Stories written by Michelle Finkler that have appeared in The Inlander.

1. the
Inlander
MARCH 2009 | Vol. 23, No. 3
knowledge for newspapers
Mailed Tuesday Feb. 17, from Algonquin, Ill.
Inform post office if it arrives after March 3. Address service requested.
Inland
Stay current training
“One investment we hold sa-
with Inland cred is our Inland Press Asso-
ciation membership. We’ll be
more resilient through any eco-
webinars nomic swing by belonging to a
nuts-and-bolts organization
like Inland.”
— Dennis Waller
Publisher The Chronicle
,
Will unions target Webinars are cost-effective
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small newspapers? Registration is simple
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March 11 | Webinar
Search Solutions for
Selling Your Products
Attorneys explain why it could happen Mike Blinder will reveal how
search marketing works and how
By Michelle Finkler you can easily deploy a local
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
“Small newspapers need to be
concerned. There are going to
For more, see page 21. search solution that will assist in
garnering significant new online
be unions that will come after revenue from new business cate-
If you think unions only tar- different newspapers than we gories.
get large newspapers, think would historically think.” WITH MIKE BLINDER, PRESIDENT, THE
again.
“The old view that unions
Newspaper companies could
potentially see an increase in
Analyzing ‘key metrics’ can BLINDER GROUP, NEW PORT RICHEY, FLA.
March 12 | Webinar
were always interested in big
companies is not true,” said
Bill Schurgin, partner at Sey-
union activity if the Employ-
ee Free Choice Act becomes
law, Schurgin said during a re-
boost financial performance Newspaper Executive’s
Guide to the Production
farth Shaw LLP in Chicago. EFCA: CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 By Adolfo Mendez their worries, their concerns— Waste Cycle
EDITOR anything that you can do to help Here is a complete yet concise ex-
Union election win rate them to survive, because they are planation of where waste occurs
More than 50 percent of workers at U.S. companies have in the production cycle. It is ex-
In the good and bad times, pub- key to your survival.” plained in laymen’s terms, with
voted in favor of unions every year since 2005.
lishers should make cultivating Garry, who entered the news- logical courses of action to initi-
a close relationship with their top paper industry in 1978, is a for- ate the conversations at your own
10 advertisers a priority—meet- mer chief financial analyst at the organization, which will lead you
down the road to reduced waste
ing with each of them once a Cleveland Plain Dealer and a for- at your facility.
month or once a quarter, accord- mer publisher with Hirt Media. WITH TIM GARRY, PRESIDENT, NEWSPAPER
ing to newspaper industry veter- During a recent Inland Press We- AND PRINTING CONSULTANTS,
MYPRESSREPORTS.COM, MT. GILEAD, OHIO
an Tim Garry . binar, he discussed several key fi-
“Your top 10 advertisers are nancial and operating metrics March 17 | Webinar
pretty tough to replace,” said Gar- newspaper executives need to Selling More Strategically
ry founder and CEO of MyPress-
, monitor if they’re to improve
to Integrate Web, Print
Reports.com, a company that pro- their company’s financial per-
Learn how to better control the
vides newspapers with Web-based formance. sales process by building relation-
financial management software. “Key metrics has become a ships and trust quicker. Find out
“Your top 10 advertisers are the buzz word in our economy late- why you should be calling at high-
er levels, how to locate decision-
DATA COURTESY OF SEYFARTH SHAW LLP cornerstone of your enterprise ly,” Garry said. “What it really makers and why you must have an
GRAPHIC BY MICHELLE FINKLER/ASSOCIATE EDITOR and you should really take a per- means is that you’re looking at understanding of your customer’s
sonal interest in their wealth, in METRICS: CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 business to be successful at selling
strategically.
RICHARD FARREL, PRESIDENT, TANGENT
KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS AND AUTHOR OF
GROW CIRCULATION IMPROVE CLASSIFIED SALES PART OF THE CELEBRATION “SELLING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
SELLING”
Closely watching the numbers gives Make your newspaper a top National Nurses Week in May could
circulation managers a solid base for destination for classified ads with a provide a special section For details or registration assistance,
contact Inland at (847) 795-0380
growing readership. reader-centered approach. opportunity for your paper. or go to www.inlandpress.org.
PAGE 9 PAGE 10 PAGES 12 AND 13 Select “Event Registration” under the
Training heading.

2. Ideas
EFCA: Employers urged to take action
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 days or more. Then, an election is 2009,” Schurgin said. “Their
cent Inland Press Webinar. held, after which certification can chances are as good today as they’ll
The Employee Free Choice Act be issued if election results dic- ever be. They’re going to do every-
“will make it dramatically easi- tate. thing they can to get this done by
er for unions to organize,” said However, with the EFCA, once the end of this year.”
Ken Dolin, also a partner at Sey- organization begins, the union sim- Schurgin said with the new ad-
farth Shaw LLP. “This is not go- ply needs to obtain card-check sig- ministration, employers should
ing to be great news for many em- natures from 50 percent of employ- expect increased government en-
ployers.” ees. Once 50 percent or more are forcement, as well as increased la-
The EFCA, which would alter secured, certification is issued. The bor and human rights protection.
the National Labor Relations Act, election can take place within days He said now is the time for employ-
is likely to pass, Schurgin said. It and sometimes without the com- ers to start preparing for the pos-
has the backing of powerful union pany even being aware of the sibility of a union targeting their
lobbyists and President Obama’s union’s presence, Dolin said. company .
pro-union administration. “Unions claim secret ballot elec-
Prepare now
Schurgin and Dolin said the tions favor employers because em-
EFCA would change three major ployers launch extensive anti- “We need to get ahead and be
aspects of labor law: it would re- union campaigns during the post- proactive before a union comes
move an employer’s right to a se- petition period, including anti- into the picture,” Schurgin said.
cret ballot election, there would be union captive audience speeches He suggested employers write
increased penalties for employers and one-on-one meetings between letters to congressmen and sena-
The Inauguration Edition published by The Virginia Gazette. The special issue who engage in “unfair labor prac- supervisors and employees,” he tors. They should also try to cre-
was a success, with street sales nearly doubling. PHOTO SUPPLIED tices,” and it would permit the fed- said. However, “Arguments by ate a workplace environment
eral government to assign an ar- unions, though, ignore that unions where union organizing is unat-
Inauguration Edition a bitrator and impose a two-year con-
tract under certain conditions.
Under current law, Dolin said
are winning elections at the same
rate at which they did over 30 years
ago.”
tractive. For this, an employee at-
titude survey can be helpful. To
boost morale, Schurgin said news-
success at Virginia paper employers now have the right to a
secret ballot general election when
deciding union representation.
Passage likely
The EFCA passed in the House
papers should increase the use of
recognition awards and publicize
accomplishments by the paper
By Adolfo Mendez “Those [advertisers] who “EFCA will eliminate secret bal- in 2007 but stalled in the Senate. At and its employees.
EDITOR lot election and will be replaced by the time, President Bush immedi- Also, Schurgin said managers
passed on it were kicking card-check recognition,” he said. ately promised a veto. Unlike Bush, should take the time to evaluate
The Virginia Gazette in themselves. Those who Eliminating secret ballots and the Obama administration is most the entire newspaper, all of its
Williamsburg, Va., published “In- were in it were ecstatic, replacing them with card checks likely going to make EFCA a top policies, employee handbooks and
auguration Lessons for Ameri- especially the ones who conducted in public gives unions priority Schurgin said.
, personnel manuals to identify and
ca,” a 44-page special section, in an unfair advantage in organizing, As evidence, they offered this resolve issues now to thwart the
the Gazette on Jan. 17.
chose to be on a page or businesses argue. It’s also unde- extended quote from President possibility of a union recogniz-
“It was intended to succinctly opposite a page of their mocratic and unwise, Dolin said. Obama, taken from a speech he ing any vulnerability .
recall the presidency of each of favorite president.” “Cards are unreliable; they can gave in Dubuque, Iowa, in Novem- “If you use the analogy of a
President Obama’s predecessors contain forged employee signa- ber 2007: doctor, you’re conducting a com-
and walk him through their suc- Bill O’Donovan tures, misrepresentations and “We’re ready to take the offense plete physical of the entire com-
cesses and failures,” said Publish- threats. Even if there are no for- for organized labor It’s time we have
. pany he said.
,”
er Bill O’Donovan. “One recur- whom I persuaded to partici- geries, misrepresentations and a president who didn’t choke say- Schurgin also suggested edu-
ring lesson learned is to pick bet- pate,” O'Donovan said. “Their threats, employees may feel pres- ing the word ‘union.’ We need to cation of supervisors and employ-
ter cabinet members. Another is challenge was keeping within sured in the presence of a union strengthen our unions by letting ees on the impact of unions and
to watch your health, and to wear 300 words, which all but two did.” solicitor,” Dolin said. them do what they do best — organ- the newspaper’s position on them,
a bulletproof vest,” he added. The section also was prof- With the card-check system, ize our workers. If a majority of lawfully urging them not to sign
“The edition was inserted in itable, he said. “We only grossed Schurgin said it would be more at- workers want a union, they should because there’s “no second
our Saturday paper, and we $15,000 in advertising but it was tractive to unions to target small- get a union. It’s that simple. We need chance by virtue of vote.”
padded the draw 40 percent,” a quick sale under enormous er newspapers and other types of to stand up to the business lobby Businesses shouldn’t be put off
O’Donovan said. “Returns show time constraints,” he said. smaller companies. “If there’s only that’s been getting their friends in preparing now for the change to
we nearly doubled our street “Those who passed on it were 20 or 30 employees, it’s easier for Congress and in the White House to come, they said. “This is a wake-
sales to 7,891. It was a huge hit kicking themselves. Those who unions to get cards signed,” he block card check. That’s why I was up call for all of us who said, ‘We
among the readership,” he said. were in it were ecstatic, especial- said. one of the leaders fighting to pass won’t be the target of a union
The section included five-part ly the ones who chose to be on a Another change: shortening the the Employee Free Choice Act. campaign,’” Schurgin said.
coverage on President Obama— page or opposite a page of their length of the campaign period, That’s why I’m fighting for it in the “There is a sea change going on
how he got elected, what he did favorite president.” making it more difficult for em- Senate. And that’s why we’ll make out here. Six months from now,
right, what went wrong, what les- For example, he said one client ployers to state their case against it the law of the land when I’m pres- there may be union activity and
,
sons are there for Obama and les- kidded about gaining position unions. Under current law, once ident.” you won’t have time to respond.”
sons for the country . on the page with Jefferson Davis. the union-recognition cards are Schurgin expects the new EFCA
“Key to our success was a signed by 30 percent of employees to be introduced before April. “We Contacts: Bill Schurgin,
savvy professor who aligned all Contact: Bill O’Donovan, and a petition is filed, there usual- may see an amended version of the wschurgin@seyfarth.com;
43 presidents with other faculty bodonovan@vagazette.com ly is a campaign period lasting 39 EFCA. They have to pass it in Ken Dolin, kdolin@seyfarth.com
PAGE 14 The Inlander | www.inlandpress.org | MARCH 2009

3. Special Report
Local business directories match readers with advertisers
Free listing By Michelle Finkler over $500,000 of revenue,” she
ASSocIATE EdIToR said. “More recently, as we’ve Archived Webinar
launched the Wenatchee World’s
This and other Webinars are
Setting up an online directory for Marketplace, it had an even quick- available in Inland’s Archived
your community can be a great way er success with $165,000 in the first Webinars collection.
to connect area businesses with lo- week.” Visit InlandPress.org and
cal customers. And sometimes, an click on “Archived
Business advantages Webinars” under the
online directory can connect area
businesses with not-so-local cus- Media companies that set up an “Training” tab.
tomers. online directory can decide to call
Consider Gazlo.com, a local it whatever they want, whether that ries. There are also sponsorship
market directory launched slightly be Marketplace or a name more positions where a business can
over a year ago by Bliss Commu- specific to the area, such as The sponsor a category.”
nications, based in Janesville, Wis. Janesville Gazette’s Gazlo.com. Upgraded listings
A man in Greece was conducting But even with different names, all
an online search for a clock seller— of the various Ellington Market- Businesses can also opt to up-
not in any specific town—when place sites are similar in what they grade to a “basic” or “expanded”
Basic listing Gazlo.com turned up in the search offer advertisers and consumers. listing that offers features that go
results. “It’s what consumers are used to beyond what’s available for free.
“He wanted to buy a grandfather getting when they get a Google “Basic” listings include a business
clock from one of the businesses in site,” Weaver said. “To compete profile, listing in up to five catego-
the directory,” said Sara Weaver, with Yahoo!, Google and the Yel- ries, unlimited keywords, a photo
vice president of Sales and Busi- low Pages, we have to offer more gallery and a custom meta descrip-
ness Development for Mediaphor- for free. We can’t nickel and dime tion tag for search engine optimiza-
media, the software division of the our advertisers. We add a photo, tion.
World Company, based in Law- business hours, name, address and “For a basic listing, I’ve it seen
rence, Kan. phone number, a link to their Web go for $44 up to $99 dollars a
Weaver said the man interested site, a map and methods of payment month,” Weaver said. “A lot of
in buying the clock searched on for free. Most of our partners would people adopt the same strategy.
Google for “clockmaster master agree that you only get one chance You can list up to five categories.
clock repair,” and the Gazlo.com to make your directory useful for We list you in one category, and
site was listed first in the search consumers or they won’t come we’ll charge you to be listed in
results. back.” more than one category.”
“We work really hard to make On the homepage of each site, The “expanded” listing also has
our sites search-engine friendly,” there’s a search bar to enter key tabs for videos with a built-in Flash
Weaver said. “If they’re using words, business name or location, video player. Companies can up-
Google to find something locally, and there’s also an option to refine load ads and coupons that they’re
it will pop up in searches. When the search by entering a zip code or running. They can also list a num-
Expanded listing you don’t know what you’re look- address so users can find results ber of products, post calendar
ing for, these categories are opti- close to them, Weaver said. There events and a staff directory.
mizing well.” are three rotating ad positions in the Weaver said the expanded listing
Mediaphormedia, which uses El- middle of the homepage for busi- costs anywhere from $100 to $250
lington Marketplace as its software, nesses that expand their listing. It a month, with the most common
has been partnering with other me- is rotated with an unlimited spon- price being $200 a month.
dia companies in helping them de- sorship position. Newspapers also Weaver said the upgraded listing
velop marketplace directory sites. charge extra for access to the right options give a boost to many busi-
Weaver said that last year, Media- rail, which Weaver said is another nesses, especially small ones that
phormedia worked with 27 differ- revenue stream. may not have the time or resources
ent companies in setting up their “Homepage right-rail ads go for to devout to building and maintain-
directories. about $300,” she said. “Lawrence ing a Web site.
When the Lawrence Journal charges $500 to $700. You have to “We found in the market, most
World’s LawrenceMarketplace. look at what you’re charging for businesses have a Web presence,
com site first launched, Weaver your own newspaper site and make but the site might have been de-
said it took four to six months for it make sense.” signed by your nephew,” Weaver
it to catch on with local consumers. On the left side of the homepage said. “When they see our site, they
Through branding and advertising, is a list of categories to choose thought it was useful. Businesses
LawrenceMarketplace.com has be- from, such as Arts and Entertain- are putting in a lengthy profile.
come a name people recognize, she ment, Automotive, Food & Dining, Some companies are even using the
said. Weaver said the site is now in Health Care and Retail, to name a Marketplace site as their primary
its third year, and receives more few. site.”
“You only get one chance to make your directory useful to consumers or they than 225 million page views a “If you were to choose a catego-
won’t come back,” said Sara Weaver, vice president of Sales and Business month. ry for Food & Dining, there’s a Contact: Sara Weaver,
development for Mediaphormedia. Above: Screen shots from “For LawrenceMakretplace.com, page for that category,” Weaver sweaver@ellingtoncms.com
LawrenceMarketplace.com. Images supplIed in the first year, it brought in just said. “Then there are sub catego-
PAGE 10 The Inlander | InlandPress.org | SEPTEMBER 2009

4. Ideas
Is the design of your Web site helping or hurting your advertisers?
Header/Navigation By Michelle Finkler Ostendorf said fewer bigger ads are better than
Header/Navigation AssocIATe edIToR lots of little ads. Ostendorf also recommended
varying the ad sizes because this will draw more
Ad Ad Many newspapers take a “more is more” ap- attention to them.
proach to Web site design, which they inherited For Web pages that have a story on them, Os-
from the early dial-up days of the Internet, ac- tendorf said it’s OK for the page to scroll since
Photo Photo cording to media consultant Bill Ostendforf. it’s a non-landing page. He said scrolling works
Ad These news sites contain long-scrolling homep- on these story pages because the Web user is
ages with too many headlines, links, photos and reading or looking at data that he or she is already
advertisements. interested in.
This type of Web design is bad for business, “Where do we put ads on story pages?” Osten-
Ad Ad Ostendorf said. It doesn’t help advertisers get dorf asked. “We often put them in the story. You
noticed by readers, he said. get this problem for the reader where they have
Ostendorf, who spent 13 years at The Provi- to read around this junk. Or they put all the ads
dence (R.I.) Journal before leaving in 2000 to do on the right-hand side and no one wants to look
full-time consultancy work, recalls sitting in an at them.”
Ad
editors’ meeting at the paper some 15 years ago. Ostendorf suggests using three ad positions on
“We had a meeting about [going] online and a story page in varying sizes and positions, such
on Web pages that have stories on them, news sites generally place the ads within the story editors said, ‘This is great! We can put 100 things as an ad above the header, along the right rail and
(shown at left), which can make reading difficult, or along the right rail (shown at right), where on a page! There’s no limit!’” said Ostendorf, within a story or below a photo within a story.
Web users ignore them, media consultant Bill ostendorf said. Images supplIed president of Creative Circle Media Consulting in The design of each page can differ by enlarging
Providence, R.I. photos or displaying video to go along with the
Ad Ad “It’s not true,” Ostendorf said. “Having judg- story. Ostendorf added that having a stronger
ment still counts, having priorities still counts, visual in the middle of the page will keep a read-
Header/Navigation Header/Navigation limited ad positions counts. If there are two or er on the page longer.
three ads, we ensure the advertisers’ ads are going “Taking it a step further, if they are flash ads
to get noticed.” and if they have more movement, I want to spread
Scrolling length them out more,” he said. “If we isolate them in
space or size, they will get higher readership.
Photo Ad Ad Ostendorf said newspaper publishers need to They shouldn’t compete with each other. You
Ad rethink their sites’ scrolling lengths and try to need to give each advertiser room to succeed.”
keep the homepage to one “page” or screen view. Examples
He cited Poynter Institute’s EyeTrack research
Ad that showed long-scrolling homepages don’t get Ostendorf recommends newspaper publishers
Ad much traffic beyond the first page. look at the layout of successful commercial Web
“You lose 95 percent of your business after the sites for examples of good Web design. Ostendorf
first screen, but we still make long-scrolling suggests visiting Web sites of companies such as
pages,” he said. “I would say to papers, ‘Why Dell, Southwest Airlines, Google and Apple. All
don’t we just end the page here [at the bottom of of the sites have short-scrolling homepages. Os-
the first screen]?’ They say, ‘Because I have ad tendorf liked Apple’s site because of its clean
ostendorf suggests using three ad positions on a story page in varying sizes and positions, such positions down there.’ But you can see that no- look, white background and focus on a large,
as an ad above the header, along the right rail and within a story (shown at right) or below a
photo within a story (shown at left). Having a fourth smaller ad (shown at right) in the right body is looking there. Nobody even saw this ad visual element.
rail works in this layout because its small size makes it stand out, he said. at the bottom. We have to get people to look at For examples of news sites that have good Web
the ads and click on them.” designs, Ostendorf mentioned the Providence
Ad Ostendorf said the research showed the most (R.I.) Business News at PBN.com and the Bangor
Ad
effective ads were part of Web pages that did not (Maine) Daily News at BangorDailyNews.com.
Header/Navigation Header/Navigation scroll. With scrolling pages, the research showed Both sites have short-scrolling homepages and
that eyeballs tend to flow down the page and skip few ad positions.
over the ads. When the page doesn’t scroll, there “So many newspaper Web sites are just thrown
were more clicks on editorial content and there up there, and they’re using this mediocre design
Video Photo was more traffic on the ads. from 15 years ago,” Ostendorf said. “They’re us-
Ad Ad “Not scrolling forces people to see more of the ing these ad shapes and designs that haven’t been
page,” he said. well thought-out. We’re not doing it well. So
many newspaper Web sites are doing so badly at
Ad positions
the basics.
When designing news sites, newspapers need “I urge you to get back to basics and have fun.
to take into account the hotspots shown in the It’s fun, not scary,” he said. “I knew nothing—
Photo Ad EyeTrack research to ensure advertisers’ ads will nothing—about the Web; now I run a software
have prominence on the page, Ostendorf said. company.
“When we design a page, we have to be aware “You can succeed online.”
Ad of the hotspots,” he said. “We’ve been able to
take ad click-through rates up three to six times. Contact: Bill ostendorf,
ostendorf suggests making a visual element in the center of the page such as a video or photo It makes a huge difference how much you cram bill@creativecirclemedia.com
larger on a story page because it will keep readers on the page longer. onto a page.”
JANUARY 2010 | InlandPress.org | The Inlander PAGE 7

5. the
Inlander
JANUARY 2011 | Vol. 25, No. 1
Inland
knowledge for newspapers
Mailed Monday, Dec. 27, 2010, from Sterling, Ill.
Inform post office if it arrives after Jan. 10.
Preserving advertising revenue as competition grows training
By Michelle Finkler
AssociAte editor Under Siege “I just wanted to send you a
quick note to compliment Inland
Sales pitches from non-newspaper advertising sales people
Non-newspaper sales people are on a Webinar. It’s almost like
approaching your advertising cli- None 7% bits and pieces of great informa-
ents an average of 22 times a month, tion we have received through
according to research conducted by 1 to 4 50% many Inland seminars all came
ITZBelden. together for us through the In-
“That includes Groupon, Living 5 to 9 22% land Webinar, “A Close Exami-
Social, mobile sites, somebody in- nation of the Agency Approach
side a garage who’s got a cool idea for Sales Force Organization,”
10 to 14 9%
for your town—all kinds of peo- with Greg Swanson. Our group
ple,” said Greg Swanson, president spent another 30 minutes brain-
15 to 19 3%
of Portland, Ore.-based ITZ Pub- storming after the session and
lishing, which conducted the re- came out with a shared focus for
20 to 24 2%
search in partnership with Belden improvement for our sales reps
Interactive, also based out of Port- and, most importantly, our cus-
25 to 29 2%
land. tomers. It will take time and a
“Out of the 22 people who asked lot of work, but our team seems
30 to 49 1%
to give a pitch, our local retailers to be on a common path to real-
are taking about seven of those ize improvement. Thanks for a
50 or more 2%
calls,” Swanson said. “What’s go- job well done.”
ing on here is our advertisers are Don’t know 3%
— Jeffrey N. Evans, publisher,
being educated about twice a week /Not sure Ludington (Mich.) Daily News
about ways they should advertise, 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
and we’re either helping them fig- Jan. 13 | Webinar
ure out what to do on the basis of in september 2010, itZ Publishing and Belden interactive completed a survey of small- and medium-sized businesses in
what they’re hearing or we’re active correspondence with local newspapers as advertising clients or prospects. this graph shows data in response to this Demystifying
not.”
question: “in an average month, with how many advertising sales people do you speak, in person or on the phone, among Digital Sales for
these in-coming efforts?” on average, business owners receive 22 approaches a month and listen to pitches from seven of
Unlike other studies that survey those approaches a month. Legacy Print Teams
businesses in general, the ITZ- SOURCE: ITzBELDEN | GRAPhIC BY: MIChELLE FINkLER This Inland Webinar will help take
the fear factor out of online ad
Belden research is based on actual programs for traditional print reps
newspaper contacts. The findings “because we look like we’re lim- other mediums to advertise besides question is, what other products can who still feel more confident sell-
are based on input from 2,840 ited consultants,” Swanson said. the print newspaper; 14 percent use we offer to get some of those $6?” ing print over digital ads. Topics
small- and medium-sized busi- Sales reps need to identify all of two other mediums and 15 percent covered will include simplifying
New model the sales process; comparing and
nesses identified as advertising the different products available in use six to nine other mediums. contrasting the online vs. print au-
clients or prospects for the local their markets and understand how What it boils down to is that The solution isn’t giving “a dience; targeting other media for
paper. The advertisers agreed to they are being sold, he said. newspapers get almost 30 percent whole bunch more stuff for our real incremental revenues; and de-
participate in the study, which was “If we’re not selling keywords in of the local businesses’ total spend- sales people to sell,” Swanson said. mystifying online terminology.
WITH SCOTT ROSENbERg, DIgITAL
completed in September 2010, search, if we’re not selling e-mail ing. Online, the percentage is even The answer is to restructure your MARkETINg SPECIALIST,
upon an invitation by 81 newspa- push, if we’re not helping facilitate smaller. sales organization to more resemble STRATEgY2 DIgITAL, CRYSTAL LAkE, ILL.
pers in 40 states. map-based advertising, if we’re not “If we ask them how much an agency model, with smart bun- Jan. 26 | Webinar
Newspaper sales reps who are selling mobile and video ads, if they’re getting in online advertis- dles based on business category, he
not conversant with the various we’re not selling the things they’re ing, it is 13 percent of total spend- said. ITZBelden data of business Write Tighter and Faster
products that are constantly being buying, all we know for sure is that ing,” Swanson said. “The maximum owners’ interests can serve as a di- With a little planning and a bit of
deconstruction and focus of your
pitched to your customers and the this money is going to someone we’ll be getting between our print rectional aid for newspapers as they story idea, you’ll write more effi-
wide range of advertising options else.” product and online product is some- decide what offerings should be in ciently. You’ll also learn to use
they have, undermine your ability According to ITZBelden, 45 per- where around 40 percent of their powerful words and fewer awk-
to sell solutions to local business cent of businesses use three to five spending, or $4 out of $10. The Advertising: continued on PAge 11
ward transitions in a session that
will improve your story lengths
and writing speed.
WITH kIM STRONg, DIRECTOR OF bUSINESS
READY TO HIRE? READ THIS COMPETITION HEATS UP FELLOWSHIP PROgRAM DEvELOPMENT AND WRITINg COACH, THE
Remove the barriers to hiring the AOL’s Patch joins the fragmented Why a Wick Communication’s web PATRIOT-NEWS, HARRISbURg, PA.
‘best and the brightest’ with these media landscape in search of local developer has a strong passion for
proven tips. advertising dollars. newspapers. Additional training information on pages
17 or visit InlandPress.org. Select “Event
PAgE 9 PAgES 12-13 PAgE 14 Registration” under the “Training” tab.

6. Ideas
Advertising: Align your strategy to what clients are interested in buying
CoNTINUed fRom PAGe 1 your share of voice in those chan- which helped people understand tomers will find will deliver them the compensation program to re-
nels or adding additional chan- who you are.’” results is by forcefully tying the ward sales reps not only for hitting
each category’s package. nels.” Swanson said the whole idea of products to a suite,” he said. “What their print and online goals but also
For example, a majority of local the agency approach is not to help we’re saying to our advertiser is, for the total number of customers
Sales reps
businesses still think primarily advertisers select which component ‘We don’t want you to buy the they have. He said the idea is to in-
about their own website when they Successfully launching an agen- of the package works, but rather to Houston Chronicle; we want you crease the total number of customers
think about spending money online. cy model at your newspaper will say all these parts synergistically to buy Houston. The way you do participating with the newspaper.
According to the research, 82 per- require a big commitment in the work together. Secondly, since that is by having a presence on our He said newspapers are also
cent of newspaper clients said their form of extensive training for sales many reps and, frankly, newspaper website, newspaper, specialty pub, well-positioned to offer advertisers
No. 1 marketing strategy is main- reps, Swanson said. When Hearst customers don’t understand the mobile, Facebook, Twitter and on “agency” services, such as graphic
taining a company website. The Corp. decided to pursue an agency value of these new advertising me- many other places, and our goal is design, video production and lead-
second is sponsoring events (54 approach at the Houston Chronicle, diums, it’s difficult to get reps to to drive people to buy your product generation programs, to their local
percent), and the third is maintain- it launched a new business catego- assert their value or convince cus- or come to your restaurant or sale; clients.
ing the company’s Facebook or ry package each month and held tomers to try them. it’s not to get you to buy one or
MySpace page (45 percent). hour-long training sessions every “The way we introduce these another of these products.’” Contact: Greg Swanson,
“Social media comes before in- Monday for 18 months to train staff new products that many of our cus- Swanson also discussed changing greg@itzpublishing.com
store promotions (35 percent), on- on the different components of each
line coupons (23 percent) or selling package.
goods over the Internet (20 per- Swanson said newspapers also
cent),” Swanson said. “The fact that should address misconceptions that
the third most common thing is sales staff have about advertiser
something with social media says interests and align their go-to-mar-
to me that our customers are start- ket strategy with what businesses
ing to explore social media and they are interested in buying, as opposed
could really use our help.” to what newspapers currently sell,
Many businesses have undergone such as display ads.
budget reductions and moved ef- “When we asked our sales man-
forts to inexpensive or free sites agers what the most important met-
like Twitter or Facebook, but that ric was for selling advertisers, the
doesn’t mean they’re successful at No. 1 answer was click-throughs
it, he said. (66 percent),” he said. “When we
“They need a newspaper or trust- asked our advertisers what they
ed vendor to act as a broker for were interested in, first was cus-
these products,” he said. “Busi- tomers visiting their store (58 per-
nesses like the idea of self-admin- cent), next impressions (50 per-
istered advertising, but if we can cent), next frequency (49 percent)
show that we do it well, they’ll buy and next reach (48 percent).
from us.” “Surprisingly, click-throughs (45
But keep in mind that one size percent) came pretty far down the
does not fit all, he said. While so- list, which shows that our advertis-
cial media may be important to ers seem to understand that reach-
some businesses, it’s not for every- ing people with some frequency
one. For example, 60 percent of car and letting them see the ad is more
dealerships were interested in main- important than whether or not they
taining a Facebook or MySpace clicked through,” he said.
page, but only 26 percent of the Another challenge for newspa-
finance category and 33 percent of pers implementing an agency mod-
health care. el involves conquering fears of tra-
“When we start thinking about ditional sales reps, Swanson said.
the agency approach, we have to “The real thing I think they’re
say, ‘Here are the packages right for afraid of is if I show my customers
the arts and entertainment category, that these other mediums really
health care, real estate, financial,’” work, they’re going to leave print
Swanson said. “The product suite and buy that,” he said. “What I’m
you would offer a restaurant saying is bundle it so they can’t. As
wouldn’t be the same as you would we sell these packages, part of what
offer a Realtor, since you don’t sell we’re trying to do is say this: ‘No,
discount coupons for a house. we don’t have a mobile solution not
“The idea here is with the sim- connected to print. You may come
plest packages, you have a share of to believe that this mobile coupon
voice in print, on the website, in redemption is where you’re getting
social media, on mobile, and if you the value. But in fact, the value for
want to buy additional elements, the mobile coupon is partly driven
what you’re doing is expanding by the ad we had in the paper,
JANUARY 2011 | InlandPress.org | The Inlander PAGE 11

7. the
Inlander
FEBRUARY 2011 | Vol. 25, No. 2
Inland
knowledge for newspapers
Mailed Wednesday, Jan. 26, from Sterling, Ill.
Inform post office if it arrives after Feb. 9.
J-schools respond to demands of today’s newsrooms training
By Michelle Finkler
AssociAte editor “Regarding the Inland Webinar,
‘A Close Examination of the
Gone are the days when copy Agency Approach for Sales
editors would simply edit copy and Force Organization,’ with Greg
write headlines. Swanson ... the information was
The skill set required to excel in excellent.”
today’s newsrooms is growing and, — Paul Burke, advertising
in response, journalism schools are director, The Coeur d’Alene
adapting the way they teach editing Press, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
and restructuring their campus
newsrooms in hopes of giving stu- Feb. 9 | Webinar
dents a better chance of landing Creating a Culture of
jobs after graduation. innovation and Customer
The University of Missouri in Focus That works
Columbia, Mo., and Northwestern Find out how the Sales and Mar-
University in Evanston, Ill., for ex- keting Division of the Palm Beach
ample, continue to change their Post transformed its sales culture
journalism programs to remain vi- by creating a consultative, cus-
tomer-focused sales force, with
able and relevant to prospective solution-based selling to help
recruiters. businesses develop real solutions
“I want to train students who can to help their businesses grow in a
be good thinkers and be nimble and tough economy. Focusing on the
customer and their needs, rather
able to handle any job,” said Jake than “pitching more products” is a
Sherlock, assistant professor and Assistant copy editor Patrick sweet (right) edits a story while graphics staff member chris spurlock watches from his seat at message we can all relate to.
print editor for the Columbia Mis- the interactive copy desk in the columbia Missourian newsroom in september 2010. the transition, an experiment that began Learn how you can take the same
in August 2010, split the newsroom’s traditional rim and slot copy desk into two separate desks: interactive and print. Both concepts and strategies and apply
J-schools: continUed on PAge 10 students are seniors at the University of Missouri in columbia, Mo. PHoTo: CHRISTINA MANoLIS/MISSoURIAN them to your operation to grow
revenue through customer service
and specialized solutions for your
advertisers.
get into the digital game without breaking the bank wiTh suzanne pepper, direCTOr OF
innOvaTive ClienT sOluTiOns, palm
BeaCh pOsT, wesT palm BeaCh, Fla.
Feb. 15 | Webinar
By Adolfo Mendez
editor improve your
newspaper website
With the early success of the iPad, developers saw tre- with Better web design
mendous potential for profit building apps. Media sites are among the most
“It was not at all uncommon to have vendors come in cluttered and dysfunctional sites
and say that they would charge publishers anywhere from on the web, and it’s time to shake
things up. This Inland Webinar will
$100,000 to $750,000 to build an app,” said Ray Marcano, help you find your own way in-
senior manager of Strategic Initiatives for CMGdigital of stead of just following the crowd.
Cox Media Group Inc., a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox How can newspapers build audi-
Enterprises. “And I know those prices to be factual because ence and develop content for the
web through better design? What
I sat in on those presentations.” kinds of solutions can we develop
What a difference several months make. for advertising and revenue
daytondailynews.com lets visitors sign up for e-newsletters covering entertainment, sports, business growth? This seminar will chal-
information and local headlines, and breaking news e-alerts. expanding your digital presence doesn’t “You can build apps of any kind now, and the costs don’t
lenge you to change some core
have to break the bank, according to ray Marcano, senior manager of strategic initiatives for approaches you are taking to your
cMgdigital and director of digital strategy at the dayton (ohio) daily news. IMAgE SUPPLIEd digitAl: continUed on PAge 11 website and give you a lot to think
about. Get ahead of the competi-
tion with a better perspective on
Family Ownership inland FellOw ClassiFied sales what makes websites work and
How Shaw Media’s management Inside the one-person shop at a Improve classified sales by what is holding newspapers back.
wiTh Bill OsTendOrF, presidenT,
team copes with challenges to the small Texas weekly and how she forgetting about the old ways CreaTive CirCle media COnsulTing,
prOvidenCe, r.i.
business model. gets the job done. of doing business. Additional training information on page
pages 12-13 page 14 page 22 17 or visit InlandPress.org. Select “Event
Registration” under the “Training” tab.