papers
George Moses is a member of Community Papers of Michigan, and he sent the link to his YouTube clip (below) to Executive Director, Jack Guza. Jack, in turn, shared this good news case study with our industry blog here at PaperChain. “This is another excellent way to tout the value of print,” Jack says. “George is proud of the results his magazine produces and is happy to share this with you. This video will help promote print as a strong and viable medium for realtors in your markets as well.”
This video features several of George’s real estate advertisers who are extremely happy with the response they have received after advertising in George’s monthly publication, the Marketeer! The Marketeer is mailed to over 46,000 homes in Livingston County.
Video testimonials such as this can now be created with little time or expense. When keeping production simple and real, the balance of the efforts can be focused on finding your advertisers with the most compelling stories to tell. These powerful videos can posted on YouTube and your website, and then actively disseminated across social networks like facebook, twitter and Linkedin. This is just another great way to share your success stories to a larger audience.
Click on this link:
Community Paper Veterans Reclaim Philly Weeklies
Broad Street Media L.L.C., a new company whose investors includeClifford and Stuart Richner of Richner Communications Inc., along with publishing executive Darwin Oordt, will bring new energy to the group of hometown weeklies had been run as the division, Broad Street Publications. According to a spokesman for the most recent owners,Philadelphia Media Network, operating the community papers whose combined circulation totals over 670,000, “was just not core to our business and we were not succeeding at running that enterprise profitably.”
Broad Street Media CEO, Darwin Oordt, plans to change that and has reason to be optimistic with a record of success dating back to 1972. “Philadelphia is a great city and a great market,” says Oordt. “Philly has been known for its outstanding newspapers since Benjamin Franklin published the Pennsylvania Gazette here nearly 300 years ago. We intend to continue in that tradition, while bringing these papers into the 21st Century, and further developing a strategic partnership with the Philadelphia Media Network.”
The new owners bring with them a wealth of experience in the suburban and community publishing industry. The Richners’ principal business isRichner Communications, which publishes 28 community newspapers and shoppers in Long Island, NY. Oordt, an industry veteran who recently served as president of the Maryland Pennysaver, is currently chief executive officer of NJ Media Group, LLC, publisher of the New Jersey Marketeer, a group of shoppers in northern New Jersey also owned by Oordt and the Richners. This is a homecoming of sorts for Oordt who at one time served as chief executive officer of Broad Street Publishing, and who brings with him extensive knowledge of the publications and the greater Philadelphia market.
PaperChain announces Ad Design Contest
We will choose 5 winners who will each receive $250 for the artist and $100 for the publication. Winners will receive national recognition for winning, plus, they will be supporting our industry! Dick Colvin shared, “Once we have all the ads compiled we will make them available to you for your own promotional purposes.”
We look forward to your participation and we greatly appreciate your support!
Dick Colvin
Chair, PaperChain Campaign Committee
For more details contact: info@paperchain.com
Free Community Papers Seek Role In National Financial Literacy Campaign
In response, PaperChain on behalf of its Member Associations and the united Free Community Paper Industry, filed formal Comments to the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, and its lead agency the Department of the Treasury, endorsing key components of the Draft National Strategy for Financial Literacy while simultaneously demonstrating concrete ways our industry could advance this worthy cause. Of particular interest to our hometown publishers and the diverse communities they serve across the land is the Plan’s call to create a National Media Campaign.
Weighing in at this stage of the game could pay dividends, as only 69 unique comments were filed in response to the Federal Register Notice. And of those, less than a dozen came from interested trade associations. By any measure, this raises the profile of PaperChain’s recommendations as well as the Free Community Paper Industry itself, before both the Commission and its nearly two dozen member agencies that span federal government. It’s worth noting that many of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission members have their own awareness campaigns and media budgets, and include such prominent players as the Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Education as well as the Small Business Administration.
While the free community paper industry comments were specific to the FLEC Draft Plan, they offered a blueprint for successful national media campaigns for any federal entity:
“PaperChain champions the Vision, Mission and Goals detailed in the working Draft of the National Strategy for Financial Literacy. We take keen interest in the first explicit Goal, ‘Increase Awareness of and Access to Financial Education,’ as well as the multiple mentions of collaboration and partnerships from the national down to the most local, community-based level. We are confident that our industry can deliver critical and unique capabilities to specific objectives set forth in ‘Goal 1.’ At the same time, PaperChain also welcomes the opportunity to serve as a key partner across action areas, and as bridge-builder across macro and micro-geographic divides.”
“PaperChain strongly agrees that a national media campaign will be vital to the National Strategy. A multitude of options exist across traditional and emerging platforms, and we envision the Commission thoughtfully adopting a strategic blend of so-called old and new media in its ultimate campaign. All of the best efforts, from identifying at-risk groups to developing ideal curricula, simply cannot achieve full potential if the intended audience is not reached. The Commission must carefully evaluate the possibilities presented by ‘innovative technologies to reach people,’ but also maintain constant focus on the most basic need to ‘reach people where they are.’ At the end of the day, people come home, and they can still be found most reliably at their residence.”
Read PaperChain Comments here: http://scr.bi/hhHZvi
More Good News: Latest Audits Show Continued Growth for Free Community Papers!
According to the latest analysis by Circulation Verification Council, the combined circulation of free community newspapers grew 1.41% year over year. The independent, third-party reporting audit company’s early data also shows an impressive yearly gain of 2.15% for free magazines, while shoppers remained stable, down less than a quarter of a percent between the second and third quarters.
Newspapers Continue to Attract Consumers with Buying Power
The research statistics continue to impress, reinforcing what we always knew – that newspapers remain a trusted source for households coast to coast. Astonishingly powerful numbers resulting from a one week evaluation period:
- The latest data from Scarborough Research indicates that newspapers continue to attract highly educated consumers who are ready to shop and spend. In an average week:
- 85 percent of adults who have done post-graduate work or who have advanced degrees read a print newspaper or visited a newspaper website.
- 81 percent of women in a management or professional position with a household income of $100,000 a year or more read a newspaper in print or online; 73 percent read the print product
- Full-time working women who shop, read newspapers in large numbers. A high percentage of those who bought at the following stores in the last 30 days read a newspaper in print or online last week: JC Penney (75 percent); Lord & Taylor (87 percent); Macy’s (77 percent); Nieman Marcus (76 percent); Nordstrom (78 percent); Kohl’s (76 percent); Target (75 percent); TJ Maxx (76 percent); Wal-Mart (74 percent)
- 76 percent of adults who spent more than $500 on fine jewelry in the last year read a newspaper in print or online; 80 percent of adults who spent $500 or more on business clothing read a newspaper in print or online, the figure is 77 percent for those who spent more than $500 on women’s shoes
To read the entire report, please visit NAA.org
Americans Spending More Time Following the News
As reported in the study by Pew Research, “…online newspaper readership continues to grow and is offsetting some of the overall decline in readership. This year, 17% of Americans say they read something on a newspaper’s website yesterday, up from 13% in 2008 and 9% in 2006.”
For more information on the study, please visit PewResearch.org.
Editor And Publisher Reports Valuations Are Up for Weekly Newspapers
By: Mark Fitzgerald
For the first time in three years, the valuations for weekly newspapers are beginning to rise, says the newspaper brokerage firm W.B. Grimes & Co. Recently closed transactions have had multiples to cash flow of between five time to seven times cash flow “with several deals completed at the higher end,” Grimes says in its current newsletter.
“With revenues (and in many cases cash flow) increasing at most newspapers versus their 2009 lows, most buyers are beginning to consider the newspaper’s performance over a multi-year period as opposed to just the trailing twelve months,” the Grimes newletter says. “Although full credit for 2007 and prior performance is rightfully not being granted, we are finding buyers (and their banks) more comfortable looking forward twelve months and making conservative growth projections. The net result, is some credit for past performance.”
Grimes says more buyers appear to be re-entering the market, “although it is still puzzling why most of the major groups remain on the sidelines shunning the smaller strategic acquisitions that made so much sense (and still do) for the past 20 years.”
Another broker with a speciality in community newspapers does not see the market quite so optimitically. John Cribb, managing director of Cribb, Greene & Associates, said he believes the valuations for weeklies will remain in the 4 time to 8 times area, with most deals in the 5 to 6 times EBITDA. “The number of deals may rise if we can get banks to loan money,” Cribb said.
This article is currently featured on EditorandPublisher.com, “America’s Oldest Journal Covering the Newspaper Industry”.
Labor Day: Community Papers Pay Homage to The American Work Force
Through the years, the nation has given increasing emphasis on Labor Day organizing parades, fireworks displays and public celebrations. 10,000 workers marched in the first Labor Day on September 5, 1882 amidst horse drawn wagons and the country’s first electric street lights. Life and times were quite different back then, but one part remains the same today, community papers. They captured the first Labor Day 128 years ago and have continued to provide news coverage and pay homage to the country’s work force of today.
Community papers are an American tradition. We wish you all a very happy (and relaxing) Labor Day!
To find a community paper near you, please visit http://www.paperchain.com/.
Advertising Throughout New England Has Never Been Sweeter
Target by state or the entire region: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Islande. CPNE’s incredible Classifieds Special makes it possible for you to reach 1,400,000 households for as low as $170!
Jump start your season. Rev up your year with unbeatable advertising within the Community Papers of New England.
Call Toll Free: 877-423-6399
Email: bne@cpne.biz
Visit: http://www.cpne.biz/
By City. By State. By Region. Nationwide.
Visit PaperChain.com/Advertising to learn more about national and regional programs.
If You’ve Said It Once. You’ve Said It A Million Times
If You’ve Said It Once, You’ve Said It A Million Times (or Two Million in their case). This is a brilliant statement on the power of advertising in community papers. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. The ad speaks of unbeatable ad packages for classified, display and online advertising that exist within WCP and the community paper associations throughout North America.
Be sure to visit PaperChain.com to explore these incredibly low priced and targeted advertising programs.
Imagine for just $199 you can reach 2,000,000 households.
$699 = 10,000,000 households.
To place your advertising is simple…
Call: 931.922.0484
Email: info@paperchain.com
IFPA’s Revenue Summit July 31st in Minneapolis
IFPA presents a unique new opportunity for you to share and receive new revenue producing ideas!
Our first ever… REVENUE SUMMIT will be held on Saturday, July 31 in Minneapolis. It is designed for a Sales Manager & Publisher together with a Top Sales Professionals from each participating company to come and share sales & revenue ideas.Mother & Son Reunite From A Classified Ad
On April 19, 1967, Patti Langdon was forced by her strict father to give up her newborn son when she was 22 years old and unwed. Ever since she has been haunted by thoughts of her only son. “Every April 19, I cry,” she stated. “Every Mother’s Day, I disappear for the day.”
For the past 43 years, she searched for her son by placing a “Happy Birthday” ad in the classifieds section of the local newspaper on April 19th each year. The message was always the same which read as, “Happy Birthday Baby Boy Langdon. I’ve Always Loved You. Your Birth Mom, Patti Langdon.” This year the message changed to include her son’s name after she learned it from the adoption agency.
After decades awaiting a response, she finally received one on Monday when her birth son, Todd Smith, appeared at her front door. Smith had come across Langdon’s ad by accident, when curiosity led him to do a computer search on how many babies were born at Tacoma General Hospital on his birthday. Of the 75,000 search results, he said, the first was Langdon’s 2-month-old classified ad, wishing him a happy 43rd birthday.
Truly a wonderful result from a simple classified ad.
Click here to view the news interview on ABC:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/classified-ad-leads-to-mom-son-reunion-11004004
Community Papers of Florida Elect New President
A longtime board member, he has served CPF for a number of years. His company produces award-winning publications in the Gainesville area, and has been instrumental in providing network classified revenue for many of the free paper associations.
CPNE’s May 2010 Conference a Success
IFPA Announces The 2010 Revenue Summit
IFPA presents a unique new opportunity for you to share and receive new revenue producing ideas!
Our first ever…REVENUE SUMMIT will be held on Saturday, July 31 in Minneapolis. It is designed for a SALES MANAGER/PUBLISHER together with a TOP SALES PROFESSIONAL from each participating company to come and share sales & revenue ideas. Click “IFPA” for more information.
Association of Free Community Papers Announces 2010 Winners
AFCP hosts a yearly advertising, editorial and marketing awards contest to recognize the “Best of the Best” of our industry’s best use of creative and technical skill. Congratulations.
Click below to check out the winners!
Steve Jobs Speaks On Newspapers at D8 Conference
“I don’t want to see us descend into a nation of bloggers,” Mr. Jobs said during an on-stage interview yesterday. “I think we need editorial oversight now more than ever. Anything we can do to help newspapers find new ways of expression that will help them get paid, I am all for.”
With the recent unveiling of the i-Pad, the next generation of apps are emerging that provide digital editions of dailies and weekly community newspapers.
Confidence In Newspaper Advertising
Still true today, newspapers get the biggest share of advertising revenue in this country. Almost 22% of all ad dollars go to newspapers and over 85% of that money is spent by local advertisers.
The media landscape has changed and businesses are charged with the increasing complexity of how to plan their media. With over 1,600 daily newspapers and over 7,000 weekly newspapers; its clear that newspapers have remained a viable and reliable source to reach their target consumers.
Now’s the time to explore your most cost effective advertising options in print media. Visit www.PaperChain.com/advertising to reach over 1,000,000 households for as little as $170!
Print Readership is Highest Among Baby Boomers
In addition to national papers, the research stated that 58% read their local daily papers regularly, and 68% read their local community papers regularly.
The Baby Boomer generation consists of individuals born between 1946 and 1966. According to the United States 2010 Census, there are an estimated 78 million Boomers with 91% reporting middle to affluent income. Since Boomers have a reputation of affluence, the report of newspaper readership is great news to the Community Paper industry. Overall, Baby Boomers have been less affected by the recession in comparison with the younger generations, controlling $7 trillion of the nation’s household wealth .
Now’s the time to research your options and effectively advertise your business. Visit www.PaperChain.com/advertising for exceptional programs and opportunities.
Publishers Across the Country Meet in Tuscon, Arizona for the AFCP Annual Conference
The AFCP Conference has an impressive line up of speakers and special guests. The new AFCP President, Scott Patterson and Executive Director, Loren Colburn will be recognized in their new positions within the organization.
Additionally, the conference welcomes, Dan Clark, author of the “Chicken Soup” best selling book series, as one of the keynote speakers. This year’s conference promises powerful advancement sessions for the industry for technology, sales, management, marketing and trends.
PaperChain & All National March of Dimes Supporters Honored in USA Today
PaperChain, an association of over 2,000 free community newspapers nationwide, has been a media partner in March for Babies and March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness Monthfor the past 7 years. Member newspapers have contributed millions of dollars in advertising space for these critical March of Dimes campaigns, and newspaper staff have joined volunteer committees in chapters across the country.
To take part in a walk in your community or to support the March of Dimes, please visit www.MarchofDimes.com.
The Power of One Community at a Time: PaperChain Provides Nationwide Support to the March of Dimes
As spring arrives, walks will be held across the country to raise important dollars for research, community endeavors and many other March of Dimes support programs. We encourage others to support the March of Dimes by participating in a local walk within your community or donate online at http://www.marchofdimes.com/
Their mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. They carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health: prematurity, birth defects, low birthweight.
AFCP 2010 Conference April 22 – 24 in Tucson, Arizona
The industry’s much anticipated conference is almost here and, while hundreds have already made reservations, there’s still time for your organization to register.
RETREAT FROM THE ORDINARY. AFCP is proud to bring you to The Westin La Paloma in beautiful Tucson, Arizona. With all the surrounding amenities, this will be one of the best conferences yet!
Prepare to Learn. Grow. Succeed.
Conference Highlights Include…
Dan Clark’s “Chicken Soup” for the Free Paper Industry
Clark is an internationally recognized speaker, New York Times best selling author and CEO of Clark Success Systems, a multi-million dollar management, consulting, publishing and entertainment corporation. As a primary contributing author to the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series and author of 20 of his own books, including the highly acclaimed business leadership book, “Forgotten Fundamentals,” (along with many more accomplishments), it’s no surprise that in 2005 Dan was inducted into the National Speakers Hall of Fame. This is a presentation you do not want to miss!
There are many new courses added to this year’s “Leadership Institute” portion of the conference.
Plus a wide range of sessions covering: Advanced Technology, Web-Based Initiatives, Public Speaking, Selling Success Tips, Effective Advertising Campaigns, Networking and more.
Register for golf, tennis or plan your breakaway poolside or at the Westin La Paloma spa.
For the conference brochure or to register visit:www.afcp.org
View the Westin La Paloma video:http://www.livebrochure.net/westinlapaloma
SAPA & IFPA Announce Joint Conference in September 2010 – “Rhythm In The Music City”
Seminar topics include: sales, motivation, classified ad program development, ad layout & design, and how to compete with broadcast media. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.sapatoday.com/events.html
PaperChain Campaign Earns Advertising Federation’s Silver ADDY Award
The energy drink concept was part of an advanced Personal URL email campaign inviting media buyers to participate in a brief survey to gain valuable insights into America’s personal medium. Community papers are more connected to their readers than any other form of media, having a similar foundation to today’s ‘ever-so-popular’ social media. By reporting on local sports, city government, community businesses and the people you know, community papers offer content that’s truly relevant to their readers. Known to be one of the few advertising mediums that’s priced well, the energy drink campaign showed how community papers can give a boost to your business’ bottom line.
Check out PaperChain’s newest collaborative advertising program – “One Call Advertising” to place advertising in thousands to millions of households at unbeatable prices! www.paperchain.com/advertising.
See how you can advertise in 100’s of community papers for just $199!
Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) Appoints New Executive Director
“We are very excited to have Loren Colburn in this key leadership position,” Orestes Baez, current president of the AFCP, said in a statement. “Loren is the consummate professional and has the skill set and leadership strength to bring this organization through this most difficult chapter and up into new heights and direction.”
During his presentation, Colburn emphasized several key advertising initiatives such as adding a banner ad network and display ad network. “Among the many priorities expressed by the board over the past few years, focusing on expanding the revenue opportunities that helps AFCP provide more member benefits is a critical success factor for us going forward,” Colburn said.
Colburn succeeds Craig McMullin, who lost his life last year in an accident.
For more information please visit: http://www.afcp.org/.
The Year 2010. A Look Ahead.
Secretary: John Draper
Trade Shows: Gary Rudy
Marketing: Dan Buendo
Public Service: Janelle Anderson
Database: Douglas Fry
Special thanks to our past Chairman and board members for their contributions to the growth of the community paper industry.
The Visionaries. The Movers. The Shakers. A Look At Past Leaders of The Community Paper Industry
There are many publishers and executives to honor and remember of 2009. We have selected a few to profile from Ink magazine.
Craig McMullin: AFCP’s Executive Director for over ten years, McMullin was known for his passion and forward thinking strategy. He unexpectedly passed away in August 2009 leaving behind a legacy in the industry. His most notable professional accomplishments included the growth of AFCP’s membership circulation from 10 million to over 30 million. In addition, as a result NANI (National Advertising Network, Inc.) revenues grew from $600,000 to near $4 million.
Bart Loiacono: Publisher of Nitelife, the number one entertainment and leisure guide in the West Suburbs of Chicago. Loiacono was a member of the AFCP board and many free paper associations. He lost his battle to cancer in November 2009.
Charles Papy, Jr.: The Community Papers of Florida lost a longtime friend when attorney, Charles Papy, Jr., passed away in January. As the CPF attorney for over 20 years he was successful in passing tax laws that benefited the member publications in various regions.
Arline Hawken: One of the industry’s visionaries and veterans, Hawken dedicated a lifetime to the community paper industry. From her roots in publishing a shopper in Michigan, she later moved to Stuart, Florida where she and her husband published Flashes Shopping Guide for 56 years and contributed to the establishment of CPF.
Charles Mouser: An icon in the free paper industry, Mouser had his finger firmly on the pulse of our profession. As a highly respected speaker at conferences throughout the country he spent his final years publishing the Mouser Report Email to keep publishing professionals current on the industry. He passed away in February.
Please join us in remembering each individual and the important impact they have made on our profession.
PaperChain Launches One Call State & National Advertising Resource
Extraordinary Opportunity…
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Enter AFCP’s 2010 Annual Awards Contest! Download the Entry Form Today!
Reward Your Advertisers.
Reward Your Staff.
Publishers are invited to enter AFCP’s 2010 Annual Awards contest and showcase your best work!
Each year, the Best of the Best compete in this prestigious national contest. Some of our best work is done by AFCP’s smallest members. So, complete your entries and send t
hem to the AFCP office by January 22, 2010. You may just head home with an armload of plaques.
Design an Ad Contest
Designers show your talents for a chance to earn cash prizes. $500 to the top winner; $300 for second prize and $100 for third prize. Check out the “Design an Ad Contest” in category 41 in this year’s contest.
Participation for all AFCP members is FREE!
For this year’s awards contest entry form
simply click here!
Study: U.S. readership of newspapers tops 170M
Scarborough said the data indicates that newspapers are still read in print or online by a critical mass of U.S. adults on a daily and weekly basis.
“While our data does show that print newspaper readership is slowly declining, it also illustrates that reports about the pending death of the newspaper industry are not supported by audience data,” said Gary Meo, Scarborough’s senior vice president of print and digital media services. “Given the fragmentation of media choices, printed newspapers are holding onto their audiences relatively well and this is refreshing news.”
The analysis of Scarborough audience data not only indicated that newspapers are being read by a majority of adults in print and online, but also that these integrated newspaper audiences continue to attract educated, affluent readers. In an average week:
•79 percent of adults employed in white collar positions read a newspaper in print or online.
•82 percent of adults with household incomes of $100,000 or more read a printed newspaper in print or online.
•84 percent of adults who are college graduates or who have advanced degrees read a printed newspaper in print or online.
Article published by News&Tech: The premier resource for insight, analysis and technology integration in newspaper, digital and hybrid production. http://www.NewsAndTech.com.
AFCP April 2010 Conference – Treasures in Tuscson
Set within the beautiful Westin, La Paloma Resort in Tucson, Arizona, the 2010 AFCP Conference promises an impressive schedule of educational seminars, presentations, explorations into publishing and new technology and insightful sessions.
Plus a tradition of great social networking amongst the most reputable community paper publishers in the country!
Mark your calendars for the annual AFCP Conference: April 22nd – 24th, 2010. Register early at www.afcp.org
PaperChain Publishers Proudly Support the March of Dimes
November is Prematurity Awareness Month for the March of Dimes, an organization that has long been supported by the thousands of member publishers of PaperChain. It is during the holiday season when children are at the forefront of our minds further fueling PaperChain’s commitment as community publishers to support the needs of parents, children and families.
March of Dimes is the leading organization for pregnancy and baby health and its mission is to improve the health of all babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Over the years, the PaperChain committee has adopted the March of Dimes as its favored charitable organization. To date, millions of dollars in advertising space has been provided to the March of Dimes to further their message, increase awareness and generate support.
A longstanding tradition in the home, everyone reads their local community paperfor local news, advertisement, business announcements and promotions. The Paper
Chain publishers hope that by reaching out to our communities with this powerful public service announcement that you too will be motivated to support the March of Dimes.
For more information, read your local paper or please visitwww.marchofdimes.com.
The Washington Informer Newspaper Celebrates 45 Years as the Source for News in the African American Community
Founded by the late civil rights activist, Dr. Calvin W. Rolark on October 16, 1964, to inform District residents about salient issues that pertained to the Black community, the paper also sought to instill a sense of pride and camaraderie among readers. The Washington Informer, an institution in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, celebrates its 45th anniversary this month and continues to provide comprehensive news coverage with a distinct perspective.
Today, Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes charts the direction of the publication using the same philosophy learned by her father’s side: give voice to the voiceless, uplift and educate the Black community.
“My father had the vision to start The Washington Informer early in his career. With the support, both financial and inspirational, from his wife, Wilhelmina J. Rolark, he established an institution that I hope will stand the test of time for generations to come,” Barnes said.
“This anniversary is the Washington Informer Newspaper Company’s opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to our readers and advertisers who have supported us over the past 45 years. Without them and the contributions they make to our community, there would be nothing for the Informer to report,” she said
Barnes has also moved the paper into the 21st century by including an online presence. The Washington Informer currently enjoys 25,000 unique visitors to its web site on a weekly basis.
“While this anniversary gives us an opportunity to see from where we have come…and how we have come through, it also forces us to look towards the future. Our presence online has allowed us to become a global publication, reaching readers all over the world. And, with that comes a greater ability to tell the untold story or address the distorted perceptions about Africans or people of color throughout the Diaspora,” Barnes said.
In the spirit of community, one of tenets on which the paper was founded, the Washington Informer sponsors the D.C. City-Wide Spelling Bee in which nearly 3,000 students participate annually. The paper also provides an opportunity for students to develop journalistic skills through its sponsorship of the Birney-Savoy Informer, a monthly supplement included in the paper and penned by students who attend Birney-Savoy Elementary School in Southeast, Washington, D.C.
Since 1969, the Washington Informer has maintained memberships with the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the oldest trade association of African-American owned newspapers in the country and the Newspaper Association of America.
“This is also my chance to say thank you to the Informer staff – the men, women, and sometimes children – who have dedicated their time to writing the stories and photographing the events in a highly professional manner in order to produce a newspaper of excellence.”
CVC Releases Latest Audit Reports on Community Papers
ST. LOUIS – Despite a tough climate for the publishing industry, community and niche publications have shown circulation stability throughout the past year, according to recent audit data from Circulation Verification Council (CVC).
Some niche publication industries have actually seen an increase in circulation, including ethnic, business and children’s publications,” CVC President and CEO Tim Bingaman said. “Even though community and some categories of niche publications have seen a slight decrease in circulation over the past year, the numbers pale in comparison to the double-digit circulation drops that have been making news the last few months.” Overall the news for community and niche publications is quite positive considering the economic conditions.
“Although there are losses to both free and paid publications, circulation losses in free publications typically do not have the same impact as losses in paid publications,” Bingaman said. It’s common for publishers to shave circulation in area fringe markets outside their core distribution area to cut costs while having the least impact to advertisers.
Two other indicators – readership and purchase intention – also illustrate the stability and value community and niche publications offer to their readers and markets.
Readership of community and niche publications remains stable. Nationally, 76.9% of people report they read the community and niche publications they receive through home delivery or mail distribution. This figure has remained stable over the course of the past two years, according to CVC audit data.
“A stable readership figure tells advertisers that these publications are relied upon by readers who depend on these publications for community news and purchasing decisions,” Bingaman said.
Increasing numbers of readers indicate they frequently purchase products or services from advertisements seen in community and niche publications, as indicated by CVC readership studies. Up from 74.4% in 2007/2008, 75.6% of readers now indicate they make purchases based on ads in these publications.
“This increase is potentially significant, because purchase intention scores have been stable for years,” Bingaman said. “A blip in the national average of one to two percent requires substantial change in purchasing behaviors from existing readers. This shows that readers are increasingly looking to community and niche publications to research sales and buying opportunities before spending money.”
Figures in this article are based on like comparisons between the 4th quarter of 2008 and the 1st quarter of 2009. Figures in this release are bases nationwide edition reporting with an overall circulation of 33,077,623.
Circulation Verification Council (CVC) is an independent, third party reporting audit company. CVC audits more than 4,900 editions nationwide with a combined circulation of more than 70 million. For more information on CVC, please visitwww.cvcaudit.com.
MACPA Fall Conference 2009 October 16-18
History in the Making
The Fall Conference 2009
October 16th to 18th
at the Wyndham Gettysburg
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Making History Together
This year’s conference will feature the talented members of MACPA as our moderators and speakers. These challenging times have offered us opportunities to think outside the box and MACPA is doing just that. Be sure to attend and participate in an informational array of round table discussions, workshops, the Capital Hill report and lectures for publishers, general managers and professionals in advertising sales.
Register today online at:
http://www.macpa.net/conference-registration.html
IFPA Fall Conference To Be Held In Chicago
Book by September 2nd to get the IFPA Conference special room rate of $139 per night. Click here to book today! http://tiny.cc/JSAAT
For what promises to be the largest free newspaper conference IFPA has ever hosted, the event will provide a great opporutnity to discuss business opportunities, ideas and the legacy of community papers in the every day lives of our readers. PaperChain is proud to partner in this great endeavor, the continuing evolution and innovation of our industry serving over 65,187,292 readers weekly across the United States.
IFPA will be holding the conference in conjunction with MFCP, CPII, CPM, MFPA, WCP and CPOWV. For more information, please visitwww.freepaperconference.com.
Supporters of Newspapers Speak Out
Print media is so highly valued, in fact, it is the only form of media that is saved, displayed on coffee tables and desks, and is even shared with others. No other media can claim this.
At a time when every industry has been effected by the economy, newspaper has become a target. After the strikes of 2007 affecting the television industry, and the preponderance of blogs and social media often diluting important issues; print media has been faced with some dynamic challenges to diversify and streamline to best serve their readers and advertisers.
The below is an excerpt from a letter issued by John F. Sturm, NAA President and CEO.
Myth: No one reads newspapers anymore.
Reality: More than 104 million adults read a print newspaper every day, more than 115 million on Sundays. That’s more people than watch the Super Bowl (94 million), American Idol (23 million) or that typically watch the late local news (65 million).
Myth: Young people no longer read newspapers
Reality: 61% of 18-23 year olds and 25-34 year olds read a newspaper in an average week and 65% of them read a newspaepr or visited a newspaper website in the past week.
Myth: Newspaper readership is tanking
Reality: Average weekday readership declined 1.8% between 2007 & 2008; a total of 7% since its peak in 2002. Compare that to the 10% decline seen in the prime time TV audience in 2007 alone. Meanwhile newspapers’ web audience has grown nearly 75% since 2004 to 73 million unique visitors a month.
Myth: Newspaper advertising doesn’t work
Reality: Google’s own research shows that 56% of consumers researched or purchased products they saw in a newspaper. Google also says that newspaper advertising reinforces online ads: 52% are more likely to buy products if they see it in the paper.
The facts vs the fiction provide a telling story, one which shows the continuing value of print media, and especially your community paper to deliver the news “you want to read”. Click to connect for free reseach of thousands of local papers in every DMA and every city throughout the U.S. www.paperchain.com.
Independent Local Papers vs. Daily Newspapers
Community and niche publications bring buyers and sellers together with more audited circulation than your daily. During tough times, it’s more important to make the right advertising choice.
Community papers, entertainment weeklies, shopping guides and free publications reach over 65,000,000 audited homes per week… more than all the dailies combined nationwide.
LOCAL MEDIA IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR:
- Advertising & New Business Development within a Vertical Market
- Advertising & New Business Development with Specific Geographic or Psychographic Criteria
- National or Franchise Businesses that Seek to ‘Connect’ With Their Community
- Test Marketing Products or Services
- National Businesses with Regionalized Promotions & Products
- Local Businesses
As media buying has taken on an entirely new scope, reaching new levels of negotiation, target marketing and quantitative performance. Today’s media buyers are charged with the mounting challenges in research and planning within a complex world.
Print media decisions come down to the analysis of audited circulation in relation to professional Reach, Penetration and Readership.
Reach tests the quality and reliability of a publication’s print run in combination with the methods of distribution – whether by carrier, mail or controlled bulk. Currently CVC, one of the nation’s most respected independent media auditing companies, reports a national average of 97.1% receivership for free local papers.
PENETRATION is where community papers are second to none. No other form of print or electronic media compares to free paper market penetration – whether you desire to target a specified demographic or a geographic region.
Proof of Readership requires auditor-to-reader contact in order to provide media buyers and publishers with the assurance that local newspapers are more than just delivered. The national average for community paper readership is 76.9%. That’s 3 out of every 4 households. In addition, readers of community newspapers report 74.4% of their buying decisions are made from free newspaper advertising and editorial.
Local papers cover every industry, every community, every lifestyle. To create strategic campaigns in print, online and through custom value programs, utilize PaperChain’s free online directory of publications, or call 931.922.0484 for assistance with your next campaign.
Research and discover nearly 3,000 audited publications where some of the most effective campaigns unfold.
PaperChain.com The #1 Source for Media Placement. The #1 Source for Media Industry Events.
Mark Your Calendars…
SAPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Aug 28 – 29 2009
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky
Visit: www.sapatoday.com for general information
or http://www.sapatoday.com/events.html for conference details.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ADVERTISING AGENCIES
July 23, 2009
Winning New Business By Perfecting Your Pitch, NY, NY
Visit: www.aaaa.org for more information.
August 3-5, 2009
4A’s Conference, San Francisco, CA
Visit: www.aaaa.org for more information.
AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION
July 15-17, 2009
Non Profit Marketing Conference, Chicago, Illinois
Visit: www.marketingpower.com for more information.
PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA
August 19, 2009 3pm (EST) Teleseminar
Insider’s Guide To Becoming A Local Media Expert
Visit: www.prsa.org for general information
or http://www.prsa.org/PDseminars/DisplayEvent.cfm?semID=548 for details.
Community & Niche Media = Target Marketing
Community Newspapers & Special Interest Weeklies. The Original Social Medium. Local newspapers possess traits that are invariably similar to social media. They represent a more personal connection to the readership they serve by providing localized information not available in any other medium. Much like word-ofmouth and social media marketing, localized newspapers and niche weeklies inform and communicate on personally relevant topics from local government and sports to special interests and charitable causes.Localized campaigns placed by agencies have shown a trend for national companies to become active partners within their communities.
Rethink Shopping Guides
As a whole, Shoppers and Pennysavers have sustained throughout the economic downturn much like Walmart has reported growth in sales. Why? Studies have shown that consumers of all income levels are increasingly driven to incentive pricing and coupons. For companies seeking to market with a cost saving message, Shoppers and Pennysavers present a unique opportunity to expand a
client’s customer base through a controlled and targeted campaign.
The Marriage of Local Newspapers & Online
Newspapers have continually expanded their online editions to provide up-tothe-minute news and reader supplied content. As a result, the bond of newspapers and their readers has increased and two important forms of information distribution have evolved to best serve the needs of advertisers and readers.
The Advertising Challenge
How do you enter the fragmented mindset of the target consumer and appeal to his or her likes, dislikes, habits, rituals and needs? To accomplish this, local publishers and agencies have aligned to create strategic campaigns in print, online and through custom value programs. Visit http://www.paperchain.com for the latest news on the local media industry. Research and discover nearly 3,000 audited publications where some of the most effective campaigns unfold.
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